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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 2023)
Page 4 May 17, 2023 Funds Awarded for Higher Education Al Forthan Scholarship Winners Announced Volunteers of America Oregon is hon- ored to announce the 2023 Al Forthan Scholarship winners! We are pleased to recognize and financially support so many remarkable young adults in achieving their dreams of attending college. With the sup- port from our community, we were able to provide $86,000 to 47 Oregon High School Seniors this year. 2023 Al Forthan Scholarship Recipients are Kalia Hope, Shayla Jayne, Izzy Valen- cia, Tanner Kesecker, Mia Murphy ,Elainie Myers, Avery Nelson, Kiara Salas Moreno, Elsa Santana Figueroa, Alyssa Stout Red- mond and Julieta Torres Vazquez. Another $28,000 was awarded to 36 students. The purpose of the scholarship is threefold: to honor Al Forthan, to award higher educa- tion scholarships to students from families impacted by addiction and poverty, and to encourage students to explore how addic- tion has impacted our community and the solutions to this complex problem. After Al Forthan passed away in 2006, Greg Stone, the Program Director of the MRC, created this scholarship in Al’s hon- or. He took $500 dollars out of his own pocket to award to an Oregon high school senior who came from a family impacted by addiction. This scholarship was created 2023 winners of the ‘Al Forthan Memorial’ Scholarship to help break the cycle of addiction within families by supporting students to achieve their dreams of attending college and fur- thering their education. “Being a small part of Al's journey into recovery has been one of my proudest mo- ments in my 30 plus years of working at the MRC,” shares Greg Stone, Program Direc- tor at the Men’s Residential Center (MRC). “When I had the honor to speak at Al's funeral in 2006 (Al passed away with 14 years clean time), I shared that Al was the ‘Michael Jordan of recovery’. That same night, with a deep respect and love for Al, I created the Al Forthan Scholarship. One month later and with my $500 donation to a Jefferson High School senior, Al's alma mater, the Scholarship was born.” Since the scholarship began in 2006, we have been able to award $876,000 to 543 stu- dents in Oregon who have been impacted by addiction and poverty. Please join us to support the 2023 scholarship winners at the 12th Annual Awards Ceremony on May 3rd from 5:00 - 7:30pm. We will be hosting an in-person ceremony with speeches from scholarship winners and former winners, as well as our keynote speaker, Steve Duin, columnist for The Oregonian. RSVP to at- tend at 2023alforthanawards.funraise.org. Questions about your health care? Find us in your neighborhood. MAY 18 MAY 29 Street Roots 9-10:30 a.m. 211 NW Davis St, Portland Cultivate Initiatives 11-2 p.m. 660 SE 160th Ave, Portland Cultivate Initiatives 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 4808 SE 92nd Ave, Portland MAY 22 Doreen’s Place (for residents only) 12-2 p.m. 610 NW Broadway St, Portland MAY 23 Cultivate Initiatives 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 247 SE 82nd Ave, Portland Union Gospel Mission 2-3 p.m. 3 NW 3rd Ave, Portland MAY 27 JUNE 1 Street Roots 9-10:30 a.m. 211 NW Davis St, Portland Cultivate Initiatives 11-2 p.m. 660 SE 160th Ave, Portland Nightstrike 7:30-9:30 p.m. Under the Burnside Bridge JUNE 5 Doreen’s Place (for residents only) 12-2 p.m. 610 NW Broadway St, Portland Love Your Neighbor 12-2 p.m. 526 SE Grand Ave, Portland careoregon.org/ connect-to-care connect to care
