Armed with the notion that giving makes you feel good and strengthens personal values—yes, science supports this!—we've identified 174 local nonprofits that merit your support. We've put them all on a single website (giveguide.org), where you can engage in one-stop year-end giving. Beyond making you feel good, it does good. Plus, Give!Guide gives back, too!

At giveguide.org, you'll be introduced to eight categories of giving—Animals, Civil and Human Rights, Community, Creative Expression, Education, Environment, Health, and Human Services. Each performs an essential service in our community. We don't know how Portland could function without them. Once you've seen the lay of the land, you can go to giveguide.org, where you'll encounter a helpful profile of each participating nonprofit. You can give as much or as little as you want to as many or as few as you choose. If you can give a lot, this is the year to do it.

We invited back last year's participants and added nearly 30 more that do great work helping Portland with diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as COVID-19. We also added the Community Rebuilding Fund to help Oregon communities recover from the state's worst fire season on record—this pooled fund is supported by a three-way partnership among Oregon Community Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust and The Ford Family Foundation. Finally, every dollar given to an Oregon Cultural Trust partner and matched with a gift to the Trust qualifies for a credit on your Oregon tax return.

Related: See Toni's Distant Voices Interview Here!

Our goal this year is to raise at least $5 million for 174 local nonprofits. Does that sound like a lot? Maybe, but it's well within reach, and with good reason. Last year, we got close. We raised $4.7 million for 152 nonprofits from more than 11,000 donors. We know what you're thinking: "This isn't last year by any stretch of the imagination." You're right, it's not. This year, it's critical AF.

This is, without a doubt, the most important year in G!G's history. With the pandemic still plaguing our community, we're running a simpler—and, hopefully, better—Give!Guide this year. No events. No magazine. No Skidmore Prizes. Instead, it's all about giving to support the 174 local nonprofits and to connect your mission to theirs. This is legit, community-centered fundraising in action.

When you give, you get: Everyone who gives $10 through giveguide.org between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 will receive access to all the savings in the Chinook Book, as well as some special deals just for Give!Guide donors. On top of that, many of the participating nonprofits are providing their own special incentives. You'll find these listed on the nonprofits' profiles on the G!G website. And Willamette Week is offering Big Give Days, during which donors become eligible for big rewards from our business partners like Powell's Books, A to Z Wineworks, Music Millennium, and a few surprises, too!

Please go to giveguide.org early and often—and, as we say in this space each year, let your funds flow free. It will do a body good.

Thank you!
Toni Tringolo
Executive Director

Richard H. Meeker
G!G Founder

Giving Categories 

(click on the category title to see the non-profits at giveguide.org!)

Animals, Sponsored by Fetch Eyewear

"Fetch Eyewear was created to help animals and to provide beautifully curated and affordable glasses for those who share our passion for fashion and pets. We are honored to be the founders of The Pixie Project and proud of our daughter Amy who has made Pixie an important part of our community. To Willamette Week and the other nonprofits selected for their kindness and compassion: Thank you for caring. We are honored to be a part of Give!Guide."

A note from the Animal nonprofits by Nicole Lutton, Oregon Humane Society, and Heather Svoboda, Cat Adoption Team

During the horror show that is 2020, animal welfare nonprofits face new challenges while continuing to provide vital services to pets and the people who love them. By supporting animals and their people, we are helping keep families together, healthy and happy. The economic fallout from the pandemic means that some families, including their pets, don't have enough to eat. Thanks to animal welfare nonprofits, individuals facing houselessness and poverty or who just need a little help have access to pet food, veterinary care, fences and dog houses for outdoor dogs, and other essentials. In several cases, food and supplies were delivered or shipped directly to pet owners. If a pet parent gets sick with COVID-19, many animal organizations can provide temporary housing to pets while their owners recover. And when wildfires raged across our community, local animal agencies rescued pets in disaster zones, provided temporary housing to pets whose parents were forced to evacuate, and transported animals among shelters to make room for displaced, lost pets.

Civil and Human Rights, Sponsored by Comcast

"As a company uniquely positioned to educate, entertain and empower, Comcast is committed to bringing together our diverse communities and making a more inclusive impact by increasing technology access, expanding digital skills, and furthering impact through volunteerism. At Comcast, we believe success starts with opportunity and we strive to invest our resources in programs and nonprofit partners—providing millions in dollars and in-kind support each year—which are opening opportunities across the region and driving lasting and substantive change. In the wake of the most recent acts of violence against the Black community, we are implementing a comprehensive, multiyear plan to allocate funding and resources to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender, identity, sexual orientation, or ability. Our areas of focus? Social justice, our employees, media/awareness/education, digital equity, and small business opportunity. Together, we hope to help create a more equitable, just, and inclusive society. Please join us!"

A note from the Civil & Human Rights nonprofits by Mikki Gillette, Basic Rights Education Fund

2020 is nonstop! This year has brought unprecedented medical and environmental challenges that affected every aspect of our lives. Moreover, the pandemic brought with it an economic toll that's plunged many in our city into poverty. While these crises have felt all-consuming, though, they haven't changed the need we face to advocate for, and protect, the most marginalized among us. It's no secret that the forces of prejudice and hate have been unleashed here over the past few years. Those who would seek to frighten or cow anyone they perceive as different have been emboldened by leaders who egg them on. The nonprofi ts in this category represent the first line of defense against this aggression. We're the groups that fight for equality in all its forms, that protect those who've been hurt, that hold the city to its ideals and lay out a vision of where it should go—one in which every Portlander can thrive. The pandemic has meant we've had to be creative in how we pursue our missions, whether that's meant creating community spaces on Zoom, text banking from our apartments, or finding safe ways to deliver the services our clients need. This year changed a lot of things, but it didn't change our belief in a better future for those we represent. Please help us realize that future by supporting the groups in the Give!Guide's Civil and Human Rights category.

Community, Sponsored by NIKE

"In a year filled with challenges, Portland nonprofits rallied. They adapted programs, continued to put Portland's diverse cultures and communities at the center, and built a path towards unity—proving, once again, how vital they are to the health, humanity and vibrance of our city.

Nike and our employees support nonprofits across the Give!Guide, including organizations featured in the Community section: Harper's Playground, Latino Network, NAYA and Street Soccer USA. We'll also support Albina Vision Trust with a match of up to $25,000 for contributions received through the Guide. We do this, and more, because leveling the playing field for all is at the heart of Nike's purpose. And this past year has accelerated our commitment to unite the world.

Creating meaningful, lasting community impact is a team sport. Please join us in learning more about the nonprofits featured here and giving what you can to advance their game-changing work."

Saludos,
Jorge Casimiro
Chief Social & Community Impact Officer, NIKE, Inc.

A note from the Community nonprofits by Winta Yohannes, Albina Vision Trust; Cameron Whitten, Brown Hope; Dr. Susan Abernethy, El Programa Hispano; Ann Takamoto, Native American Youth and Family Center; Tia Sherry, The Street Trust

This year has pushed us, and challenged us, but it has also inspired our resilience. As community-centered organizations, there are many times when we are the only lifeline for community members in crisis. COVID-19 and uprisings against police brutality have cast a spotlight on the structural inequities that threaten our vision of a thriving community. Because we belong to the communities we serve, we are determined to keep moving forward. We've learned how to adapt with creativity and urgency. We launched COVID-19 clinics and contact tracing. We distributed bikes for people who could no longer ride transit. We helped households evacuate from wildfires. We hosted virtual gatherings to combat isolation. We expanded efforts to feed families facing hunger. We advocated more courageously for systems change. We remembered to create and embrace moments of joy with our staff and our communities. The quest for justice and equity will be long. We are responding to the current crises, but we know the economic, emotional, and material shockwaves of COVID-19 will persist long after the pandemic has passed. Our work requires long-term support and partnerships to bring the lasting change our communities deserve. Because of this powerful community, 2020 is a reminder that hope is alive. We share a conviction that by working together, we can achieve a future where we all are thriving. Love is what calls us to action. Thank you for inspiring us.

Creative Expression, Sponsored by Oregon Cultural Trust

"Oregonians fund the Oregon Cultural Trust. We, in turn, fund the artists, the poets, the preservationists and the dreamers who define Oregon's great spirit and quality of life. Every year we disperse funds via our 1,450-plus cultural nonprofits, 45 county and tribal coalitions, and five statewide partners. Culture truly makes life worth living, and that's why we are proud to support the incredible work of all of this year's Creative Expression organizations. They bring beauty, music, dance and meaning to our lives every day. They enlighten us, entertain us and inspire us—providing respite from our daily lives and illuminating the best of who we are as people. Now, when we all need it most, please join us in celebrating the spirit of Portland by investing in the work of our Creative Expression champions!"

A note from the Creative Expression nonprofits by Andre Middleton, Friends of Noise; Alley Pezanoski-Browne, Independent Publishing Resource Center; Allison Specter, Write Around Portland. Edited by Jasmine Cottrell, Red Door Project

Art is an essential service.

Creative organizations are partners within every movement and every community. We are uplifting people who are often erased—those of us with disabilities, who are BIPOC, who are immigrants, who are houseless, who are incarcerated, who are youth, who are queer. You will see our fingerprints across the city, from vibrant and timely murals to the equipment and expertise we bring to protests. Many of us are doing these things as acts of mutual aid and for free, because we know we all need each other.

We've seen Portlanders across race and class proudly affirm that Black Lives Matter and combine their resources to support those impacted by a world turned upside down. This is our chance to make change on a scale previously unimaginable, and we need your support. All of the organizations in the Creative Expression section of the Give!Guide invite you to turn the page, and join us in creating what's next.

Education, Sponsored by Bank of America

"Bank of America is pleased to sponsor Give!Guide's Education category, since we know these nonprofits are working hard to serve local families and make Oregon better. With the needs of our community growing, we are committed to doing our part to support and collaborate with nonprofits like these. The investments we make in them are about building healthier neighborhoods and creating economic opportunity for all."

Roger Hinshaw
Market President, Oregon & Southwest Washington Bank of America

A note from the Education nonprofits by Taylor Gibson, The Children's Book Bank, and Dunja Marcum, Vibe of Portland

Heroic efforts by schools and teachers to adapt over the tumultuous past six months have been well covered and continue. Behind the scenes, many education organizations that support learning outside of schools have also adapted, continuing their missions to meet the most critical needs of the communities they serve. Overnight students transitioned to remote learning and parents struggled to balance work, school and the extra emotional load. Needs became urgent, as existing systemic inequities were amplified. These dedicated organizations pivoted services, reached out, and responded with creativity. Vibe converted summer camps into an online format, reaching a wider audience while Reading Results piloted a new way of delivering their reading tutoring program online to teach students one-on-one this school year. Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program (ORTOP) partnered with Centro Cultural to combat disparities in technology by providing robotics kits for each student on their FIRST LEGO League teams to take home. Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro created a new Club Without Walls environment, reopened several clubs at a limited capacity to serve the kids most in need in-person, and provided food distribution for families and mental health support. 2020 demonstrated the need for a well-funded and public-supported education system that goes beyond the walls of schools. This extraordinary moment calls for organizations like those featured in the Give!Guide to work alongside Oregon's schools in reshaping education. These organizations are on the front lines of closing opportunity gaps, uplifting marginalized voices and responding to the call of sustained commitment to Oregon's most vulnerable youth.

Environment, Sponsored by Patagonia

" Patagonia deeply values our home planet and the activists who work to protect it. We stand with organizations who have bold, direct-action agendas and a commitment to long-term change. We support innovative work that addresses the root causes of the environmental crisis and seeks to protect both the environment and impacted communities. We use relationships—to places and people—to draw our focus and energy. We think local battles help confront larger, more complicated issues—like climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental justice. We believe in empowering action locally. We aim to use our stores as hubs for activism to advocate for environmental policies that protect us and our communities, hold our leaders accountable, and support action on the climate crisis. At Patagonia, the protection and preservation of the environment isn't what we do after hours. It's the reason we're in business and every day's work."

A note from the Environment nonprofits by  Kayla Banks, Camp ELSO; Mercy M'fon Shammah, Wild Diversity; Karisa Boyce, Ocean Blue Project 

While the world is turned upside down, on fire, and contagious, these 24 environmental nonprofits continue to make headway for our planet and communities. Environmental justice is deeply linked to social justice, and social justice takes precedence now. Here's a closer look at what three BIPOC-led environmental organizations are doing to inspire the next generation of stewards while innovating approaches to community engagement during a pandemic. Camp ELSO created a science-focused summer program for youth with curated take home and STEAM kits. They also gave youth the tools they need to continue their exploration of nature going forward. Wild Diversity designed a virtual Resilience Outdoor Conference and online Youth Ecology programs. They've also created a full-time, free educational program for students of color to have hands-on outdoor learning opportunities to counter the challenges of virtual education. Removing 1 million pounds of plastic from the ocean by 2025, Ocean Blue Project offers a K-12 curriculum empowering students to discover and steward their local watershed and see connections between their own environment and ocean. Tailoring lesson plans during a pandemic means collaborating with educators to meet unique needs of individual classrooms, communities and watersheds. Each of the participating nonprofits has had to pivot and respond to this year's challenges. They haven't skipped a beat in supporting communities and ecosystems all over the Pacific Northwest. It hasn't been easy, but the work is critical and necessary. Join us on our missions to take care of our people and our planet.

Health, Sponsored by CareOregon

"CareOregon puts the care in health care. As a nonprofit providing health insurance to Oregonians, our mission is to build individual well-being and community health through partnerships, shared learning and innovation. Our vision is healthy communities for all individuals, regardless of income or social factors. CareOregon invests in programs and community organizations that help people get housing, healthy food, job training and more. We call it The CareOregon Effect. And that's why CareOregon is proud to support Willamette Week's Give!Guide as the Health category sponsor."

A note from the Health nonprofits by Dana Button and Annie Savaria-Watson, Bridges Collaborative Care Clinic

If you watch it over time, Portland, from above, resembles a giant heart. Roughly 700,000 people flow in parallel, daily rhythms to the beat of the sun, keeping the city alive. Under stress, the human heart squeezes harder and faster to push the blood and the oxygen that it carries to the body. Portland nonprofit health organizations are much like the human heart. They have responded to the stresses of 2020 with pluck and resilience. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges faced by Portland nonprofit health organizations is meeting the health needs of our community during a pandemic. COVID-19 disrupted supply chains for personal protective equipment, exacerbated social isolation, and pushed economic hardship to the forefront for many. However, health organizations have pivoted to respond. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Meals on Wheels People has made over 50,000 wellness checks and remained true to its commitment to never put anyone on a waitlist. Portland Street Medicine has created survival kits for our neighbors without houses and continues to provide health care free of charge. The North by Northeast Community Health Center has provided food boxes, mask kits, hand sanitizer, and funds to its community members in need, all while providing the same exceptional care its community has come to count on. Portland nonprofit health organizations, like the ones listed in this Give!Guide, have fully engaged the challenges of 2020. Their services are essential to our community. In the face of stress, they help sustain the beating heart of Portland.

Human Services, Sponsored by The Standard

"At The Standard, we are a company made of people who choose to give back to our communities. We believe that strong, vibrant communities are a critical source of security for all residents. In a challenging year, employees of The Standard found ways to Give Hope. Give Hope was the theme of our record-breaking annual Employee Giving Campaign, when employee donations are double-matched by the company. We raised more than $5.8 million for 2,200 organizations in Portland and across the country, with a special focus on Black-led nonprofits working on racial justice, education and economic empowerment. Many challenges remain, but employees of The Standard know that coming together with generosity and compassion makes a difference. We hope you'll join us by finding a cause you care about to Give Hope through the Give!Guide."

Bob Speltz
Senior Director, Community Relations
The Standard

A note from the Human Services nonprofits by a collaboration of the 37 Give!Guide HS category participants

2020 hit vulnerable Portland community members hard, as well as the organizations helping them. "Both nonprofits and the people we serve have experienced multiple collective traumas this year, and have had to adapt skillfully," says Tamara Chacón of p:ear, explaining that following the pandemic shutdown, daily lunch grew from serving 65 youth to over 400 of all ages. Store to Door saw the greatest demand for grocery delivery in its history. While community needs grew, capacity dropped. Transition Projects and other homeless agencies reduced beds to allow for social distancing. New spaces opened to provide shelter for homeless COVID patients and, later, wildfire victims. Creative resourcefulness led agencies such as the Dougy Center, Domestic Violence Resource Center, and the Trauma Intervention Center to offer counseling and education online. Mother and Child Education Center and Rose Haven moved donation programs outdoors. Neighborhood House started home delivery to seniors sheltered in place. Community Warehouse delivered shrink-wrapped "Home2Go kits," small dressers of home essentials instead of used furnishings. And, at a time of civil unrest, all agencies increased their emphasis on equity and took steps to stand in solidarity with the Black community. With volunteer programs suspended, expanded safety requirements, and new technology expenses, nonprofits are working harder than ever. Nevertheless, Portland's human services organizations remain resilient and hopeful. We have adapted, together, to a "new normal." And, we all need your support this winter to continue building strong communities during this challenging time.