The workshop will feature guest speaker Wesley D. Fitzwater, J.D., a partner in the law firm of Fitzwater Meyer, LLP.  His practice emphasizes legal and crisis issues faced by the elderly and their families, including incapacity, guardianship and conservatorship, long-term care, and end-of-life concerns.

The forum will also be an opportunity to learn more about MHAC partnership’s efforts to help seniors prevent foreclosure and maintain homeownership.

This estate planning workshop is free and open to the public at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) at 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue in Portland.

For more information, call Shalonda (503) 288-2923, extension 123.

Clockwise, from top left: Lauren, Monica, Matthew, and VIctoria

If you’ve seen some unfamiliar faces at the PCRI office, that’s because there are four new volunteers at work here. We’re Lauren Orso, Matthew Robinson, Monica Gerber, and Victoria Grami.

Last week, we joined PCRI as AmeriCorps VISTA members. We’re now part of an army of 7,000 volunteers working across the United States to put an end to poverty.

AmeriCorps is a network of national programs that place adults of all ages in nonprofit organizations to meet critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas. There are three main programs: AmeriCorps*State and National, AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), and AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). The VISTA program specifically targets poverty in the United States.

The longstanding VISTA program was created by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, but became part of the larger AmeriCorps organization after President Bill Clinton signed the National and Community Service Trust Act in 1993. Recently, President Barack Obama signed legislation to expand national service programs. In his call to action, President Obama declared,

“While our government can provide every opportunity imaginable for us to serve our communities, now it is up to each of us to seize those opportunities. I call on all Americans to stand up and do what they can to serve their communities, shape our history and enrich both their own lives and the lives of others across this country.”

As VISTAs, we pledged to serve PCRI full-time for one year to help PCRI in their efforts to provide affordable, low-cost housing in North and Northeast Portland. We support PCRI’s mission to allow residents to move along a path from stability to self-sufficiency and wealth creation.

Stayed tuned to learn a little more about each of us and what we’ll be doing during our AmeriCorps year at PCRI. If you have any questions about AmeriCorps, please shoot us an email:

Lauren Orso: lauren at pcrihome dot org
Matthew Robinson: matthew at pcrihome dot org
Monica Gerber: monica at pcrihome dot org
Victoria Grami: victoria at pcrihome dot org

Bernie’s is a landmark on Alberta Street and is one of the great locally-owned Southern food restaurants in Portland, with Southern staples like fried chicken and Creole gumbo as well as Northwest favorites such as Washington oyster po’ boys.  On Wednesday, April 25, they will be open from 4:00 – 10:00 p.m., with happy hour until 6:00 p.m.

They do get busy—and they’re bound to be packed on the 25th with your friends and fellow PCRI supporter—so be sure to make a reservation by calling Bernie’s at 503.282.9864.

You’ve got to eat anyway, right? Why not make it a great meal; you’ll leave with a full belly and a full heart knowing you’re supporting a great local restaurant as well as the community reinvestment, individualized resident services programs and affordable housing that PCRI has offered for two decades, helping individuals and families to stabilize their lives and achieve self sufficiency.

We have a limited number of tickets to this Timbers game, so don’t wait to reserve yours — email our events team today!  Tickets are $32.00 each (face value is $39.50!) and 45% of the ticket price for each ticket sold 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 or give us a call soon to reserve yours!

]]> http://www.pcrihome.org/archives/1534/feed 0 http://www.pcrihome.org/archives/1529 http://www.pcrihome.org/archives/1529#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:18:03 +0000 PCRI http://www.pcrihome.org/?p=1529 PCRI’s Premiere Gala Benefit was an exceptional—and exceptionally successful—evening!  Thanks to First Lady Cylvia Hayes and Governor John Kitzhaber, we started off the program in style with their dramatic and graceful waltz (check out the coverage of their dance in The Oregonian!).
Following the Governor and First Lady’s dance performance (and a packed reception before that), the quick-witted Margaret Carter took the microphone as the evening’s Mistress of Ceremonies.  For the rest of the fast-paced evening, Mrs. Carter led a full house of guests through an introduction to Executive Director Maxine Fitzpatrick, a brief video history of PCRI, and to a fantastically successful and competitive auction facilitated by Kelly Russell of Kelly Russell Auctions.

Ms. Russell also presented a triumphant special appeal with former PCRI resident and successful homeowner Betty Mason before offering the podium to former PCRI Board Member Barbara B. Smith, who presented Ernest Warren, Jr. with her namesake Community Support Award.

The headlining entertainment of the evening, the Dancing with the Stars-style competition, was also a runaway success.  Five prominent local celebrities were each trained by and paired with professional dancers from Portland’s Fred Astaire Dance Studio.  Each dancing couple put on a spectacular show in the individual performance as well as the group waltz competition.  In between dances, the competition’s celebrity judges kept the audience entertained with their witty commentary about the dancers’ performances.

Pressed to crown a champion, the judges had their work cut out for them:  Stephanie Torres, Director of Events for the Portland Business Journal, took on a difficult rumba for her individual performance and, along with Fred Astaire’s Alex Aillon as her dancing partner, made it look easy.

Brian Stewart, Vice President and Community Relations Officer for JPMorgan Chase & Co, and his long-legged professional dancing partner Jessi Reynolds had the crowd in stitches with a foxtrot  choreographed to Lena Horne’s “I’ve Got Rhythm.”

Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury surprised the judges and her professional colleagues, bringing the sexy back in a swing dance with Fred Astaire’s Malik Delgado.  Judge Roy Jay remarked, “so that’s how legislation gets done!”

Voted by the judges as the top dancer in the group waltz competition, professional sports representative Trisonya Abraham also danced a dramatic and stunning tango with professional partner Austin Faller.

The champion of the evening was Portland attorney and interim Director of the National Association of Minority Contractors of Oregon, Melvin Oden-Orr, along with his dance partner, Fred Astaire’s Tara Konyn.  Mr. Oden-Orr and Ms. Konyn stepped onto the floor like true entertainers and put on an amazing show, cha cha-ing their way to the top of the judges scoresheets.

Fred Astaire Dance Studio followed the competition with a stunning show put on by their professional dancers (yes, the photo below was really taken at the gala!) as well as a lesson, then the dance floor was opened to the gala guests who immediately rushed out for their own around the (packed) dance floor.

We extend a giant thank you to all our sponsors, table captains and guests as well as the fantastic volunteers who made the evening such an amazing success.  Thank you also to our professional photographer Xilia Faye as well as our volunteer photographer Izzy Ventura for the stunning images from the event. Be sure to check PCRI’s Gala Website as well as our Facebook page for more photos of the event and to see what’s coming next!

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 will need 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.

Ms. Adams, who is also a PCRI resident, developed the sample recipe based on the TEENS team’s conclusions about which foods and flavors that would be healthy and would most appeal to youth looking for a snack.

About National Nutrition Month

On March 8, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack kicked off National Nutrition Month with “What’s on My Plate?” day to raise public awareness of the importance of choosing nutritious foods. Dr. Robert Post, Deputy Director of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, will be the featured speaker at a “Get Your Plate in Shape” event on March 14 hosted by the DC Metro Area Dietetic Association. For more information on National Nutrition Month news and events, visit the USDA blog.

The forum will also be an opportunity to learn more about MHAC and our efforts to help seniors prevent foreclosure and maintain homeownership.

This senior resources forum is free and open to the public at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) at 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue in Portland.

For more information, call Andrea (503) 288-2923, extension 133.

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!