New PCL Allocations in Early Childhood, Technical Assistance, System Partners
The Allocation Committee earlier this week approved $5.74 million in new allocations, with the bulk of the funding going to Head Start/Oregon Pre-Kindergarten expansion and financial assistance for working families to access quality childcare at a reduced cost.
Also, new funding will go to quality improvement, professional development and technical assistance for grantees, as well as non-grantee organizations that align with PCL program areas. And last, money was approved for supporting system partners throughout the community.
For a detailed recap of the meeting, click here for the PCL Invest a Minute. For a release with comments on the new funding from AC Chair Dan Saltzman, go here.To watch a tape of the meeting online, go to this link.
At the next AC meeting on Tuesday, June 2nd from 3 to 5 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, the committee will consider current grantees and unfunded Request for Investment applicants from the 2014 PCL funding round as members determine how to allocate about $2 million in remaining funding after yesterday's allocations and previously OK'd COLAs.
To that end, grantees and unfunded applicants may contact AC members to advocate for specific programs. AC member emails are listed below, and are also listed on the PCL website here.
AC members:
Dan Saltzman
dan@portlandoregon.gov
Deborah Kafoury
mult.chair@multco.us
Julie S. Young
juliesy@me.com
Serena Stoudamire-Wesley,
crmk3@aol.com
Mitch Hornecker
mitch.hornecker.pcl@gmail.com
Pass it On
Portland early childhood advocates stress giving children a good start in kindergarten and registering 5 year olds by June 1st to get to know the school and teacher, and so that schools have time to prepare the classroom. To identify a school or get help with other needs call 2-1-1 or email children@211info.org.
Bradley Angle is hosting its annual GlamHer fundraiser at The Nines hotel on Thursday, May 7th. The event features wine and food, photo ops with drag queens from Darcelle's, a runway fashion show and lively auction -- all to benefit Bradley Angle's services for survivors of domestic violence and their children. You can reserve your tickets here.
Pathfinders of Oregon is hosting two upcoming fundraising events on Thursday, May 28th for its Center for Family Success, to raise awareness for families with criminal justice involvement. The Center improves outcomes for children of justice involved parents by supporting them with valuable programs and services that foster their successful return to the community and their families. For more info, go here.
New Avenues for Youth's June 25th art auction, "Avenues of Art: Billions and Billions of People," will feature art from the memorable installation that lined Park Avenues West tower while constructed halted. For more info, go here.
IRCO's Africa House will celebrate "Growing Strong Together" at the Ambridge Event Center on Friday, June 5th. More details are here.
Scholarships available for kindergarten readiness program at Friendly Housethis summer. New, engaging themes each week, lots of outside play and focus on the social and academic skills needed to start kindergarten. The preschool summer program for 5-year-olds entering kindergarten in fall 2015 is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon, June 22 - July 31. Children who qualify for scholarships must attend all six weeks of the program. For more information and for registration and scholarship forms, go here. Friendly House is located at 1737 NW 26th Ave. Inquiries? Contact ilombardozzi@
Supporters of Portland OIC and Rosemary Anderson High School have created a GoFundMe homepage, with all proceeds going toward raising money to help put on a 2015 school prom. Tentative date is May 29th at Montgomery Park. A lack of financial resources caused the school to cancel last year's prom and school staff hope to rally the community to make a difference this year. The site to donate is here, or for more info email BBrandts@portlandoic.org
Meals 4 Kids, a PCL-funded program through Meals on Wheels People that delivers meals to children and their caregivers throughout Portland, is looking for volunteer drivers. Interested? Contact lynette.vicens@
PCL Sponsorship Opportunities
The Levy will award 10 $500 sponsorships for events related to its funding areas from July 2015 through June 2016. For more information, go here for details.
In the News:
New Avenues for Youth is incorporating SMYRC, Portland's Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Resource Center, into the agency's comprehensive programming for foster, at-risk and homeless youth. The transition, initially beginning as a partnership between Q Center and New Avenues earlier this year when SMYRC moved to New Avenues' Joyce N. Furman building downtown, builds upon organizational synergy and provides important stability to SMYRC.
SMYRC's efforts to engage disconnected youth and New Avenues' vision of every youth having a safe place to call home created a partnership that has now evolved into leveraging resources and coordinating outreach by integrating SMYRC's staff and services. New Avenues' priority is stabilizing SMYRC's current range of services for LGBTQ youth, including a drop-in space and activities in downtown Portland, support for rural youth as part of Washington County Pride Project, and access to community counseling through a partnership with Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. New Avenues will also be taking on Bridge 13, SMYRC's long-standing technical assistance program that trains service providers, educators, and students on how to enhance the safety and accessibility of their services and spaces for LGBTQ individuals
PCL Programs Making a Difference: Open Meadow
Amina, now a Madison High School student, was born in a Kenyan refugee camp and immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 4.
In the summer before she began 9th grade, Amina attended Open Meadow's Step Up summer camp. Initially, she was cautious and curious while meeting all of the staff and students who were new to her. However, it didn't take long before she came out of her shell and the staff quickly became charmed by her ability to be frank and authentic. By the end of camp, Amina became her advocate group's biggest cheerleader and motivator and offered thoughtful answers to some of the facilitators' more challenging questions.
She was challenged upon entering high school though as the school figured out the best fit and schedule for her. As a result, she struggled to get to know her teachers, didn't feel like she fit in with her peers and felt lost in her classes. She would come into the Step Up office several times a day with her shoulders slumped and her head down, and expressed feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Step Up worked on Amina's resilience; coaching her back to class. When Amina left class and came to the Step Up office, her advocate would walk her right back to class all while talking her through her feelings. Amina's Advocate gave her advice on how to communicate with her teachers. The Step Up counselor taught her how to make an appointment at the school's counseling center and helped her advocate for herself through the schedule changes. A meeting was set up so that Amina's father could help school staff develop a plan to best support her.
In large part due to Amina's willingness to build relationships with the Step Up adults who were reaching out to her, and the school's willingness to collaborate closely with the Step Up program, Amina's rocky transition smoothed out.
She was relentless in seeking out her advocate to help her on her homework during lunch and after school. When asked about her source of motivation on overcoming adversity, she responded that she is focused on being the first person in her family to earn a degree. As the oldest of seven children, Amina is determined to make her parents proud of her.
"Where I am from, education costs money. I am lucky to have come to the U.S. to get a free education."
PCL Allocation Committee meeting news
There is an AC meeting scheduled Tuesday, June 2nd from 3 to 5 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers to determine how to best allocate the remaining $2 million in additional funding over the next two years. An agenda will be sent to the database before the meeting and posted on the PCL website. Questions? Emailmarygay.broderick@
In other news, two reports are now available: an audit of PCL completed by the City of Portland Auditor's Office here and the PCL 2013-14 annual services and outcomes data report here.
"Like" us on our new FB page
The Portland Children's Levy has a new, more dynamic FB page. Click on the link above to "like" it and please pass along to your colleagues, clients and board members as well.
Check out the new 2015 PCL Progress Report!
Take a look at the PCL 2015 Progress Report featuring "A Day in the Life" for grantees serving Portland's children! Click here to view the PDF online. Also, hard copies will be available at all Allocation Committee meetings or by contacting
marygay.broderick@portlandoregon.gov
Contact PCL Staff for the Following Areas
*Director, After School & Hunger grants:
lisa.pellegrino@portlandoregon.gov
*Assistant Director and Early Childhood & Mentoring grants:
meg.mcelroy@portlandoregon.gov
*Child Abuse Prevention/Intervention & Foster Care Grants Manager:
lisa.hansell@portlandoregon.gov
*Communications Director:
marygay.broderick@portlandoregon.gov
*Fiscal Specialist:
john.kelly@portlandoregon.gov
Who We Are
The Portland Children's Levy was created by city voters in 2002 and overwhelmingly renewed by the electorate in Fall 2008 and Spring 2013. Funding for the new five-year Levy began July 1, 2014 and includes hunger relief as a new focus area.
The Levy is supported through a property tax paid by City of Portland homeowners that generates $12 million toward investments in proven programs serving 10,000 Portland children and their families in areas of Early Childhood, After School, Mentoring, Child Abuse Prevention/Intervention, Foster Care and Hunger Relief.
The Levy is annually audited and administrative costs do not exceed 5 percent.
Questions? Contact: Call Mary Gay Broderick at 503-823-2947 or e-mailmarygay.broderick@portlandoregon.gov
See our website at www.portlandchildrenslevy.org