Living on $511 a month

For the month of April, p:ear board member Caroline Fitchett is experiencing what it's like to live on $511. Why only $511? That is the equivalent income of someone working 15 hours a week at minimum wage or the average fixed income of a section 8 voucher participant in Portland. Follow Caroline's journey on her tumblr page that has photos and commentary on what it's been like to live on an extremely tight budget.

End of April p:ear events

With only a few days left in the month, p:ear is packing a lot in! p:ear is thankful for the generosity of our community partners who help make p:ear programs, trips and classes possible.

• 4/28: Shop for a cause + celebrate art! p:ear youth have created a mural in celebration of p:earblossoms 2011 - ALCHEMY to display at Moule, and the store is donating 10% of all sales to p:ear this Thursday, April 28th. Come to shop, see the mural, listen to music from My Voice Music's Jamison Wandling, and enjoy some wine and beer at Moule, 12th and Everett.
• 4/28: After shopping, be sure to head to the Gilt Club for dinner. They're donating a % of sales from last Thursday to p:ear.
• Until 4/30: p:ear is the April recipient of a % of dinners from Besaw's in NW Portland.

Enjoy!

p:ear and moule invite you to shop for a cause, 4/28

On April 28th, Moule is donating 10% of all sales to p:ear! Come, shop, and also celebrate the instillation of a mural created by p:ear youth for Moule in the theme of "alchemy." Enjoy drinks and live music while shopping for a cause and finding the perfect outfit for p:earblossoms 2011.

Thank you, Rachel and Jaime at Moule for your support of p:ear!

p:ear chosen for "Build a Better World" award

p:ear was chosen as one of 5 national winners for an award through a competition in Fresh Home Magazine called "Build a Better World!" Pippa will be interviewed for the summer edition. It's a good way to end the week.

Hope you're hungry at p:earblossoms

p:ear board member Barry Sanders, "a human defibrillator"

p:ear board member Barry Sanders was recently nominated as a finalist for the 2011 Oregon Book Award for not just one, but two books. Congratulations, Barry!

Watch what Barry has to say about Lenny Bruce, coffee and happiness here.

p:ear partners with Northwest Auction Support for p:earblossoms 2011 - ALCHEMY

p:ear is pleased to partner with Portland-based Northwest Auction Support for the upcoming p:earblossoms 2011 - ALCHEMY. Northwest Auction Supports works with many local organizations for large events helping out with registration, check-in and other behind-the-scenes pieces that help make things run smoothly, and we know we're in good hands with Jon Briddenaugh's crew.

Purchase tickets for p:earblossoms 2011 here!

This week at p:ear...

CauseOn Clickathon extended to Friday, April 15th

p:ear supporters, you have a few more days to earn a dollar for p:ear by signing up for CauseOn through this link! If you're a fan of GroupOn or Living Social, CauseOn also offers great, local deals with 20% going to the non-profit of your choice.

First Thursday Art & Jewelry Sale at Alchemy Jewelers Benefiting p:ear

Alchemy Jewelers to donate 5% of May First Thursday Sales to p:ear

All that glitters is not gold. It can also be platinum, diamonds, a ruby, or perhaps even an emerald. On Thursday, May 5^th during the First Thursday Gallery Walk, Alchemy Jewelers will be donating 5% of all jewelry sales to p:ear, an organization that works to transform the lives of Portland’s homeless youth. While guests gift themselves – or another – with beautiful and unique pieces for this wonderful cause they will not only enjoy sparkling wine but delicious hors d’oeuvres as well. Adorning the space will be a photographic collection by Charles Gullung, who has done a study in black and white portraiture of some of the youth that have availed themselves of p:ear’s community funded programming.

Alchemy Jewelers signs on as p:earblossoms 2011 sponsor

In addition to this special First Thursday event, Alchemy Jewelers and p:ear are close partners. Alchemy is a financial sponsor of p:ear’s major annual fundraising gala, p:earblossoms 2011, and has also donated a beautiful gold and ruby pendant designed especially for the event as a live auction piece. Guests will also have an opportunity to purchase tickets to p:earblossoms 2011 at the store during this event.

Purchase tickets for p:earblossoms here to bid on Alchemy Jewelers' unique diamond and ruby pendant!

CauseOn pledges $1 to p:ear April 11th to 13th

Our new partner CauseOn Portland ("Like Groupon, but for charity!") is holding a "Clickathon" to help raise funds for p:ear. You can help us for FREE by following this link and signing up. CauseOn will give us a dollar for each signup – tell your friends!

P.S. Check out p:ear as CauseOn's "featured cause" this morning!

Sign up for p:ear core, win cupcakes

Your contributions can help buy supplies for youth!

Small gifts go a long ways at p:ear, and joining p:ear core just got sweeter for the month of April. Join p:ear core this month and you'll be entered to win a cupcake tower from Cupcake Jones, who have been a huge p:ear supporter (they send down a weekly cupcake delivery for p:ear students - yum!)

$15 a month can help put hot meals on the table at p:ear $25 a month can help purchase a couple jars of crackle paint (check out p:ear student L's painting "Dusty Moon" above done with crackle paint. It's hanging in the gallery this month).

Join p:ear core here.

These are also (delicious) works of art

Besaw's donates April dinner proceeds to p:ear

p:ear is excited to be Besaw's non-profit partner for April. Besaw's is donating a percentage from all April dinners to p:ear. So eat, drink, be merry and support p:ear at Besaw's this month!

First Thursday Part 2!

The Trim/Vojdani Gallery at p:ear presents: 
TRAVERSES 

Featuring: 
Karl Ramentol & p:ear Youth Artists 

Opening Reception: 
Thursday, April 7th, 6-9pm

Avulsion' Oil on Canvas, 54" X 80

Take another look at Karl Ramentol's work as he exposes us to the layers of his paintings built from repetitious patterns and memories. While bold and strong from a distance, peering closer, details emerge created from the under layers. Similar to life, our current decisions and momemnts are built on our history of choices. Ramentol's paintings allow us to see a current moment in their life after depths of history. NEW live music, NEW youth artwork, and the same awesomeness from the coffee bar! Join us this First Thursday for part 2 of Traverses.

REJOICE! In celebration of our beloved friend Rosie Williams

Long-time p:ear supporter/volunteer/pillar Rosie Williams passed away last week after battling with cancer. p:ear Executive Director Beth Burns reflects back on what Rosie meant both personally and to p:ear.

Several weeks ago I was rummaging through books on Rosie’s shelf and a piece of paper dropped on the floor, titled Immutable Law of the Spirit. The last line reads, “the power of love is the most potent healing force available to all humans."

I am grateful to have called Rosie my colleague as she was an unfaltering p:ear champion but most importantly, to have called her a loving and dearly loved friend. I believe without doubt that her unalterable and ageless spirit and love will continue to heal and guide many of us on our journeys.

I don’t quite remember when I met Rosie, but I vividly recall the day tenacity met its tenacious self on a sunny Portland street corner near old p:ear on SW Alder -- a confident spit-fire redhead, throwing fighting words at a younger, willful, intimidated me: “I am retiring soon and intend to choose one of about four or five nonprofits on my list that I would like to put my time and energy into, and p:ear is one of those I am considering."

I knew I wanted and needed her to choose p:ear; what I didn’t know was that this woman’s magnetic love and friendship would transform, shift and ultimately radiantly enhance my own life. I had met my match – an opportunity and challenge I would not let drift by without grabbing the anchor of this vibrant live wire, and holding tight.

I imagine all it took was some charm, a beer and a football game (I studied diligently on how to be a respectable Ducks fan!), and a true p:ear hero was about to emerge, her timing as impeccable as her astute humor. In hindsight, what it really took was the heart of this risky, passionate woman’s dedication and belief in strengthening and changing lives through relationships, the arts, conviction, community building and love.

That woman had unceasing guts and verve as she brazenly swept through the city engaging everyone she already knew threaded through all different professions and backgrounds as well as anyone she met on a yoga mat, at the gym, art openings, political gatherings, or on the corner of SE 26th and Clinton while preaching p:ear the whole time. Rosie helped connect us, creating strong communities and giving us the gift of friendships sure to last a lifetime.

One of our first official p:ear outings found us alone in a beer tent, trying to garner the support of her friend Rick, engulfed in a pummeling rain at 10am, watching some ridiculous sport they called cylcocross. Leaning over a frenzied tape barrier, all she had to say was “Beth, you’d be good at this” and the next season found me muddy and smiling with Rosie as my one and only official fan club member.

Rosie believed in p:ear and seemed to relish in her ability to connect those “with the big bucks” and/or big hearts with p:ear. p:ear’s success was deeply important to her as she brought her dynamic self and creativity into each interaction.

I used to teasingly introduce her as my secret weapon – but she truly was, both professionally and personally.

Her love was unconditional (well, there was the time I forgot to make her a name tag for a p:ear event!) She embodied integrity with absolute correlation between her word and deed, aside a steady demonstration of moral courage and strength. Rosie always showed up, possessing that rare art of the genuine and loyal. It never took long for people to curiously want to understand how they too could live with such vivaciousness.

She lived with a brave sense of adventure and was capable of profound reflection. Her spiritual depth and never ending search was inspiring and at times mysterious, yet so completely transparent: she lived her best truth, as human, struggling, wonderful and (at times) feisty as it was.

Rosie was one of those exceptional humans, strong enough to meet, embrace and fight for you. Your insecurities, inner tornadoes and the daily calamities of life could not move the foundation that she was. She seamlessly interjected “that fu**er” or a solid offering of a nudge or guidance when you needed it.

I admired gravely how ferociously she loved and cherished her family, celebrating each day of their lives through stories, photos and riveting tales of pride. I never knew if she felt sorry for me all those holidays I spent far from my family but what a gift it was to be brought into her family’s life.

If she wasn’t kicking your ass at Scrabble, demonstrating her yoga prowess, or simply bringing light into your life, she was carrying the weight of your burdens, or celebrating your joy, challenges and happiness while never forgetting anything that was important to you.

Her life and spirit are a true, rare blessing. The grace and depth she carried and breathed forth up until her final day have shattered my beliefs about the limitations of the strength and courage of the human spirit: she was right, it is immutable.

Thank you, Rosie.

And now you can fly our dear friend, so fly. For someday we will need you to teach us...

Love,

Beth & p:ear