Beneficiaries include Bradley Angle, New Avenues for Youth, Saving Grace and Clackamas Women’s Services
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers and Thorns FC have donated $100,000 in grants to four local nonprofits, the club announced today. Bradley Angle, New Avenues for Youth, Saving Grace and Clackamas Women’s Services have each received $25,000 from the club to aid those impacted by sexual assault and domestic violence.
The club provided these grants as a part of the accountability, engagement and equity initiatives announced on March 30, 2022. For the full list of club initiatives, click here. Benefiting nonprofits were selected based on their leadership and work in the community. The grants donated came out of the club’s annual memberships and community fund.
Bradley Angle
Bradley Angle’s mission is to serve all people affected by domestic violence. They do so by placing people experiencing, or at risk of, domestic violence at the center of their services and providing them with safety, education, empowerment, healing, and hope.
“This funding from PTFC Fund couldn't be more timely as we enter a period of economic instability and rising costs, compounded with cuts in government funding. It will help us to continue to support over 500 adult and child survivors from the Black/African American and LGBTQ+ communities who are over-represented yet underserved,” Bradley Angle’s Development Director Marina Bhargava said. “We look forward to many years of increasing partnership with PTFC.”
New Avenues for Youth
New Avenues for Youth is a Portland-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness. Their New Day Program supports the safety, needs, and rights of people ages 12-25 who are experiencing sex trafficking or exploitation, trading sex, or are at risk.
“Through our New Day Program for sex trafficking survivors, New Avenues serves more than 200 young people each year,” New Avenues for Youth Director of Development and Communications Lauren Eads shared. “PTFC’s generosity will support the safety, needs, and rights of young people who are experiencing sex trafficking or exploitation through mentorship, advocacy, and access to employment and education programs. The young people we work with are incredibly resilient, creative, kind, intelligent people, and this gift will empower them to take their next steps toward safety.”
Saving Grace
Since 1977, Saving Grace has been offering safety, hope and healing to survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and stalking and engages Central Oregon to build a life free from violence.
“Many people know that domestic violence is a serious public health problem. They want to do something to help but believe their actions won’t make a difference. It feels overwhelming; but change can start by even one person choosing to take a stand against violence; and imagine, with our actions unified we could bring about some serious social transformation,” said Cassi MacQueen, Executive Director of Saving Grace. “Saving Grace is beyond grateful for the supportive funding granted to our organization by the Portland Timbers and Thorns. Twenty-five thousand dollars goes a long way in support of safety, hope, and healing for survivors our community.”
Clackamas Women’s Services
In 1985, Clackamas Women’s Services (CWS) grew out of neighbors opening their homes and sharing what they had in hopes of building a safer community for families. Since then, they’ve grown beyond shelter to offer a wide range of services for anyone experiencing domestic and sexual violence, from initial crisis to long-term healing.
“Supporting survivors at every age is important to CWS, and our Children and Youth Services Program is designed to do just that. From youth-focused counseling and culturally-appropriate therapy to resilience-building experiences like Camp HOPE America – Oregon, CWS is not only supporting healing but helping to break generational cycles of violence through a hope-centered model. By approaching our work holistically and offering the depth and breadth of programming needed to disrupt the isolation of domestic and sexual violence, we empower individuals and strengthen families,” shared Melissa Erlbaum, CWS Executive Director. “CWS is grateful to do this work in partnership with the community.”
