Interview of Captain David Abrahamson By Jathan Janove VOA Oregon board member and Portland Police Captain David Abrahamson followed an unusual path to a law enforcement career. “I had planned to be an English and history teacher,” he says. “Although…
Working with Students
By Anna Bledsoe Our Prevention Services program has partnered with Portland Public Schools (PPS) this academic school year to ensure access to vaping education for middle and high school students. This has included the development of vaping-specific curriculum, offering on-demand…
Making a Difference
Interview of Andrea Cook, Ph.D. By Jathan Janove Andrea Cook, Ph.D., VOA Oregon’s Board Secretary, grew up on a ranch in rural eastern Oregon. At age 18 as a college freshman, she came to Portland and fell in love with…
Stability and Resilience
Since the 1940s, Volunteers of America Oregon Family Relief Nursery (FRN) has been working to support parents experiencing multiple stressors. Today, our holistic goal continues to be to keep children safe and with their families. This April, Child Abuse Prevention…
A Passion to Help Others
Interview of Bruce Warner By Jathan Janove Board Chair Bruce Warner has served on VOA Oregon’s Board for over 16 years. He’s a professional engineer who served in public administration until his retirement, having held leadership positions with the Oregon…
Overcoming Poverty and Trauma
Interview of Greg Stone By Jathan Janove Longtime VOA Oregon employee, Greg Stone, grew up in Portland amid poverty and trauma. His dad, an addict, left the family when Greg was eight, leaving his mother to raise five children with…
Al Forthan and Oregon’s most gratifying scholarship
10 years after originally attending the Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship Awards Ceremony in 2013, Steve Duin came back as the keynote speaker for this year’s annual ceremony. Read about Steve’s experience with past 2013 recipient Essie and the impact this…
Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship 2023 Annual Awards Ceremony
On Wednesday, May 3rd, Volunteers of America Oregon Men’s Residential Center had the honor of hosting the annual Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship Award Ceremony. Since the creation of the scholarship in 2006, VOA Oregon has been able to award $876,000…
2023 Al Forthan Scholarship Winners Announced
Volunteers of America Oregon is honored to announce the 2023 Al Forthan Scholarship winners! We are pleased to recognize and financially support so many remarkable young adults in achieving their dreams of attending college. With the support from our community,…
More on Glisan Street Site
A message from Our CEO Regarding our Glisan Street Site: The City of Portland continues to tour different sites throughout Portland to determine the possibility of additional encampments to address the needs of the homeless. Volunteers of America Oregon (VOA…