Partner of the Month: Megan Loeb
It’s October and we are proud to welcome in the last quarter of the year by recognizing Megan Loeb as our Partner of the Month! Megan started with SVP Portland in the spring of 2015, working on Latino Network’s Feasibility Report to scale their Juntos Aprendemos program statewide. Megan created an interview protocol for national benchmarking phone interviews, wrote summaries of her findings, and presented recommendations to Latino Network based on the findings.
Megan also joined the SVP team partnering with the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) to conduct a community-driven study identifying the early childhood needs and priorities of immigrant and refugee families. At the end of 2018, Megan stepped into the role of Lead Partner for IRCO. Since then, she has been collaborating with the SVP Partner team and IRCO leadership to meet the preschool needs of their community. Megan recently joined the staff at the Oregon Community Foundation where she focuses on strategic projects related to economic vitality and health. A huge thank you to Megan for embodying the SVP spirit!
AN INTERVIEW WITH MEGAN:
Why did you join SVP?
Contributing to the wellbeing of the broader community is a value I’ve held closely my whole life. My parents met during a year of volunteerism through Jesuit Volunteer Corps when they were 22, cementing the importance of community service in my family. Initially, I was drawn to SVP’s model of involvement, pairing financial investments with the time and skills of volunteers. As I learned more, I was impressed by SVP Portland’s thoughtful approach to partnerships and resources. They are deeply committed to engaging partners in the community in ways that acknowledge inequalities and advance racial equity.
How does capacity building address community problems?
Focusing on an organization’s overall health and sustainability is vital, though administration is often under-funded and under-resourced. An investment in capacity-building often leads to an organization’s ability to innovate and design programs that address systemic issues. This is the key to long-term, transformational change in our community. On that note, I really appreciate that SVP Portland made the intentional decision to focus its efforts on early childhood education for a long period of time, and to become engaged not only in programs but also advocacy and policy work.
What has been most rewarding thus far?
My first project with SVP was helping with the very early stages of scaling for Juntos Aprendemos in 2015. After much hard work on the part of the Latino Network with support from SVP, the program just launched its first “affiliate” pilot in central Oregon this spring. The program was enthusiastically embraced by the local community. It is wonderful to witness the commitment and dedication that led to that long-term successful result.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
With three active children, most of my weekends involve a fair amount of spectating. If I have a few free hours, you’re likely to find me either paddling on the river with my family or baking up something sweet in the kitchen to share with friends.