20th Anniversary Equity Journey Reflections
December 2, 2021
The 20th anniversary of SVP Portland gives us an opportunity to reflect on our evolution to an organization that puts anti-racism and social justice at the core of our goals. We want to share our progress toward our commitment to advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in order to stay accountable to our Partnership and community. Our first commitment is to be Transparent. Our second commitment is to Invest in equity. Our third commitment in this journey is to Learn. Our final intentional goal is to Become. Read More
Personal Equity Learning Journey, Part 1
November 30, 2021
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. One way that you can start to advance racial equity is to educate yourself and others about racial equity, issues impacting communities of color, or the people and communities we work alongside. When we begin with personal learning and reflection, we can realize our individual responsibility, and better understand how we can work collectively to make positive social change. In this series, SVP Partners and staff share what they have been reading, listening to, and watching as a part of their personal equity journeys. We hope this will inspire you! Read More
Business Partner Highlight: Erica Penner
November 29, 2021
SVP Business Partner Brighton Jones is a financial wellbeing company that joined our Partnership in 2020 because they are a philanthropically-minded organization that wants to give employees opportunities to engage with SVP and our Community Partners. Erica Penner was one of its first employees who was eager to engage. "I have had the privilege to learn about the wide variety of backgrounds, expertise, and careers of other SVP Partners along with the phenomenal organizations that we support as a collective." Read More
Matt Little, Looking Forward and Reflecting Back
November 16, 2021
How many of us have a childhood aspiration and actually have the opportunity to achieve it? We now know one of those people: Matt Little, SVP Portland’s Director of Investor Partnerships. Many of you know Matt because he helped recruit you to become a Partner, or because you’ve met with him to discuss engagement opportunities at SVP. What you may not know is that Matt dreamed of working at Ducks Unlimited since he was a kid in Minnesota hunting, fishing, and exploring with his dad. So, when the organization recently recruited him to be the Director of Policy for the Western Region, Matt accepted. Matt will be working on his dream to promote policies that conserve wetlands and wildlife. Staff and Partners alike feel this is bittersweet, and it is with both sadness and excitement that we wish Matt our best with his new role starting December 1. Read More
Adelante Mujeres: Growth Through Partnership
November 11, 2021
SVP Portland began our partnership with Adelante Mujeres in 2012 to help them realize their goals, including strategic planning, which ultimately led to the desired organizational growth. Adelante Mujeres served nearly 3,000 people and had eight programs in 2012. Today they serve more than 10,000 people and have ten thriving programs, including an Early Childhood Education Program. Read More
SJPLA: A Name Change to Reflect Their Equity Mission
November 9, 2021
Like SVP Portland, SVP Los Angeles has focused on having a deep and lasting impact through investments in nonprofit organizations and community initiatives. Last week, SVP Los Angeles renamed their organization to Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA) to better reflect their purpose: to connect people creating systems of care and community for the well-being and liberation of all Angelenos. Read More
IRCO Youth Outreach Team is Showing Up for Teens
November 6, 2021
Our longtime Community Partner, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), supports community members to become self-sufficient and thrive through creative programming, outreach, and education that foster understanding, compassion, and communication. One of their many programs worth celebrating is the IRCO Youth Outreach team. This year, the IRCO Youth Outreach team turned an idea into a reality by offering a Life Skills Month, where teens from immigrant and refugee families learned a particular life skill each week. Life Skills Month grew out of intentionally listening to how kids want to change the trajectory of their lives and their interest in envisioning their own bright futures. Read More