The Neighborhood House was built by the Portland Section NCJW in 1910 and through the years has served a population of diverse backgrounds through education, advocacy and community service. The building was sold in 2000 to the Cedarwood School.
In August of 2005, a committee was appointed by the Portland Section NCJW President. The committee's charge was to research giving opportunities in the community and provide recommendations to the board for the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Neighborhood House. The committee developed a mission statement, that the Neighborhood House Fund should be used to enhance and give stature to NCJW by honoring what the Neighborhood House represented to the Portland Jewish community. It was decided that the Fund should go to a project(s) that would expand our section's visibility in the community, bear the NCJW name, and go to a Jewish organization to provide services to Jews and non-Jews in the greater Portland area.
Following an extensive needs assessment of our community, two quality proposals were studied and selected. Both proposals were found consistent with the philosophy of NCJW Inc., and the history of the Portland Section's involvement in the community. At the April 2007 meeting of the membership the committee presented their recommendation that the money realized from the sale of the Neighborhood House be divided equally between Cedar Sinai/ Jewish Family and Child Services, and The Oregon Jewish Museum.
CEDAR SINAI/ JEWISH FAMILY & CHILD SERVICES PROPOSAL
This proposal focused on the development of a special needs housing project for Disabled Adults who have not been able to live independent of their families. As parents of these adults age, the issue of transition and long-term planning for this population can best be responded to with a combination of housing, case management, and support services. Cedar Sinai is partnering with Jewish Family and Child Services to plan and develop this project. In collaboration with the Kuni Foundation, the Oregon Department of Human Services and United Way, funding from HUD has been approved and ground breaking is scheduled to start this spring. NCJW Portland Section will be involved with the planning and implimentation of this program.
_____________________________________________
NCJW Portland Oregon Section Gallery at The Oregon Jewish Museum on Dedication Day.
Gathering at the old OJM to hear plans for the permanent exhibit which will include NCJW archives
THE OREGON JEWISH MUSEUM PROPOSAL
This proposal comprises a request for funds to be used both toward the creation of a core exhibit about Oregon Jewish history to be housed in a permanent exhibition gallery, as well as complementary education programs. The exhibit will document the experience of Oregon Jews and provide a teaching opportunity for all ages to further their knowledge of the dynamic role Jews have played in the history of our state. We propose to name the gallery The National Council of Jewish Women, Portland Oregon Section Gallery, to ensure that the organization continues to be recognized in perpetuity. Additionally we propose that some of the donated funds be kept in a restricted account to be used soley for the purpose of developing a school curriculum to bring school classes into the museum for programs and activities.
In September 2007 we removed 43 file boxes from a rented storage facility and delivered them to OJM. For the next 3 years volunteers from our section met weekly at the museum to organize and catalogue our archives and incorporate them into the museums collection. They represent the most complete chronological history of Portland in the Museum's archives, and they are available to be viewed at OJM.org.
