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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2019)
Celebrating ‘City of Roses’ BLACK HISTORY MONTH Volume XLVIII • Number 7 www.portlandobserver.com Wednesday • February 13, 2019 Established in 1970 Committed to Cultural Diversity photo by D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver Miracles Club Program Director Maleka Taylor (right) and Wellness within Reach Administrative Coordinator Makda Berhane oversee programs focused on improving health outcomes in the African American community, from the nonprofit club’s Miracles Central location at 1306 N.E. Second Ave. Keeping the Focus on Health Community steps up to continue programs by D anny p eterson t he p ortlanD o bserver The Miracles Club, a Portland non-profit dedicated to substance abuse recovery services and permanent hous- ing of recovering addicts, most from the African American community, is now managing health initiatives for the black community at large that were previously run by the African American Health Coa- lition, which dissolved last year. “Obviously the programs were perti- nent to the African American communi- ty,” said Miracles Club Program Director Maleka Taylor. “And so we got together behind closed doors and did a bunch of legal stuff so that when they dissolved we were able to take on their programs.” The efforts include Wellness within Reach which distributes affordable ex- ercise passes to the Charles Jordan and Matt Dishman Community Centers— Portland Parks & Recreation facilities in north and northeast Portland respective- ly—and a Diabetes Prevention initiative. The exercise passes promote good health practices and are being distributed from the club’s second location, Mira- cles Central at 1306 N.E. Second Ave. to self-identifying African American resi- C ontinueD on p age 4
