Current Community Partners

The SMART reading program helps kids become confident readers by providing individual volunteer attention and new, take-home books. Each year we recruit, train and manage up to 10,000 volunteers throughout Oregon. Since 1992 SMART has served 130,000 children, given away 1.8 million books, and enlisted the help of 90,000 volunteers contributing over 2.8 million hours.

 

Click here for information about 3CE’s partnership w/ SMART.

Open Meadow is a private, non-profit, accredited, educational organization serving youth who have not fared well in the public schools. Many of our students dropped out of public school. Many struggled with attendance, academic, or disciplinary issues. We believe that all of them deserve a quality education. In April of 2003, Open Meadow Alternative Schools partnered with Roosevelt High School by creating the Step Up Program, with the goal of successful transition into Roosevelt High School. Achieving this goal has resulted in (1) a decreased dropout rate at Roosevelt, and (2) significant academic improvement, particularly among students of color.

Click here for information about 3CE’s partnership w/ Open Meadow.

Operation Nightwatch is an ecumenical ministry that has been offering hospitality, hope, and healing to the street population of downtown Portland since 1981. Whereas other agencies exist to provide services such as housing, food and clothing, ONW recognizes that the homeless also suffer from social isolation, and has as its simple ideal to offer respect, dignity, and friendship.

Click here for information about 3CE’s partnership w/ Nightwatch.

The Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland, Oregon, works to enrich the lives of our Native youth and families through education, community involvement, and culturally specific programming. We have provided educational services, cultural arts programming, and direct support to reduce poverty to the Portland metropolitan area’s American Indian and Alaska Native community. for over 30 years.

3CE has worked with a number of students before and during their service with NAYA. Additionally, and new in 2010, NAYA is an official Lewis & Clark work study partner. Students interested can search work study opportunities at NAYA through the on-line job search portal.

Outside In is a social service agency dedicated to serving low-income adults and homeless youth. It began in 1968, and has continually revised services to meet changing client needs. Current programs include a community health clinic, a homeless youth program designed to help homeless youth obtain independent living, and risk education.

Habitat for Humanity, is an international, ecumenical Christian, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building “simple, decent, and affordable”housing. Homes are built using volunteer labor and are sold at no profit. In locations outside the United States, Habitat for Humanity charges interest to protect against inflation. This policy has been in place since 1986.

 

Click here for information about 3CE’s partnership w/ Habitat.

Oregon Campus Compact is a state affiliate chapter of Campus Compact, a national coalition of over 1,100 college and university presidents dedicated to promoting service-learning, civic engagement, and community service in higher education. To this end, it encourages, supports and leverages the work of institutions to educate responsible citizens and caring leaders. 

3CE partners with Campus Compact on a variety of programs and initiatives most notably the MLK Day of Service. In the past, 3CE has hosted an AmeriCorps VISTA in partnership with Campus Compact.

 

The American Red Cross Biomedical Services plays a critical role in our nation’s health care system. It is the largest single supplier of blood and blood products in the United States, collecting and processing more than 40 percent of the blood supply and distributing it to some 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide. The Red Cross also plays a leading role in protecting the safety of donors and patients and increasing the availability of blood. 

3CE hosts 3 blood drives on campus each year; 2 in the fall and 1 in the spring. Be on the lookout for announcements in the service newsletter and on-line for dates, times, and locations.

The Friends of Tryon Creek (FOTC) have a 40 year history of providing educational programs as well as hands on stewardship and conservation efforts in Tryon Creek State Natural Area. FOTC’s mission is to build connections to the natural world that enhance the physical and spiritual well-being of the individual and expand knowledge and interest in protecting all natural places. This is accomplished by developing effective educational and interpretive programs; vital preservation and restoration projects that support and protect the natural cycles of the forest; efforts to maintain trails and facilities; meaningful volunteer opportunities; and successful partnerships with Oregon Parks & Recreation Department and others who share our values and goals.

3CE partners with our neighbors at Tryon Creek on a variety of programs and initiatives including Saturdays @ Service, Spring into Action, and the MLK Day of Service.