The open house will be at PCRI’s main office (map HERE) on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.  Refreshments will be provided.

Want to sign up?  Can’t make it during these times?  Need help with childcare in order to attend?  Call PCRI and ask for Julie (or send her an e-mail).

IDA savings can be used for home purchase, home repair, college education and more.  In fact, we can help set up an  account especially for college savings for adults and youth ages 15+.  For more information about IDA guidelines, check out our web page dedicated to Individual Development Accounts or make an appointment to see us on the 21st!

Interested residents should bring with them current and complete proof of income for the last two months as well as information about assets (car, house, savings) and liabilities (loans, mortgage, debt or bills).  Not sure exactly how much information or unsure about what paperwork is appropriate?  Just give us a call.

For the project, Emerging Professionals and other volunteers will conduct home performance testing in one of PCRI’s affordable rental homes (pre-improvement testing will be performed on February 16).  With the information gained from the testing, volunteers will implement upgrades and other refurbishments targeted to improve the efficiency, health and durability of the home.

Does the thought of all that volunteering make you hungry?  We’ve got you covered!  Parr Lumber is generously grilling up a BBQ lunch for volunteers on the day of the event.

Please note: registration is required for the volunteer event.  Important information (including the volunteer site) will be distributed to the list of registered participants.  Please contact Travis at PCRI if you have any issues with registration.

One more note: volunteers may also participate in the pre-improvement testing.  Register here to join.

PCRI is pleased to announce our alliance as a Community Partner with Cascadia Green Building Council and the International Living Future Institute for their upcoming Living Future 2012unConference.  This volunteer project leads up to the May conference.  More information about the unConference can be found at the Cascadia GBC’s website.

The assistance, provided by AARP Tax Aides in conjunction with CASH Oregon, will help identify eligibility for a variety of tax credits, including Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Oregon Earned Income Credits and Oregon Working Family Child Care Credit.  In addition, Oregon IDA participants may be able to deduct 2011 interest and contributions on their state taxes.  Once the participant and the tax aide have identified eligible credits and deductions, the tax aide will be able to e-file the participant’s 2011 tax return.

Interested participants should bring to their appointment a picture ID, their social security number and/or ITN as well as documentation of income (W-2s, 1099s, etc.), records of tax-deductible expenses such as child or dependent care, property taxes and mortgage interest.  For direct deposit of any refunds, participants should also bring banking information, including their account number.

CASH Oregon, like PCRI, is committed to improving the financial health of low income working families, individuals, and seniors.  Their Earned Income Tax Credit outreach and free tax preparation programs—coupled with financial fitness programs like those provided by PCRI and other organizations—provide families and individuals with the tools and resources to begin building solid financial futures.

This tax preparation assistance is free to the community and is a valuable way PCRI residents and other community members can stretch a limited income.  Appointments are required.  Please call Lisa at (503) 281-1778 to schedule yours.

Break Out! is the kick-off event for PCRI’s upcoming gala benefit: Dancing with the Stars – Portland.  In addition to the high-energy B-Boy dancing, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the gala event, which will support PCRI’s affordable rental homes and resident services.  The Break Out! celebration will also share information and how you can become involved to support PCRI and the gala event.

Oregon Universal Zulu Nation’s dance and urban art (including dancer and PCC Instructor Levi Banner, pictured at right) is often featured at First Friday at Salmon Street Studios in Southeast Portland.  Through their art and involvement in community and after-school programs, they work to build a stronger future for all by serving the underrepresented and underprivileged members of the community.

The June Key Delta Community Center is dedicated to the energy and foresight of Portland, Oregon educator June Key.  The Community Center is a Living Building, a green building project developed by African American women, Portland sorority members of the Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.  The building will provide a community center that sustains the needs of the multi-cultural neighborhood it serves, encouraging sound and health social, educational, artistic, economic and environmental development and awareness.

Due to space constraints, PCRI kindly requests your RSVP for Break Out!  Follow the link below to sign up online.

Update:  Las Primas Peruvian Kitchen is generously providing their Peruvian delicious-ness for the event.  Be sure to pop into Las Primas afterwards for a meal – and say “thank you!”

For the project, expected to take place on March 3, 2012, Emerging Professionals volunteers will join PCRI staff and Andrew Morphis, Home Performance Division Manager for Green Hammer, to conduct home performance testing in one of PCRI’s affordable rental homes.  With the information gained from the testing, Emerging Professionals volunteers will implement efficiency upgrades and other refurbishments targeted to improve the efficiency, health and durability of the home.

Want to get involved or learn more?  Join the Emerging Professionals at their monthly meet-up, Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Portland’s Lucky Lab Beer Hall on NW Quimby.  PCRI staff and Emerging Professionals organizers will be on hand to share details and enroll volunteers.  We’ll also post additional details here on the PCRI News blog and on our events calendar.

PCRI is also excited to announce our alliance as a Community Partner with Cascadia Green Building Council and the International Living Future Institute for their upcoming Living Future 2012 unConference.  PCRI staff will join Living Future organizers for their inaugural event on January 24 at Hopworks Urban Brewery’s innovative “eco-brew” facility.  More information about the unConference can be found at the Cascadia GBC’s website.

While the games so far this season have been exciting, they’ll be nothing compared to the Community All Star game against Oklahoma City Thunder (who, incidentally, the Blazers recently beat on Oklahoma’s home court)!

PCRI is offering benefit tickets to the Blazers game on February 6 at 7:00 p.m.  For every $36 ticket sold, 20% comes back to PCRI to support the community reinvestment, individualized resident services programs and affordable housing that we provide to help individuals and families stabilize their lives and achieve self sufficiency.

Pass along the word to your friends and family today – the quantity of tickets is limited.  Email us , return a Trailblazers Ticket Order Form, or give us a call soon to reserve yours!

The most visible improvement is the building’s new paint job along Alberta Street (don’t worry, we kept the Cycling Center mural!). As part of the Alberta Main Street Façade Improvement Program, which provided a portion of the upgrade funding, we incorporated some other meaningful improvements too.  Those improvements included new energy-efficient lighting—now controlled by a more reliable and efficient light sensor—and a new, more prominent sign above the center windows of the building.

One of PCRI’s residential/commercial properties, Maggie Gibson provides affordable housing to several households and also contains neighborhood businesses, including Community Cycling Center (whose Holiday Bike Drive provided bicycles to several PCRI kids in December 2011.  Check out the oh-so-cute photos HERE), Shape It Up Hair Salon, and Mimosa “Paint Your Own Pottery” Studios.

For more information about the Alberta Main Street program, click the link for their name.  For more informaton about PCRI’s available rentals, click the “Rent a Home” link on the menu bar above.

This gala event, to be held March 31, 2012, promises to be a fun and festive evening, connecting and engaging community members and benefiting PCRI.  In addition to the graceful and dramatic moves of the dancers, the evening will feature a lively reception, auction, cocktails and a gourmet plated dinner at the Portland Doubletree at Lloyd Center.  All of the funds raised from the event will be directly utilized to preserve PCRI’s existing affordable rental homes, develop new homes for affordable rental and homeownership opportunities and expand PCRI’s award-winning, culturally-specific resident services programs.

Register today or visit our Get Involved page to learn more ways you can participate!

It’s one of the reasons we’re working harder than ever to provide safe, healthy and affordable homes for lower-income Portland individuals and families.

In 2011, 15% more families moved into PCRI homes than in 2010 (and 2010 was a busy year!).

Our sights are set to do even more next year.  With your help, we will continue to create affordable housing options and rehabilitate our existing homes, and can exceed our goal to provide affordable rentals to 25% more families in 2012.

Your contribution of $100 is an invaluable tool for growth. It supports PCRI and empowers residents to build a stable and rewarding future through access to our affordable rentals and comprehensive programs. Through these services we have positively impacted residents’ lives and changed the community in which we have invested and reinvested over the last 20 years. North and Northeast Portland would not be the same without the support of partners like you.

You can contribute easily and instantly through our online partnership with Network for Good.  Visit http://www.pcrihome.org/contact/contribute and click on the “Donate Now” button.  Your contribution goes directly toward the housing and services that impact and empower our resident.

Ameia was one of many PCRI youth who received a bicycle with help from Resident Services Coordinator Lisa Williams.  PCRI residents with children ages 3-8 were personally contacted by Williams who then helped residents register for Community Cycling Center’s 16^th Annual Holiday Bike Drive, held on December 11.

“You went out of your way to make this holiday season special for us,” said Courtney Roser, whose two children Veda and Cadence grinned as they took their bikes for a spin around the bike rodeo safety course.

Before riding around the bike rodeo, the youth got to pick their new ride from a dizzying selection of bikes.  Cadence (pictured below) was a bit shy in front of the camera, but was excited about her choice of bicycles:  “It’s pretty and fun,” she said.

This year, the Bike Drive provided over 465 bicycles, helmets and safety trainings to youth from partner agencies like PCRI.  In addition to pre-registering the youth for their bicycles, Williams and PCRI staff member Travis Phillips joined the families at the event to ensure everything went smoothly.

Judging by the giant smiles on the kids’ faces, everything went very smoothly.

“I like to ride,” said Dominic Weatheroy matter-of-factly before pedaling around the safety course.

His sister Iserael (pictured above) was just as excited to ride, but had some other priorities too.  “It’s pretty with lots of colors and flowers,” she said, posing proudly next to her pink, purple and blue bike.

To express our gratitude for organizing the event and providing the bikes, helmets and training, Williams and the new cyclists signed a giant thank you card.  Williams delivered the card to the center a few days after the event and reflected on the difference made by her effort.

“The economy has put families in financial hardships,” she said.  Connecting families to events like the Bike Drive “can make all the difference to a family.”

PCRI also extends thanks to volunteer Izzy Ventura for capturing great photos of the kids during the Bike Drive.  Check out additional photos in the full gallery.