PGE Foundation awards $274,000 in grants
to Oregon nonprofits for second quarter 2008
Grants focus on child and youth programs, newly launched nonprofits,
education and the arts

August 1, 2008, Portland, Ore. — For over 11 years, nonprofits around the state have received support for their programs and the people they serve through grants from the PGE Foundation — Portland General Electric's corporate foundation. During the second quarter of 2008, 30 grants were awarded totaling $274,000. The Foundation has donated nearly $1 million so far this year to nonprofits throughout Oregon.

Every year, the PGE Foundation focuses on supporting Oregon nonprofits in three categories: strengthening and delivering quality education, promoting healthy families and individuals, and helping to make arts and culture accessible to all Oregonians, especially children.

Last quarter, a majority of the grants focused on programs serving children and youth, including two grants that will help launch new programs. The Regional Arts & Culture Council received $25,000 to initiate Arts Partners, a collaborative project that will bring arts education to every K-8 public school student in the Portland Metropolitan area. The Dougy Center in Portland received $25,000 to initiate the Teen Sib Group for grieving teens.

To support systemic change in child welfare and early childhood programs, the Foundation awarded $30,000 to two organizations whose focus is on policy issues:

• Children First of Oregon (statewide) — $15,000 to help fund children's advocacy and policy initiatives.
• Children's Institute (statewide) — $15,000 for the Oregon Early Learning Initiative.

• Albertina Kerr Centers (Portland) — $5,000 to support the Family Involvement Project, designed to keep parents connected to the lives of their children who are undergoing treatment for mental illness.
• American Cancer Society (statewide) — $5,000 to support Camp Ukandu, a week-long camping getaway on the Oregon coast for children with cancer.
• Boys & Girls Aid (Portland area) — $10,000 to support the Safe Place Initiative for Washington County homeless and runaway youth.
• Chehalem Youth & Family Services (Newberg) — $5,000 to support the Community Mental Health Outreach program.
• Mano a Mano Family Center (Salem) — $10,000 to support the Youth Services program for the Salem Community Center.
• Neighborhood House, Inc. (Portland) — $5,000 to support the launch of Portland CASA START for at-risk youth in North Portland schools.
• Youth Impact (Salem) — $2,500 to support the Juvenile Enrichment through Mentoring programs targeted at youth with multiple risk factors.

• Hacienda Community Development Corporation (Portland) — $10,000 to support Micro Mercantes, a social services and economic opportunity initiative for Latina residents.
• JOIN (Portland) — $20,000 to support JOIN's housing retention efforts.

• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (statewide) — $1,000 to support Camp Westwind for children with hearing loss.
• DePaul Industries (Portland) — $10,000 to support Project SEARCH, a workforce program for people with disabilities.
• Ecumenical Ministries (Portland) — $5,000 to help fund the HIV Day Center.
• Northwest Pilot Project, Inc. (Portland) — $10,000 to support the Emergency Fund which provides services to very low-income seniors and assists with housing expenses.
• OHSU Foundation (Portland) — $500 to help fund cervical cancer screening.
• Seniors Escorting Seniors (Myrtle Creek) — $2,500 to help fund transportation for seniors and the disabled to health appointments, grocery shopping and other errands. The Foundation made eight grants totaling $40,000 to enhance education across the state:
• Christie Care (Portland) — $10,000 to help launch an environmental science education program for Native American children on Christie's Clackamas County campus.
• Clackamas County Library — $5,000 to support the summer reading program.
• Mediation Works (Medford) — $5,000 to support the Peer Mediation program for students.
• Northwest Academy (Portland) — $2,500 to support the scholarship program.
• School Site One Stop (Baker City) — $2,500 to support the Summer Fun program that works to keep high-risk, financially disadvantaged children involved in positive peer summer activities.
• Self-Enhancement, Inc. (Portland) — $5,000 to help struggling inner-city high school students attend Portland Public Schools summer school, a project of the Portland Schools Foundation's Connected X 25 program.
• Wallowa County Library — $5,000 to support the Training Wheels literacy program.
• Willamette University (Salem) — $5,000 to support the Willamette Academy for at-risk youth.

• Mission Mill Museum (Salem) — $2,500 to support educational programming for the “Facing Statehood” exhibit during Oregon's sesquicentennial celebration in 2009.
• Oregon 150 (statewide) — $25,000 to support the Take Care of Oregon portion of the state's sesquicentennial celebration.

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