Smoke signals., July 01, 2013, Page 7, Image 7

Smoke Signals 7
JULY 1,2013
$45 1,2 12 worth of grants given to 23 nonprofits as Fund exceeds $59 million in total giving
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Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Morgan Brodia, left, a Mid-Vallay Woman's Crisis Sarvica board mambar, talks
with Spirit Mountain Community Fund Diractor Kathlaan Gaorga during tha
Fund's spring grant prasantation at tha Govarnanca Cantar on Wadnasday,
Juna 12. Tha nonprofit racaivad a $34,000 grant.
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
"Working together for 23 amazing
projects" is the way that Kathleen
George, executive director of Spirit
Mountain Community Fund, intro
duced the spring grant presentation
on Wednesday, June 12, in Tribal
Council Chambers.
This quarter, the Community
Fund awarded grants totaling
$451,212.
George described gifts for the sec
ond quarter as creating "a health
ier, better educated and safer
Oregon."
"It's important for (grantees) to
come here," said Tribal Council Sec
retary Toby McClary, who also is a
Community Fund board member,
"because we are more than just a
casino. We like to share our story.
And, at the same time, we get to
give grants to make the state a
better place to live."
"Our reward is the work you
do," said Community Fund Board
Chairman Sho Dozono, referring
to grant recipients
Community Fund grants support
projects in education, health, arts
and culture, environment, historic
preservation and public safety.
Funding equals 6 percent of profits
from Spirit Mountain Casino.
This quarter's recipients include
three aimed squarely at the foster
home experience in Oregon. George
said that the Community Fund
board selected the three agencies to
emphasize the Tribe's commitment
to children and families, and to
support synergy among nonprofits
working together.
"We work closely with Mult
nomahWashington counties CASA
program," said Robin Christian,
executive director of Children First
for Oregon, a Portland-based child
and family advocacy group.
Children First received $50,000
for the project "Fostering Success:
Youth Empowerment, Transitional
Support & Higher Education Op
portunities." It aims "to improve
the experience of foster care for
over 13,000 Oregon kids who are
in the system and over 400 who
age out each year," according to its
application. Some 3,000 American
Indian and Alaska Native children
in Multnomah County alone will be
reached in this project.
"We ask ourselves what do we
know that can help their CASAs to
be better," said Christian.
Funded by the grant is a leader
ship development program, the
Oregon Foster Youth Connection,
for at-risk foster youth between the
ages of 14-25.
Children First is also part of the
Permanency Coalition, a group of
eight public and private agencies
that are working together, Chris
tian said, on a combination of direct
service and advocacy issues.
"Working together, we're con
cerned with how to get kids to
permanency sooner. What happens
is we each bring a unique perspec
tive," Christian said.
This is the eighth grant to Chil
dren First, making the total Trib
al commitment to the group at
$225,000.
The Portland-based National In
dian Child Welfare Association re
ceived $50,000 for a project called,
"Bring Our Children Safely Home
Initiative."
The project is an example of
collaboration and synergy that
addresses long-standing problems
in Indian Country child welfare
programs "by engaging stakehold
ers as allies." The inter-agency ap
proach aims to divert families from
out-of-home placement to in-home
services. It also intends to reduce
the need for out-of-home care and
widen safety concerns.
The National Indian Child Wel
fare Association also collaborates
with local CASAs to help train their
volunteers, said Executive Direc
tor Terry Cross (Seneca). "This
important work cannot be done
without collaborating extensively
and securing the involvement of
other agencies from public child
welfare departments and advocacy
organizations to the courts and
Tribes," he said.
"We're committed to acting jointly
to find solutions to social problems
that no one organization can tackle
alone," Cross said.
This is the fifth grant to the as
sociation, bringing the total Tribal
support up to $100,000.
The McMinnville-based Yamhill
County CASA received $8,700 for a
project called "Raising Awareness."
The grant will make it possible
for CASA "to train and support
new volunteers to advocate in court
on behalf of abused and neglected
children." The grant will change the
lives of as many as 30 children in the
first year. CASA volunteers serve an
average three children each.
'Yamhill County CASA has a long
history of partnering with other
agencies in advancing the best inter
ests of children we represent," said
Executive Director Sarah Shipley.
CASA has developed close rela
tionships with the courts and the
state Department of Human Ser
vices, and partners with Juliette's
House in McMinnville.
The Oregon CASA network "is
actively promoting opportunities
for local programs to maximize
resources," Shipley said.
This is the fifth grant to Yamhill
County CASA, raising the Tribe's
commitment to the county program
to $45,100.
The Community Fund makes
quarterly awards as well as separate
grants to Oregon Tribes that are
awarded once annually in July.
"It's important that we get to
meet you face to face today," said
George. "For many, this might be
the only time we meet you."
Tribal Council and community
members serve on the Community
Fund board. In addition to Dozono
and McClary, Tribal Council Chair
Reyn Leno and Tribal Council mem
ber Steve Bobb Sr. also serve on the
board. Other trustees are Secretary
of State Kate Brown, consultant
Henry "Chip" Lazenby, former Con
gresswoman Darlene Hooley and
Ron Reibach, director of Facilities
at Spirit Mountain Casino.
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George gave the invocation before
the grant checks were presented.
Since its inception in 1997, the
fund has made gifts of more than
$59 million in the fields of educa
tion, health, arts and culture, envi
ronment, historic preservation and
public safety.
"The Tribe sees itself as part
of the solution," said Kathleen
George. B
Recipients of Spirit Mountain Community Fund
grants on June 12 were:
African American Health Coalition, Health Coaching
to Avoid Chronic Disease, $22, 1 1 8; for an overall total
of $80,451.
American Heart Association Inc., "Have a Heart, Save
a Life," $33,740. This is the group's first award from
the Community Fund.
Autism Society of Oregon, Autism Workshops Pro
gram, $4,975; the agency's first grant.
Blindskills Inc., "Information in Up-to-Date Digital
Media for Newly-Blinded Oregonians," $5,000, for a
total of $10,000.
CAUSA Oregon, "CAUSA Oregon Immigrant Integra
tion Initiative," $20,000, for a total of $40,000.
Cedar Creek Child Care Center, "Kindergarten Readi
ness," $5,000, for a total of $25,000.
Children First for Oregon, "Fostering Success: Youth
Empowerment, Transitional Support & Higher Educa
tion Opportunities," $50,000, for a total of $225,000.
Doembecher Children's Hospital Foundation, "Pediat
ric Diabetes Telemedicine Clinic," $25,000, for a total
of $393,000.
Friends of the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge,
"Expanding Engagement: Serving Our Whole Com
munity," $5,000, for a total of $10,000.
Loaves and Fishes, "Healthy Food for Homebound
Seniors," $40,000, for a total of $265,000.
Materials Exchange Center for Community ArtsMECCA,
"Materials Exchange Infrastructure Improvements,"
$5,000; this is the first grant to this nonprofit.
Microenterprise Resources, "Initiatives & Training,
Fostering Entrepreneurship in Grand Ronde," $7,000,
for a total of $22,000.
Mid-Valley Women's Crisis Service, "Center for Hope and
Safety Community Room," $34,000, for a total of $95,741.
National Indian Child Welfare Association, "Bring Our
Children Safely Home Initiative," $50,000, for a total of
$100,000.
Oregon Public Broadcasting, "OPB's New Arts and
Culture Radio Magazine," $18,000, for a total of
$393,000.
Oregon State University Foundation, "The Family Shar
ing Garden," $24,820, for a total of $150,820.
PDX Summer School, "Provide Quality Reading Cur
riculum for English Language Learners This Summer!"
$2,100; this is the group's first grant.
Raphael House of Portland, "Healthy Relationships
Education for Teens and Adults," $25,000, for a total of
$375,000.
Red Lodge Transition Services, "Positive Indian Parent
ing Program," $5,000, for a total of $11 ,000.
The Piece, A Camp Odyssey, "Turning Oregon Teens
into Emerging Community Leaders," $5,000; this is the
first grant for this agency.
United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon and SW Washington,
"Build self-sufficiency of disabled adults by increasing
Employment Solutions' capacity," $25,000; this is the
nonprofit's first grant.
University of Oregon Foundation, "khanumakwst nsayka
chxi-tilixam wawa: Our youth talk together," $30,759, for
a total of $390,759.
Yamhill County CASA, "Raising Awareness," $8,700, for
a total of $45, 100. B