There is no better reflection of our community than our county

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Dear Friends,

This past Friday I had the honor of delivering my annual State of the County address at the City Club of Portland to a room filled with family, friends, colleagues and fellow county residents.

Having the opportunity to share the successes, obstacles and goals of Multnomah County was a humbling experience. I feel extremely fortunate to have shared this occasion with so many others who hold this organization, the services we provide and the residents we serve in such high regard.

Thanks to everyone who came out to attend the event. If you were unable to make the address, video and audio of the speech are available here.

Sincerely,

Jeff Cogen signature

Click image to view video.

Read county coverage of the address ● View the prepared remarks ● Watch video footage ● Listen to audio of the address

JD's Shoe Repair was able to move to a larger location on N. Alberta after securing a microloan.

Cobbler Julie Derrick's business is booming, and Multnomah County's new microloan program is helping to make sure it continues to grow.

The county's microloan program -- with expert microlenders Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon and MercyCorps NW -- sparks economic growth locally through small loans to small businesses. Nearly $1 million in loans and technical assistance has been made available so far to support local entrepreneurs of color, immigrants and women like Julie, who often face extra hurdles when trying to secure small business loans.

Since 2009 when she first opened JD's Shoe Repair, Julie has been repairing heels, replacing zippers and reinforcing shoe soles for customers. [Read more]

Click image to view video.

The Multnomah County SUN Community School system has recently been recognized by the national publication, Education Week for setting the standard in community-based support for children and their families.

In the article, "Oregon Community Schools Model Shows Staying Power", the SUN Community school system is hailed as a model for longevity and careful expansion.

The article attributes the program's sustainability to:

Collaboration, commitment and shared responsibility among

Multnomah County, the City of Portland, six school districts and community.

Community schools as hubs to deliver and coordinate an array of services and initiatives beyond afterschool programming.

The SUN Service System Coordinating Council, which helps provide vision and increased partnerships.

Click here to read the Education Week article.

Click here for more information on SUN Community Schools.

Do you know someone between the ages of 13 and 21 interested in activism, community organizing, or simply improving our community?

The Multnomah Youth Commission is now accepting applications for the 2012-13 season. Members of the commission will help shape policy changes that make the county and city a better place for young people to grow up.

Based on their area of interest, prospective youth commissioners can join one of the five committees listed below:

Education
Health and Wellness
Sustainability
Youth Voice
Youth Against Violence

The application deadline is April 30. For more information, please visit the Multnomah Youth Commission's page or contact Marc Fernandes at marc.fernandes@multco.us.

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.

With the April 17 filing deadline right around the corner, Multnomah County is offering its residents free tax preparation assistance opportunities.

Seniors, people with disabilities and low-income families and individuals can take advantage of resources made available by the Department of County Human Services.

Library patrons can attend free tax help sessions being offered at various branch locations throughout the county.