A Look Back at 2021
As the year comes to a close, we would like to share the many great things you helped POIC + RAHS accomplish. 2021 was challenging, but your support made it possible to reach our dreams and overcome unthinkable odds. From providing internship opportunities to students during an unemployment crisis to holding vaccination events to keep BIPOC youth and families safe, you were with us every step of the way. Together we rose to the challenge, rallying leaders in the community to help combat the unprecedented rise in violence. Amid the loss, we dared to dream of a better future, cementing a hub of possibility through The Kitchen.
The incredible difference you helped make this year is only the beginning. The work must continue to meet the needs of the underserved in Portland, and we are eager to work together next year to uplift our community.
At the Work Connections Event, we raised a total of $125,000, funding that helped us train and place Black and Brown youth and adults into new jobs. These opportunities mean POIC trainees have a chance to rise above the pandemic's obstacles and begin to build a better life for themselves and their families.
In addition to providing internships, we increased the mental health providers available at our schools by bringing on a 4th Mental Health Counselor! All RAHS campuses now have on-campus mental health support.
In June, with COVID vaccines becoming more widely available and our community being so disproportionately impacted, we recognized the need to help keep Black and Brown community members safe. So many of you answered our call to volunteer during our Immunity Opportunity events - and on one of the hottest days of the year, no less! We will be forever grateful for your support.
This summer, POIC activated the Public Safety Village, a group of 11 grassroots, Black-led organizations led by individuals impacted by community violence. The nonprofits expanded their ability to provide essential engagement services for youth and families while participating in personal restorative justice. These credible messengers are dedicated and diligently work to bring safety to a community that is too frequently hurt in the gun violence crisis plaguing the Portland-Gresham area.
POIC's rigorous efforts to heal and prevent violence have not gone unnoticed. The innovative and crucial work of our Community Care Team has received attention both locally and nationally, culminating in a trip to Wahington, DC. The team spoke to legislators and leaders in a national conference on violence prevention and participated in the Soul Box Project.
Big in 2022 - THE Kitchen! With support from you and others, POIC + RAHS is nearing completion on its culinary academy, launching early next year! Newly hired Culinary Director Kiara Hardy will bring healthy and delicious meals to Rosemary Anderson students beginning in February, and workforce training for young adults interested in a career in the culinary industry will start soon after. The Kitchen will #ServeLove - offer food security, improve school attendance and student performance, and create opportunities for many in our community!
#ServeLove is not only The Kitchen's call to action. It's also a new cookbook of recipes sourced directly from the POIC + RAHS community. Heirloom recipes from staff, comforting meals from parents, favorite recipes from students. With the cookbook, every food-loving Portlander has an opportunity to become part of the Rosemary Anderson community and help Serve Love to people who need it.
