Dear Friends,
With Thanksgiving just few days away and 2011 drawing quickly to a close, I'd like to take this opportunity to express how thankful I am to live in this community. I'm thankful to belong to a community that, despite its economic challenges, continues to champion values near and dear to me such as equity, sustainability, goodwill, entrepreneurship, culture and innovation. I'm thankful to hold a position that allows me to truly serve those in need. And I'm thankful for all the work Multnomah County employees do to better the lives of our residents.
No matter what your plans are this Thursday, I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on all the things you have in your life to be thankful for.
Sincerely,
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On Thursday, Oct. 27th, Multnomah County made Oregon history by being the first jurisdiction in the state to ban the countywide sale of reusable beverage containers made with the dangerous industrial chemical, Bisphenol A.
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Millie Baron and Vivienne Dempsey eat and drink from BPA-free containers during the Oct. 27 board meeting
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Bisphenol A, or BPA, is used to harden plastics and can be found in products such as baby bottles, sippy cups and sports bottles. The chemical has been linked to serious health concerns such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and reproductive issues. I'm proud that our board heeded the community's call to take local action on this in the wake of the Oregon Legislature's failed effort. Thanks to overwhelming support from every corner of our community, from mothers to business owners to nurses --we've taken this important step toward protecting our community from this harmful chemical. Click here to view FAQs on Multnomah County's new BPA policy.
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Click image to view board comments and the vote
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With the temperature rapidly dropping and winter right around the corner, some of our most vulnerable citizens will need shelter.
If you know someone who needs help during these harsh winter months, please refer them to our Multnomah County-funded community partners at 211. Operators at 211 will help those seeking shelter sort out their needs and get them connected with other essential services.
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At Multnomah County, we're happy to announce the kick off of the second season of our Beginning Farmer Apprenticeship Program (BUFA). This hands-on, eight month-long intensive program that we run in partnership with Oregon State University Extension Service, offers education, in-field experience and skill development to a new generation of aspiring farmers ready to break into small-scale, sustainable, urban farming.
Sample BUFA course topics include:
- Intensive vegetable production
- Berry and fruit tree production and edible landscaping
- Farm/landscape infrastructure including irrigation, materials choices and installation
- Farm business planning and marketing
Applications will be accepted now through Jan.15, 2012. Scholarships and early bird discounts are available. Visit the BUFA page or watch the video below for more info.
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 In honor of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness month, we're putting the spotlight on a program that is offered through Multnomah County's Aging and Disability Services called STAR-C. This revolutionary program offers free assistance to caregivers on how to manage their stress and depression, and gives them strategies to reduce challenging behaviors in loved ones struggling with Alzheimer's. Those who are eligible for the program will receive eight weekly in-home education sessions from a STAR-C consultant with the possibility of respite care.
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Multnomah County is Oregon's most populous county with about 735,000 residents. Multnomah County is governed by a Board of four elected Commissioners and one Chair. Multnomah County employees provide citizens a wide range of health and human services, public safety services and other government services.
Multnomah County values the privacy of personal information and will not sell or otherwise disclose your email address, except as provided under Chapter 192 of the Oregon Revised Statues pertaining to Records; Public Reports and Meetings.
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