Sexual assault is a problem that affects ALL Oregonians. The CDC reports that one in six women in Oregon has been a victim of rape in their lifetime. According to the Justice Department, more than 93% of all sexual assaults are perpetrated by men and 10-20% of men will be sexually assaulted in their lives. Despite these facts, there is a striking lack of work being done to engage men in sexual assault prevention. While most perpetrators of sexual assault may be men, most men DO NOT sexually assault. Those of us who are not violent have a responsibility to do something about it! Men who are not violent have the capacity to prevent sexual assault by challenging attitudes and behaviors that support violence. If we, as a state, seek to prevent sexual assault in our communities we MUST engage men in the effort. One million dollars could go a long way in supporting programs throughout the state that engage men in sexual violence prevention.

Unemployment is a huge problem for our state. While many unemployed are looking for work or retraining, some have simply given up. My idea is to have the unemployed "volunteer" at existing volunteer organizations, but that grants be provided so these people may be paid enough money to stay on their feet. These would not be permanent positions, but give the victims of the recession something productive to do until the economy improves. It would also increase the rosters of volunteers during this time when places like food banks and shelters need assistance most. This could be a good thing for individuals, organizations, and society all at one time.

This kind of housing is already being used by 1350 addicts in 167 houses across the state. It is low cost both to occupants ($320/month) and to public funding (at 1.50/bed/night). Under present housing programs it is not eligible for public housing dollars because the housing is rented from private landlords (thereby also pushing money into the private sector.)
The Recovery Association Project is running the present program with an administrative overhead of 1.03%. They have been asked to provide housing for veterans with PTSD, domestic violence survivors, dual diagnosis patients and drug mediated addiction. They just don't have the administrative bandwidth to move into these other areas. Once programs are up and running they become mostly self-sustaining as new houses pay fees to the central organization. We know the process works. They have partners ready to provide the necessary supportive services. They just need to build the central organization to sustain the project. And it will take a lot less than a million dollars to bridge the gap before the project is self-sustaining. This could revolutionize the way the public sector finances low cost housing for vulnerable populations and a massive savings to the public sector.

Despite a growing economy between 2000 and 2007, the poverty rate in Oregon remained constant. It is now rising, thanks to the recession and a high unemployment rate. Our state suffers from a long-term failure to reduce the poverty rate – the key to assisting not only those living in poverty, but to a healthy economy for every Oregonian.
Each year Federal and state governments provide $500 billion in tax incentives for higher education, home ownership, business and retirement savings. The lion’s share of these tax incentives flow to the top 20% of tax payers, while less that 3% reaches the bottom 3/5 of American families.
Yet, we know from 20 years of rigorously evaluated demonstrations that given the opportunity, low-income and even very poor families will save, learn, work and invest and ultimately, go to college, start businesses, buy homes, save for retirement and craft economic futures for their families and their country.
I suggest that the Meyer Memorial Trust take the bold step of establishing a matching saving program that will address the long-term needs of Oregonians living in poverty. This program would leverage the savings of low wage workers and attract additional funds from individuals, corporations, institutions, and foundations.
The successful Save Together model would serve the state well and has already been tested in Washington and Massachusetts. Bringing this model to Oregon would not only assist individuals and families struggling to get out of poverty, but would increase education levels in the state and make it more attractive for businesses, expand the number of Oregonians able to purchase a home, contribute to financial literacy, and strengthen the economy of the entire state.
Here’s how the Save Together program works:
Low-wage workers committed to becoming financially secure save their own money toward a specified goal, such as higher education, a home, or a small business. Their stories and photos are featured on a website and social media to inspire other people open up economic opportunity for all Americans.
Their savings are matched by everyday people to multiply their savings. Each dollar donated by an individual is matched again with funds from an experienced non-profit partner organization. The partner organizations would be chosen and funded by Meyer Memorial Trust to implement the Save Together model to select, train, and advise the participants. A website and social media are then used to spread the word and create networks of Oregonians willing to help. Donations designated for a specific saver are distributed to the partner organization that is supporting that individual (a 501(c)3 organization to provide a tax deductible contribution) and is deposited into the pool of match funds that is used toward the creation of new matched savings accounts at that organization. Savers are encouraged to become donors once their savings goals are met and they are financially stable.
This unique model of community-enhanced savings and investment strengthens economic and social ties. It builds social capital at the same time that it builds individuals, families, economies, and the state.
For over 20 years, non-profit organizations have offered matched savings programs and proven that when given the opportunity, low-wage workers will work, learn, and save to buy homes, start businesses or pursue higher education. A matched savings program provides secured savings accounts, along with matching incentives and financial education classes, for low-wage workers.
Modest savings can mean life changing opportunities. For my immigrant grandparents, working in factory jobs, their savings meant that they could buy an apartment building and collect rent from tenants – and forgive rent payments for tenants who were out of work. For myself, a savings account meant a college education and access to well-paid work. For others, it may mean having a predictable mortgage payment instead of an unpredictable rental situation, being able to attend community college, start a small business, or repair a car that is key to transportation to a job and livelihood.
Meyer Memorial Trust plays a leadership role in introducing the Save Together program and leverages its role as a leader in the nonprofit community and a catalyst to motivate other foundations and individuals to participate. As a funder, a partner of many of Oregon’s nonprofits, and a facilitator and convener, MMT has a role to play in directing a laser beam on poverty in our state and the life-changing role that even modest savings can make in helping Oregonians out of poverty . Most importantly, a public campaign, social media, and a high profile focus will leverage the ability of Oregonians to assist Oregonians, creating a stronger and more robust economy for every citizen of our state. The poverty rate is measurable. I think this kind of campaign and a $1M investment would go a long way toward helping us identify an achievable, measurable, goal that we can all participate in achieving – lowering the poverty rate in Oregon.

Throughout the nation the recidivism rate of inmates leaving prison is extremely high, with many jurisdictions finding that 50% of offenders return to prison within two years. In Oregon more than 30% of offenders released from prison are reconvicted of a felony within three years, due largely to many inmates releasing back into the same anti-social environment they left prior to incarceration. It is estimated that only 20-30% of offenders are returning to a supportive residence. Inmates releasing from jail face many of the same obstacles. The cost of reincarceration and the cost to public safety are staggering. There are promising efforts in Oregon using peer mentors to meet with inmates prior to release from prison and jail and support them upon release. Mentors are ex-offenders, working their own recovery programs, who have successfully transitioned from institution to community and now provide advice and support for others trying to do the same. They help find stable housing, employment, and pro-social support. They are there for offenders at release and continue to work with each offender until he/she is well-established in a support group, is consistently attending treatment, and is employed (approximately three to four months).

In eastern oregon most services are NOT open to GLBT individuals and latino programs are based in the caucasian conservative view of what we need, we want to create a crisis center that is free of discrimination and a beacon of hope that change is coming and discrimnation will someday end. we as the Umatilla Morrow Alternatives as the ONLY GLBT and People of color organization in eastern oregon would provide a place where hiv support groups and minority leadership programs can grow (local hospitals and salvation army, agape will not allow HIV services) and be culturally relevant because it would be run by the minority population and open for all and free of discrimination the uma is a human dignity group part of the rural organizing project network www.umalt.com

Portland is ranked in top three cities, Miami and Las Vegas, in human trafficking/exploitation of girls in sex industry, forced prostitution, etc. Dan Rather recently did national report on HDNET about Portland or "Pornland" as the report was called. NO specialized services for these, mostly minor girls, average age now 12 - 13 when they enter "the life" for safe housing/shelter/drop in center, to provide wrap around services including every area of life development, medical care, mental health, drug and alcohol, etc. Coalition of agencies working with Multnomah County to develop this. YWCA of Greater Portland believes we have a facility, currently being used as a residential facilty for DV survivors, that could be converted into housing/shelter for these youth plus another facililty next door for a drop in center. YWCA of Greater Portland is working with other agencies to plan, develop and deliver services specifically for these trafficked youth. In the entire country, ONLY about 60 such beds exist, and on the West Coast only in California and Washington. This would be a FIRST for Oregon/Portland, and would provide safe housing and services to assist these exploited, mostly girls, to safely leave a life of violence, and to prevent them entering deeper into exploitation that leads to adult prostitution, violence, crime (many enter into prisons as adults), and often times death.

Children victimized by crime are one of the most vulnerable crime victim populations. These children face unique hurdles to accessing justice when their perpetrator is being investigated and prosecuted in either the adversarial adult criminal justice process or the juvenile delinquency process. By way of example, consider the child-victim who is asked to sit in open court, face a sexual or physical abuser, and testify (in front of adults) against them, particularly when that abuser is a family member. While there are many legal rights that can protect this child-victim in this situation, too often our adult criminal and juvenile delinquency proceedings focus on the rights of the accused without considering how to ensure the child-victim is not further victimized by the process. The result is that child-victims’ rights are often ignored and child-victims suffer additional, significant trauma when they are forced to endure these processes. To protect our children and help children become survivors of crime we need make it routine in our systems that all child-victims of crime are appointed legal counsel to protect their rights and interests in criminal and juvenile delinquency proceedings. The American Bar Association (the premiere national association of lawyers) has recognized this need, and in 2009 urged that child-victims have prompt access to independent attorneys to help protect their rights. Appointing just any attorney will not solve the problem, however. The National Crime Victim Law Institute has been working nationwide for more than 10 years to provide free, expert lawyers to crime victims to protect their rights in the criminal justice system, but child-victimization is an area that needs additional and focused attention. To be effective advocates for child-victims, attorneys must understand the complexities of victims’ rights law generally, child-victimization specifically, and the unique challenges presented in each justice system faced by the child-victim (e.g., civil, family, criminal, juvenile). Such expertise simply does not yet exist among lawyers in any significant numbers. So our children suffer.

We urge the Meyer Memorial Trust to consider funding an effort to train and provide free legal services to child-victims to ensure that their rights are protected during the investigation and prosecution of the accused perpetrator so that we, as a community, can demonstrate our commitment to helping child-victims become survivors of crime rather than relegating them to further victimization at the hands of the very systems that are supposed to protect them. Meyer Memorial Trust’s investment in such a program could help Oregon’s children and families, and could serve as a model for the nation.

Meg Garvin, Executive Director of the National Crime Victim Law Institute

Most of the Food Banks in Oregon can not accept home cooked or canned food. But food comes in heavy in certain seasons. They need a State approved kitchen that could have groups come in and make foods for food now being not accepted. example: home orchard apples are horrible, scabby and all as fresh food for give away, yet make great apple sauce, a product the Food Banks could hand out. Another one is the Federal Prison out in Sheridan gives produce, but it comes truck loads at a time. Canning carrots or incorporting them in stews or other dishes for a spread out year. What is needed is a building that can be made into a good non-profit kitchen and a volunteer coordinator. It could fit into backyard gardeners helping to large groups helping as a social good building activity.

The incubator part of this is that the kitchen could be used for business start ups, as many folks want to cook cookies and all that can sell. They need a State approved kitchen, a hard to find item.

With 15,000 not for profits in the State, many are inefficient and all are chasing the same pool of scarce dollars and volunteers. While run by well-meaning volunteers with energy and dedication, the not-for-profit industry is fragmented. Give the money to the set of social service not-for-profits who present the best plan for consolidating or forming alliances to better serve their target populations. Foundation staff or graduate students in courses at Willamette, University of Portland, or PSU, all of which have programs in not-for-profit management, could participate in screening the proposals. In sum, use the funds to increase service delivery by encouraging not for profits to work together, possibly leveraging the educational resources in the State to produce the next generation of not-for-profit managers and board members.

I believe if we take the elderly patients at Oregon State Hospital who have difficulty finding placements, but don't need acute psychiatric care, and place them on a wing that is funded at the Medicaid level for nursing homes, we can reduce psychiatry and doctor time, as well as licensed nursing personnel costs. We have two units that are being paid through general fund, as they need higher staff intervention, but we could use medicaid dollars if they were nursing level. THese persons are not eligible for the Extended Care models as they are not yet ready for community care and may pose a physical threat to other residents, but they cost more at the state hospital level of care. If this type of nursing home wing were developed, we could also take aging and medically needy prisoners and place them at nursing level of care on a locked wing, separate from the mental patients, but staffed at a secure level. Currently they are in the infirmary and taking up jail beds and pose no threat if taken and placed in a secure nursing home. Staff it with aids who are also trained as prison guards, it would still be cheaper!