Dear PWA friends,

If you have a satisfying career, chances are you didn’t get there alone.  You likely had a great mentor or an amazing teacher. You may have had supportive parents, a remarkable first boss, a lucky break or all of the above.

If so, please consider donating to the nonprofit Portland Workforce Alliance as a way to pay it forward.  Your tax-deductible donation will help Portland high school students explore careers, make connections and experience the kind of lucky breaks that every young person deserves.

“A donation to PWA in honor of a family member, teacher or friend makes a perfect gift,” says PWA board president Natalie Miller of Lee Hecht Harrison. “It shows that you are thinking about them and helping support an organization that reaches many students.”

Individual giving makes up an important part of our diversified funding and is necessary for our sustainable operations. PWA is proud to be a lean, volunteer-driven, 501(c)3 organization with low overhead: Your donation will directly benefit students, Oregon schools and our future workforce.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WORK

So far this school year, we have provided or supported about 2,000 career-learning experiences for Portland high school students. This includes targeted outreach to higher-poverty campuses for volunteer assistance and business connections.

“I can honestly say it has been a turning point for nearly every one of my students who participated,” says a Roosevelt High School teacher who sought PWA’s help with mock job interviews this fall. “They have become more engaged, and connected with class more. So thank you.”

So today, please make a donation to PWA in honor of someone who made a difference to you and your career path. We would be happy to notify them of your gift, if you would like. Whether you donate $300, or $25, or somewhere in between, know that your support will help Portland young people find jobs and career opportunities they never thought possible.

Happy holidays,

Your team at PWA

THANK YOU, FUNDERS. Half of our funding comes from Oregon’s business community. The rest comes from education partners, the philanthropic community and generous individual donors. Special thanks to our Expo sponsors and to the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, the John and Ginger Niemeyer Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, the Oregon-Columbia chapter of Associated General Contractors, Bank of America and Juan Young Trust.

Tis the season: Include PWA in your year-end giving