End of year, end of the Give!Guide

The Willamette Week is making a last push to reach $900,000 for the 2010 Give!Guide. Anyone who donates from 12/30 until the last day will be entered to win a bottle of Rogue Spirits Spiced Rum, perfect for the chilly winter weather (or any weather, for that matter).

Help p:ear reach $20,000 and the Willamette Week reach $900,000 by donating here.

Response to WW Article

Although p:ear welcomes Willamette Week’s scrutiny of non-profit management (see “Flabby Charities,” by James Pitkin December 22, 2010), this article fails to offer accurate insight and context into the specifics of p:ear’s 2008 fiscal year.

 

In 2008, p:ear closed for several months in preparation for moving into a new building. During the move, there were no programs and therefore, no program costs. This decrease in programming costs – lower than in years past and present – is reflected in the 2008 990 form. 

 

As many of you already know, p:ear operates on remarkably lean budget and staff. 

 

Furthermore, the article fails to account for p:ear’s cultural capital and unique structure for working with homeless youth. Specifically:

 

1)   All p:ear staff are teachers foremost, not administrators. The staff of p:ear spend at least 50% of their time on “the floor,” mentoring, teaching, and working with youth. Due to this, many of the administrative costs of running p:ear transfer to programming.

 

2)   A large number of volunteers supplement staff and teach classes for no cost, which is not reflected in the 990 document. The music, photography and job-training barista school – all core programs – are all run on volunteer hours. During the 2008 fiscal year, 65 volunteers provided over 2,400 hours. p:ear mentors/administrators work to cultivate  and support community partners. This is a core asset not reflected in the fiscal calculus used to develop the cost/pass ratio by the Attorney General.

 

3) Additionally many local businesses and individuals make in-kind donations of food, clothing, equipment, art supplies, etc. to p:ear which fill many of the program needs. These in-kind donations decrease our programs costs by a significant percent.

 

We invite James Pitkin to review and compare our 2009 financials.

Gifts of hope

A card came in the mail today. Simple words full of both grief and hope, it touched all of us. I've taken out names to ensure privacy but the message is still strong and inspiring.

Dear Pear, My daughter passed away during birth last year. I want to give her a better world for Christmas. I believe you are doing work to create a better world. I asked my community to make a donation in my daughter's name. Thank you for the work you do.

Santa wants you to rock out! Another Gray Christmas donates proceeds to p:ear

There's only so many times you can listen "Frosty the Snowman" before you want to take an ice pick and hack old Frosty into snowballs. Thankfully the Willamette Week has put together a holiday compilation of Portland bands signing anything and everything but Frosty. The cd is only $5 with proceeds going to p:ear. 

Feeling more Scrooge than Santa? You can preview the music or check the freerelease party and performances at Mississippi Studios this Wednesday, 12/22. Thanks to Casey Jarman and the Willamette Week for being awesome and helping us rock out this holiday season!

And you can always donate to p:ear through the Willamette Week's Give!Guide, too.

Giving Tree Drop-off Monday, 12/20

I realized yesterday that I've been so busy that I've forgotten to open the past ten days of my Advent calendar (which is good because that means I'm not eating the chocolate inside the calendar, which is the real reason I buy it). Time flies during the holidays, but our Giving Tree partners have been busy distributing our p:ear ornaments and we can't thank them enough!

So if you did take an ornament, the drop-off date for gifts is this Monday, December 20th. We'll be here from 8:30 am until 4 pm. Stop by, get a cup of espresso at the p:ear barista school, check out the Recovery Panes instillation at the gallery and say hello. We really appreciate all who have helped out to make this holiday special for our kids.

Special thanks to Portland Center Stage, Bridgeport United Church of Christ, OHSU, Floating World Comics, Anka Gallery, TwentyFourSeven, Cupcake Jones and Arabella Salon.

Over at the Willamette Week...

In case you missed it, the lovely (and somewhat graceful) Pippa, p:ear program director extraordinaire is featured on the Willamette Week's Give!Guide page, and no, it's not the kind of video that would take her out of running for public office. Though you've probably already seen it, take another look and donate to p:ear through the Give!Guide.

Twofer! p:ear and Oregon Cultural Trust

Name flakes on the Christmas tree at p:ear. Can you tell whose name this is?

Did you know that p:ear is one of the Oregon Cultural Trust's non-profit partners? That means that any donation you make through p:ear AND match with a donation OCT is a tax credit. It's an easy way to help two great organizations and save some money! For more information on the Oregon Cultural Trust, the tax credit and how to donate, visit their website. You can donate to p:ear both through our website and through the Willamette Week Give!Guide.

Go Go Giving Tree!

When you don't have a tree, here's another idea for sprucing up the office. This is from the the creative minds at Twenty Four Seven, who are participating in p:ear's Giving Tree. Pretty cool!

Dine at the Original and 10% goes to p:ear

Enjoy dinner at the Original: A Dinerant through Decemeber 15th and 10% of your bill will be donated to p:ear! Print off this coupon to bring to your server and sit back, relax and enjoy the Original's mod-American cuisine. Thanks to our friends at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Portland for this delicious donation!

"Don't be Elfish" holiday party, December 16th

p:ear cordially invites you to "Don't be Elfish," a holiday party hosted by p:ear board member Paul Finlay of Tychon Development and social media wizard Trent Finlay. Not only will you be treated to holiday treats (both booze and sweets), live music and swag bags, but the party will benefit a several Portland non-profits.

So get your reindeer sweater, fill a flask to spike the eggnog, slip some mistletoe in your back pocket and get ready to ho ho ho the night away!

Festivities include:
• Live creation of gingerbread house collaboratively decorated by the nonprofits 
• Portland Art Cards and performance by Aaron Trotter 
• Handmade Almond Toffee by Mike Calder of Vollie Austin Toffee 
• Complimentary holiday gift bags with schwag and goodies 
• Live holiday music by the Carri Bella Combo • FREE BOOZE + GREAT FOOD!

Thurs December 16 

6-9pm 

2804 NE 31st Ave, Portland 97212 

No cover, BUT prepare to donate! 

Dress Code: Sexy Santa!

Feeling extra philanthropic?

Bring canned food and clothes for the Sunshine Division

Icarus without wings

One of our kids sent a message the other day. This short but poignant note speaks of gratitude and hope, and captures why p:ear is here.

Subject: I WROTE THIS TO PUT ON YOUR WALL BUT ITS TOO BIG. THIS IS HOW I FEEL. TOO BIG.

P:EAR IS THE BEST IDEA EVER. PROOF HAVING IDEA CAN BECOME SOMETHING SO MUCH MORE. I LOVE PIPPA BETH JOY ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELP WHETHER ITS FACELESS BUT HEART FELT DONATIONS OR THE OPEN MINDED EVER ENCOURAGING STAFF. I MISS MY KIDS AND AM THANKFUL FOR THE ENVIORNMENT THEY AND I APPRECIATE SO MUCH. IT IS SO ELATING. THE POSITIVE EXPIERIENCES AND ADVICE I RECIEVED WHILE I WAS THERE WILL STAY WITH ME IN MY WHOLE ADVENTURE OF LIFE. THE PEOPLE THERE IN THOSE WALLS HAVE MOTIVATED ME , SOME EVEN INADVERTANTLY, TO MOVE NOT ONLY FORWARD BUT UPWARD WITH TALENT AS METAPHORICAL WINGS. REAL WINGS. NO ICARUS HERE. I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I PRAY ONE DAY I CAN GIVE BACK IN THE BIGGEST WAY POSSIBLE. bEING AWAY HAS REALLY MADE ME COME TO APPRECIATE WHAT I LEFT BEHIND. PIPPA HAS HELPED ME SO MUCH AND I AM NEVER AFRAID TO CALL ON HER. ITS SO SERIOUS. I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW HOW DEEPLY IVE BEEN TOUCHED. TO THE CORE OF MY BIG BIG ARTISTICLY INCLINDED HEART. PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HAVE STOPPED CARING ABOUT PEOPLE. YOU NEVER STOP AND I NEVER WILL BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED FROM A STRANGER ONE DAY. I AM PROUD BECAUSE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND I KNOW I CAN DO ANYTHING , IF NOT EVERYTHING. SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU AND YOURS. I KEEP YOU IN MIND IN MY JOURNEY. TRULEY YOURS .

Sparkling p:ears at Portland Center Stage

If you're in the Pearl District, stop by Portland Center Stage and see their Giving Tree full of p:ear ornaments!

Cha donates 10% of December proceeds to p:ear

We love good Mexican food and so we're super excited that Cha is donating 10% of all their December dinner proceeds to p:ear (though we don't really need the excuse to try their Winter Mojito with the Enchiladas De Rajas Poblanas). Prepare yourself for hunger with Cha's menu. A big thanks to Cha's Javier for making this happen!

Need a place for a holiday party? Call Cha for reservations: 503-29504077

Calling all Amex members

Did you know that you can donate to p:ear through your American Express card? The Members Give program allows Amex users to donate in a variety of ways:

• Give to one or more charities and nonprofit organizations
• Donate dollars with your American Express Card
• Redeem Membership Rewards^® points to make a donation
• Set up recurring donations
• Spread your donation out over the year

Setting your donation is easy. Click here to get started.