Community Works provides hope, support, and empowerment to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking. Social justice is at the core of the work they do, and they are ready to align our programs with our vision and enter the next phase of our commitment to justice, equity, and inclusion. Violence is rooted in oppression, and Community Works is committed to preventing oppression through equity work. These funds are providing the opportunity to hire a Diversity and Belonging Coordinator to hold them accountable and spearhead and facilitate the work we all must do to effect change internally and in their community.

PAS (prevencion de aggression sexual) engages their community through strategies that are woven together through a culturally specific lens that views anti-oppression work as essential to the prevention of violence. They engage the community by offering culturally specific programming to youth, their supporters, and to community members by strengthening our cultural connectivity through artistic creation, Latine traditional activities, and celebration of cultural beliefs that bring generations together to create safe spaces where youth, parents, and grandparents can engage in positive discussions that address the root causes of violence.

Self Enhancement Inc. (SEI) offers wraparound, culturally-specific social services to the Black community in the Portland Metro Area, including housing, energy, family stability, community health, as well as in-school support and after-school programming for elementary, middle, and high school students. With this grant, they hope to create a framework for sustainable programming by building prevention programming and resources into SEI's structure and materials. This involves developing specialized violence prevention tools and training for SEI staff across all departments, expanding prevention services to additional schools and grade levels, and empowering parents and the broader community to facilitate violence prevention. Additionally, a community-level assessment will be conducted to determine the need for culturally-specific sexual assault services in the Portland metro area.

Shelter from the Storm will be using the ARPA prevention funds to develop capacity internally to create a new prevention program. The development plan includes creating three new positions: a Co-Located Community Advocate, an LGBTQ+ Community Advocate, and a Development Manager that will work in tandem doing much-needed and crucial outreach and intimate partner prevention work needed in our community. The Development Manager will be the point person for this program and will oversee further development and strategy utilizing the talents of both of the new advocates. This project will allow us to be population-specific and staff throughout our community to provide regular access to advocacy, training, and primary prevention education for our partners.

The Harbor recognizes the link between inclusive, comprehensive sex education and sexual violence prevention, and will provide a series of educational workshops for parents and caregivers to learn how to have on-going conversations around safer sex, consent, and healthy relationships with the youth in their lives. These workshops will reduce stigma and shame, increase knowledge, and provide parents and caregivers with the confidence to engage in safe, supportive dialogue with the youth in their lives.