Portland Children's Levy Newsletter
 JANUARY 2018

Dan Saltzman, Portland City Commissioner | Lisa Pellegrino, Director 
Pass it On
Portland City Council approves new PCL investments
Thank you to Portland City Council for its recent approval of $1.6M in PCL investments including: 
  • Additional childcare subsidies for working parents
  • The Mt. Hood Community College Community Childcare Initiative
  • Focused childcare networks and certification training for Community Education Workers
  • Two new Early Head Start classrooms for Albina Head Start and Mt. Hood Community College
Also, thanks to the parents, providers and CEW's who came to advocate for affordable, high-quality programs for Portland children and families.
CEW's Laura Peraza, Winter Rose, Tamyca Branam Phillips, Arika Bridgeman-Bunyoli and Ayni Amir Alamoudi

       
Community placemaking grant opportunities
Metro's new placemaking grants support creative projects that strengthen social fabric and foster connection to place. These grants fund creative projects that empower and involve community members to make changes they want to see in their neighborhoods. Program objectives are: 
  • Placemaking: prompt people to think differently about a place, foster a personal connection to a place and strengthen social fabric.
  • Equity: promote equitable access to, participation in, and benefits from placemaking activities.
  • Partnerships: promote projects that rely cross sector collaboration (public, private, community).
  • Leadership: build community capacity for civic engagement.
The grant process will be open from Jan. 5th - Feb. 2nd. Go  here or more info.
       
Bradley Angle's Healing Roots Mom's Empowerment class
This is a 12-week parenting class beginning Jan. 9th from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.  for survivors of domestic violence that identify as Black/ African-American. 
Dinner and bus tickets provided.
To register: contact Anna Bradley at 503-595-9591 ext. 311; annaw@bradleyangle.org or Michelle Whitlock at 503-595-9591 ext. 307; michellew@bradleyangle.org.
       
County looking for providers to serve the homeless
Multnomah County seeks qualified agencies to provide services to families experiencing homelessness. Organizations are invited to submit a proposal to meet the County's requirements by Jan. 17. The RFPQ and attachments are available for download here: 
       
Invention Bootcamp: Free STEM camp for HS students 
Portland State University has just opened applications for its  2017-18 Invention Bootcamp program , a  month-long, immersive invention experience for high school students of all backgrounds and experience levels to gain technical skills; form critical connections with college mentors, professors and industry professionals; and collaborate with peers from across the state.  

Applications are due Friday, March 2nd. Give your students an early advantage by encouraging them to apply as soon as possible. More info can be found here.  
       
Afterschool Alliance seeks STEM VISTA
Oregon's Statewide Network of Regional STEM Hubs, in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance and the STEM Funders Network, is embarking on expanding STEM education opportunities offered in informal learning spaces.
This position would expand youth STEM education in the Portland region. VISTA members include recent graduates, retirees, veterans and more. A detailed description of the position can be found here

       
Ensuring that girls are safe
Girls Inc. of the Pacific NW reminds us about the recently announced Rights of Girls advocacy platform from its parent organization. Priorities include:
  • Combat Bullying, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence;
  • Promote Access to Education and Economic Independence;
  • Support Girls' Mental Health; 
  • Advance Reproductive Health
Read more here.

Also, watch and share this new video of the PCL-supported Girls Inc. after-school program at Arleta Elementary. See it below:
In the News
The Skanner newspaper  highlights STEM programs at KairosPDX , one of the new PCL-supported after-school investments. Read the story here.

Brookings article illustrates how tough it is for low-income families to afford housing rent  here.
Early Childhood Updates
Another article on the big payoff for early education, read the NPR article  here.
PCL Making a Difference:
Janus Youth Program's Village Gardens
Youth leaders such as Eva like to grow food themselves for their families, their community and the grocery store at New Columbia. Here is her story:

I work alongside a lot of other youth. A big part of my job is being open to experiences, learning a lot and taking a step back. Another big role I have is to listen and learn and teach. Just because some people are older than me doesn't mean I can't teach them and they can't learn from me. I think that is a cool part of the job. 


A big gift that I learned from my grandma was empathy. She would help other people because she knew the struggles of these people and she could empathize with them. She was one of my biggest role models. Even in my hardest and weakest moments I want to be able to recognize what other people feel and try to help them.

When I was in third grade, I wrote a poem because I was so in to my culture and learning about who I was. I was so inspired by the dancers, and I was having so much fun at the powwows. My grandma would take me to powwows and she would be so excited to see me dance."

My Culture
A small pot of beef stew.
"Dance," cries my close people and they get their wish.
I slip on my moccasins.
Native dancing is a dream.
The loud shouts make me feel at home.
Just a native song makes me feel like I belong.
So close to god I pray it will never go away.
In a true powwow
when I dance and my feet go off the floor
I never want to leave.
My hair smacks me in the face
and reminds me that I can't stay forever.
So I enjoy dancing as much as I can.
I can't believe that one night at the powwow could set me for life
But I can never get enough of my culture.

Youth leaders of Village Gardens' Food Works program (a program of Janus Youth)


PCL News
City of Portland Fix-it Fairs!
The City of Portland's 2017-18 Fix-it Fairs are scheduled for the following Saturdays: 
*Jan. 27, 2018                             
George Middle School
10000 N Burr Ave.
Portland

*Feb. 24, 2018
Madison High School
2735 NE 82nd Ave.
Portland

The fairs are a free event where people can learn simple ways to save money and connect with community resources, with many workshops available in Spanish. Go here for more info. The PCL has several tables at the fairs: if your organization is interested in attending any or all of the fairs to spread the word about your services, please contact marygay.broderick@portlandoregon.gov
PCL Helps Nonprofits Recruit Volunteers

I t's a good idea to be listed on our Volunteer Opportunities page.  If you are an org that accepts volunteers, please  email us  with: 
  1.  A link: either to your website where volunteer information can be found, or the email and/or phone number of the name of the person responsible for volunteers.
  2. A short blurb about what you are looking for from volunteers.
  3. If you would like to include any specific wording about outreach to older and/or retired potential volunteers.
PCL Staff Contacts
Director, After School & Hunger grants:
Assistant Director and Early Childhood & Mentoring grants:
Child Abuse Prevention/Intervention & Foster Care Grants Manager:
Communications Director:

Community Outreach and Information Assistant
Fiscal Specialist:
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 latest five-year Levy began July 1, 2014, with program investments made through June 2019.

The Levy is supported through a property tax paid by City of Portland homeowners that generates $17.8 million toward investments in proven programs in areas of Early Childhood, After School, Mentoring, Child Abuse Prevention/Intervention, Foster Care and Hunger Relief. The Levy reaches over 8,000 children and their families annually; in addition, Levy-funded hunger relief services provide food to over 11,000 children and 9,167 parents/caregivers annually.

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-mail
See our website at www.portlandchildrenslevy.org