Local Meets Global at the SVP Summer Social

Under the trees at beautiful Hoyt Arboretum, the SVP Portland community gathered for our

Annual Summer Social. And this year was especially exciting! Investor Partners, Community Partners, SVP Portland staff, and colleagues from SVP International came together around a potluck of favorite dishes, meaningful conversation, and a shared commitment to the work we do. Evenings like this are a chance to build community and celebrate what we're able to accomplish collectively. Both of those things matter, perhaps more now than ever.

During facilitated table conversations, our SVP International colleagues and local attendees sat together and explored how SVP affiliates can learn from one another while keeping community priorities at the center. The discussions surfaced ideas about what helps initiatives travel across cities, where local knowledge must guide the work, and how philanthropy can bring people together around lasting change.

We also heard from Govind Iyer, SVP International board member and Chairperson of SVP India, one of the network’s fastest-growing affiliates. He shared his appreciation for the welcome he received in Portland and for the work underway here. “It’s been lovely being in Portland, seeing the hospitality and kindness,” he said. “It’s exciting to see the type of work SVP Portland is doing across the community, and the real impact it’s had. What stands out most is how deeply SVP Portland’s Investor Partners stay engaged with these organizations over time to help them succeed.”

What Partner Power Makes Possible

We're living through a moment of fragmentation and real uncertainty in this country. Community and shared purpose is the counterweight, and exactly what’s at the heart of SVP Portland’s model. Community Partners bring deep knowledge of the children and families they serve. Investor Partners contribute their time, skills, and financial resources. Together, we strengthen organizations and advance more equitable access to high-quality, culturally-specific preschool.

“This is what SVP Portland actually is,” Executive Director Lauren Johnson shared. “It’s people who want to make a difference, together. When you gather people who refuse to look away from hard problems and you give them a way to act, that can be a remarkably powerful thing. ”

Honoring a Leader in Our Community

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2026 Sarah Cohen-Doherty Community Impact Award to SVP Investor Partner Bala Cadambi. Sarah’s father, Jerry Cohen, presented the award in recognition of Bala’s steadfast commitment to SVP Portland and the communities we serve.

Click here to read more about Bala Cadambi and the Sarah Cohen-Doherty Community Impact Award.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who spent the evening with us at Hoyt Arboretum. Good company, good food, and a community worth celebrating.

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Curious about the global SVP network? Join Partners and community leaders from around the world at the 2027 SVP Summit, February 4–6 in Mumbai, hosted by SVP India. Learn more and register here.