Blog
Kairos: What's happened, and what's ahead?
KairosPDX is an education-focused non-profit attacking Portland’s persistent achievement and opportunity gaps. The Kairos program model presents the opportunity to close these gaps and serve as a beacon for policymakers and educators across the State of Oregon and beyond. Having started with only a charter and willpower to build a high-quality, trauma-informed school, Kairos now educates over 80 children across four grades and is on a path to serve 225 children per year over the next three years.
Announcing our Newest Investment: Albina Head Start
Albina has been offering Early Head Start and Head Start services to low-income families in Multnomah County. In addition to early childhood education, Albina offers wraparound services to families and children, including free preventative dental care, family advocates, fresh food partnerships, and career training for parents. We're very proud to be Partnering with them!
What You Can Do to Advance Love, Equity, and Inclusion
At SVP, we are committed to advancing racial equity because race and ethnicity play an outsized role in determining kindergarten readiness and because we want a strong, vibrant community. Can we really expect that our children, especially children of color, will be ready for kindergarten and succeed as adults when they are surrounded by hate and bias? Breaking through to a world that lifts up social justice and equity is essential for kids success and our own well being.
Encore Fellows in the News: David Williams on KATU
David Williams, an Encore Fellow, retired from Intel at the end of June 2016, and slid straight into his fellowship at Friends of the Columbia Gorge. His work will be particularly valuable now, after the devastating Eagle Creek fire that scorched the Gorge, as he's been working to map the scenic, cultural and recreational values and resources which will need to be restored in the coming years.
Your Annual Partners Meeting
Thank you to everybody who attended the Annual Partners Meeting on October 19th. We really appreciate your dedication to our collective goal: ensuring that every child in Multnomah County is ready for kindergarten. It was an opportunity to mingle with Partners, Investee leaders, and community members to discuss collective impact, the state of early childhood education, and philanthropy.
Wendy Weissman, Board Chair’s Award for Passion and Service 2017
At the Annual Partners Meeting on October 19th, Wendy Weissman was named the Board Chair’s Award for Passion and Service recipient. Wendy has been a dedicated member of the SVP community and has been Lead of Leads (the Lead Partner-in-charge for our investments) for multiple years. She’s gone above and beyond in her commitment to our mission and our goals, and we’re thrilled to be honoring her this year.
Mack Stallcup, Encore Fellow for Portland Children’s Museum
In June of 2016, Mack Stallcup began his Encore Fellowship at the Portland Children’s Museum as a Scientist in Residence. He interviewed with four other nonprofits for his Fellowship but knew the Children’s Museum was the right fit as soon as he walked in the door.
Partner of the Month: Abby Hazlett
With Project Impact, Abby uses her analytical mind to conduct interviews with former and current Investees and pull out key findings and themes to identify the effect our capacity building model has on the people and organizations we work with. We are so inspired by the enthusiasm and commitment Abby brings to the table as a Partner, and as a philanthropist.
Pushing Forward with Latino Network
Because of the significant progress we’ve seen with our investment in Latino Network, we have decided to re-invest with them over a two-year period. This investment will total $80,000 and the volunteer talent that our brilliant Partnership provides.
IRCO Programs Help Families Thrive
IRCO impacts families in a real, tangible way; preparing and priming the children in the immigrant community for success in their school years. Read about Anna, a single mother and Latina immigrant, and her son Oscar; and how IRCO has helped them to thrive.
Moving onwards and upwards with BPI
We have formally renewed our Partnership with BPI, and in the coming year we will have broader and deeper outcome data, so we will be better prepared to expand and share knowledge with others serving Black families in the community.
Speaking up for our Investees: CEO Mark Holloway in the Portland Business Journal
This week, our CEO Mark Holloway wrote a piece for the Portland Business Journal: an open letter encouraging Portland Public Schools' new Superintendent, Guadalupe Guerrero, to invest in Portland's underserved children. All of our children deserve equal footing at the starting line, and organizations like KairosPDX fight for that equality.
Board Member Charlie Gilkey
As we begin to refine our brand purpose and organizational direction, we’re especially grateful to have Charlie Gilkey join our board.
Get your Threads from Kairos!
Our Investee, KairosPDX, has just launched their clothing brand: Kairos Threads! KairosPDX children have designed t-shirts to sell to the community that capture their art and their voices, and spread positivity.
Partner Kevin Phaup receives 2017 Microsoft Alumni Inspired Leaders Award
Kevin Phaup has been recognized by the Microsoft Alumni Network as one of 2017’s Inspired Leaders. The Inspired Leader Program honors alumni who go above and beyond with their personal commitment to causes they are passionate about.
Encore Fellow and Board Member Ken Harris Interviewed by KGW TV
Last night, we got to see our very own Ken Harris on KGW, sharing his Encore story with Tracy Barry of KGW and all of Portland. Ken has been associated with SVP for 3 years, and began his journey as an Encore Fellow working in finance with the Boys and Girls Club.
SVP Expands Its Partnership
We have been lucky enough to secure partnerships with several Portland businesses and deepen others. These partnerships not only allow SVP to tap into the great minds of some of local businesses’ best, but they also give corporations access to all the benefits of being an SVP partner – from human resources to marketing and public relations expertise.
