Portland Parks Foundation is pleased to announce the latest round of winners in our Small Grants Program, PDX Alliance for Self Care, Portland Free Play and Urban Nature Partners PDX. Established with funds from parks patron Nancy Hebb Freeman, the program provides -capacity-building support for organizations whose work aligns with PPF’s mission to ensure a thriving and accessible parks system.
At a time where COVID-19 has shifted learning to online, reduced social interaction and increased concerns about child obesity and depression, PPF is proud to partner with three organizations committed to increasing opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of color, immigrant/refugee, disabled, low-income and all marginalized youth and their families in public parks and nature.
PDX Alliance for Self Care is a volunteer-organization addressing underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPoC), LGBTQ2SIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two Spirit, Intersex, Asexual, plus other non-hetero orientations or genders), immigrant/refugee, disabled, low-income and all marginalized youth and their families in public parks and nature. Founded on a belief that this work should be led by those most impacted, local BIPoC educators and community leaders provide summer nature and mindfulness camps in our public parks. The grant will enable the Alliance to expand their outreach, improve their organizational communications and marketing. PPF funds will be used to support hiring of a graphic designer to create a logo to brand their program as well as translating the information into more languages that can be distributed by educators, newspapers and culturally-specific websites allowing the Alliance to reach more marginalized youth and their families.
A self-proclaimed, “lean and scrappy volunteer-run organization,” Portland Free Play partners with Portland Parks & Recreation Free Lunch + Play program to deliver pop-up playground events to park and community sites where youth have less access to these experiences. Portland Free Play is currently working on a plan to expand to 12 different Lunch + Play sites in 2020, specifically focusing on East Portland where many youths live in parks deficient neighborhoods. PPF grants funds will be used to develop a fundraising strategy with a goal of raising enough funds to hire a part time position to administer and expand the program.
Urban Nature Partners PDX fills a gap in outdoor programming for youth from diverse, low-income families residing in Cully, Lents, Portsmouth and outer NE Portland. Their mission is to increase historically marginalized Portland communities’ access to and opportunities for meaningful experiences in urban parks and outdoor programs. Through their partnerships with local BIPoC and immigrant/refugee organizations, they provide mentor-youth programs in public parks and natural areas led by and for BIPoC communities. These pairings also engage each youth’s family with monthly family events in natural areas and offer free summer camp opportunities in public parks after the first year of mentorship. PPF funds will support direct costs to deliver Spanish speaking programming support and their expansion to partner with youth in outer NE Portland.