FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contacts:
Executive Director Communications Officer
kshawcross@hdcnwo.org Oregon Community Foundation
503.693.2937, Ext. 104 503.227.6846
Cell: 503.330.1717 jvallejo@oregoncf.org
Website: www.bienestar-or.org
Date: November 30, 2009
Bienestar Receives Grant from The
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Bienestar, a nonprofit based in
Ted and Doris E. Nelson Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation to support its Listos
Para Vida (Ready for Life) youth program.
Bienestar is a nonprofit community development corporation based in
providing affordable housing and resident services for 458 families in Aloha, Cornelius,
Forest Grove,
adult and youth residents in community rooms at the ten properties. The mission of
Bienestar is to build housing, hope and futures for the well-being of working families.
The Listos Para Vida (Ready for Life) program includes a suite of programs designed
to improve academic performance. Children who live at Bienestar properties are offered
three Homework Clubs, Science Clubs, Summer Lunches, art and music programs, Summer
Financial Fitness for Life, Adelante Chicas, and special events.
“We are so grateful to the A. Ted and Doris E. Nelson Fund of The Oregon
Community Foundation for this grant.” says Bienestar’s Executive Director Karen
Shawcross, “We have seen amazing results in the pilot programs we developed last year,
and this investment will allow us to continue and expand programs that we know are
working. In the Summer Reading Safari program, for example, the pre-tests indicated that
all the children were reading below grade level. At the end of the program, 100% of the
participating children had advanced at least a half grade reading level. Outcome reports for
all our programs are posted on our website at www.bienestar-or.org. We want to be sure
that we are developing programs that work.”
The mission of The Oregon Community Foundation is to improve life in
promote effective philanthropy. OCF works with individuals, families, businesses and
organizations to create charitable funds to support the community causes they care about.
Through these funds OCF awards more than $60 million annually in grants and
scholarships.
The Foundation makes grants through an application process that involves local
citizens in the review and evaluation of requests for funds. Application materials are
available through the foundation’s
establishing a fund may contact the
OR 97205, 503.227.6846.
“Resources for important work like Bienestar’s Listos Para Vida program are harder
to come by during the recession,” says Jeff Anderson, Senior Program Officer at The
Oregon Community Foundation, “ but all the more important to keep kids on track for
educational success and away from involvement with negative influences after school and in
the summer. This grant from OCF is a temporary bridge to sustain the program as
Bienestar works toward a more diverse revenue base. We encourage local donors
interested in giving a hand up to youth to consider adding their support.”
Visit www.bienestar-or.org for more information.
For more information, contact
kshawcross@hdcnwo.org or Joan Vallejo at The Oregon Community Foundation, at
503.227.6846.