The Portland Children’s Levy will invest $33 million over the next three years in 57 programs benefitting Portland children, one of those programs being Playworks.
These investments span a three-year period from July 2014 through June 2017. The funds will reach thousands of city children and families to provide:
- A smoother route to kindergarten through early childhood programs.
- Safe and high-quality after-school and mentoring programs.
- Strong community connections and transition assistance for children in foster care.
- Programs to help children overcome the trauma of abuse and neglect, and parenting classes and respite care for families struggling with violence.
- A new area of hunger relief that will translate into healthy and nutritious meals available to children and families through the Oregon Food Bank and Meals on Wheels.
“We’re pleased that these investments will continue to make sustained, meaningful and positive changes in the lives of Portland’s children,” said City Commissioner and Allocation Committee Chair Dan Saltzman. “City voters deserve a round of thanks for supporting the Levy and its efforts to help our neediest residents.”
The Levy funds programs in early childhood, after school, mentoring, child abuse prevention/intervention, foster care and hunger relief.
With this new round of investments, more than $100 million of funding has gone toward making a positive impact on children throughout the city since the Levy’s creation by Portland voters in 2002, and renewal in 2008 and 2013. Annual audits, citizen oversight and a five-percent cap on administrative expenses means 95 cents of every dollar goes to proven programs making a difference for Portland youth.
The Levy has accomplished this through building strong partnerships with social service organizations, forging important relationships with foundations, schools and other key stakeholders and believing that all children should have the opportunity to succeed.
The Portland Children’s Levy will invest in Playworks over the next three years totaling $195,000. This will support Playworks programs to implement the Junior Coach Leadership Program (JCLP) for 4th and 5th graders at Beach School, Boise-Eliot/Humboldt, Cesar Chavez, Grout Elementary, King School, Lent School, Rigler School, Vestal School, and Woodlawn School.
