SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS PORTLAND ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT IN FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN-PORTLAND

Additional grants renewed for four local organizations

PORTLAND, Ore. (June 25, 2008) – Social Venture Partners Portland (SVPP), a member-governed partnership of local investors who contribute time, expertise and money to non-profits supporting Portland-area children and youth at risk, has announced its 2008-09 Investees (grantees). Friends of the Children–Portland joins four returning Investees: C.A.S.H. Oregon, Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP), New Avenues for Youth and The Shadow Project. In total, SVPP will give more than $150,000 in 2008-09 and will top $1.2 million in direct investment since their inception in 2001.

  • Friends of the Children–Portland provides Portland’s most vulnerable children a nurturing and sustained relationship with an adult role model who teaches positive values and has attainable expectations for each child in order that they become healthy, productive members of our community. SVPP will assist Friends of the Children with capacity-building needs, among them establishing a benchmarking system and implementing new data management software.
  • C.A.S.H. Oregon seeks to help low-income families in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties take advantage of state and federal income tax credits and build solid financial futures through savings, credit repair and financial literacy programs. SVPP works to evolve the Oregon Tax Credit Coalition into a self-sustaining organization with professional staff and strong community and government support.
  • The Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP), a program of Neighborhood House, works to improve the quality of home-based child care in Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. SVPP provides technical assistance including a market study, technology planning and organizational development to expand and strengthen CCIP’s infrastructure and programs.
  • New Avenues for Youth seeks to empower homeless youth to exit street life and prevent other youth from becoming homeless. SVPP will work in assisting New Avenues with their Fostering Independence Project (FIP). This initiative will leverage existing public and private resources to assist youth who do not thrive in traditional placement, reduce the number dropping out of foster care, and ensure that even the most high-risk receive the skills necessary to transition to independence.
  • The Shadow Project fosters social and academic growth for approximately 1,100 students with learning and other disabilities in grades K-8. Teaming up with special education teachers in Portland Public Schools and Yamhill County, The Shadow Project makes learning a more rewarding experience for children whose disabilities put them at risk of later dropping out of school. SVPP will work with The Shadow Project on plans to expand the program in the tri-county area and build partnerships with local businesses.

“It is an honor to be associated with such a high quality, impactful organization in Friends of the Children. They have achieved great results for children living in some of the most difficult and desperate situations in our community,” said Mark Holloway, executive director of SVPP. “We look forward to working closely with them and all of our Investees organizations to build their infrastructure and improve their long-term outcomes.”

ABOUT SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS PORTLAND

Social Venture Partners Portland is a member-governed and -funded nonprofit organization of engaged citizens committed to achieving measurable social change in the four county area surrounding Portland, Oregon. The Partners give time, money, and expertise to strengthen innovative nonprofit organizations and develop strategic solutions to community problems. It is an affiliate of SVP International. For more information, please visit http://www.svpportland.org.

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