Pacific Power announces grants to support safety, health and wellness programs

PORTLAND, Ore. — Throughout Oregon, Washington and California, the safety and wellness of the community often begin with some of the hardest-working organizations, those focused on delivering services and programs that offer accessible food and housing, healthcare and mental health support, as well as disaster relief and public safety programs. Their work supports the region's most vulnerable communities, many of which have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of its quarterly grant-giving, the Pacific Power Foundation, a nonprofit arm of Pacific Power, has announced $314,952 in new funding to directly support community organizations across the three states it serves. These safety and wellness grants are one of four grant cycles offered by the foundation year after year.

"We're proud to collaborate with our communities to build a strong, resilient future together," said Stefan Bird, president and CEO, Pacific Power. "These organizations are our local heroes – working tirelessly to deliver safety, health and wellness programs to neighbors in our communities, and we're honored to support their work." 

The following 102 grants were given to local organizations in Oregon, Washington and Northern California:

Oregon

Portland-area

  • Albertina Kerr Centers to support employment services that provide opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to gain the skills they need to be career-ready, participate in the workforce, and pursue work that enriches their lives. 
  • American Red Cross Cascades Region for wildfire disaster support, including shelters, meals, and other relief and recovery assistance, to help communities across the state affected by fires. 
  • Black Parent Initiative to support a community health team to oversee COVID-19 response, the Black Family Resource Center that provides educational resources and advocacy support, and the Sacred Roots mobile doula and lactation services to support African American, African, Black and African American Multiracial mothers. 
  • Blanchet House of Hospitality for expansion of clothing and hygiene support services for housing- and food-insecure communities. 
  • Boy Scouts of America – Cascades Pacific Council for scholarships to help boys and girls from low-income and at-risk backgrounds participate in the healthy outdoor experiences that scouting offers. 
  • Bradley Angle for operational support to provide critical assistance to survivors of domestic violence. 
  • The Cupcake Girls to support financial assistance for survivors of sex trafficking and domestic violence, providing emergency help with safe housing, grocery, gas, medical and other expenses.
  • Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon to support the Northeast Emergency Food Program, Oregon Food Bank’s most active food pantry, that has served more than one million clients since the start of the pandemic. 
  • Friendly House for the SAGE Metro Portland program to help LGBT+ older adults maintain their independence in their homes with case management, information and referral services, transportation assistance, essential supplies and virtual community-building programs.
  • Hand Up Project for The People’s Pantry, a food pantry open to everyone but catering to the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, which both suffer high rates of food insecurity. 
  • Hood River County Christmas Project to purchase food cards from local grocery stores to allow families who receive a food-aid box of pantry supplies to also purchase fresh produce and protein for their holiday celebration. 
  • Impact NW for homelessness prevention services for families with children, including rental assistance, clothing and transportation as well as services such as addiction recover and parenting support. 
  • Kinship House to provide mental health therapy to more than 400 children in foster care in the Portland Metro Area to help create stable, healthy futures. 
  • Legacy Oregon Burn Center to support burn education and prevention programs to help prevent burns among children, adults, seniors and high-risk professionals throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. 
  • Meals On Wheels People for the Senior Preparedness, Emergency Action & Resilience Project to develop and disseminate senior-friendly disaster supply kits for isolated older adults who are particularly vulnerable when catastrophes strike. 
  • Oregon Food Bank to help create just, equitable and sustainable food systems to better serve BIPOC communities, immigrants and refugees, single mothers and transgender and gender-nonconforming community members. 
  • Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon to address the rate of hunger in Oregon that has doubled since the start of the pandemic by ensuring every eligible student in the state can access school meals, and to expand and make permanent pandemic food programs that help low-income families when schools are closed.
  • Portland Backpack to provide food sacks to 1,000 food-insecure students each weekend at 10 public elementary schools. 
  • Portland Fruit Tree Project for coordination of Healing Harvests to address historical inequities and create safe spaces for Black community members to join harvesting efforts and experience connections to food, soil and community. 
  • Portland Rescue Mission for the purchase of a new box truck to be used for transporting thousands of pounds of donations of in-kind foods and supplies to multiple service sites to assist thousands of people struggling with homelessness, hunger and hardship. 
  • Portland Street Medicine to bring quality medical care and comfort to Portlanders who are facing unstable housing or sleeping on the street. 
  • Randall Children’s Hospital Foundation for CARES Northwest’s Child Abuse Prevention program, which includes training middle-school teachers on a violence-prevention curriculum. 
  • Rebuilding Together Portland for critical home repairs and safety modifications for more than 80 low-income homeowners with disabilities throughout Portland. 
  • Returning Veterans Project for the Volunteer Provider Expansion Program that will allow the organization to provide no-cost critical health care services to 40-50 more veterans, service members and their families when they need support. 
  • Sexual Assault Resource Center for the creation of the only counseling service for sexual assault survivors and their families within Multnomah County. 
  • Store to Door to support the goal of completing 13,600 grocery deliveries and friendly visitations to 654 homebound seniors and persons living with disabilities, to bring nourishment, connection and dignity, and to support aging in place. 
  • Volunteers of America Oregon for support of the Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship, which each year helps Oregon high school seniors who have experienced the impacts of substance abuse at home. 

Willamette Valley

  • ABC House to support child abuse assessment and intervention services for children in Linn and Benton counties, including medical exams, interviews, family support services and trauma counseling. 
  • Albany Public Schools Foundation for the Basic Needs Resource Center, a pilot program to help meet essential health and wellness needs for students furthest from opportunity. 
  • Boys & Girls Club of Albany to support the free children’s dental clinic to provide barrier-free access to dental treatment, prevention education for daily oral health habits, screening and an ongoing dental home for children in need. 
  • CASA of Lane County to expand capacity to serve more children with court-appointed special advocates. 
  • Community Outreach for the Transformation Housing Program that serves men, women and families in Benton County who need a safe and warm place to sleep by providing housing, medical and dental care, behavioral health services, childcare, case management, peer support and life-skills classes. 
  • Family Building Blocks to support the Relief Nursery Therapeutic Classroom and other programs that ensures Polk County children considered at high risk for potential child abuse and neglect will receive the support they need to meet critical developmental milestones in a safe and nurturing environment. 
  • Furniture Share for the Wildfire Furniture Relief program that provides gently used furniture and household items to 2,500 wildfire survivors who lost their homes and/or furniture.
  • Harrisburg Fire/Rescue to help cover the cost of EMT or paramedic certification for community volunteers. 
  • Liberty House to support a child abuse prevention coordinator and protect children in Polk County. 
  • Lumina Hospice and Palliative Care for the Transitions program, which provides free assistance to community members living with life-limiting illness who are either not ready or not yet eligible for hospice care, helping them navigate the physical, social and emotional challenges so they can live fuller, healthier lives. 
  • Marys Peak Search and Rescue – Region Three K9 Unit to increase wilderness safety in the Willamette Valley by training a canine unit to become the first nationally-certified water search and rescue unit in Oregon.
  • Old Mill Center for Children and Families for emergency supplies and supports for the many families in Linn and Benton Counties who continue to experience hardships due to the impact of the pandemic as well as high housing costs or unexpected bills.
  • PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center Foundation for the renovation of a swing bed and rehabilitation unit to better meet the acute-care health needs in the community. 
  • South Albany High School Senior All Night Party to ensure that every graduating student can attend this sober event and celebrate safely, regardless of their ability to pay. 
  • South Lane Mental Health Services to fund equipment and systems for COVID-19 safety, which will increase access to in-person mental health therapy services. 
  • South Lane School District for equipment and supplies for a new health and wellness program, including fitness, cooking and other classes. 
  • Volunteer Caregivers to help cover the costs of medical transportation services for seniors who no longer drive and need help reaching appointments.
  • Willamette Community and Grange Hall Historic Building Foundation for the enlargement of a storage shed on the grounds of this historic building site that provides a location for the community to gather at outdoor events. 

Umpqua Valley

  • Roseburg Senior Center to finish the second phase of an elevator upgrade that will allow improved access to all seniors. 
  • YMCA of Douglas County to help provide chronic pain therapy services to veterans, including acupuncture, electro-stimulation, nutrition counseling and cupping services.

Rogue Valley 

  • ACCESS to help provide essential durable medical equipment to Jackson County’s most socioeconomically and medically vulnerable citizens. 
  • Asante Foundation for infusion chairs to support patients undergoing treatment, for up to nine hours at a time, through Asante’s Regional Cancer Institute. 
  • Grants Pass Family YMCA for equipment for the YMCA’s weight loss program that helps hundreds of community members improve their health. 
  • Josephine County Foundation to support Project SAFE (Students Acquiring Firefighter Equipment), a student-run program that supports mostly volunteer, rural fire departments with critical fire, medical and rescue equipment so they are better prepared to respond to wildfires. This year’s focus is on the Jacksonville fire station rebuild.
  • Kairos Northwest for a roof replacement on the building that houses the Jackson Services team so they can safely provide outpatient, treatment foster care and psychiatric services to underserved youth. 
  • La Clinica del Valle Family Health Care Center to support the only mobile health care in the area, which can deploy quickly, go where services are needed most, and has played a critical role in responding during COVID-19 and regional wildfires. 
  • Remake Talent to support efforts to incorporate best equity practices to improve the Zone Captains program, which recruits wildfire survivors to advocate for a designated zone or demographic group within a fire-affected community. 
  • Rogue Community Health for equipment and outreach to improve the accessibility of pediatric vision screening to connect with children in a broader range of ages, languages and abilities. 
  • Wilderness Trails for camper scholarships to serve boys and girls ages 8-17 throughout southern Oregon, including youth in the foster care system. 

Klamath Falls

  • Klamath Basin Senior Citizens Center to support senior programs including Meals-on-Wheels and transportation. 
  • Pregnancy Hope Center for safety training and equipment for families with infants, including a car seat program and safe sleep program. 
  • Sky Lakes Medical Center Foundation – Klamath-Lake CARES to help respond quickly to at-risk children and youth who may have been abused, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northern Oregon Coast

  • Central Coast Humane Society to help cover care for cats injured and displaced when more than 200 people lost homes during the Echo Mountain Complex fire in 2020.
  • Clatsop Community Action for personal care assistance, including basic health and hygiene resources, for people experiencing poverty and homelessness in rural Clatsop County. 

Southern Oregon Coast 

  • Bear Cupboard to purchase food to be distributed through this food pantry to Coos County residents in need. 
  • Douglas CARES to help provide skill-building tools, including effective coping mechanisms, for abused and traumatized children. 
  • Myrtle Crest Elementary School to protect the health and wellness of students by providing physical education equipment for children to use at home when quarantined due to COVID exposure.
  • United Way of Southwestern Oregon for Every Child Coos to support youth in foster care, foster parents, biological families and kinship families with health and wellness items, including car seats, safety gates and other essential articles. 

Central Oregon

  • The 1017 Project to help distribute fresh beef to serve food-insecure individuals and families through over 40 food banks and community kitchens throughout Central Oregon. 
  • The Center Foundation to support the Sports Medicine Program services and education that help protect the health and safety of high school kids in Central Oregon. 
  • Commute Options for the Safe Routes to School Helmet Project that supports bicycle safety education, helmet fitting, and free bike helmets for students. 
  • Council on Aging of Central Oregon to help meet the nutritional needs of food-insecure seniors and people with disabilities with drive-through meals and post-COVID in-person meal sites. 
  • Destination Rehab for the expansion of the Peak Fitness program that empowers adults with neurological conditions to develop a personalized exercise plan and experience outdoor adventures.
  • Family Kitchen for food and supplies to help in serving 7,000 meals each month to combat hunger in the community. 
  • High Desert Food and Farm Alliance to fight hunger and increase access to fresh foods from local farmers and gardeners.
  • Hunger Prevention Coalition of Central Oregon for the purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk and proteins to enhance nutrition for people struggling with loss of income due to COVID and related economic hardships.
  • KIDS Center for SafetyNet, an internet safety training curriculum, targeted to adults and students. 
  • Lines for Life to add capacity and train additional teen volunteers for the Central Oregon YouthLine expansion to help youth struggling with mental health issues such as bullying, LGBTQ+ issues, anxiety and suicidal ideation.
  • Mosaic Medical for ergonomic desks and chairs to help keep mental health providers healthy as they work to help community members with mental health issues. 
  • MountainStar Family Relief Nursery to support therapeutic classrooms, child assessments, home visits, transportation services, emergency food boxes and referrals for mental health services for at-risk families. 
  • St. Vincent de Paul Society of Crook County to provide emergency help to low-income families needing financial assistance with housing, emergency shelter, transportation or other needs. 
  • The Shield to support effective mental health services to Central Oregon’s veterans and first responders, who are typically underserved, particularly in rural communities.  
  • Treehouse Therapies Associates to help provide low-barrier access to pediatric physical, occupational and behavioral health therapy for children with special needs. 

Eastern Oregon

  • Building Healthy Families to help build a bicycle playground in Wallowa, increasing access to recreation opportunities to improve health and well-being for kids throughout the community. 
  • Made to Thrive to promote mental and physical wellness for low-income youth in rural eastern Oregon by providing access to enriching sports, adventure activities, music and art programs.

California

  • Boys & Girls Club of Greater Shasta for trauma-informed staff development workshops to better support the social, emotional and mental wellness of local youth. 
  • Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Southern Oregon to support low- and no-cost credit counseling and financial education, in English, Spanish and ASL, for residents in Del Norte and Siskiyou Counties in Northern California.  
  • Great Northern Services to serve healthy lunches to children from low-income families during the summer when school meals are not available. 
  • Rural Human Services to support Harrington House, a domestic violence shelter, in the purchase of dog houses and pet beds so domestic violence survivors can bring their pets to the shelter. 
  • Siskiyou Family YMCA for installation of glass garage doors on the YMCA’s aerobics room to create indoor/outdoor exercise opportunities for improved health of clients. 
  • Siskiyou Spay Neuter Incentive Program to help community members who are low-income or have disabilities or mental impairments and would benefit from pet companionship pay for the necessary care of their pets, including vaccinations, spays, neuters and even pet housing in emergency situations.

Washington

  • Blue Mountain Health Cooperative for expansion of the education library to include new training for mental health clinicians so they can better serve diverse populations, support clients traumatized by the pandemic and learn advanced therapy techniques. 
  • Camp Prime Time for camperships to help more children living with special needs or serious illnesses and their families enjoy a specialized camp experience at no cost. 
  • Free2Luv to help fund workshops and mental-health activity books to help racially diverse, low-income, displaced, LGBTQ+ and foster youth, ages 10-20, throughout Yakima County learn mental health tools to deal with anxiety, depression, trauma and suicidal thoughts.
  • The Health Center for journals, therapy books, toys and other materials for use in mental health counseling for students.
  • Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care for expansion of its pediatric palliative care program to support seriously ill children and their families. 
  • Hope Street for a wellness program for the Hope Street Recovery Residence, including exercise and fitness activities, nutritional counseling and sleep education. 
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness of Washington for mental health education outreach programs focused on middle school, high school and college students. 
  • Office Moms & Dads to increase support for vulnerable children entering foster care in Walla Walla County, including recruiting new volunteers, who provide caring companionship during the intake process, as well as clothing, food, diapers and other essential supplies. 
  • Rod’s House for the Young Adult Extreme Weather Shelter that provides safe overnight options for young adults ages 18-24, tailored to their developmental needs, to help them survive the coldest winter months and access community services. 
  • SonBridge Center for Better Living for mental health support groups, which have played a critical role during COVID-19.
  • Union Gospel Mission of Yakima to support the adult emergency shelter that provides a safe, low-barrier alternative to street homelessness. 
  • Walla Walla Pickleball Association for completion of eight pickleball courts at the Mill Creek Sports Complex to provide more healthy recreation opportunities for all ages. 
  • Walla Walla Senior Citizens Center to serve seniors fresh, healthy meals, the demand for which doubled during the pandemic through a new COVID-safe drive-up window as well as Meals-On-Wheels deliveries. 
  • YWCA for the purchase of a color laser printer/copier to help survivors of domestic violence, who live in YWCA shelters or come in for services, when they need color copies of protection forms or other legal documents required by the court system.