From urban chickens and beekeeping to year-round food gardening, fermentation and preservation, City of Portland’s Urban Growth Bounty will be offering over 70 classes throughout 2010.

More than 700 local residents learned how to transform their yards into “urban farms,” preserve their harvest and keep chickens and bees thanks to the last year’s classes. The overwhelming response has led to a tripling of course offerings for the 2010. The expanded roster includes more cheesemaking and cooking, advanced chicken and beekeeping, innovative gardening and healthful food on a budget classes. On-line registration is available at http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/ugb.

Job Announcement

CRAFT Bilingual (Spanish/English)

DV Support Group Facilitator

Job Title:                                CRAFT Bilingual (Spanish/English) Domestic Violence Support Group Facilitator

Department:                           Social Services

In accordance with Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 950 (5CFR950), federations, charitable agencies, or combinations thereof may serve as the Principal Combined Fund Organization (PCFO) for a local Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

The CFC is the largest workplace charitable fundraising program in the world, conducted amongst federal government employees each year from Sept. 1 – Dec. 15. The Pacific Northwest CFC serves 25,000 federal employees in 33 Oregon and SW Washington counties. For more information, go to www.pacificnwcfc.org.

Regional Arts & Culture Council awards $412,895 for 92 artistic projects in 2010

The Regional Arts & Culture Council announced today that a total of $412,895 will be awarded to artists, nonprofit organizations, and schools in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties as part of RACC’s competitive “Project Grant” program.

Books for Kids, a local nonprofit that donates books to children in need, has a surplus (several hundred) of the following titles and would like to donate them to non-profit programs or Title 1 schools:

Harriet Tubman Freedom Leader by Tanya Savory Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

Both titles are in paperpack and the books are new.

If you would like to receive copies, please contact Donna Neerhout ([email protected])

Large quantity of 3' wide flat polyfill sheets, semi-wrapped in rolled bundles. Perhaps 1-2 cubic yards worth. Material was used as "winter scene" decoration, but is in good condition. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Are you concerned about vulnerable seniors and adults with disabilities in your community? Do you work in a job where you have contact with the public (i.e. a bank, store clerk, call center) Are you retired and looking for a volunteer opportunity that addresses a critical community need? Do you have approximately 5-10 hours/month available to volunteer? Do you enjoy doing community presentations and/or public speaking?

If you answered YES to any or all of the above questions then you may be a great candidate to volunteer with the Gatekeeper program!

Living Earth’s Hats & Scarves Winter Warming Project connects Portland’s knitters and crocheters with folks who need a little help staying warm this winter. Check out www.HatsandScarves.org or www.LivingEarthGatherings.org for full details. 

Hats & Scarves is simple: Knit or crochet hats and scarves – as many as you’d like to – for babies, kids and adults. You can do it on the bus, at a meeting, watching TV or wherever you happen to have a few minutes and free hands. Then drop your finished items in a Living Earth drop basket at 7 Corners New Seasons Market, or any Albina Community Bank branch. We will be accepting new hand-made items until at least January 31.  

Like sewing? Want to help homeless families this January? Come out to the MLK Day “Bink-A-Thon” on January 18th and be a part of a blanket-making extravaganza!

The United Way and Hands On Greater Portland are working with Binky Patrol – Comforting Covers for Kids to rally a brigade of sewing-savvy volunteers to make as many blankets as possible in a half a day. The blankets will then be distributed to children and families at Washington County’s Project Homeless Connect at the end of January. This project is part the United Way’s initiative to get over 2,000 volunteers out on dozens of projects in the four-county area over MLK Weekend 2010.