On January 17, over 160 community leaders, housing professionals, and stakeholders gathered at Mt. Hood Community College for the first East Metro Regional Housing Conference to tackle some of the region’s most pressing housing challenges. We were honored to have 24 speakers shed light on the urgent housing issues we face, sharing eye-opening data and…

The Report – July 2024 As summer winds down, I wanted to take a moment to reconnect and share the impact you’ve helped make in our community. We’re so grateful for your dedication to uplifting those who need a little extra support. Let’s dive into what we achieved together in July! ECCH Welcome Home Kits…

The Report – May 2024 I hope this Report finds you enjoying the lovely spring weather. As the days grow warmer and the flowers bloom, it’s a perfect time to reconnect and share some exciting, impactful highlights from our initiatives over the past month – achievements that wouldn’t be possible without your generous support. East…

The Report – April 2024 We are thrilled to receive such positive feedback about The Report. Thank you for your incredible support, which continues to drive our mission of transforming Oregon’s vulnerable communities into vibrant, inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. Here are some highlights of our achievements from last month: Community Health Spring Health…

9.8% of Oregoninas suffer from hunger. These organizations are changing that. Oregon community-based organization, Outgrowing Hunger, has been tirelessly working towards making fresh food accessible to low-income families and fostering local farming communities for over a decade. Now, they are ready to expand and take their mission to new heights. The Community Development Corporation of Oregon…

We could not be more pleased to have one of the 42 projects funded through the first round of Future Ready Oregon Grant Funding. We will soon launch in East Multnomah County a new path for our neighbors to become certified Community Health Workers.  We’re excited about helping folks find their pathway to meaningful work in…

Rockwood, OR – Last week, the Rockwood Community Development Corporation hosted Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, Mayor Travis Stovall, and many other local governmental and nonprofit leaders.  When this many people in positions of influence and power converge…

Many people do not have the English language skills needed to succeed in our neighborhood. The Rockwood English Language Institute is the RCDC initiative that offers free English classes in our community.   Currently operating in partnership with Mt Hood Head Start, our students are mostly young mothers with preschool-aged (and older) children. Their lives are…

We have grown significantly over the past two years. COVID has made it painfully obvious that the multicultural and multilingual population of East Multnomah County was not reached with government social services programs. The community was impacted by COVID more than other parts of the county and was underserved by medical outreach. The normal social…

We have been living in exceptionally tumultuous times. The past two years have been especially challenging for communities like Rockwood. During this difficult season, the Rockwood CDC team has worked diligently to walk alongside the community to listen to their needs and respond accordingly. Since January 1, 2020, we have served over 11,086 individuals through…

East Multnomah County sits outside of Portland. The income disparities are stark. Median Household Income is less than half of what it is in Portland. In just the past eight years, this gap has more than doubled. We have the worst health outcomes, the youngest population, the worst educational attainment, and the lowest incomes of…

Most farmers markets in the Portland metro area are considered “high-barrier.” This means that for farmers to sell their produce, it must be well packaged and, as a result, high priced. The consumers at these markets in Portland are looking for produce with packaging standards that they might see at high end grocery stores such…