February 13, 2019
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INSIDE
The
Week in Review
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Sponsored by:
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C ALENDAR
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M ETRO
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A federal jury has convicted Mary Holden Ayala, 59, the former operator of a foster home serving the
black community on Northeast Rodney Avenue of stealing nearly $1 million from an Oregon foster
care agency. The home was purchased by the neighborhood to keep it from being demolished.
Foster Care Provider Guilty
Executive neglected duties; stole $1 million
A federal jury found Mary
Holden Ayala, 59, of Portland,
guilty Thursday of stealing nearly
$1 million from an Oregon foster
care agency, money laundering
and filing false personal income
tax returns.
Ayala, a longtime Portland res-
ident, served as the president, ex-
ecutive director and primary agent
of Give Us This Day, a private
foster care agency and residential
program which served youth of
color from a home on Northeast
Rodney Avenue.
“Children in foster care rely
heavily on the agency to which
they are entrusted and these agen-
cies are responsible for protecting
and caring for them. Mary Holden
Ayala grossly neglected her duties
and selfishly stole from children
in need,” said Billy J. Williams,
U.S. Attorney for the District of
Oregon.
Ayala was accused of using
money meant to assist foster care
children and their families to pay
for luxury home renovations, a
pilot for a reality show, extensive
travel to luxury resorts, a music
recording studio, luxury shoes and
purses.
According to court documents,
since its inception in 1979, Give
Us This Day was primarily fund-
ed by the Oregon state and fed-
C ontinueD on p age 15
Health Clinic Hires Advocate
Local leader to manage Good News facility
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Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
O PINION
C LASSIFIEDS
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The Good News Community
Health Center at 18000 S.E. Stark
St. in Rockwood has hired Sharon
Maxwell from Portland’s African
American community as its new
executive director.
Maxwell, a native Portland-
er, mother of four, grandmother
of five, and graduate of Portland
Community College and Warner
Pacific University, is known as a
unity builder, change agent, inno-
vator, visionary, educator, green
engineer and community engage-
ment specialist for over 30 years.
She has run her own company
for the past 19 years and founded
two non-profits to serve the com-
munity.
“We are excited for the many
connections she has with our
community to engage more of
our community in helping those
Sharon Maxwell
weighed down with overburdens
to stand and carry their own packs,
and helping others with overbur-
dens along the way,” clinic offi-
cials said.
The Good News Community
Health Center serves with a faith-
based mission to provide excellent
physical, mental, and spiritual care
with the Love of Christ. Many ser-
vices are low cost and free, avail-
able regardless of ability to pay.
The clinic serves a vibrant
and radically diverse community.
Nearly 90 languages are spoken in
the homes within just a few miles
of our clinic.
Although, Rockwood is one of
the poorest communities in Or-
egon, home to many with home-
lessness, addiction, mental illness,
isolation and limited access to
affordable healthy housing and
quality medical care, it is also rich
in terms of resilience of its resi-
dents, hard working families from
many different cultures, thriving
small businesses, vibrant churches
and dedicated community leader-
ship.