Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Pass it on

**The Portland Children’s Levy has a whole new look to its website! Click here to visit our new and improved website that includes videos from our funding areas, interactive mapping, feature stories and interesting new sections such as “What We’re Reading.” We know it will be easier for grantees and the public to find what they’re looking for and keep up-to-date on PCL actions. Let us know what you think by emailing marygay.broderick@portlandoregon.gov

**PCL is now on Twitter! Follow us here

** Prevent Child Abuse Oregon and the Children’s Trust Fund have launched the 2016 Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign to raise awareness for child abuse prevention/intervention. 

The goals are to distribute 20,000 pinwheels, help coordinate a Pinwheel Garden in every county and engage 100 partners, organizations and businesses in the Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign. Kits to get started on a Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign come with 100 pinwheels, printed pinwheel campaign guide, a yard sign and 100 prevention handouts. A limited number of free kits are available after which, they can be purchased to host a campaign. The Pinwheels for Prevention webpage can be found here for more information.

**Playworks can help providers working with children integrate safe, healthy and inclusive student play into existing school activities through a series of thorough and interactive workshops that highlight constructive tools and methods. The trainings are designed for before-, after- and out-of-school program staff.  Go here for more info. 

** The City of Portland’s 2016 Fix-it Fairs are scheduled for the following Saturdays: Jan. 23rd at Ron Russell Middle School; and Feb. 20th at George Middle School (Spanish language fair). The fairs are free events where people can learn simple ways to save money and connect with community resources. 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

**The YWCA offers high-quality and engaging social change trainings. All of the info can be found here.  

** 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@mealsonwheelspeople.org

In the News

** A troubling story from The Atlantic on the racial disparities in preschool suspensions. Read it here. The PCL support of Morrison Child and Family Services early childhood program providing mental health consultation at preschool and childcare sites throughout Portland helps reduce suspensions for all children participating. 

** We’re learning more and more about the negative effects of food insecurity on children and families. For more on this, read the Washington Post story here. PCL funds five organizations to help relieve childhood hunger and get healthy and nutritious food to children and families.

PCL Programs Making a Difference: Open School

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard chose Open School’s Step Up as the recipient of his holiday giving project. This holiday season 34 Step Up students were treated to a suite (and sweet!) viewing of a Blazers game. Also, each student received a backpack full of goodies, a $100 Adidas gift card and a visit with Damian after the game making it a special night for Step Up kids.

Step Up is an after-school program supported by PCL to provide tutoring, academic support, advocacy and dropout prevention at Madison, Franklin and Roosevelt high schools.

Contact PCL Staff

*Director, After School & Hunger grants:
lisa.pellegrino@portlandoregon.gov  

*Assistant Director and Early Childhood & Mentoring grants: meg.mcelroy@portlandoregon.gov

  *Child Abuse Prevention/Inter & 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 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 marygay.broderick@portlandoregon.gov
See our website at www.portlandchildrenslevy.org