Funded by a $1 surcharge on each ton of waste processed at the Metro Central Transfer Station in Northwest Portland, this grant program benefits the neighborhoods of Forest Park, Cathedral Park and Linnton; the Northwest District Association and the Northwest Industrial Area; and an area of the St. Johns neighborhood directly adjacent to the St. Johns Bridge. A committee of local residents annually reviews applications and selects projects to fund. The Metro Central Community Enhancement Committee approved funding for nine projects in the 2021 grant cycle, awarding a total of $277,659.
Project duration is one year unless otherwise noted.
- Friends of Trees: $18,280 to support Community Tree Care with Youth Leaders in Cathedral Park Neighborhood, a program intended to build viable career pathways in urban forestry for underserved youth and youth of color. Youth gain paid experience pruning young trees in the Cathedral Park Neighborhood alongside Friends of Trees staff.
- St. Johns Food Share: $12,500 for St. Johns Food Share Energy Efficient Refrigeration, which will fund the purchase of two energy-efficient industrial refrigerators and back-up power units. This additional refrigeration will help promote food safety, greatly reduce food spoilage, and enable St. Johns Food Share to reach additional households in the grant target area – an expected increase in 150 households annually.
- The Forest Park Conservancy: $30,000 for Green Jobs Training and Internship Program, a year-long workforce development program for young adults of color that will provide paid work experience with government organizations on projects that promote recreation and education improvements to Forest Park.
- Neighbors for Clean Air: $35,000 for the Deconstructing Diesel Campaign, an effort to educate Northwest Portland residents about the most dangerous sources of air pollution and the effects that it has on community health and the environment. In addition to education, the campaign will focus on mobilizing Northwest Portland residents to help effect changes to state and local diesel emission regulations.
- Portland Harbor Community Coalition: $20,000 for the Braided River Campaign, an engagement program that elevates voices of communities impacted by environmental justice issues along the Willamette River. A wide range of partners will be engaged to increase awareness about the untold history of the first residents along the Willamette River through storytelling and street art.
- Community Alliance of Tenants: $60,000 for Tenant Leadership Development and Civic Engagement, a program that supports low-income renters’ rights to advocate for healthier and more stable living conditions in the grant target area. Participants engage in community activism and become leaders in their own buildings, neighborhoods and communities.
- Store to Door: $50,000 to support Bringing Nourishment and Connection to Homebound Seniors, a program that provides Portland-area seniors and people with disabilities with affordable, volunteer-based grocery shopping and delivery service to their door. Expanding these efforts will foster independent living for recipients, increase social supports and provide access to low-cost or no-cost services.
- Linnton Community Center: $11,879.07 for Give Linnton’s Children Safety and Clean Air to Breathe, a capital project to reopen Linnton Community Center’s preschool for underserved young people, which was closed due to COVID-19. This grant funds purchase and installation of a new air filtration system that will filter pollutants caused by traffic on Highway 30 and mitigate air-born viral transmission of COVID-19. The grant also funds the purchase of a new automatic electronic defibrillator (AED).
- Friendly House Inc.: $40,000 for the Friendly House COVID-19 Support for Children and Families, a Virtual Learning Support Program (VSLP) for children and families in the grant target area. This pilot program assists families with distance learning challenges, and provides support for the financial and emotional hardship that families are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Friendly House will train VSLP teachers to provide online support for elementary school children, help them with online school work, improve organizational skills and bolster social connections.
Learn more about Metro Central Enhancement Grants