Welcoming a New Decade

Greater numbers contribute smaller amounts as needs grow.

The beginning of a decade affords us the opportunity to both analyze the past and plan for the future. At OCF, we are completing a new strategic plan that will help the Foundation focus on key issues facing our state. This will be a time for tremendous achievement as together we produce lasting, positive change in Oregon.

While we may be ready to say “good riddance,” “goodbye” and “shut the books” on the last decade, there were many successes to recognize and celebrate. We would like to share and acknowledge a few significant OCF accomplishments for the years 2000 through 2009:

• Over the past 10 years, OCF’s donor funds provided $427 million in grants to community organizations and to students for scholarships.
• OCF's endowment assets grew from $365 million in 2000 to $942 million by the end of 2009 – a $577 million increase.
• Our volunteer corps - essential for all that we do - added over 1,000 members and now totals 1,600 citizens contributing time, talent, and deep knowledge of their communities.
• OCF developed special initiatives in early childhood education, K-12 education reform, and Latino leadership development that have each resulted in meaningful improvement in Oregon’s quality of life.

Despite the obstacles and challenges we faced in the past 10 years, we can all be proud that The Oregon Community Foundation helped Oregonians stay engaged and make a difference. Thanks to all!

Greg Chaillé
President

Save the Date!

OCF Annual Meeting, Wednesday, May 5, 2010
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Oregon Convention Center, Portland

Grants With Deep Roots

Throughout the first decade of this new century, The Oregon Community Foundation has continued to help our state grow in a positive direction by connecting resources to needs. The following nonprofits have received recent grants from OCF and exemplify a history of the Foundation’s support to areas of ongoing need in our state:

Mid-Willamette Valley – $30,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Salem for its health center. This is just the latest in a decade of giving as OCF has distributed grants totaling $9,271,600 to Boys and Girls Clubs in 24 communities around Oregon.

Central Oregon – $10,000 to the Central Oregon Symphony Association for music instruction for youth. Since 2000, OCF has made grants totaling about $9.3 million to 15 adult and youth symphony organizations around Oregon.

Southern Oregon – $25,000 to Josephine Community Libraries for new technology, one of the many OCF-related library endowments since 2000. From Enterprise to Port Orford, the Foundation has granted support funds to more than 80 libraries.

Statewide – $49,500 for site coordinators around Oregon on behalf of ASPIRE (Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone). OCF helped found ASPIRE in 1998 to train volunteer mentors to help at-risk students achieve their personal and educational goals. The program began with just four pilot schools. Thanks in part to Foundation grants of nearly $335,000 over the decade, this vital mentoring resource has grown steadily in 10 years to encompass more than 1,000 volunteers helping over 11,000 students in 115 Oregon schools.

For Joan Staunton, Volunteering is a Profession

Joan Staunton describes herself as a “professional volunteer” and pursues it with the focus of a full-time job.

Joan, a longtime Klamath Falls resident, began volunteering with The Oregon Community Foundation in 2003 and presently serves on its regional Leadership Council for Southern Oregon. She performs grant evaluations and site visits to grantees, presents checks to recipients, and hosts functions for donors and volunteers in her home.

This past year, Joan has been active in OCF’s Regional Action Initiative, helping to identify and respond to compelling social challenges at the local level. “It’s very exciting to evaluate the needs of our region with other volunteers to determine how best to impact our communities,” she said.

Raised near Junction City, Joan graduated from Oregon State University and eventually came to settle in Klamath Falls. In addition to her OCF work, she has served on the Oregon Institute of Technology board for 12 years and is an active supporter of the Ross Ragland Theater, YMCA and United Way. Her hobbies – when she has time for them – include travel, fishing, family and, of course, volunteering.

“I have truly enjoyed my work with OCF, getting to know what other communities’ volunteers are doing across the state and educating others on the needs and attributes of the Klamath Falls area,” said Joan. “Encouraging others and helping them meet their needs for community projects is very satisfying.”

What a Difference a Decade Makes

OCF Highlights 10 Years of Growth and Progress

Between year 2000 and today, The Oregon Community Foundation has significantly expanded the ability of Oregon donors to fulfill their charitable giving goals, and inspired more citizens to give of themselves as volunteers. Here’s a look at the changing face of philanthropy in our state.

The John Serbu Fund Marks a Second Decade Giving Lane County Young People a Fighting Chance Against Drugs

Before his death in 1999, Dr. John Serbu established two endowments with The Oregon Community Foundation in memory of his son, Cameron. Their purpose: to strengthen Lane County programs for substance abuse prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Just over 10 years later, his name is synonymous with something meaningful to hundreds of local young people and their families: a way back from drugs.

“Giving young people a second chance to get their lives back on track is very gratifying,” said his wife, Grace, who heads the committee that advises The Oregon Community Foundation on where to direct the funds. “Our program has been very effective by providing a holistic approach. Counseling and mentorship, combined with educational scholarship opportunities give hope and focus to these young people at a critical time in their lives.”

In honor of the Serbu Fund’s generous commitment to drug abuse prevention and treatment, the Lane County Juvenile Justice Center was named the John Serbu Youth Campus, providing intensive help to nearly 100 incarcerated young adults each year.

During the past decade, more than $2.2 million has been distributed from the Serbu Fund’s endowments. OCF distributed $1,417,236 to the Lane County Department of Youth Services primarily to support the Recovery and Progress Court program, as well as the Pathways treatment program for incarcerated youth with substance abuse issues.

Other organizations that have benefited from the John Serbu Fund include CASA of Lane County, Lane County Adult Drug Court, Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation, and Willamette Family Treatment Center.

John Serbu’s dedication to substance abuse prevention and treatment – and the lasting impact on countless young lives in Lane County – illustrates the power of focused individual giving through The Oregon Community Foundation.

Photo courtesy of M. R. Richards Engineering Inc.

Words of Wisdom

Mentors Help At-Risk Youth Make Positive Choices

Every child needs the support of a caring adult. It’s a bond that, for most children, exists naturally with a parent. But not all children are so lucky. When the parent/child relationship breaks down, someone else must be there to keep that young person on the path to becoming a well-adjusted, high-functioning adult. That’s where OCF-supported mentoring programs come in.

OCF-supported mentoring programs, such as ASPIRE and Oregon Mentors, focus on recruiting, training and retaining a growing pool of caring adults who are willing to get involved in the lives of at-risk children. The work is challenging, but the results can have a profound impact. In a national landmark study of 1,000 young people, mostly urban youth ages 10-14, researchers found that those engaged in mentoring were:

• 46% less likely to being using illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 53% less likely to skip school
• 33% less likely to engage in school violence

Ten years ago, recognizing the importance of mentoring in helping kids grow and achieve, OCF provided Oregon Mentors a start-up grant of $50,000. At that time, only 10 percent of the 100,000 identified kids in need were receiving mentorship. Today, through 120 programs at 498 sites, nearly 16,000 mentors work with 35,000 children, but the number of kids requiring mentorship continues to rise.

In fact, OCF’s regional leadership councils in Southern Oregon and Eastern Oregon have identified mentoring as a key priority for funding in their regions.

This year, Oregon Mentors has received $7,000 from the Joseph E. Weston Foundation of OCF and $2,500 from the Renecker Fund of OCF. Total OCF grants in the last decade have amounted to $279,500.

According to Oregon Mentors Executive Director Carolyn Becic, “The foresight and assistance from OCF donors was key to our initial and ongoing success. We are thankful to these donors for their support and are appreciative of the understanding that OCF has of the need for mentoring programs throughout Oregon. They are helping us meet this ever growing need.”

For more information on Oregon Mentors visit their website at www.oregonmentors.org.

The Oregon Community Foundation
1221 SW Yamhill St.
Suite 100
Portland, OR 97205
503.227.6846 (T)
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