Portland Children’s Levy
2019–20 Grants by the Numbers
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 profoundly affected us all. No person or organization was immune to its impact, including our grantee partners and the relationship-based programs they have built in communities.
The ongoing uncertainty about the course of the pandemic, combined with violent expressions of white supremacy in our city, intensified the stress and anxiety we all felt. Children and families in our communities needed more support, flexibility and empathy than ever before.
As many of Levy partners shifted to working remotely, they nimbly reimagined their focus and approach. Partners learned to work virtually and many helped resolve myriad technological issues for youth and their parents. They offered creative activities to keep children and parents engaged and helped families with food and other essential resources; all embraced innovation to meet increased needs.
2019-20
Program Areas
0
Program Grants
$0
Grant Funds
Early Childhood
Supporting children’s early development and kindergarten readiness
Hunger Relief
Expanding access to healthy food for children and their families
Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention
Stabilizing families, building resilience and preventing child abuse and neglect
Mentoring
Connecting children with caring mentors who support their well-being
Foster Care
Supporting the well-being and development of children in foster care
Special Initiatives
Making quality childcare affordable for families, and reducing partner staff turnover through workplace wellness programs
After School
Supporting children’s well-being and school success
0
Children Served by Levy Grants
0%
identified as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color
0%
lived or went to school east of 82nd Avenue
0%
lived in homes in which the primary language spoken was not English
Resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges
Moving from regular face-to-face contact to remote service delivery was a drastic change for everyone. Access to digital devices and the internet proved to be a significant barrier, and many families had to learn new apps and platforms they hadn't used before.
Pathfinder Network
Advocates reported that their clients responded well to this new platform and even saw increases in successful completions. They also held one-on-one sessions with participants who were not able to access Zoom.
Participant
Pathfinder Network
Parents, caregivers and advocates taking part in a Spanish-language “Parenting Inside Out” Zoom class.
Zoom has been wonderful for my situation and the program has made me realize how good of a father I am and how I can become even better.
David Douglas School District
Andreina Velasco
Preschool Teacher, David Douglas School District
Andreina teaching math to her preschool students via Google Hangouts.
This year more than ever has reinforced one of the foundational principles of early childhood education: families are their children's first teacher. It takes a village to raise a child, and this year has demonstrated that despite incredible adversity, our village is strong, resilient, and focused on the love and care of our next generation.
Pathfinder Network
David Douglas School District
Participant
Pathfinder Network
Parents, caregivers and advocates taking part in a Spanish-language “Parenting Inside Out” Zoom class.
Zoom has been wonderful for my situation and the program has made me realize how good of a father I am and how I can become even better.
Responding to the crisis with resourcefulness and creativity
Familias en AcciÓn
In the video below, the team from the Abuela, Mama y Yo program describe how they adapted their Levy-funded program to hire a network of Food Promotores to help families experiencing economic stress gain access to food resources and other local assistance.
Morrison Child and Family Center
Families dancing together during a “Zumbini with Cristina” Zoom meeting.
Self Enhancement, Inc.
Familias en AcciÓn
Families dancing together during a “Zumbini with Cristina” Zoom meeting.
Morrison Child and Family Center
Self Enhancement, Inc.
Staff Member
Self Enhancement Inc.
“Shape it up with Shyanne” and “Gym Talk” from SEI’s Virtual After School Instagram Live programming.
Covid-19 has absolutely presented obstacles and challenges, but it has also allowed us to grow in many areas. We are now able to operate in a virtual capacity that encompasses internal meetings, programming, and outreach. Once in-person activities are allowed to occur again, we will still utilize certain virtual tools to further enhance the work we do.
Improving Equity
Brown Girl Rise
Camp ELSO
African Youth and Community Organization
When it comes to dismantling the inequities woven into the fabric of our society, there is always more work to be done. This is why we launched a new fund for smaller community organizations that have faced barriers to accessing Levy funding in the past. Our Small Grants Fund was born out of community feedback on the need to support organizations emerging from and serving Black, Indigenous, people of color, children with disabilities; and LGBTQ+ youth and children.
The African Youth and Community Organization’s after-school program for East African youth with disabilities, Brown Girl Rise’s mentoring program for Black, Indigenous, and girls and nonbinary femmes of color, and Camp ELSO's mentorship programs are just three of the eight programs that were awarded grants to support marginalized communities in our city.
Brown Girl Rise
Camp ELSO
African Youth and Community Organization
Balkhiis Noor
Bridge Community Outreach and Youth Environmental Justice Coordinator
African Youth and Community Organization (AYCO) serves a majority of the Somali population, from financial assistance to youth support to family support . Beyond serving the general needs of the youth in our community, this grant helps us to serve children with special learning needs in a culturally specific way that engages their whole family.
Balkhiis Noor
Bridge Community Outreach and Youth Environmental Justice Coordinator
Brown Girl Rise is a sisterhood of Black, Indigenous, and girls and nonbinary femmes of color, reclaiming their connection to body, community, land, health, and creativity. Their mentoring program is designed to cultivate solidarity between girls & non-binary femmes of the Global Majority (colonized peoples).
Finally, our partnership with Camp ELSO is a great example of how Levy funding can impact the development of multiple programs in smaller organizations. Teens in the Tappin Roots leadership training program will have an opportunity to become Camp Guides for younger youth in the Wayfinders program, a STEAM-based camp for K–8th graders that focuses on life science, ecology, community, and cultural history.
Arts and crafts time at Camp ELSO's Wayfinders Spring Break Camp
Dani Mandley
Brown Girl Rise Coordinator
Our work focuses on supporting youth in a multifaceted way that reaches their families, friends and communities and empowers youth to effect change collectively. Working with Portland Children's Levy has aligned with our values by bringing other grantees together to collectively support each other through the grant process.
Collaborating in a crisis
PCL hunger relief grantees provide emergency food resources at more than 25 schools across the City. When the state of emergency closed schools, and increased the need for food, PCL grantees (Oregon Food Bank, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Metropolitan Family Service) worked with school districts, and other partners to continue offering emergency food outdoors at school sites. Programs pivoted to provide contactless food box pick up, and arrange for home delivery to households unable to pick food up.
Metropolitan Family Services
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization
Oregon food bank
Staff Member
Oregon Food Bank
From left to right: Oregon Food Bank delivery, and school-based pantries at Lent K-8, Glenfair Elementary School (Metropolitan Family Service) and Ventura Park SUN Community School (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization).
As a result of COVID-19’s disruption to “normal” operations, we needed to connect with all school districts and SUN leads quickly and frequently about shifts in locations, hours, and operations. While this was a lot of work and coordination, it did increase communication with and encourage deeper relationships with SUN staff and school districts.
Hope for a safer and more just future
Upon realizing that many families would need to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many Levy partners delivered activity kits and educational supplies, helping families to keep active and engaged during this pivotal moment in the history of our country.
The family engagement team from Friends of the Children Portland assembled and delivered monthly care packages for youth in their mentoring program. In June, the packages were themed around social justice and contained materials about Black Lives Matter as well as a family newsletter that included information on community resources and updates on FriendsPDX's youth engagement opportunities.
The contents of a care package delivered to youth in the Friends of the Children Portland’s mentoring program.
Native American Youth and Family Center
Native American Youth and Family Center
An after-school student using paint from a “Joy and Justice Kit” delivered to their home by Native American Youth and Family Center.
Due to COVID-19, many of us are isolated at home stuck with a feeling of defeat, feeling as though we can’t support the BLM movement the way we want. Although many of us can’t be on the frontlines, due to the safety for our own families, there are ways we can support and bring awareness to the importance of Black Lives . One way we can bring awareness to the BLM movement is through art.
Former Participant
Native American Youth and Family Center
A complete list of current grantee partners can be accessed on our website.
For more information, download the full 2019-20 performance report here.
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