Blog
Remembering Sarah Cohen-Doherty
Sarah was not simply our Community Impact Manager, she was the heart of our team. Her passion and commitment to SVP’s work shone brightly, and it reverberated throughout our Partnership. We have been overwhelmed with messages of admiration and support from so many of you, and they have meant a great deal to our team. Sarah was truly loved and will be profoundly missed.
Being the Change for Equity
SVP Portland is committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. As a Partnership, we have the opportunity to support each other’s personal journey. Joan Cameron, one of our newest Partners shares her story and why she joined SVP.
Community Partners To Receive $4.6M
SVP Portland joined forces with five of our Community Partners in 2018 to formally establish the Equity Collaborative. The Collaborative’s goal is to increase investment in culturally-specific early childhood practices and shift the public narrative to make equity a priority in Oregon’s early education system. Together, we were successful in securing $20 million for the next two years to support those programs.
Dire Racial Inequities in Healthcare Impact Early Learning
The COVID-19 epidemic has caused disproportionate devastation for communities of color. Bahia Overton, Executive Director of Black Parent Initiative, recently shared a personal story about her cousin who was diagnosed with COVID-19… and the insufferable process that her family experienced to receive the care that was readily offered to white patients.
How Two Community Partners Are Bold in the Face of Inequities
Our Community Partners are on the front lines addressing the challenges brought on by COVID-19, as well as the anguish spurred by the killing of George Floyd. We recently had the opportunity to hear directly from two of them: the Executive Directors of Portland Children’s Museum and Black Parent Initiative (BPI). Learning from the expertise and wisdom of community leaders was incredibly powerful.
Multnomah County Preschool for All Initiative: An Update
The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the critical need for a quality preschool system. As the economic crisis deepens and closures have threatened the supply of child care and preschool providers, our families, community, and economy need Preschool for All now more than ever. SVP Partner and Preschool for All Co-Chair Mark Holloway offers an update on Multnomah County's Preschool for All initiative.
Latino Network Creatively Serves Community Through COVID-19
For so many organizations across the country, coronavirus has shifted business as usual. But “business as usual” takes on a different meaning when you’re serving the families and communities in which you belong. That was the case for SVP Portland’s (SVP) Community Partner, Latino Network, which works to positively transform the lives of Latinx youth, families, and communities.
Who Will Keep the Lights On? Equity, Philanthropy & COVID-19
SVP Partner Larry Fox reflects on the need to philanthropy to address inequities, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We, as leaders in philanthropy, now face an opportunity to name these disparities, and leverage our power and resources to mitigate them. We must collectively work toward a future in which the color of your skin, or zip code in which you are born, does not predict your life path."
Meet Our Newest Community Partner: Portland Children’s Museum
Through this new partnership, SVP will help Portland Children's Museum expand its capacity to become part of the solution for ensuring that all children in the Portland metro area have access to high-quality, culturally-responsive, and affordable preschool.
SVP Portland Responds to Community Needs
We are living in unprecedented times. COVID-19 is creating an evolving situation with short- and long-term ramifications for our community. Circumstances are rapidly changing and, fortunately, SVP is a highly nimble, responsive, and collaborative organization. Our proximity to leaders on the front lines serving children and families in need uniquely positions us as a trusted resource to help them navigate this crisis.
Center for Equity & Inclusion and SVP Partnership
SVP launched a unique partnership with the Center for Equity and Inclusion (CEI) in 2019, and we are excited to build upon accomplishments we’ve made over the past year, through newly established goals for continued impact in 2020.
Partner of the Month: Linda Weston
SVP Portland brings together professionals and organizations in partnership to address community challenges. Our Partners are leaders in their fields (strategy, marketing, IT, finance HR). One such Partner who brings her remarkable expertise to the Partnership is Linda Weston. We are proud to recognize Linda as April’s Partner of the Month!
The Leaders Among Us
SVP Partner Larry Fox explains why the Lead Partner role is the linchpin of success. Lead Partners are the primary contact with our Community Partners. Their job is to bring together a team of Partners to create mutually-shared goals with the Community Partner, to ensure that resource needs are communicated to SVP staff, to monitor progress, and to suggest adjustments as necessary… but the role is so much more.
SVP Portland's Executive Director Update: March 2020
On February 25, Partners gathered to learn about and discuss our 2019 impact and 2020 strategy. In case you missed it, here is a recap of the conversation. You can also read more about our 2019 impact in our Year in Review, listen to the Partnership Meeting, or see the presentation.
Where Are They Now: Children’s Book Bank
In honor of our 20th anniversary, we are taking a look back at our past investments to see where they are now. When we first partnered with The Children’s Book Bank (CBB) in 2014, they were a five-year-old organization dedicated to closing the “book gap” that exists between low-income neighborhoods and middle- and upper-income communities. From 2014 to 2017, over ten SVP Partners and four Encore Fellows engaged with CBB to build their organizational capacity.
Partner of the Month: Kelly Starkey
Over the years, SVP Portland has prided itself on bringing together changemakers and leaders with diverse skills, experiences, and networks. One Partner who has invested her unique expertise in marketing, engaged her terrific network, and served as an incredible champion is Kelly Starkey, so we are proud to recognize her as our March Partner of the Month.
2019 Year in Review
We had a historic year of impact in 2019, from scaling Latino Network’s Juntos Aprendemos early learning program state-wide and passage of the $20M Equity Fund, to publication of the Preschool for All initiative’s comprehensive plan and significantly strengthening SVP’s own capacity.Read our Year in Review for a full look at the what else our Partnership accomplished!
Partner of the Month: David Smith
SVP Portland is kicking off 2020 by honoring David Smith as Partner of the Month. David has been deeply engaged since joining our Partnership, most recently on SVP’s internal Development Team where he is helping expand our Business Partnerships.
Partners of the Month: Julie Gray and Vân Truong
November is here and we are recognizing two of our stellar Partners this month: Julie Gray and Vân Truong. Julie and Vân teamed up this summer to plan and implement our Partner learning opportunities for 2020. Their vision for 2020 is to engage the SVP Partnership in informative, relevant, and fun learning opportunities.
Workforce Development: A Critical Piece of the Puzzle
With funding on the horizon from both the Student Success Act at the State level the Preschool for All initiative with Multnomah County, now is the time to build the Threads of Justice Collective’s capacity to meet the growing workforce development needs. ToJC’s programs are vital to building a robust, skilled early learning workforce.