ST JOHNS CENTER FOR OPPORTUNITY
Programs
St. Johns Farmers Market
FARMERS MARKET - THE 2021 SEASON OF THE ST. JOHNS FARMERS MARKET, WHICH TAKES PLACE WEEKLY, HAD VENDOR DEMOGRAPHICS AS FOLLOWS: 42%BIPOC, 18% LGBTQIA+, 4% PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, 20% IMMIGRANT OR REFUGEE. VENDORS HAD COLLECTIVELY GENERATED 396,684.57 IN REVENUE FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND IN SUPPORT OF THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES AT THE SEASON'S CONCLUSION. THE MARKET HAS CONTINUED ITS COMMITMENT TO FOOD ACCESS, WITH A TOTAL OF 16,488.00 IN SNAP TRANSACTIONS. IN ADDITION, THE MARKET HAS DISTRIBUTED 8,932.00 IN DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS, A SNAP MATCHING PROGRAM WHICH MATCHES UP TO 10 IN SNAP TRANSACTIONS WITH VOUCHERS FOR FREE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. IN SEPTEMBER, THE MATCH WAS INCREASED TO 20 PER CUSTOMER PER MARKET DAY. IN NOVEMBER WE BEGAN THE HIRING PROCESS FOR OUR NEW MARKET MANAGER. JATAUNE HALL OF MESO AND BOARD MEMBER CHANTAL REYES SAT ON THE HIRING COMMITTEE ALONGSIDE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. WE RECEIVED 36 APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION AND INTERVIEWED NINE INDIVIDUALS FOR THE ROLE. WE EXTENDED AN OFFER TO OUR TOP CHOICEE CANDIDATE, MICHAELYN CHESS ON DECEMBER 21 WHO ACCEPTED AND STARTED IN JANUARY.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$81KWorkforce Development Initiative
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - ON AUGUST 16, OUR AMERICORPS VISTA SERVICE MEMBER STARTED WITH OUR ORGANIZATION. AS PART OF THE AMERICORPS PROGRAM THROUGH MERCY CORPS NORTHWEST, SALMA PREPPERNAU WILL BE WITH US FOR ONE YEAR IN THE ROLE OF RESOURCE & OUTREACH COORDINATOR. SALMA WILL BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AND MAINTAIN OUR JOBS BOARD. WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THE NUMBER 0F JOBS POSTED ON THE JOBS BOARD SINCE SALMA'S FIRST WEEK OF SERVICE WITH THE JOBS BOARD CURRENTLY LISTING 134 HYPER-LOCAL JOBS SHE IS ALSO BUILDING OUT DIGITAL JOB SEARCH RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO JOB SEARCH RESOURCES WHILE IN-PERSON SUPPORT REMAINS A CHALLENGE.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$23.3KSmall Business Development Tour
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - THE ST. JOHNS BOOSTERS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION HAS TAKEN OUR DIRECTORY OF COMMERCIAL SPACE AND TURNED IT INTO A TOUR ALL OF THE PROPERTIES FEATURED IN THIS TOUR ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENT GRANT FROM ST. JOHNS CENTER FOR OPPORTUNITY. THE TWO-HOUR TOUR OF THESE AMAZING SPACES WILL TAKE PLACE MONTHLY FOLLOWING THE INAUGURAL TOUR, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN JUNE. VENTURE PORTLAND'S DISTRICT MANAGER GUIDES GUESTS THROUGH THE TOUR, AND REALTOR RISA DAVIS OF EXP REALITY SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPACES, TAKING ATTENDEES INSIDE THE PROPERTIES. THESE TOURS WILL TAKE PLACE EVERY THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH AT 1:00PM. OUR AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBER THROUGH MERCY CORPS NORTHWEST, SALMA PREPPERNAU, ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF OUR STOREFRONT DIRECTORY, CURRENTLY FEATURING SIX PROPERTIES AVAILABLE FOR LEASE WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROSPERITY INITIATIVE INVESTMENT AREA. SALMA CONTINUES TO CONDUCT OUTREACH TO OWNERS, PROPERTY MANAGERS, AND BROKERS WITH THE GOAL OF LISTING ALL AVAILABLE COMMERCIAL SPACES ON OUR WEBSITE WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING THE 10% VACANCY RATE IN THE DISTRICT, WHICH ADVERSLEY IMPACTS EXISTING OCCUPANTS AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. WE HAVE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR MANY OF THESE SPACES, WHICH HELPS US COMMUNICATE WITH PROSPECTIVE TENANTS ABOUT THEIR SIZE AND FEATURES. BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS OWNERS WHO USE MESO SERVICES AND THOSE WHO VEND AT THE FARMERS MARKET, WE ARE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY INTERFACE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO COMMERCIAL TENANCY. ST. JOHNS CENTER FOR OPPORTUNITY HAS AWARDED ALL STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENT GRANT FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO COMMUNITY BUSINESSES. WE HAD A WHOPPING 20 APPLICATIONS TOTALING 52,901 IN REQUESTS. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR THE PROGRAM WAS 25,000, WHICH WE EXCEEDED, AWARDING 25,882. THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THIS PROGRAM IS A SIGN OF GOOD THINGS TO COME IN THE DISTRICT WITH SO MANY NEW APPLICANTS AND BUSINESSES MOVING IN. AFTER THREE ROUNDS OF CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND DIFFICULT DECISION-MAKING BY OUR GRANTS COMMITTEE, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2022 STOREFRONT GRANTGeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$53.3K
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