Smoke Signals 3
AUGUST 15, 2006
Spfiirift Mouimittaoiro CoimiinniMiniotfcy Fiunmd Gives
ADnraostt $1 iVH d D fl o o itd FoGf TDneTDDDird Qonairteir
Thirty-five large grants and seven small grants continue to fund a better Oregon.
By Ron Karten
A staffer at Birth To Three in
Eugene, a non-profit promoting
the well-being of children through
parent education and support, con
nected with a family newly arrived
from Mexico at a Eugene church
earlier this year.
The family, with three children,
were "feeling tentative when the
staffer offered them the opportu
nity to join our Crecer (to grow up)
group, and encouraged them to
come," said Birth To Three Manag
ing Director Mika Singer.
"The family came, still
dealing with tremendous
amount of isolation," said
Singer. "They were new
to the community. They
were concerned about how
they would be received in
the community. They were
dealing with very limited
economic resources, and
were concerned about im
migration issues, but more
important, they were con
cerned about their youngest
baby not appearing to be
doing very well, and they
didn't know how to access
medical help.
! "At Crecer, they met other
families sharing many of the
same issues. They gained so
cial support and the mom was
also able to learn about an
organization in town, Centro
Latino Americano that helped
with immigration questions
and referred her to a program called,
"Healthy Tomorrows" that provides
medical services. They were able to
get their baby assessed and relieve
the mother's concerns.
"They continued in the group and
became more and more integrated
into the community. One of the
things we know about the preven
tion of child abuse is dealing with
issues of isolation. Helping fami
lies deal with stresses of their life.
Helping them feel that they have
resources and options.
"Though we don't know if this
family was heading down the path
to child abuse, we addressed those
risk factors."
The Spirit Mountain Community
Fund gave Birth To Three's Crecer
program $30,761 in the third quar
ter this year, which is all that kept
the non-profit's doors open, said
Singer. The group has received one
previous grant of $22,235.
In all last month, the Spirit Moun
tain Community Fund awarded
nearly $1 million in grants for this
year's third quarter. More than
half, of $488,051, went to education
projects, and nearly one-quarter, or
$201,500, went to benefit health
oriented non-profits.
Arts & Culture projects received
$90,000, environmental preserva
tion projects received $80,000,
and public safety projects received
$55,000.
Tahana Whitecrow, a Native American-focused
treatment facility in
West Salem, received $2,820.
Among the large grants this
quarter, ONABEN, the Oregon
Native American Business & En
trepreneurship Network, received
$25,000 for a project called, "Indi
anpreneurship: Instructor Resource
CD." This is the second grant for
ONABEN. In 2000, the group also
received $25,000 from the Com
munity Fund.
The Scio Girls and Boys Club re
ceived a $40,000 challenge grant for
Grant Appovals by City
1 4
1
17 1 t h
1 1
Albany
Corvallis
Cottage Grove
Dallas
Eugene
Gresham
Lake Oswego
Portland
Salem
Scio
Stayton
Tlgard
Geographically, nearly half, or 17,
of 35 major grants awarded went to
the Portland area, four went to Eu
gene, three to Salem, two to Dallas,
and one each went to projects in
Scio, Stayton, Tigard, Wilsonville,
Albany, Corvallis, Cottage Grove
Gresham and Lake Oswego.
In addition, the Community
Fund made seven small grants to
businesses and non-profits with
annual budgets under $250,000.
These grants, for $5,000 and under,
amounted to $29,820.
Small grants of $5,000 went to
KeizerSalem Area Seniors, Clas
sic Greek Theatre, NW Portland
Ministries and a non-profit called
Nomadic Teacher.
The Mt. Angel Community Foun
dation received a grant for $4,500.
The Software Association of Oregon
received a grant for $2,500, and
a new facility. The group is the only
provider of after school services in
this small community.
Stand for Children, an advocate
for school funding, received $50,000
to improve educational opportuni
ties in Oregon. Stand for Children
works with local communities to
address issues with the educational
system. The group has received two
prior grants totaling $87,500.
The Portland Opera Association
received $15,000 for the 200607
Tour of "Hansel and Gretel." This
will be an educational version
with a 12-week tour beginning in
February of 2007. It will include a
curriculum for teachers, and aimed
at third and fifth graders across
the state who are tested annu
ally to meet No Child Left Behind
standards.
Benton Habitat for Humanity in
Corvallis received $50,000 to help
the group purchase a building to
house the Habitat store. People
from all perspectives and ages
are partnered in meaningful vol
unteer tasks to build community
and mentor youth in work ethics
and creativity. This is the group's
first grant from the Community
Center.
The Oregon Donor Program re
ceived $25,000 for a donor registry.
The group's mission is to save and
enhance lives through the promo
tion of organ and tissue donation.
This project will help fund
the new statewide donor
registry program. It acts
as a consent for donation
(eliminating the need for
family consent), and it also
will be used as a tool to mo
tivate new donors. This is
the first Community Fund
grant to the group.
The Children's Justice
Alliance of Portland re
ceived $40,000 for a proj
ect called, "And How Are
The Children." The group
is dedicated to improv
ing the lives and future
outcomes for Oregon chil
dren who have at least
one parent involved in the
criminal justice system.
The group offers training
and support to community
decision makers on how to
interact with children of
incarcerated parents. The
group previously received a grant
of $70,000 from the Community
Fund.
Planned Parenthood of Eugene,
Sable House of Dallas, the YWCA of
Salem, the Gresham-Barlow Edu
cational Foundation, the Stayton
Public Library Foundation, and the
SW Polk County Rural Fire District
also received grants this quarter.
'These grants will help individuals
overcome obstacles, help non-profits
improve the work they do, and in
form decision makers on issues that
affect the financial decisions that
they make," said Community Fund
Director Shelley Hanson.' "We are
proud to offer funding to the arts
groups, policy shapers and others
that received funding this round.
We appreciate the work that they
do to keep Oregon a vibrant state
with healthy citizens."
Tribal Housing Building Expansion
1
New An addition was recently constructed on the existing Tribal housing
maintenance building. The addition will be used as extra storage for equipment.
Watkins Will Move On
try
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Farewell Health & Wellness Director Michael Watkins (second from
left) resigned from his Tribal position on Wednesday, July 1 9 to take on
a similar position in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shown here is Tribal Council
members Kathleen Tom (I to r), Reyn Leno and Wesley "Buddy" West.