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Bradford signs on as auction chair
Volunteerism has always been an important activity for Parkrose resident Julie D. Bradford, but this year community service has taken on new meaning.
Bradford has just signed on for a two-year term as chair of a major fundraiser for SnowCap Community Charities.
SnowCap’s sixth annual Valentine Dinner/Auction event is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, 8235 N.E. Airport Way. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for the silent auction. A plated dinner starts at 7 p.m. with oral auction bidding to follow.
Bradford became involved with SnowCap when she was on the Airport Sheraton marketing staff and was instrumental in helping SnowCap relocate its auction to the facility. Later, when affiliated with Nostalgic Realty, she was a major contributor to the auction.
This year she is involved in guiding the committee that is securing interesting items for both the silent and oral auctions and making sure dinner reservations are sold out.
Bradford credits her Christian upbringing as a major motivation for her involvement in community service.
She was born in The Dalles and after high school there attended Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham where she received an associate’s degree. She has resided with her husband in Parkrose for many years.
“I believe that anyone with a good job, food on the table and heat in the house has an obligation to give something back to their community,” Bradford said. “Working with SnowCap provides an opportunity to assist people who are less fortunate in a meaningful way.”
Bradford is hopeful this year’s Valentine-themed event can raise more than $50,000. Last year’s auction raised $46,000. “The $50,000 goal is doable,” she said.
Major auction items include vacation packages, fishing trips, dine-outs and personal services. Attendees have an opportunity to bid on a lunch with Gresham Police Chief Carla Piluso and a brunch with Multnomah County Sheriff Bernie Giusto.
Advance reservations are required. Tickets are $50 per person. Tables also are available.
Additional information and ticket reservations are available from SnowCap at 503-674-8785, ext. 17, or rhea@snowcap.org.
SnowCap Community Charities is a volunteer nonprofit, faith-based agency that provides food, clothing, seasonal energy assistance, English language instruction and advocacy services for low-income and needy families and individuals in east Multnomah County.
PDC makes home buying easier
At its Jan. 9 meeting, the Portland Development Commission board of commissioners approved new funding and significant changes to PDC’s homebuyer assistance tools. The changes increase the PDC home ownership budget and open up PDC’s homebuyer assistance tools to better partner with private sector lenders. It also replaced the PDC Shared Appreciation Mortgage with a more traditional deferred payment loan.
The commission increased funding for PDC home buyer assistance programs by $2.1 million. It also expanded PDC’s home buyer assistance service areas by adding Gateway to the existing list.
In addition to the increased funding and expanded program areas, PDC is introducing a new loan program. The new program is called Opportunities Through Partnership, and it allows for the first mortgage loan to be made by a participating lender, which may be PDC, with a second loan from PDC. The OTP program is a four percent, silent second mortgage, meaning the payments are deferred. The loan funds may be used for down payment assistance, up to 25 percent of the purchase price or an interest rate buy down. PDC can lend up to 105 percent of the value of the property, and five percent of the loan can be used to pay for home improvements after purchase.
“PDC is excited to have more funding, new programs and a stronger partnership with private sector lenders to help more Portlanders own a home of their own,” said Bruce Warner, PDC executive director. “Home ownership is a cornerstone of our strategy to make Portland a great place to call home.”
The expansion of PDC’s home buyer assistance programs is needed to help address the gap in home ownership rates between whites and minorities. According to 2005 U.S. Census figures and data obtained by Native American Youth and Family Services, the gap in home ownership rates between whites and African Americans is 21 percent; for Asians it’s 1 percent; for Hispanics it’s 26 percent; for Native Americans it’s 42 percent. According to the Regional Multiple Listing Service, the median-priced house in the Portland metropolitan area rose from $79,900 in 1990 to $287,000 as of October 2007.
For more information about PDC’s new and expanded home buyer assistance programs, please visit www.pdc.us/nhp or call a PDC loan specialist at 503-823-3400.
Health Careers Access Project receives aid
The Mt. Hood Community College Health Careers Access Project has been awarded a grant in the amount of $10,000 by the Oregon Community Foundation.
HCAP is a demonstration project designed to assist low-income, minority and non-native English-speaking women in preparing for entry into nursing and other health care training programs. The program is beneficial not only to these women, but also serves the community by placing minority and bilingual workers in an industry that greatly needs them.
“OCF’s support for the HCAP over the past three years recognizes its valuable work to provide low-income and minority women with a portal to careers in an industry that is characterized by family wage jobs and health care benefits. HCAP offers its students both hope and education to change their lives for the better,” said OCF’s Senior Program Officer Jeff Anderson. “We’re hopeful the program will continue to earn support from the local community and the college as its graduates exercise their skills in the workforce, and as HCAP seeks to expand and replicate its model.”
The project is also supported by grants from the Meyer Memorial Trust, Northwest Health Foundation, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, Kaiser Permanente, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, James F. and Marion L. Miller and the Wessinger Foundation.
All HCAP participants complete at least one term in the highly successful Transitions/Transiciones college-entry program at MHCC. The students research a variety of careers and training programs while simultaneously strengthening their study skills and increasing their chances of becoming a vital part of Oregon’s health care workforce. For more information about HCAP or the Transitions/Transiciones programs, please call 503-491-7680 or visit www.mhcc.edu.
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