SMYRC

News

SMYRC Staff Honored

Zan Gibbs, long term SMYRC staff has been awarded the prestigious nonprofit workers award known at the Skidmore Prize. The Skidmore prize recipients were honored at a banquet at the City Club on November 9th, 2007. Each winner was given a check for $4,000. The prize is targetted towards those people under the age of 35 who do amazing work in nonprofits. Zan has been a member of the SMYRC staff for nearly ten years and was one of its founders. Zan is a corner stone of SMYRC and the work we do. As part of this award, SMYRC has been granted an add in the Willamette Week GiveGuide!

Buy music. Support SMYRC this holiday season

Purchase the SMYRC Safe Haven CD at www.cdbaby.com, and enjoy the best of Portland's music scene. The CD brings together a diversity of artists including well-known Portland acts Ashleigh Flynn and Sneakin' Out, now-defunct electro pop stars Le Tigre, folksy spoken word hero Alix Olson, internationally known post-lounge band Pink Martini, Northwest rock giants The Decemberists, and classic queer duo Indigo Girls. Safe Haven also features a track by Sleater-Kinney, which gives this post-breakup CD the distinction of being one of SK's (and Le Tigre's) last ever releases.

McGinnis Mansion Refurbishes SMYRC Center

On Tuesday, October 9th volunteer crews gave a new home to an estimated $75,000 in furniture, arcade games and supplies. These and other items, unused for at least five years in the former McGinnis Mansion in Beaverton, were donated to the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC). Volunteer crews moved an air hockey game, exercise equipment, a music system, sofas, supplies and enough furniture to entirely refurbish the 2,000 sq. ft. facility located at 2100 SE Belmont Street. Signature Hospice, part of Avamere Health Systems, has donated all the furniture. The gently used furnishings will replace the torn, wobbly and stained furniture now at the center.

The Signature Hospice program, which is now based in Washington, Multnomah, Marion and other counties, will break ground on a state-of-the-art, in-patient medical facility for terminally ill patients. Compassionate, caring and unique to every individual, Signature's mission is to enhance the life of every person they serve. Headquartered in Wilsonville, OR, Signature Hospice is a subsidiary of the Avamere Family of Healthcare service solutions for seniors in 30 communities throughout Oregon and Washington. Through its home health, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, dementia care, rehabilitation therapy, and hospice care professionals, Avamere offers the highest quality of care in a choice of settings.

Portland Gay Volleyball Donates to SMYRC!

Portland Gay Volleyball is an organization consisting of 8 Teams that are from the Portland area and travel all over the US to play in gay sanctioned tournaments. On October 6th, Portland Gay Volleyball hosted a raffle and dinner with proceeds benefiting SMYRC. Sean Walker, organizer of the event, was able to donate over $1400 to SMYRC! "Portland Gay Volleyball welcomes people of all backgrounds and sexualities. We provide the opportunity to develop skills, establish friendships, and maintain good health, but most of all we offer a welcoming environment where all community members can come to have fun." Sean hopes to make this an ongoing event and would like to raise as much as $2000 for sexual minority youth next year. For more information about this wonderful team visit their web site at: http://www.portlandgayvolleyball.org/

SMYRC and Outside In receive a $37,ooo partnership grant from United Way

June 14, 2007 -SMYRC, in partnership with Outside In (www.outsidein.org), recently received a $37,000 United Way grant to provide innovative and comprehensive services to homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (GLTBQ) youth in Portland. Outside In will hire a part time youth worker to specifically support GLBTQ homeless youth in accessing shelter services, to educate homeless youth staff about GLBTQ issues, and lead a research project about best practices when working with GLBTQ homeless youth. SMYRC will provide technical assistance to Outside In with curriculum development and consultation. In addition, this funding adds a Saturday drop-in time at the Resource Center specifically geared toward homeless GLBTQ youth.

Drag Queen Chorus Line Breaks World Record

They came, they raised money, and their names will now be in the Guinness Book of World Records. In July, 69 queens boogied in Pioneer Square to raise $1,500 for SMYRC. Thanks to everyone for supporting SMYRC's youth by joining us in this great milestone. To read about it go to www.dragqueenchorusline.com.