Fall Newsletter - October 2010
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Dear Friends,
I have a question on which I'd like you to ponder. What debates will we have in 25 years? Over the past few weeks and months we have all read the headlines and seen the evening news discussing the gang violence in our community. While the collapse of the family is nothing new, I believe something new must be done to reverse this trend.
Poverty has been and remains the primary cause of dream suppression in our community. Young people struggle with the throbbing need to cope with the harsh realities of today, yet dream of the possibilities of tomorrow. Can you imagine wondering where your next meal is going to come from, and still having the mental interest and energy to dream of owning your own business? Needless to say, we need to formulate new solutions to this problem.
Today I can say that I am convinced that poverty, the achievement gap, and violence are all connected and the cure lies with parents and future parents in our community. It saddens me to say that poverty will never be eliminated, however we can redefine its impact. In our five-year existence, The Black Parent Initiative (BPI) is further along in this effort than we could have imagined. What follows are a few of our major accomplishments.
BPI has impacted the region by bringing parenting to the forefront of foundations, policy makers and thought leaders. All around us people are beginning to recognize that gangs and the achievement gap will not be eliminated until better parents are in the homes within our community. We've worked with hundreds of parents conducting trainings and symposiums and 95% of them have indicated that we have positively impacted how they parent. But this is just the beginning and we are ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
I believe today more than ever that we will not rid ourselves of these demons unless YOU join us in this fight. The lack of parenting is not just a Black issue. Parenting is hard, but we all want our children to have a better future than we had! I invite you to join us in our fight; a fight to transform our community.
So, how can you help transform our neighbors and our community? Help us by attending our upcoming fundraiser, volunteer to teach a class at Parent University, or volunteer to help us find items for our Home Simulator, where parents in our community can come and learn practical skills that will lead to the transformation.
Thank you for your continued support and we need each other!
Sincerely,
Charles McGee
President & CEO
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Interview with a BPI Parent...
Over the last few years we have realized that we have not done a good job articulating what we do, how we do it and who we do it for. In each of our newsletters we will pose questions to a member of the families we work with. Below is the first of such interviews...
BPI: What are the primary issues your family faces?
Parent: Employment, housing, and government dependence.
BPI: What has BPI done to assist you and your family?
Parent: Provided positive support and information about employment resources.
BPI: Where do you see your family in 2 years?
Parent: I want my own home, to be employed, my 4 year-old daughter in a good school, and my family being self-reliant.
BPI: What role do you see BPI playing in improving your current situation?
Parent: Helping me get my family on track by teaching me how to improve my parenting skills.
BPI: What is the biggest dream you have for your family?
Parent: I want to go back to college and I want my daughter to finish school.
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Parent University Class Schedule Released!
Thanks to the generosity of United Way, BPI is conducting trainings focused on breaking the cycle of poverty and working hard to close the educational achievement gap. All parents are invited to attend a Parent University class!
Examples of classes include:
- Navigating Children's Virtual Worlds
- Building Wealth in the African-American Family
- Screen Time and Children's Health
- "Let's Talk" - Healthy Perspectives About Sexuality
Classes are free of charge; but registration is required. Child care will be provided for all classes.
Sign up today
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BPI's Annual Luncheon Fundraiser
The event will be held
Thursday November 4th
11:30-1:00
NW Natural Gas Building
220 NW 2nd Avenue, 4th Floor
Click Here to Register
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Free Dental Care Offered
The Oregon Dental Association and Dental Foundation of Oregon will provide FREE dental care through a Mission of Mercy (MOM) program
Monday, November 22 and
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Oregon Convention Center
777 NE MLK Jr Blvd.
Doors open at 6 a.m. Patients will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis with a maximum of 1,000 patients seen each day. The day's patient quota is typically reached by 10 a.m., so come early!
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