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The Oregon jobless problem remains a serious
challenge for Oregonians. In November 2014, the
Oregon rate of unemployment was 7.0%, according to
the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Northwest Family
Services is committed to reducing the Oregon jobs
problem and making big impact upon family stability.
Our Employment Assistance Department, CareerFit,
provides job seekers with readiness skills, one-on-one
coaching, and connections to employers. Also, this
program will not only help people become employed, it
enables a family the opportunity to secure employer
paid health insurance.
This work is critical as Oregon cannot afford the cost of $1.67 Billion Dollars paid out in annual
unemployment benefits.
The Northwest Family Services’ Jobs program yields massive gains and savings for Oregon— 2014 Impacts :
132 people secured a job thanks to NWFS, representing an approximate $3,200,947 in income per year.
67% of participants were placed in full time jobs and 33% in part time jobs.
Those 132 people who have secured jobs are now saving taxpayers from unmade unemployment claims.
Northwest Family Services is an award winning, leading provider of creative services that reduce
poverty. The MISSION supports child well-being and family stability programs and services.
6200 King Rd. Portland, OR 97222
(503) 546-6377 www.nwfs.org
Join US
NWFS hosts community-wide luncheons for anyone interested to learn more
about us.
Next Community Builder: May 20 Time: Noon—1pm
6200 SE King Rd. Portland OR 97222 *No Request Event
Contact us to RSVP: Charlie Goessler at 503.546-7387 or [email protected]
NWFS Partners We Partner with over 300 organizations. Here are a few: (Alphabetically listed)
AARP Tax Aide Care Oregon Clackamas County Gladstone School District Gresham Police Department Health Share of Oregon Leupold & Stevens Foundation Milwaukie Police Department North Clackamas School District Oregon City School District Oregon Health Authority Providence Health & Services Reynolds School District Umpqua Bank Univision Portland
Live Grow Succeed
Northwest Family Services News presented for Spring 2015
Programs Youth Solutions
Health Navigation
Counseling
Jobs / Career Fit
Parenting Inside Out
SymptoPro
Lasting Relationships
And More...
Upcoming Events:
Community Builder
Date: Wednesday, May 20
Free Luncheon, no request—
Join us and learn about
NWFS; Noon-1pm
Diversity
Workshop
June 9, 1pm—3pm
Register at nwfs.org
Presented by Daryl
Dixon, of DRG.
Couples Conference
May 23, @ New
Hope Church
Register at 503-546-
6377
9AM—3:30PM
(Spanish Speaking
event)
Greetings,
Spring brings a new energy as the people we serve move away from winter activities.
Winter 2015 was filled with so many activities there is no way to recount them all.
First, NWFS was notified that we have been named one of the 2015 100 Best Green
Companies in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine. This is the third year in a row
we have received this honor - Thank You Oregon Business Magazine! Second, NWFS
hosted a Super Hero themed 11th Annual Benefit Dinner during early March. Thank
you all 230 attendees who collectively raised $50,000 to support all programs. Third,
NWFS hosted our first Father-Daughter Dinner Dance in Vancouver, Washington. The
event proceeds from over 430 people benefit the human trafficking Deceptions
program. Fourth, the Deceptions program has formally re-launched in early 2015
with a variety of outreach and education. NWFS is working hard with this program to
tackle the human trafficking challenges. Sadly, Portland, Oregon, is among the
highest cities in America for human trafficking. Fifth, the non-profit has been startled
to see how many youth suffer from depression, anxiety, and substance use/addiction.
NWFS has responded to this need with our SOS project (Suicide Prevention—see
inside) and our drug and alcohol treatment services. Lastly, NWFS has now
partnered with Susan G Komen Oregon/SW Washington to identify, educate, and
provide navigation for Latinas age 40 and older to obtain a mammogram and
treatment if needed. Every day, our staff and volunteers are changing the fabric of
our community. These collective efforts will reduce poverty by improving child
well-being and family stability. With the systems, support, funding, skills…and love,
we can transform the community where we all live and work.
Please browse this Hot Sheet to learn more about what Spring & Summer 2015 has in
store.
All the Best!
Rose Fuller · Executive Director
NWFS Impacts Economy through Employment Assistance!
NWFS Expands Programs
www.lastingrelationships.org
Partnering with 12 schools
Middle and High School
Afterschool programs and mentoring
Developing youth leaders
Summer Programs
School-wide assemblies
Case Coordination
Drug, Alcohol, Gang, and other risk prevention education
Serving 13,000+ students annually
What We Do:
Peer Court acts as a diversion program that is
designed to give youth ages 12-17 with first-time,
low-level law violations a chance to repair harm
and show accountability for their actions without
involvement in the juvenile justice system.
Youth, under the direction of professional
attorneys, work as defense attorney, prosecuting
attorney, and jury. The jury decides what type of
accountability fits for the law violation.
Quick Fact: In 2014, Northwest Family Services (NWFS) graduated 90% of all students who worked with us
(graduating high school or advancing to the next grade level) while the entire State of Oregon only graduated
69% of all Oregon High School students.
This program saves Oregon Taxpayers a conservative $25,000 each year, per youth. This represents the cost of a person in an Oregon prison. Collectively from over 600 youth who have successfully gone through peer court
as participants, Peer Court has saved Oregon Taxpayers $15 million dollars!
Featured Program: Early Childhood Development - Parenting Workshops
Serving adults within the child welfare and criminal
justice system.
“I had no confidence in myself. In PIO I accomplished
something each week. Those little successes gave me the
confidence to keep going; I was willing to try something
bigger. Now I am part of my children’s lives. I am their
mom.”
I won a year-long custody battle of my autistic 8 year-old son, which left me financially drained and emotionally
beaten. I found myself living in a shelter with my son, excited to be safe as a family, but stressed over what to do
now. Thanks to the shelter’s partnership with NWFS, I had the chance to participate
in a workshop series.
The NWFS facilitator, CarrieAnn, brought a lot of knowledge that I lacked
regarding proper parenting methods. She provided many helpful things that made
me feel energized and excited to put practices into action.
As the classes continued I found myself moving away from my previous, ineffective
methods such as doing things out of habit or instinct. Now, I stop to think how this
will affect my son and his unique needs. Our relationship and connection is
growing stronger by the day. Thank you NWFS!
Studies of families with fathers actively involved in both childcare and household responsibilities, reported
preschoolers who showed increased cognitive competence, increased capacity for empathy, increased
self-control, and a decrease in gender-stereotyped beliefs.
NWFS is trained in several evidence-based early childhood development programs. These programs include:
Making Parenting a Pleasure, The Incredible Years, and Nurturing Parenting. All these workshops are similar in
approach, goals and vary in length.
Bruce, 55 year-old father of a special needs child —Shares His Experience:
“Youth are five times more likely to graduate if they have a meaningful relationship with an adult.”
SymptoPro Fertility Education is dedicated to providing specialized,
ongoing support in helping couples understand their fertility and to
learn how to work with its natural design to achieve or avoid a
pregnancy. Currently, there are 55 active instructors who offer classes
in 20 states. This service is available online as well. NWFS locally
employs four instructors who offer personalized online classes serving
over 1,000 clients each year. NWFS also provides training and
certification for instructors. The materials are available in both English
and Spanish.
Learn more at www.symptopro.org.
NWFS’ Counseling Department provides
professional counseling to individuals, couples, and
families in the areas of: Depression, Anxiety, Grief,
Parenting, Trauma, Eating Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Stress, and Pregnancy Loss.
What We Do:
Clinical Manager, Ruth Hayes-Barba, says,“ Almost
everyone at some point in their life needs a safe place
to sort things out and make sense of what they feel
and what is going on in their life. Counseling
provides the environment where this can happen.”
NWFS Counseling Staff:
Deceptions is a cutting-edge, first-of-its-kind awareness
curriculum for schools that warns local teens about the
growing issue of child sex trafficking in our community.
The overarching goal of the Deceptions program is to
increase adolescents’ awareness about the issue of child sexual exploitation, trafficking and internet
safety through a three-hour, interactive, classroom-based education series. This program also provides
community awareness events periodically through-out the year. Learn more at
nwfs.org or contact us today!
What We Do:
In 2012, in partnership with Clackamas County, NWFS successfully launched a middle and high school
mentoring program serving children of incarcerated parents. Since that time, over 60 youth have been
served with an intensive mentoring case management program, served by a full-time coordinator.
Sadly, according to a US Senate Report, youth of incarcerated parents are up to 70% more likely to be
involved in the criminal justice system themselves. NWFS helps to meet this challenge as youth are five
times more likely to graduate high school if they have a meaningful relationship with an adult. This in turn
has a direct impact on avoiding future involvement with the criminal justice system.
Please join us in supporting the Deceptions program and help prevent Slavery
with a donation. Human Trafficking is the 2nd Largest Criminal Trade
Worldwide, just below Drugs. Sadly, the Portland Metro Area is among the
Highest Human Trafficking cities within the US. Since 2011, when the Deceptions
program was created at the request of local law enforcement, over 15,000 local
youth have gone through this nationally acclaimed awareness program. In
addition, Deceptions has trained over 300 speakers delivering this message
across America to thousands more.
HOW Can I Help?
It’s Easy – Text Deceptions to 71777 or sign up @:
http://igfn.us/vf/Deceptions
Mission: Educating to reduce underage drinking, marijuana and
prescription drug abuse amongst local youth.
JOIN US!
Come check us out! FREE lunch included!
When: Every 4th Wednesday each month
Time: 12:30-1:45pm
Where: Northwest Family Services
6200 SE King Rd
Portland, OR 97222
Contact: Abigail Wells
503-546-6377 www.vibrantfuture.org
NWFS tackles Oregon’s second-largest killer of teens—Suicide. Sadly,
almost 700 Oregonians kill themselves each year with nearly 100
representing teen youth. Thousands more, an approximate 16% or around
30,000 Oregon teens, report seriously considering suicide according to the
Oregon Department of Human Services Health Division.
In thanks to funding from Providence Health & Services, and in partnership
with Multnomah Health Department, NWFS has been offering Signs of Suicide
(SOS), an evidenced-based prevention program at Centennial High and
Middle Schools, as part of a three-year pilot program. Thus far, NWFS has
successfully served 473 middle school students and 1,200 high school
students. SOS is a school-based intervention that includes screening and education. Staff present in the
classrooms teaching three-to-four day interactive sessions. The sessions give young people a "depression
check-up, "as well as the knowledge to recognize depression and respond effectively. SOS highlights the
relationship between depression and suicide, and teaches that, most often, suicide is a fatal response to a
treatable disorder: depression. What Teachers and Students have been saying:
“I am a public middle school educator who welcomed experts from NW Family Services into my classroom to educate eighth graders about suicide prevention. The teachers were outstanding. The curriculum was comprehen-sive and appropriate to the age group. They provided empowering information that allowed students to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression, and how to respond. My students were provided with a procedure that emo-tionally supported them in the event that the curriculum triggered difficult personal feelings. The presenters' knowledge of pedagogy and best teaching practices was very evident, as they kept the students focused and interac-tive. I am ready to advocate again and again for this tremendously valuable program. I am certain it reached many
students directly, and likely will save a life/lives indirectly. Thank you!” - Centennial Middle School Teacher
“I have stopped 2 people from suicide/self-harm” “you guys helped me save a life”
- Centennial Middle School Student - Centennial Middle School Student
NWFS now offers Mammogram Screenings!
Recently, NWFS was awarded a $110,000 grant
from Susan G Komen Foundation to assist Latinas
age 40 and older to obtain mammograms! Latinas
are considerably more likely to be diagnosed
with Stage 3 or 4 cancer. This vital work will allow
NWFS to connect women to services and
ultimately save lives. Thank you Susan G. Komen
Foundation! Learn more at nwfs.org .
At Centennial High School’s annual “Unity Week” – they focus on a particular topic for the week and
structure school activities around that topic. This year they chose to focus on mental health, after the
shooting at neighboring Reynolds High School and a tragic suicide – a senior at Centennial. During the
Unity Week, NWFS Health Specialist, Elizabeth Alston, spoke to 1,200 students about mental health,
depression, suicide, stigmas, addiction, and emphasized reaching out to get help for themselves or for
a friend. During the assembly, the students did a “Miracle Minute” in which they collected as much
change as they could from the students and staff, and donated the money to NWFS. Also, NWFS was
one of several groups in the community invited to host a table at a community concert, spoke about
stress and mental health, and offered practical solutions for coping with stress and depression, as well
as talking about caring for a friend or family member with mental illness.
“My class and I felt that it was a necessity to address this rising issue (suicide) with our student body. I feel that we as a country aren't putting enough emphasis on Mental Health, so hopefully with this, it can become a catalyst to future solutions within Centennial and it's community. Thank you again for all your help.” Sam Phan Centennial High School Student Body President