2020 Year In Review

Join us in recapping a whirlwind of a year.

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We accomplished a lot this year together.

When 2020 began, we expected the biggest change for us would be a new name and logo…but that was far from the truth. This year has solidified our mission: to mobilize community and empower leaders for the common good of Oregon. Between launching a new initiative to help parents who are incarcerated have successful re-entry into the community (and their families), to becoming an emergency response operation to meet the critical needs of families impacted by COVID-19, together we’ve stepped up and stepped in to areas of need in Oregon. Whether you’ve been with us a decade or a week, thank you for taking a moment to stop, reflect, and acknowledge this monumental year.

Stories

My Neighbor

“Thank you so much for the amazing bikes! This is our first time doing foster care and had these two amazing boys placed with us. Part of the difficulty in being first time foster parents is forgetting the little things that make kids happy such as certain toys, games and riding bikes.

Within the first few days of having them, we quickly realized that all of the parks, playgrounds and most outdoor places were closed due to the current health crisis. We were so focused on getting food, bedding, bathing supplies and necessities we completely forgot to acquire things for outdoor fun that didn’t require visiting closed areas. I mentioned possibly wanting to get bicycles to our case worker and was speechless when just a few days later two brand new, incredible bikes were delivered to our house.

To say the boys were ecstatic is an understatement. They have been riding around the neighborhood and getting exercise all thanks to you. We are all so grateful for your kindness, generosity and for being so thoughtful.”

– Foster Parent, Multnomah County

Know Me Now

This is Jackie’s Story

Every Child

Read Anthony Dixon’s story

Milestones

2020

January 8, 2020

The Contingent

For over 18 months, we had planned to rebrand and recalibrate what was previously Portland Leadership Foundation to become The Contingent. The Contingent is a group of people trained for action. We have a 36-county commitment to Oregon and a vision for a new conversation in our country. www.thecontingent.org

January 17, 2020

Know Me Now

The year began with a big launch of a new initiative we call Know Me Now. After writing a concept paper on the complexities of the re-entry experience for moms, dads, and children, this new initiative set off to decrease the recidivism rates while increasing healthy reunification for families impacted by incarceration.

February 23, 2020

Every Child

Since 2012, our team at The Contingent has set out to transform the way the community partners with Oregon’s Department of Human Services. We started scaling across all of Oregon’s 36 counties in 2017. After three years of rapid growth, we were thrilled that Assistant Secretary Johnson brought her team from Washington DC to learn more about the scaling power of Every Child Oregon.

March 23, 2020

My NeighbOR

When COVID-19 hit, our community’s most vulnerable children and families were hit hardest. Faced with the crisis of a generation, Every Child launched My NeighbOR, a 36-county decentralized community mobilization effort designed to connect neighbors with families and youth in foster care who have essential needs. My NeighbOR brought us all together!

May 5, 2020

Foster Families Step-up

My NeighbOR created a rising tide that raised all boats. We have seen an increase in foster family inquiries during this pandemic. Read More

May 9, 2020

Know Me Now

COVID-19 didn’t just impact those in the community. In fact, it disproportionally impacted men and women in Oregon prisons. Know Me Now stepped up to be a part of the solution in supporting men and women in custody and those who work at the Department of Corrections. Read More

August 8, 2020

The Oregon Cares Fund

After George Floyd was murdered on the streets of Minneapolis, the entire country entered into the most important wave of discussion about racism in a generation. In Oregon, a group of Black leaders organized an unprecedented set of meetings with Oregon’s elected leadership, and one byproduct was the emergence of a vision to launch The Oregon Cares Fund. The Contingent was honored to partner with Black United Fund to administer the fund. Read More

September 29, 2020

Microsoft

The Contingent was selected for a massive investment from Microsoft! This investment will transform our work to empower rising leaders of color and low-income rural leaders in Oregon, and correlates with a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT coming in 2021. The Contingent is going all in.

October 5, 2020

Power of Technology

We are convinced that now is a time for an optimistic view of technology. Social entrepreneurship is going to be increasingly dependent on tech. Microsoft published a case study to sharing how My NeighbOR works because of Dynamics 365, Azure, and Power BI.

October 14, 2020

Congrats!

The Contingent won the prestigious Light A Fire Award for our 2020 COVID-19 Response.

November 1, 2020

Emerging Leaders

Our Emerging Leaders initiative released a 2020 Impact Report. The internship program had to adapt and transition to a fully virtual format supporting a cohort of 55 Emerging Leaders of Color this summer. Dive in to the report and celebrate with us!

December 1, 2020

Coming 2021

In 2021, we are announcing a new initiative focused on empowering rising leaders of color and low-income rural leaders in Oregon. Stay tuned to learn more!

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Know Me Now

Valentine’s Day is a day where love is widely celebrated and flowers, candy and sweet notes are exchanged. Our team started our Valentine’s Day off at Columbia River Correctional Institution just after 4 a.m. to show love to their staff. Brooke Gray, Executive Director of Mobilizing Community at @orcontingent shares a story from her morning:⁠

This woman leads a crew of 40 adults-in-custody in the kitchen who prepare and serve food to the 600 adults at Columbia River Correctional Institution. ⁠
I asked her: “What do you wish the community knew about your work and the men you work with?” Her response: “When a man ends up here, it didn’t start with a crime. It starts when they’re in elementary school. It starts with their family, with the systems, with what they’re surrounded by. I wish people knew we need to care better for children, so that those kids never grow up and end up here.”⁠

My NeighbOR

Because of your generosity in supporting our neighbors, we can see families stay together and reunite.⁠
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A mother with previous DHS involvement received two complete twin beds sets this week.⁠ “Thank you so very much!! I’ve been looking for help and can’t believe I finally found it!”⁠ She explained that the beds will finally help her home feel like a home.⁠
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Thank you to everyone who has supported our community’s youth and children impacted by foster care.⁠
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To continue to get involved, visit everychildoregon.org/myneighbor

The Oregon Cares Fund

“I was on the verge of losing my house because of a loan I took to keep my business open. This grant from The Oregon Cares Fund has served both my business and my family.”

“I received an eviction notice this week, and receiving this grant will keep me and my four kids in our apartment.”

Emerging Leaders

413 students of color who applied to the Emerging Leaders Internship (ELI) program were invited to compete for a paid summer internship through ELI in 2019.

Andrea Vanessa is one of the 120 who were matched with multiple ELI company partners for a final interview and accepted an offer to become an Emerging Leaders intern.

Hear from our Emerging Leaders what makes our program unique and why Oregon’s brightest students of color and top companies take part in ELI every year.

Watch Andrea’s story and learn more about the Emerging Leaders at www.emergingleaderspdx.org.

Donate

Your donation is a powerful way to support the movement. Each contribution has real world impact in the many initiatives we sponsor, whether it’s through mentoring, education, scholarships, internships, career development, mobilizing volunteers, raising up foster families, or supporting families who open their homes to Oregon’s most vulnerable children.

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