It’s grant time at the Papé Family Foundation! Every spring, our Grant Committee recommends General Grants to our Trustees for a vote and then I get to write checks. Our fourth generation Adjunct Trustees will now review the remaining applications and make their own recommendation by the end of the summer.
Thank you to all the organizations that took the time to participate in our grant making process. My vision for PFF is that we continue to work with organizations in our communities to implement best practices and try out new design models in philanthropy. Together I believe we can increase capacity building and inclusiveness within our communities! We wouldn’t, couldn’t, exist without you!
As always, our Grant Committee had a tough job. This year they selected nine organizations in Oregon and Washington. You can learn more about these organizations and their projects below!
High Desert Museum (Bend, OR)
In 2016, the Museum began Little Wonders to provide essential developmental opportunities that prepare children for kindergarten and help close the opportunity gap in Central Oregon. The project aims to: provide 360 complimentary memberships to Head Start families and reduce barriers to museum access; host two family nights to engage new audiences; and foster a habit of Museum-going for families to create opportunities for children to make self-directed discoveries and expand their knowledge. In recognition of possible language barriers, the Museum is translating their membership letter and materials and flyers into Spanish. PFF’s grant helps support this program.
Friends of the Children (Portland, OR)
Center of Excellence Renovations for High Priority Youth will prioritize renovations to transform the Morris building into the Friends of the Children Center for Excellence – a more comfortable, accessible, and useful space for our growing community of youth, friends, chapters, and partners. Specifically, this grant will support a computer station for youth to use while working on school assignments, career exploration, and other tasks that align with the youth’s individualized goals and Friends of the Children’s organizational focus on postsecondary success.
Portland YouthBuilders (Portland, OR)
Since 1995, PYB has annually served 200 low income young people between 17 and 24 who have dropped out of high school, with a program of education, vocational training, counseling, and long term support. PFF has supported the work of PYB since 2001 with 10 different grants. In 2019 PFF is contributing to the Southeast Portland Expansion Project. In this overall effort, PYB will improve the delivery of services and increase access to education and workforce development programs for outer Southeast and East County, Portland youth. The garage will be converted into functioning space that will be used for student counseling and staff meeting spaces. For this component of the overall Southeast Portland Expansion Project, PYB will update the garage by adding electrical service, shelving and desks, sealing of concrete flooring, exterior fencing and security alarm, and interior trim work, and painting. Hear from a recent PYB graduate in this video!
Veterans Legacy (Eugene, OR)
Veterans Legacy is a community-based, non-profit located in Lane County, Oregon and works to break the cycle of veteran suicides and mental health disorders due to untreated and underserved veterans experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), homelessness, substance abuse, and associated traumas. Veterans Legacy provides a safe and stable environment at Camp Alma, a 105-acre farm that serves as their primary campus. While at Camp Alma, clients are provided education, therapies, and social support services. A grant from PFF will support a kitchen refurbishment (upgrade of the fire suppression system and purchase of a walk-in freezer) at the camp and enable Veterans Legacy to expand services. The large commercial kitchen there serves as the primary food preparation site for clients and staff.
Eugene Education Foundation (Eugene, OR)
The Eugene Education Foundation has invested in the Eugene School District 4J’s literacy efforts, along with funding other enrichment areas, since its inception. In order to better serve the students of the district, the EEF board has determined that a more targeted focus on literacy would begin this past year. This focus involves not only directing more resources to the district for literacy efforts, but also regular meetings with district stakeholders to discuss the district’s needs and most effective approaches to improving student success. This year’s grant from PFF will provide one-third of the funding needed to implement this program and curriculum. The curriculum is directed toward fostering students’ understanding and working knowledge of concepts of spoken words, syllables, and phonemes which are foundational skills necessary for students to develop into successful and lifelong readers. Available in both English and Spanish, the curriculum can be tailored for students with a wide spectrum of needs, including students with dyslexia as well as students with an IEP (Individualized Education Program).
Eugene Civic Alliance (Eugene, OR)
Eugene Civic Alliance (ECA) formed in 2014 to purchase and operate the historic Civic Stadium property for recreational use. Through programs and events at Civic Park, ECA is uniquely situated to address improving the health and fitness of children in our community, reducing the shortage of places for play, and creating a community space for sports and events. Civic Park will be a community-focused space. It will serve people of all ages and backgrounds and promote fitness and health for our entire community. The new facility will include the first Kidsports Fieldhouse. ECA is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to the benefits of Civic Park. PFF’s grant will help build one of two outdoor basketball courts.
Making a Difference Foundation (Seattle, WA)
Making A Difference Foundation’s mission is to make a difference in the lives of others, one person at a time, by helping them acquire the most basic human needs: food, housing, encouragement, and opportunity. MADF started in 2003 providing scholarships and funding for third world humanitarian missions, then moved into direct service to address local needs in the Puget Sound region with the opening of Eloise’s Cooking Pot (ECP) Food Bank in 2009. The ECP Food Bank serves low and very low-income residents of Pierce County, Washington, specifically Tacoma’s east side, with healthy prepackaged and fresh organic food. The ECP Food Bank is the third largest food bank in the county and located in an area that is racially and ethnically diverse and identified as a food desert. Clients face food shortage and financial instability on a daily basis and ECP works to remove all barriers to receiving food and other needed items for these neighbors with about 40,000 unduplicated people being served annually through the food bank with more than 1.2 million pounds of food. PFF’s grant will fund the purchase of an electric pallet truck for the ECP Food Bank. This piece of equipment will be used in the food bank’s warehouse/storage area to help more easily move and manage the in-kind food and products donated to MADF and enable the organization to better serve people in need in the Pierce County community.
Shared Housing Services (Tacoma, WA)
The Transitional Family Housing Rehabilitation Project will update 12 safe, low-cost housing units for families experiencing homelessness. Shared Housing Services (SHS) offers families case management services and referrals to community resources to address areas of basic needs and the causes of their homelessness. In 2016, SHS made a commitment to refurbish each unit to bring them in-line with HUD’s Housing Quality Standards and to make them more energy efficient. PFF’s grant will help with completing this project and SHS will serve families more quickly by working with other community agencies to assist with rent and move-in costs, which are a prominent barrier for most very low-income families. Completion will provide energy cost savings by replacing old, inefficient water heaters (most are 12 – 14 years old or older), bathroom fixtures, window coverings, etc. Not only will this reduce energy costs, but will also provide water and energy conservation across the board. Having a safe, habitable place to call home is the first step and cornerstone for families to begin their journey towards independence.
Children’s Therapy Center (Kent, WA)
The mission of Children’s Therapy Center (CTC) is to maximize the potential of children with special needs and communication delays. PFF’s grant this year supports Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices. AAC refers to any form of communication other than oral speech and is used to complement or replace natural speech for people with severe communication deficits. AAC has been shown to help nonverbal children to communicate and interact socially, which improves their feelings of self-worth and self-confidence, decreases challenging behaviors, and improves their capacity to participate in school and community activities. The purchase of new and replacement AAC devices, including switch toys, iPads and associated AAC software applications, and AAC test kits will enable CTC speech therapists to evaluate and trial-run AAC devices with children more promptly, which will give more low-income children with autism or related communication delays the tools they need to be able to communicate.
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