Light A Fire

Light a Fire

At Portland Audubon, There’s Wildlife Rescue, Nature Education, and Environmental Advocacy for All

At our “Caring for the Planet” award winner, it’s always baby bird season.

12/02/2020 By Julia Silverman

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This 50-Year-Old Housing Org Offers Hope to Portland’s Most Vulnerable Residents

Transition Projects combats homelessness with deeply affordable housing units built for long-term societal change.

12/02/2020 By Morgan Westling

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Basic Rights Oregon Has Advocated for LGBTQ Oregonians for a Quarter Century

Queer and trans Oregonians owe the nonprofit some significant policy victories.

12/02/2020 By Conner Reed

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Growing Gardens Grows More Than Just Plants

How one nonprofit has become a beacon of hope, health, and self-sufficiency.

12/02/2020 By Riley Blake

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Four Decades of Protest: Self Enhancement Inc Keeps Showing Up

The North Portland nonprofit works with schools, families, and partner organizations to provide support for students and their families, in academia and beyond.

12/02/2020 By Fiona McCann

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When COVID-19 Put Oregon’s Families in Deep Need, This Venture Nonprofit Changed Overnight to Help

Within days of COVID-19’s official arrival in Oregon in late winter, the Contingent sensed an urgent need for help among its foster families.

12/02/2020 By Marty Patail

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Margaret-Ann Jones at 71 Is Still Giving her Time and Opening Doors for Portlanders

“This is what feeds me. It lifts my spirits healing others,” she says. “One of my philosophies is the more you give away or the more you do, the more comes back to you.”

12/02/2020 By Ainslee Dicken

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The Black Resilience Fund Brings Immediate Financial Relief to Black Portlanders—and Strives for a More Equitable Future

The fund has grown from a GoFundMe with a goal of $5,000 to a nonprofit that’s raised nearly $1.7 million for Black Portlanders.

12/02/2020 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

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Brennan Wood Approaches Grief with Lived Experience, Compassion, and a Dedicated Staff

“This process of grieving the death of somebody is natural and normal and healthy, and it doesn’t have to be something you try to keep separate from who you are.”

12/02/2020 By Gabriel Granillo

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At Camp Ukandu, Jordan Herrle Restores Hope—and Childhood—for Kids Battling Cancer

The youngest member of the camp’s leadership team advocates year-round for kids with cancer.

12/02/2020 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

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This Portland-Based Organization Is Helping Kids Get the Healthy Meals They Need

Since 2017, Our Giving Table has been cooking and delivering nutritious, mom-made meals for food-insecure kids.

12/02/2020 By Karen Brooks

Doing Good

These 13 Nonprofits and Individuals Are Changing Our World for the Better

These are the 2020 winners of Portland Monthly’s 15th Annual Light a Fire awards.

09/28/2020 By Portland Monthly Staff

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Know a Nonprofit That Deserves an Award?

Submit your nominations for Portland Monthly’s 2020 Light a Fire awards now.

07/09/2020 By Portland Monthly Staff

Immigration

New OHS Exhibit Features Portland’s Undocumented DREAMers

The moving new exhibit mixes portraits and narratives with images of the items each one carried on their journey here.

01/16/2020 By Portland Monthly Staff

Party for a Cause

Celebrate Portland Monthly’s 2019 Light a Fire Award Winners in Person

Get ready for all the feels at our 15th annual nonprofit and volunteer awards gala at the Oregon Convention Center November 21.

11/12/2019 By Kelly Clarke

Inspiring Creativity

Bringing Music Education Back to Oregon Schools

Through her nonprofit Music Workshop, Portlander Amy Richter harnesses the power of technology to lighten the load for strapped educators.

10/23/2019 By Brendan Nagle

Leveling the Field

This Nonprofit Brings Women Together to Invest in Women

The Women's Foundation of Oregon lifts women and girls throughout the state.

10/23/2019 By Fiona McCann

Do Gooders

The 15th Annual Light a Fire Winners Are Here

Honoring the people making our city and state better for all

10/23/2019 Edited by Fiona McCann

Lifetime Achievement

This Portland Illustrator and Activist Has Been Working for LGBTQ Rights Since... Well, Forever

Rupert Kinnard joined the Portland Town Council, the first LGBTQ-rights umbrella group in Oregon, in the early ‘80s as its first black member.

10/23/2019 By Fiona McCann

Young Leader

This Woman Is Making College a Possibility for a New Generation of Portlanders

Margarita Gutierrez Lemus is the cochair of College Possible’s joint Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

10/23/2019 By Brendan Nagle

Portland Monthly

Light A Fire

At Portland Audubon, There’s Wildlife Rescue, Nature Education, and Environmental Advocacy for All

This 50-Year-Old Housing Org Offers Hope to Portland’s Most Vulnerable Residents

Basic Rights Oregon Has Advocated for LGBTQ Oregonians for a Quarter Century

Growing Gardens Grows More Than Just Plants

Four Decades of Protest: Self Enhancement Inc Keeps Showing Up

When COVID-19 Put Oregon’s Families in Deep Need, This Venture Nonprofit Changed Overnight to Help

Margaret-Ann Jones at 71 Is Still Giving her Time and Opening Doors for Portlanders

The Black Resilience Fund Brings Immediate Financial Relief to Black Portlanders—and Strives for a More Equitable Future

Brennan Wood Approaches Grief with Lived Experience, Compassion, and a Dedicated Staff

At Camp Ukandu, Jordan Herrle Restores Hope—and Childhood—for Kids Battling Cancer

Popular Content

4 Local Nonprofits Working on Environmental Issues

This Portland-Based Organization Is Helping Kids Get the Healthy Meals They Need

These 13 Nonprofits and Individuals Are Changing Our World for the Better

Know a Nonprofit That Deserves an Award?

New OHS Exhibit Features Portland’s Undocumented DREAMers

Celebrate Portland Monthly’s 2019 Light a Fire Award Winners in Person

Bringing Music Education Back to Oregon Schools

This Nonprofit Brings Women Together to Invest in Women

The 15th Annual Light a Fire Winners Are Here

This Portland Illustrator and Activist Has Been Working for LGBTQ Rights Since... Well, Forever

This Woman Is Making College a Possibility for a New Generation of Portlanders

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The New Willamette Valley