McKay Family Awards Gift and a Challenge to the Community

The McKay Family Foundation awarded a generous gift to Willamette Family for much-needed facility renovations and issued an exciting matching grant challenge of $10,000 to complete the refurbishing!

 Willamette Family is the proud recipient of funding from the McKay Family Foundation to completely renovate the three large shower rooms at the Women and Children’s Center that are over twenty years old. As many readers may know, this facility was once a nursing home. Willamette Family purchased it in 2003 for use as the women’s residential treatment center, the Child Development Center, and administrative offices. Women’s outpatient treatment and local AA meetings are also held at this site.

 The Center is in use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It houses up to 40 women and 20 children at a time. Wear and tear is intensive and constant. Over 90% of the funding received by Willamette Family is used for direct services, leaving little for necessary repairs and renovation. The gift from the McKay Family Foundation will replace the damaged tiles and shower room facilities with brand new equipment and surfaces. We hope to begin construction next month.

 But that’s not all! The McKay Family Foundation is offering a $10,000 challenge gift if it is matched by $10,000 gifts from new donors! To date, Willamette Family has received over $7,000 in new donor gifts and is well on the way to achieving the match!

 You can help!  If you’ve been thinking of becoming one of Willamette Family’s Circle of Friends, but just haven’t gotten around to doing it…NOW IS THE TIME. Your first gift will be doubled by a matching gift from the McKay Family Foundation. And you will be making an investment in the future of kids and families in our community!

 To make a gift, please use the enclosed envelope or GO ONLINE to our website at www.wfts.org.  Thank you!

Kelley Family Foundation Challenge Met!

      The Kelley Family Foundation offered a $10,000 challenge grant to the Willamette Family Board of Directors to complete a feasibility study for a capital project being considered. The entire Board of Directors stepped up and met the challenge with tremendous enthusiasm. The study was completed by Shaw and Snow and Associates and is currently under review by the Board.

      Many, many thanks to the Kelley Family Foundation, Bruce Kelley, and Willamette Family Board Chair Paul Wagner for this wonderful opportunity! This investment by a strong community partner is exciting and is deeply appreciated!

Check it out!  Higher Ed and Willamette Family Partnerships

     Willamette Family is excited to partner with the University of Oregon and Portland State University to offer students practical experiences in their chosen fields.

     Four journalism students from the University of Oregon will be working on their “capstone” project this winter term at Willamette Family. The students Melynda Stein, Meghan Hastie, Shelly Ivey, and Cassie Ulrich will be designing a public  relations plan to raise community awareness about the services provided by Willamette Family. Each of the students brings a rich personal background in this field and a passion for their work. Many thanks to each of them, and to their professor, Kelli Matthews, for their investment and belief in the importance of community partnerships. We are delighted to have them aboard.

     Portland State graduate student Danene Wanner will be part of the Family Reunion Project until June. Danene is getting her master’s degree in social work and will be working with Willamette Family staff to implement therapeutic visitations and to help parents learn the skills they need . Danene has her undergraduate degree in non-profit management from the University of Oregon, and has worked for several years in human services. She is a terrific addition to the Project and we are thrilled to have our first social work intern! Her PSU Field Instructor, Linda Reilly, is a strong advocate for putting classroom theory into real practice.