UPS Golf Tournament for United Way

In September UPS held a charity golf tournament to support United Way of the Columbia-Willamette at Tri-Mountain Golf Course in Ridgefield, WA.

Tournament organizer and Package Division Manager, Portland Division, Northwest District, Kevin Church was eager to bring some additional excitement to UPS' United Way Community Giving Campaign. With help from Brad Roos and Dominique Andrews, Kevin put together a phenomenal tournament which he hopes to make an annual event. 

The tournament featured hole and cart sponsors, over 80 players, a silent auction, and great prizes.  Some UPS regional leadership came down from Seattle to play as well including Nancy Koeper, VP/COO Director of NW District.

The image to the right features Kevin proudly presenting a $6,000 check to United Way's James Dillard, Director of Workplace Giving. The amount raised at the tournament includes funds from the silent auction, mulligan sales, putting contest, and more.

Thank you Kevin, Brad, Dominique and everyone who participated in this great UPS fundraising event for United Way. 

The Harris Group Inc. Charity Zucchini Car Races

The Portland office of Harris Group, Inc. wrapped up their employee giving campaign last Thursday, October 20^th and raised more than $8,100, exceeding their campaign goal!

Hoping to have even more fun than last year, campaign coordinator Sheila Stai decided try something new and added Zucchini Car Races to the week’s activities.

Employees were invited to design, build and decorate their own zucchini cars and bring them to race on a track specially constructed for the event. Racers competed for donated prizes in 4 categories – Fastest, Slowest, Most Creative and Most Nutritious.

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette Community Account Manager, Steven "Dream" Weaver, the voice of many professional and collegian sports teams, was there as play-by-play announcer. Employee spectators filled in as the races began and the room was full of laughter – many more vowed to build their own zucchini car next year to challenge this year’s winners. 

The Zucchini Car races was one of many fun activities planned throughout the campaign at Harris Group – employees also had a chance to take part in a silent auction, cut-throat penny competition and a chili cook-off. Thanks to the dedication of Sheila and her colleagues, participation was high and Harris Group employees got to have fun and feel good about giving back to our community. 

Thankful for Our Local Commitment to Ending Domestic Violence

Since the 1980s, October has been known as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It has become a time to honor the lives of those who have been lost due to domestic violence, celebrate those who have survived and recognize those who work in the victims’ services field.

This year’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month has brought mourning for a different kind of loss. Not a loss of life but a loss of laws around domestic violence in Topeka, Kansas. This month, the Topeka mayor and city council voted to repeal the city’s ordinance against domestic violence, primarily due to money squabbles. They made this move as a counter to the decision by county officials last month to stop prosecuting misdemeanors, including domestic violence, when the crime occurred within Topeka city limits: http://bit.ly/nRf4V2.

“Suspects in Topeka domestic violence cases are leaving jail without being charged, and advocates for abuse survivors say victims are growing more scared amid a public squabble over who should pay to prosecute the crimes.” - Associated Press

This decision creates a scary situation for survivors of domestic violence who are watching the perpetrators of abuse against them walk free. It is challenging for survivors to find the courage and trust to engage the criminal justice system in the first place. As a result, many survivors in Topeka may never trust the justice system or their local community to assist them in their safety.

While supporting domestic violence survivors does not seem to be a priority at the moment in Kansas, the increased awareness around our own region’s need to improve our response to and prevention of domestic violence is heartening. Despite the financial troubles facing the Portland-Vancouver metro region, our community has demonstrated that domestic violence is a top concern and United Way of the Columbia Willamette is working diligently with the community to address it. We have been working on a  new Domestic Violence Initiative designed to foster increased sector collaboration, improve violence prevention education and get the word out about ending domestic violence through public awareness campaigns.

Our community recognizes that when cuts need to be made, they should not be done so at the cost of the most vulnerable members of our community. Domestic violence survivors are often extremely isolated from their friends, family and other social supports. Our community is willing to rally around domestic violence survivors instead of isolating them further.

I applaud our region’s continued efforts to increase attention to the pandemic issue of domestic violence. Together we can ensure that the survivors in our community never have to watch the abuser be freed to abuse again due to bad budgetary decisions.

Join us to support survivors and work to end the abuse before it starts.  For more information on our efforts please go to our website at http://www.unitedway-pdx.org/domesticviolence

Sarah McDowell
Community Investment Manager, Health and Wellness
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette

Jacobs Engineering Living United

Jacobs Engineering just kicked off their United Way Community Giving Campaign with a staff volunteer service day organized by United Way. The group from Jacobs was matched up with a service project at Oregon Food Bank. Thanks for LIVING UNITED Jacobs Engineering!

(L to R): Michael Braschayko, Jack Sabin and Operations Manager Gil Hulden

(L to R): front row - Jeanne Brown, Kathy Scheel, Carolina Conway, Holly Gerloff, Molly Schultz
back row - Gil Hulden, John Hungate, Jack Sabin, Matt Schultz, Michael Braschayko

Pacific Power Tees Off their Giving Campaign

The Pacific Power first annual United Way Golf Tournament on September 16th at Chehalem Glenn  Golf Course in Newberg was executed with great success! The tournament hosted 112 players and over 25 sponsors to raise money for United Way. 

Pacific Power is also a member of United Way's Cornerstone Partners which means they are one of the 17 local companies who have chosen to designate their corporate gifts to the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, to help underwrite operating costs. Because of their support, 100% of contributions received will be invested in local programs to help people in need.

Teams had the pleasure of playing one of the most challenging courses in the Northwest, while supporting long lasting change in our community through United Way of the Columbia-Willamette.

All proceeds went to United Way’s Community Impact Fund, creating opportunities for a better life for all in our four-county Portland/Vancouver metro area by focusing on improving education, income and health, the building block for a good quality of life.

In addition to contributions from sponsors and participants’ green fees, money was also raised through the sale of Mulligans and Hole-in-One chances. Golfers and volunteers convened for a BBQ lunch after the tournament where awards were announced and door prizes given to a few lucky winners. All in all, the fundraiser was a great success and a lot of fun for those involved. 

Pacific Power Golf Committee

The tournament was organized by Pacific Power’s Golf Committee, chaired by John Aniello and Francine Sullivan. In addition to putting on this terrific event, Pacificorp and Pacific Power run an outstanding United Way Community Giving Campaign and participate in corporate volunteer projects. 

A big thank you to Pacific Power employees for their generous support!

Check out more photos from the tournament

Update: 
Pacific Power created these great photo collages from the tournament, check them out! Clicking on them will bring them up bigger for better viewing.

 

Families are at Risk: Help Restore the Emergency Food & Shelter Program

For nearly half of Americans surveyed in the August 27, 2011 WSJ/NBC News poll, the lasting recession and painfully slow recovery has carried more of a personal impact in the past decade than the events of September 11, 2001 or the following wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Families have grown increasingly concerned about their personal finances.

And with good reason, unemployment remains high and with it has come the loss of health insurance, leaving families at risk of financial disaster in the case of illness or medical emergency. Along with this, foreclosures are in a holding pattern, leaving families unsure if they will have a house to call home next month. And, as poverty rates increase more people are cutting their personal budgets for items like food and electricity, even as these prices are on the rise.

The loss of a job can mean family disaster, as was the case with a young couple, Karen and Matt and their new baby. Like so many young families, they were just getting by until Matt lost his job. The job loss hit them hard and they quickly went through their savings and could no longer pay their rent. Karen and Matt were afraid of being on the streets.

Fortunately, they connected with a program funded by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette's Community Relief Fund which assisted them by paying for two months of rent. The program also helped them get unemployment insurance and food stamps and worked with them to set a budget. The family is now up to date on their rent and managing their income. Thanks to United Way donors they are now standing on their own.

Families like Karen and Matt’s are served by projects funded through the Community Relief Fund and other resources are also available in the Portland area. One crucial resource is the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP), a federal program that provides emergency funds to families at risk. This year, at a time when the need is greatest, EFSP funding for the Portland region was eliminated.

You Can Help!

Without restoration of Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds more families will be at risk. That is why we urge you to act today by contacting your congressperson and ask them to restore funding for this vital program. Together we can make a difference for families in our region.

In addition, you can help us reach many more families and individuals by donating to the Community Relief Fund. Consider making a donation today.

Celebrate Women’s Equality Day!

This Friday, August 26, U.S. women, and all U.S. citizens, have something to celebrate: Women’s Equality Day! Why is this day important?

It all Began in Upstate New York

In July 1848, at the Seneca Falls Convention in upstate New York, women’s rights activists, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton (pictured left) and Lucretia Mott, met to discuss women’s rights and other issues. At the end of the convention, twelve resolutions were adopted calling for equal treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women. This convention gave strength to an often dangerous struggle by women to secure the right to vote. After seventy-two years they were successful and on August 26, 1920 Congress voted in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote. Supporters of the 19th Amendment were jubilant but many felt it was only the beginning for women’s rights.

Women’s Equality Day Resolution & the Equal Rights Amendment

In 1971, during a time of national push for adopting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), Rep. Bella Abzug, Democrat from New York, introduced a Congressional Resolution to designate August 26 Women’s Equality Day. It easily passed and encouraged supporters in their fight for passage of ERA. View the Resolution.

The ERA was first introduced in 1920 after the passage of the 19th Amendment but has yet to be adopted. It passed Congress in 1972 but to supporter’s dismay failed to meet the 1982 deadline for ratification by the states. For more background, watch this video of Gloria Steinem reflecting on the Women's Rights Movement.

Creating Opportunities for Change at United Way

The women who fought for voter rights at the turn of the century felt that education of women was essential for their equality and advancement. At United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, through donor support we fund education projects that help children and youth achieve their potential. These include projects that specifically address educational challenges for girls. To learn more and join us in this work, visit our website.

Test your knowledge of the struggle for women's right to vote by taking the NWHP Women's Equality Day Quiz.

Will you be participating in any Women's Day activities this year? If so, let us know by commenting on this blog post or on the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette Facebook or Twitter pages.

Portland Non-Profits Scramble to Prevent Increase in Homeless Families after Federal Budget Cuts

The statistics are telling. In the metro area, over 550,000 people live in poverty, including 17,500 seniors. Many of those experiencing poverty work minimum wage jobs that just don’t provide enough income to cover the basics like food, rent and utilities. As a result, 30% seek monthly food assistance just to get by. Unemployment, evictions and rising costs for basic needs mean that more of our neighbors, coworkers and friends are living on the edge – some for the first time in their lives.

Thanks to our donor’s support, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is able to respond. In collaboration with local agencies, United Way’s Community Relief Fund helped stabilize almost 60,000 families in crises in 2011.


United Way’s Community Relief Fund supports local agencies working to fill the gap but many of these agencies also rely on another funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). EFSP, a collaboration between the federal government and non-profits like United Way, has provided regional funding for agencies that serve families in crises for 28 years. This year the Portland metro area’s $1.3 million in funding from EFSP was cut, leaving local agencies scrambling to provide emergency services to area families. You can help!

Here’s what you can do!!

Contact Congress: urge them to take action to reconsider their funding cuts to this vital program that provides for those most in need of support.

Tell Your Friends: Share this blog post through Facebook, Twitter and email.

Stay in Touch: Sign up for our email newsletter and stay informed.

Donate to the Community Relief Fund: Your donations will make a difference!

History of Disability Rights and Important Dates

Although June 22 has passed for this year, it was a historic day for the disability community. Not only did it mark the anniversary of the 1999 Supreme Court Olmstead decision which affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in their homes and communities, but it also marks the anniversary of the death of Justin Dart, Jr. who is widely recognized as "the father of the Americans with Disabilities Act," "the godfather of the disability rights movement," and co-founder of the Justice for All Blog.

http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2011/06/celebrating-victory-honoring-leadership-remembering-justin-dart-jr.html

Coming up, July 26th will be the 21st anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. In 1990, the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people was signed into law. The ADA signifies the adoption of a public policy committed to the removal of a broad range of impediments to the integration of people with disabilities into society. The ADA is a wide-ranging law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which made discrimination based on race, religions, sex, national origin, and other characteristics illegal. Disability is defined by the ADA as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." The determination of whether any particular condition is considered a disability is made on a case by case basis.

For more information about the history of Disability Rights Movement, check out the following link and click through the options as your interest leads you. Clicking on the pictures gives more in depth info.

http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/welcome.html

Daimler Receives United Way Giving Campaign Honors

Last month, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette interim President and CEO Jay Bloom had the pleasure of presenting the organization's 2010 Campaign Metric Award to Daimler Trucks North America. There to accept the award was Daimler's President and CEO Martin Daum who has been at the helm of the company since 2009. Mr. Daum has leadership and visionary responsibility for Daimler Trucks North America LLC and its affiliated companies - Freightliner Trucks, Western Star Trucks, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, Detroit Diesel Corporation and Axle Alliance Company.

Jay Bloom (L) presents Martin Daum (R) with the United Way Campaign Metrics Award

The metric award from United Way is given for excellence in campaign statistics and with the reinstatement of the corporate match this past campaign year, Daimler also was recognized with the Largest New Corporate Gift award for a company with more than 200 employees. The total giving for Daimler Trucks North America was nearly $147,000!

Thank you to Daimler and to every one of their employees and retirees who participated in last year's United Way Annual Giving Campaign. Your contributions will be used to improve children's education, help individuals and families become more financially stable and improve health and wellness in our community.

We look forward to kicking off our next annual giving campaign this fall with your support. If your company would like to participate please learn more on United Way of the Columbia-Willamette's website.

Housing & Health for People of Color in Portland

“Creating safe and decent places to live can have incredibly positive effects on a family's health, on study habits of students, and on a neighborhood's overall attractiveness and stability.”-Jimmy Carter, Decent Housing is not Just a Wish, it is a Human Right

The Oregon Humanities brown bag discussion on June 23, 2011 brought together three scholars to discuss, among other issues, the impact of poverty and housing discrimination on the health and vitality of children of color. According to the presenters, housing discrimination remains a key mechanism for maintaining racial segregation, and along with it, a host of other deleterious social ills. Their conclusion: discrimination in housing affects children’s health because it typically means that impoverished people of color live in dense urban areas with higher levels of social stress and environmental pollution.

To the point, Portland Metro area’s history of housing and wage discrimination has resulted in significantly lower levels of income and wealth for people of color. With reduced access and little left in stretched budgets for health care, people of color in the Metro area experience higher rates of infant mortality and teen birth, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and prostate cancer deaths. According to the Multnomah County, Racial & Ethnic Disparities, 2011 Update, intervention strategies related to health and access to economic, educational, employment, and housing opportunities will be necessary to address the 22 health disparities for people of color in the Metro area.

At United Way of the Columbia-Willamette we realize that many of the problems facing our community are complex and interconnected. Through our Community Impact Fund we research and identify the most effective projects and collaborations that address issues of education, income and health, providing funds, and technical assistance, and promoting system change. Through efficient use of donor dollars we encourage collaborative relationships and leverage resources for use in addressing some of the most challenging social issues in our community.

United Way funds innovative projects that promote healthy environments and assist individuals and families in maintaining financial stability. Programs like Project Access NOW provide health care resources for those without, and a variety of income projects promote financial stability. United Way’s funding support not only addresses the current needs of the community but work to promote lasting change. Learn more about this work and other ways United Way seeks to advance the common good on our website.

So, what is your experience? We invite you to join in the conversation; send us your comments and feedback.

Pride Month

United Way's Internal Diversity and Inclusion committee makes efforts to inform our staff of notable diversity topics and with June being Pride Month, here is a little background on the history and importance of the movement that we thought we'd share:

June is the month for Pride events here in Oregon and across the nation. Pride can mean many things: satisfaction in an achievement, a sense of dignity or value, a family of lions...and tigers and bears...oh my!

With regard to June, Pride refers to gatherings and parades held to recognize and celebrate the history, contributions and diversity of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) citizens. In this context, the word pride is used as an affirmation of LGBTQ identity and community.

The modern Pride movement began in 1969 after the Stonewall riots in New York City, when a group of gay people fought back against unconstitutional police raids of local gay bars. Stonewall gave a sense of pride to a previously underground community and parades were held to commemorate the significance of the riots, eventually seeding the grassroots movement of today’s LGBTQ community.

Learn more about United Way's diversity efforts and we'll see you at the Portland Pride Parade on June 19th.

United Way's Commitment to Being Good Stewards of Your Donor Dollars

Many Oregonians may have heard of State Senate Bill 40, initiated by Attorney General Kroger, which targets "bad" charities or those non profits that spend less than 30% of funds they raise on programs and revoking their tax-exempt status. Not long ago AG Kroger also released the list of the 20 Worst Charities of 2010 that were registered to raise funds in Oregon (not to worry, United Way is no where near that list!).

While it seems as though the bill is stalled in the Senate (http://bit.ly/lGQCSr) it does bring up an opportunity to consider how your philanthropy dollars are being spent. United Way would like to make sure our supporters are well aware of all the many steps we take to be good stewards of your donation and that, with your support, we're having a direct and significant impact on improving lives of thousands of people locally.

1. The United Way Cornerstone Partners program ensures that 100% of the dollars you generously donate to United Way help people improve their education, income and health. We're able to do that thanks to 16 local companies that have chosen to designate their corporate gifts to the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, to help underwrite operating costs. Because of their support, 100% of contributions received will be invested in local programs to help people in need.

2. United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is proud to say our fiscal efficiency rating exceeds industry standards for non profit organizations. But you don't have to just take our word for it, information is available on GuideStar and Charity Navigator.

3. United Way does the research. We conduct extensive community assessments to understand the needs of the community and fund programs designed to create system-wide improvements in education, income (economic stability and poverty) and health. By conducting the research, we know where best to use your dollars. Read these extensive United Way Community Needs Assessment and other reports.

4. Our innovative grant funding model includes requirements that all our projects conduct rigorous and regular outcome reports to make sure the dollars that are spent, your dollars, are put to maximum use to benefit the community.

5. We take considerable care to be transparent about our financial reporting and make our financial documents readily available on our website for our donors and the public to review.

6. We communicate with our supporters about what results we have achieved as a result of your generous donation. United Way's Community Impact Results Report showcases the measurable results we were able to achieve over the past five years. Each year we were able to improve the lives of 100,000 people right here in our local community with your help.

To learn more about the results United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is able to achieve, consider signing up for our United Way e-newsletter and we'll keep you well informed of how we're being good stewards of your donor dollars.

Thank you for your support.

United Way Honors U.S. Bank

A big thank you goes out to U.S. Bank this week. As a fantastic member of United Way's Cornerstone Partner program, they presented their corporate check worth an impressive $195,000!



Jay Bloom, interim CEO and Toni Carlo, VP of Resource Development at United Way of the Columbia-Willamette accept U.S. Bank's Cornerstone corporate donation from David Wynde, Vice President & Manager Community Relations and Malia Wasson, Market President Oregon & Southwest Washington.

If you are unfamiliar with the Cornerstone Partner program, seventeen local companies have chosen to designate their corporate gifts to the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, to help underwrite operating costs. Because of their support, 100% of contributions received by individuals like you will be invested in local programs to help people in need.

National Recognition

Additionally, U.S. Bank was honored by United Way Worldwide with the 2011 United Way Spirit of America Award recently. In communities across the United States, including here in the Portland/Vancouver region, U.S. Bank and its employees leverage their unique expertise to improve people's financial stability and create stronger communities.

In 2010, U.S. Bank nationally raised more than $38 million in charitable giving! Additionally, U.S. Bank employees volunteer in significant numbers, last year alone, employees volunteered more than one million hours worth of service.

Thank you U.S. Bank for being such an inspiring partner in working to improve the lives of so many people here in Oregon and throughout the United States.

April is National Volunteer Month: A perfect time for all of us to get out and be great by serving our community.

“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

At United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, we focus on the building blocks of a quality life: education, income and health. With regard to volunteerism, the connection seems pretty clear. Higher education leads to a steady income and financial stability which often leads to higher volunteer rates. Volunteering has a variety of benefits, not just for the community at large, but for the individual as well. Specifically, volunteering leads to greater mental and physical health by increasing social skills, providing a connection to community and giving a sense of purpose.

I’m glad there is a month dedicated to encouraging and inspiring people to volunteer. I need the reminder myself. While I recognize and understand the importance of volunteering on a cognitive level, sometimes I need not only the push to action, but also the pause to reflect on what volunteering means to me.

According to a report released earlier this year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Volunteering in the United States 2010), I fit fairly neatly into the categories deemed to volunteer the most. I’m female. I’m employed and receive a Community Service Benefit from my employer. I’m 41. I’ve been fortunate to receive a college education. I’m white, unless I choose to volunteer my Mexican and Native American roots. I’m healthy and able-bodied. According to my demographics, I should be a volunteer extraordinaire!

Despite the many privileges above, I have to say, I don’t volunteer as often as I could. Because of my vantage point, it’s easy for me to find rationalizations for why I haven’t volunteered as much as I’d like. I work for a non-profit, so I’m making a contribution to the common good every day. I make other charitable contributions. I’m too busy with other hobbies, activities, family and friends. I haven’t found the right organization yet. You get the idea.

In the process of categorizing myself as a person with few barriers to volunteering, I quickly realized I could just as easily be viewed as selfish, uncaring, lazy and disinterested. I know in my heart these things aren’t true. Yet, how often do I view myself in these terms? I feel like I could do more. The privilege I have reinforces the idea that my contributions are needed and welcome.

What if I was struggling to get my GED? What if I was unemployed? What if I was in poor health? Would I still feel like my contributions are welcome? How would I fit into this structured idea of volunteerism? Would the service I provide to my family, my neighbors or my church be given as much weight in the eyes of others? How often is non-participation viewed as apathy, especially for less privileged groups?

The community benefits of formal volunteering are undeniable. When people grab hold of hands, come together and volunteer, great things are accomplished in short order. We learn about ourselves and others. In this spirit, I suggest broadening the conversation so we truly recognize the service of all people.

At the core, volunteerism is an organized way for us to show empathy for one another and experience our interdependence. In reality, we all give of ourselves every day with every interaction, although we probably don’t view it as volunteering.

So, not only will I use National Volunteer Month as a spark to rekindle my volunteer fire, I’ll also start being more aware of the informal acts of volunteerism too. Introducing myself to more of my neighbors? Why not! Holding the door for someone? You betcha! Picking up the fast food litter outside my apartment? Bring it on!

Join me in volunteering this month and throughout the year. Learn more about volunteer opportunities by visiting United Way of the Columbia-Willamette’s website at www.unitedway-pdx.org/volunteer.

“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” - Albert Schweitzer

Michelle House
Member, United Way Internal Diversity & Inclusion Team

My Bad Habit

I have a bad habit. Okay, I have several. One, though, is significant in terms of diversity and race. I take guilty pleasure in scanning the comments section of articles posted to the website of a local newspaper to see how long it takes for race to enter the dialogue. The phenomenon is especially common in articles regarding politics or crime.

This newspaper seems to have a policy not to include race in physical descriptions of suspected perpetrators. This policy draws the ire of many readers who suggest the paper is not doing its job by withholding this information and instead is pandering to political correctness. A reporter recently directed unhappy commentators to a PBS interactive web piece called, RACE – The Power of an Illusion, to illustrate the philosophy behind this issue. The PBS information demonstrates that race is a social construction. This construction historically benefited its more powerful architects over those from whom they sought land, property, labor or other ill-gotten commodities. RACE – The Power of Illusion instructs that, “Not one characteristic, trait or even gene distinguishes all the members of one so-called race from all the members of another so-called race.”

The “Sorting People” section of the PBS site challenges viewers to correctly identify the race of twenty different people, take a look and you will see why this is so daunting. The issue is a personal one for me. My own heritage is Irish, Native American, and French. While I am Pembina Chippewa, my mother was enrolled out of Sault Ste. Marie reservation in Michigan, meaning that she and her children would have federal recognition as Native Americans although we are not Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa, but most anyone would identify me as white. My son has about the same skin tone as me, but some would question or be surprised to know that his maternal grandmother is African American.

Herein, I believe, is the crux of the newspaper’s policy on printing suspects’ race. What angry readers really want to know is what color the accused individual is. Race, ethnicity, and color are not all the same thing. Hispanics and Latinos, or individuals whose heritage leads back to a Spanish speaking country, have skin tones that nearly run the gamut of human pigmentation. African American is a common racial classification, but is it appropriate for an individual whose family comes from Jamaica, Haiti, or Kenya? So identifying another person’s race for them is insulting and often erroneous.

None of this is meant to exhort a philosophy of “colorblindness.” We are not all the same, and that is okay. More than okay; it is wonderful, beautiful, and deeply valuable. Race is an illusion, but many of us still need ethnicity to define ourselves, our communities and provide a sense of belonging. We have not reached the point where communities of color can stop coming together to pursue, maintain, and further civil rights. Historical scars of racism have not healed and new ones appear constantly.

However, I do believe that it is important to remember that we are more than the sum of our labels, more than a color. I encourage you to visit the PBS site at http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm.

Colin McCormack
Member, United Way Internal Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Earned Income Tax Credit: Jeff and Rita Helping Families Save Money

Jeff has been working to provide free tax preparation for the past seven years, the past four of which have been spent at CASH Oregon’s Lloyd Center free tax preparation center as a site coordinator. Nearly all the people that visit the site qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit and United Way of the Columbia-Willamette provides funds to help those clients receive the credit.

“Most of the people we help here are either surprised or delighted that they’re receiving a considerable refund or they’re counting on that money to help pay family bills,” Jeff said. “The way I see it, my job has two goals, first to make sure our clients are following all the tax laws to keep them out of trouble with the IRS and second to make sure they pay out as little as possible as allowed by tax law to help them better support their families.”

Rob Justus, Executive Director of CASH Oregon commends Jeff’s tireless efforts to save low income families money and ensure their taxes are filed correctly. “Jeff created the bar that all our tax sites adhere to for quality control,” said Rob. “Jeff developed a training course for all our tax volunteers on quality control and he makes sure we score 100% in site IRS audits meaning that all the tax returns we do are accurate.”

Rita is one of the volunteers who works three days a week to help prepare taxes for lower income individuals and families. “I enjoy being able to help people so much that I often stay so long into the evening they have to kick me out!” Rita said. “My mother used to volunteer doing tax preparation so last year I decided I wanted to help too and took the four 8 hour classes needed to become a certified tax preparer and I just love it.”

This tax season, the CASH Oregon site in Lloyd Center Mall is on track to file 3,000 returns for free, which would set a record for this location. They are expecting to file 16,000 free tax returns at all the 53 CASH Oregon tax sites combined thanks to over 300 volunteer tax preparers like Rita.