This content was published: March 7, 2008. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
$825,000 awarded to Life by Design Northwest
Photos and story by James Hill
The Life by Design Northwest program has been awarded $825,000 by The Atlantic Philanthropies to establish services and workshops for older adults. Workshops began at PCC in February.
Life by Design Northwest is a major initiative in the Portland area that provides a community-wide resource for older adults in, or thinking about, retirement. The partnership improves individual lives while strengthening their standing in society through civic engagement, employment (paid or unpaid) with nonprofits or lifelong learning through higher education.
The partnership is a collaboration of nine partners, each a major local institution chosen for the contribution they bring to the project. The partners include AARP Oregon, Express Personnel Services, Hands On Portland, Multnomah County Library, Morrison Child and Family Services, NW Natural, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Portland Community College and Portland State University. The CEO’s or leadership representatives of each organization sit on the governing Leadership Counsel, a demonstration of their commitment to the project.
Neal Naigus, the assistant to the district president at Portland Community College and member of the Life by Design Northwest Leadership Council Executive Committee, extended his appreciation to The Atlantic Philanthropies for this generous grant.
“An investment of this size confirms that the Life by Design Northwest program is nationally recognized as being able to provide a valuable service to the entire Portland metropolitan area, and that what we learn here can then be disseminated to other parts of the state and the country,” he said.
Life by Design is built around three stages for its participants, or visitors to its web site (www.lifebydesignnw.org) – Discover, Design and Engage. In Discovery, a participant explores their interests, finances and health to set the stage for planning. In Design, they use this information to develop a life path. In Engage, they connect with educational institutions, new careers, community organizations or pursue other interests. At every step in the process, Life by Design Northwest provides a variety of resources to help participants identify and reach their goals, either through its Web site or on-site workshops and coaching.
For more information, contact Karen Shimada, kshimada@lifebydesignnw.org, or (503) 731-6650.
The Atlantic Philanthropies is dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Atlantic focuses on four critical social problems: aging, disadvantaged children and youth, population health, and reconciliation and human rights. Programs funded by Atlantic operate in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam. To learn more, please visit: www.atlanticphilanthropies.org.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »