Student Mission Statements

MISSION STATEMENT 1: The Leadership Class at Alliance @ Meek campus will be granting money to organizations that provide services to people in need of mental health support in the greater Portland area. We will prioritize organizations serving youth and our Black and Brown communities. We believe that, especially now, easy access to mental health care services is vital to helping young people flourish.

MISSION STATEMENT 2: The students at Astoria High School feel Clatsop County could benefit from help in the areas of: access to affordable housing or rental assistance, easier access to services for those with disabilities, and access to basic food and nutrition necessities. We are determined to raise money in which we will grant to nonprofit organizations who address the previously stated issues. These issues are important to take notice of because we see people affected by them all the time. We hope to see a positive change in the community for people who struggle with disabilities and/or access to food and housing.

MISSION STATEMENT 3: The CommuniCare students at Astoria Middle School will be granting money to nonprofits assisting individuals and families experiencing homelessness or food insecurity in Clatsop County. We will also focus on organizations that provide access to mental healthcare and support survivors of domestic abuse. We believe that people should have their needs met and deserve to be happy, fulfilled, safe, and hopeful.

MISSION STATEMENT 4: We are Benson High School leadership students who aim to fund nonprofit organizations that provide education, services, or support for refugee and immigrant families and individuals in the Portland Metro Area. We believe immigrant and refugee families are greatly underserved in our community, and we are looking to support nonprofit organizations who provide employment assistance, translation services, housing resources, and legal representation for immigrant families. We hope our funds aid these underserved families and individuals and provide them with the services necessary to feel welcome and productive in our community.

MISSION STATEMENT 5: The AVID 11 students at Benson Polytechnic High School will be granting money to organizations providing services around domestic violence in Multnomah County. We believe our community is impacted by domestic violence in many ways. We also believe families and relationships are suffering, many times in silence, because domestic violence affects 1 in 4 people. We will focus on organizations that help individuals and families experiencing any areas of domestic violence, as we understand that domestic violence can also lead to gun violence, homelessness, mental health crises, and suicide. We want to work with organizations that assist survivors financially and emotionally. We would like to see healthier and happier relationships and families in our community, and the rates of domestic violence decrease.

MISSION STATEMENT 6: The Catlin Gabel School CommuniCare Club will be allocating funds to nonprofits that aid houseless youth in the Portland Metro Area. Our goal is to help mitigate the houselessness crisis in our city by partnering with organizations that work to both reduce future youth houselessness and assist the current population of houseless youth by providing food, shelter, healthcare, and other necessary resources.

MISSION STATEMENT 7: The CommuniCare Cardinal Collective coming from Central Catholic High School will be allocating our funds to organizations that provide services for female-identifying youth impacted by houselessness in the Portland Metro Area. We believe both the worsening physical and emotional conditions of our local environment (caused by climate change and sexual violence, among other challenges) are deeply impacting young women experiencing houselessness in the Portland Metro Area. Our team is committed to partnering with organizations that are taking action to try and protect female-identifying youth against sexual violence, climate change, and/or houselessness through programs focused on policy action, educating people about these issues, and providing resources and services.

MISSION STATEMENT 8: The Gold Team CommuniCare students at Central Catholic High School are committed to assisting marginalized women and children in the Portland Metro Area. We will be granting money to organizations providing resources to those struggling with addiction, mental health, and domestic violence. Our group would like to see women and children thriving in a safe environment.

MISSION STATEMENT 9: The Clackamas High School’s Community Aid for Oregon group will offer grants to organizations that aid at-risk adolescents. Our mission is to sponsor organizations that provide support and resources in the tri-counties. This can include, but is not limited to: organizations that advocate for trauma recovery, outreach groups, resource centers, counseling, and shelters, with a priority toward marginalized communities. Clackamas High School is devoted to these institutions because all adolescents deserve to feel safe, seen, and supported.

MISSION STATEMENT 10: We, the students of the Cleveland High School Advanced Leadership Team, for our mission of philanthropy, elect to raise funds in order to disseminate financial support and opportunities to families that are battling with houselessness and addiction within the Portland Metro Area. We want to highlight the importance of expanding on these types of services and we will focus on nonprofits who provide job placement support, equitable affordable housing, and addiction recovery. We would like to see a step towards change in creating equal opportunities for houseless families in the Portland Metro Area in order to create a safer, more equitable, and stronger community for all and for the generations to come.

MISSION STATEMENT 11: The Intro to Leadership students of Cleveland High School are deeply compassionate for people affected by substance abuse within the Portland Metro Area. This issue cannot continue to be addressed so inefficiently; people in our community are simply not getting the treatment they need and lack the support they deserve. Substance abuse can be life-threatening and harmful to our community. By contributing to organizations that are designed to offer resources for those suffering, we hope it will create more opportunities for them to help people. We are looking to donate our funds to nonprofits who focus on amending the substance abuse issues so that we can better strengthen our Portland Metro Area’s well-being.

MISSION STATEMENT 12: The CommuniCare students from Building Consent Culture at Cleveland High School will be granting money to organizations providing assistance to survivors of sexual and domestic violence in Multnomah County. We believe that with the increase of violence in the Portland Metro Area, it is a necessity to increase access to resources that aid survivors in their rehabilitation and recovery from violence, as well as violence prevention resources. We will focus on organizations that specifically aid LGBTQIA+ and other gender minorities with their rehabilitation from violence. We would like to see a decrease in sexual and/or domestic violence and to start this change by helping survivors via organizations that align with our mission.

MISSION STATEMENT 13: Cleveland’s C.A.R.E. Leadership students will be granting money to organizations that provide legal and social support services for immigrants and refugees in the Portland Metro Area. We believe there needs to be equal opportunities and further diverse resources to rely on, along with more awareness about the everyday challenges that immigrants experience. Our group will focus on nonprofits that work towards systemic change and elevate the voices of those who are immigrants and refugees. Our goal is to create positive change by supporting organizations that welcome and aid immigrants, and help combat the adversities many of these individuals face when arriving in Oregon.

MISSION STATEMENT 14: The CommuniCare students at Creekside Community High School will be granting money to organizations providing support for trans youth, including BIPOC individuals, in the Portland Metro Area. We would like to see trans youth feel safer, receive support, and experience fewer acts of violence, sexual assault, or discrimination. Our focus is on organizations that help support the rights, safety, and protection of trans youth, along with providing services related to sexual assault and harassment. Oftentimes, trans individuals who are survivors of physical assault are met with disbelief by law enforcement and are not offered the help that they deserve. According to Lambda Legal, 78% of trans youth are bullied or discriminated against, 35% have been attacked, and 12% have been sexually assaulted. We would like to help all trans youth feel safe and protected, as everyone deserves to feel a sense of safety in schools and all other public spaces.

MISSION STATEMENT 15: We, the Student Council of David Douglas High School, in collaboration with CommuniCare, will be granting money to nonprofit organizations who address homelessness, particularly supporting those who have experienced domestic/sexual violence. We believe there is an increasing need to recognize the silent struggles not only in the Portland Metro Area, but specifically within our East Portland community. We will focus on long-term, sustainable solutions: affordable housing, holistic employment programs, and nutritious food access. By supporting these service areas, we strive to alleviate the rate of homelessness and create stability for those impacted.

MISSION STATEMENT 16: Ms. Mack’s Link Crew class at David Douglas High School will be granting money to organizations that provide aid to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, with a focus on access to mental health resources like counseling and art therapy, in Portland, Oregon. Domestic violence in relationships often goes unseen, which is why we hope the impact of the organizations we choose will effectively help those affected by violence. Everyone should be able to feel safe and secure in their homes.

MISSION STATEMENT 17: Ms. Montoya’s Link Crew CommuniCare students at David Douglas High School will be granting money to organizations who provide mental health services and affordable housing for low-income families in the Portland Metro Area. We believe everybody deserves support when it comes to mental health and high housing prices. We are looking for organizations who support low-income families and we will prioritize nonprofits who support refugees and immigrants. We aim to make a difference in our community by improving the quality of living for families in need in the Portland Metro Area.

MISSION STATEMENT 18: We, the Link Crew Leaders in Mr. VanVickle’s class at David Douglas High School, aim to increase accessibility to mental health support systems for teens throughout Multnomah County. We will do this by advocating for nonprofits who proactively seek to better the lives inside and outside of their communities. We believe long-term mental health trauma often roots from a lack of a support system that causes victims to resort to drug usage, among other harmful behaviors. We are also aware of the danger of neglecting mental health check-ins. We will prioritize organizations that aim to establish mental health help as a normal life occurrence, and alleviate critical stigmas regarding mental health.

MISSION STATEMENT 19: The Maroon Student Store Management and Philanthropy team at Franklin High School will be granting money to organizations providing food access to hungry families in Oregon. Our student body is aware that the inability to obtain nutritious food is on the rise in our community. We believe the accessibility to resources for food is a basic human right for all. We will focus on organizations that advocate and distribute food to families and youth facing malnutrition, centering money towards organizations that provide food to those in need. We hope to see the number of people facing hunger decrease and foster a healthy community away from food insecurity.

MISSION STATEMENT 20: The Franklin High School Student Store Management & Philanthropy Gray Chapter will be granting money to organizations dedicated to preserving and protecting our environment.  We will focus on organizations that help clean local rivers, protect wildlife and contribute to getting rid of pollution. We hope to see a healthy impact on our local bodies of water, as well as a reduction in pollution in the Portland Metropolitan Area. As the inhabitants of this planet, we believe it is our obligation to take care of our communities and the animals we share them with.

MISSION STATEMENT 21: At Glencoe High School, we believe sexual abuse, domestic violence, and sex trafficking are major issues in the Portland Metro Area. With this in mind, we strive to support and empower those going through these issues by providing them with help and resources. We also believe bringing awareness to and educating our community about these issues is essential. We will focus on organizations that provide resources and support (housing, food, finances, jobs, childcare, or counseling) for those who have survived or are still struggling with sexual and physical abuse.

MISSION STATEMENT 22: We, the CommuniCare students at Grant High School, will be granting money to organizations providing or supporting abortion services in Oregon. We want to support organizations who help with access to abortion services because we believe people should have autonomy over their own bodies. Our club will be prioritizing organizations that provide these services to underserved populations. In doing so, we hope to see more people have access to the services they need regardless of their situation in life.

MISSION STATEMENT 23: The Gresham High School National Honors Society will be granting money to organizations that offer help and mentorship services, including mental health care, to children and young adults (up to age 21) affected by the immigration process/system. We believe this demographic age group should not have to deal with immigration struggles alone. They should have access to the help they need, including mentorship from adults and other community members, or access to mental health services. We will focus on organizations serving those in East Multnomah County that provide support to young people affected by immigration and would like to see fewer children and young adults dealing with the hardships of immigration on their own.

MISSION STATEMENT 24: Hermiston Key Club, in partnership with CommuniCare, will be granting money to organizations providing low-income families with access to basic necessities like housing, food, medical supplies, and clothing in Hermiston, Stanfield, and Umatilla. We believe everyone needs the basic necessities in order to thrive in all aspects of life, and providing these resources can make every child’s life easier. Our goal is to provide children with a solid foundation so they are able to grow in other areas of their lives without having to worry about basic needs.

MISSION STATEMENT 25: The CommuniCare students, a part of Jefferson High School’s Black Student Union, will be granting money to organizations that both focus on gun violence prevention and help those affected by gun violence in the Portland Metropolitan Area. Gun violence is on the rise both nationally and locally. As students who want to feel safe in our community, the prevention of gun violence and support systems for those affected are important to us. We will focus on organizations that help our communities with the multitude of socioeconomic and societal factors that contribute to gun violence. We would like to see organizations focusing on tangible steps toward addressing this issue.

MISSION STATEMENT 26: At La Salle Catholic College Preparatory, we see how our communities are affected by sexual violence and aim to make our community safer. We will do this by providing essential help to all people who become victims of this detestable crime through working with nonprofits that serve all Oregonians regardless of citizenship status, income, sex, race, or even religion. We will also grant money to organizations within Clackamas and Multnomah counties that assist in educating people about the realities and outcomes of sexual violence, minimize the threat of sexual violence, and advocate for survivors. It is our belief that although there is an underrepresentation of sexual violence education and very few insights into the reality of this issue, we can make a change to create a safer community for both us and generations to come.

MISSION STATEMENT 27: The CommuniCare students at Lake Oswego High School will be granting money to organizations providing shelter and mental health services to homeless youth in the Portland Metro Area. Homelessness is a growing problem in our community. We believe youth are more vulnerable than adults, and they should be given opportunities to develop and realize their potential. Shelters can provide a safe place where people have the opportunity to get services, including mental health services, and get back on their feet. By focusing on organizations who help homeless youth in our community by providing shelter or mental health services, we would like youth to feel as safe and comfortable as possible. We hope they will not need to worry about potential dangers on the streets and competition for shelters.

MISSION STATEMENT 28: The CommuniCare students of Lakeridge High School will be granting money to organizations helping to provide food security and get more local produce into schools in the Portland Metro Area. We believe everyone should have access to safe produce; healthy, fresh food should not be a privilege. There are high levels of food insecurity in Portland and its surrounding areas. It is important that children have access to healthy food and produce for good development. One in four Oregonians and one in eight children face food insecurity. We will focus on organizations that provide food services to those living in the Portland Metro Area and those that place emphasis on providing food security for Black and Latino residents, who are impacted at a disproportionate rate. We would like to see less food insecurity for families in the Portland area.

MISSION STATEMENT 29: We are the Lincoln High School 5th Period Marketing Class and we are passionate about the issues of homelessness and poverty in Portland, Oregon. We have noticed the problems of disadvantaged people living on the streets, especially children, and we want to combat our failed support systems. With the help of CommuniCare, we want to give grants to organizations that fund outside-of-school activities such as the arts, music, sports, and tutoring. The impact we want is to create a positive outlet for youth and to support their creativity and extra-curricular learning. We want them to feel that they belong as whole people regardless of their circumstances.

MISSION STATEMENT 30: The students in Lincoln High School’s 8th Period Marketing Class are very concerned about mental illness and substance abuse in the houseless youth community all around us on the streets of Portland. We have partnered with CommuniCare to raise funds and awareness for those individuals who are actively seeking support. Our goal is to give grants to organizations that provide wider access to treatment and target mental health and addiction resources in order to give better support to the houseless youth in downtown Portland. We want to have an impact on our Portland neighbors who happen to be houseless and going through a rough patch in their lives.

MISSION STATEMENT 31: The CommuniCare Club at Lincoln High School will be granting money to organizations that provide access to reproductive care as well as advocate for and educate others on reproductive rights. We wish to grant money to organizations that are located in Oregon, specifically those located in Eastern Oregon and Portland. We believe more support is needed for people struggling to find access to abortion clinics or reproductive care centers. Our focus will be on organizations that help educate the community about reproductive rights and organizations that provide abortion services. The outcome we would like to see is a greater awareness in our community about the importance of access to reproductive services, as well as more widespread access to said reproductive services in Oregon.

MISSION STATEMENT 32: We are Ms. Brunson’s FLI Class at Lincoln High School and we choose to advocate for students dealing with mental health challenges or illness. We would like to prioritize teen students’ mental health by providing prevention services or counseling for students who are at risk of sexual assault/violence or drug abuse. In addition, we will seek out organizations that are supporting teens with their student work/life balance through tutoring and support systems, as well as recreational opportunities. We are focusing on these specific challenges because they are some of the biggest causes of mental health decline. We will prioritize organizations that advocate for the overall well-being of students and their mental health, while also protecting students from harm. We would like to see the youth of Portland provided with resources to be happy and healthy, and ensure the next generation will be in great shape to run this beautiful city.

MISSION STATEMENT 33: The AVID 9 students at Lincoln High School will be granting money to organizations that work towards preventing houselessness, helping those who are already houseless, and providing services to help decrease cost of living. We believe that no one deserves to live on the streets and if we help them, maybe they can fulfill their dreams. We also believe houselessness is affecting everyone in the Portland area and everyone deserves a chance to get back on their feet. We will prioritize organizations that serve the southeast and central areas of Portland, where there are larger homeless populations. We will focus on organizations that serve families and youth and that provide shelter, rehabilitation, and help with substance abuse. We will also consider organizations working to offer affordable housing options or decrease the cost of living.  We would like to see fewer people struggling on the streets and fewer camps or tents exposed to the climate, especially with exacerbated weather due to climate change. We would like to see more funding provided to people trying to find housing, and resources to help them find employment and stable housing or keep their homes.

MISSION STATEMENT 34: The CommuniCare students of Ms. Jarad’s 7th period Freshman Leadership and Inquiry class at Lincoln High School will be granting money to organizations that support the mental health of sexual assault and abuse survivors in the Portland Metropolitan Area. We want to focus on sexual assault survivors because many do not have support or access to mental health services to recover from their trauma and feel safe in their community. We will focus on organizations that provide shelter, therapy, and/or legal support to sexual assault survivors. We would like to see a decline in suicide rates, an increase in awareness of this problem, and for survivors to recover from trauma and feel less alone in their community.

MISSION STATEMENT 35: We, the students of Ms. Jarad’s 8th period FLI class at Lincoln High School, have decided to center our attention on cleaning and restoring both urban and natural areas. We will be looking to support organizations along the Willamette River and in the Multnomah County area. We want to focus on organizations that clean Portland’s rivers, forests, and streets, while promoting stewardship of our public spaces, ideally with environmentally friendly methods. We believe that having a clean environment plays a large role in keeping a balanced ecosystem and making sure our wildlife thrives. Everyone deserves to live in a safe, healthy community that can support our future generations. We would like to see cleaner waterways, less trash in our nature, and more pristine streets.

MISSION STATEMENT 36: We, Ms. Klein-Wolf’s Freshman Leadership & Inquiry class, will be granting money to organizations that offer mental health resources and support to the houseless community of the Portland Metro Area. Around our campus in downtown Portland, we see tons of encampments and typically interact with the people daily. We believe the houseless population is greatly impacted by mental health crises, and we want to see an increase in resources for those who typically would have faced obstacles accessing them. A shocking 63% of people experiencing houselessness in Portland report suffering from mental health issues. We hope to offer aid and ultimately lower that statistic, resulting in better opportunities for eventual rehousing.

MISSION STATEMENT 37: The students in Ms. Mahony’s 4th Period FLI class at Lincoln High School are extremely concerned about the pollution in the Willamette River and the poisons that have contaminated it. Research reveals that many toxic chemicals have made their way into the river, as well as trash from the storm drains in cities along the river. We will be contributing money to organizations that help to clean up the Willamette River’s waters and shores by removing trash from the river and/or helping to make the Willamette a more beautiful and safe waterway overall. We want to focus on the 10 miles between the Broadway Bridge and Kelley Point Park in Portland, where the Willamette River is most polluted. People in Portland deserve to have a body of water where they can swim, and where marine life can thrive.

MISSION STATEMENT 38: Ms. Mahony’s Period 7 CommuniCare students at Lincoln High School believe the issue of foster care in the Portland Metro Area deserves more attention. We will be granting money to organizations providing youth in foster care with basic necessities and resources, as well as easy access to various types of therapy, including through art and extracurricular activities. We also want to focus on organizations that provide educational support and support systems that make it easier for kids to speak up or report abuse in foster care. We hope to support the foster care system to help change foster care for the better.

MISSION STATEMENT 39: The FLI students in Ms. Mahony’s Block 8 at Lincoln High School are deeply concerned about the rate of houselessness in our city. We want to support nonprofit organizations that are working towards providing affordable housing for people experiencing houselessness in the Portland Metro Area. We will prioritize organizations whose services include, but are not limited to, increasing access to affordable housing and helping people make the transition from houselessness to becoming self-sufficient.

MISSION STATEMENT 40: We, Mr. Peerenboom’s 6th Period FLI group at Lincoln High School, have seen firsthand the effects of houselessness in our city. We believe it is crucial to have long-term solutions centering on the people affected by houselessness and providing opportunities to ensure a better life. We aim to provide the houseless people of our community with not only financial support, mental and physical health resources, hygiene products, and housing, but also opportunities for activities and extracurriculars, especially for teens. We will support organizations serving the houseless population in the Portland Metro Area. We believe that we should take these strides in our community so that people have a better chance at improving their lives, and having opportunities to support themselves with dignity and joy.

MISSION STATEMENT 41: We are part of Mr. Peerenboom’s 7th period Lincoln High School FLI class. We will be granting money to organizations in the Portland area that provide basic necessities such as clothing, menstrual products, and hygiene products to people in financial need within our community. We believe it should not be a luxury to have access to these items and no one should be denied them because of their financial status. We would like to see the members of our community with all their basic needs for living met, just like they all deserve.

MISSION STATEMENT 42: This year, Lincoln High School’s Freshman Leadership and Inquiry Choir Class would like to support people who are houseless in the Portland Metro Area. Lincoln High School is in the downtown area, and we can directly see the effects of houselessness on our environment. Our main goal is to provide sustainable and affordable housing for houseless individuals. We want to focus on organizations that help people facing houselessness and mental health issues find shelter and give them support to sustain themselves, such as a long-term home or accessible resources. We strive to achieve this with eco-friendliness in mind.

MISSION STATEMENT 43: Mr. Stegner’s 5th period FLI class at Lincoln High School will be granting money to organizations in the Portland Metro Area that focus on addressing the issue of homelessness. We will be granting money to organizations that focus specifically on providing addiction and mental health services for health care, as well as other basic necessities, such as period and hygiene products, to the homeless community. We believe every member of our community should have access to these kinds of basic necessities and other inaccessible medical care, namely addiction and mental health services. Living and going to school in the Portland Metro Area, we see firsthand the impacts that not having access to these services has on our community. We would like to improve the safety and quality of treatment of the houseless community of Portland through the nonprofit organizations with which we will work.

MISSION STATEMENT 44: As students at Lincoln High School in Portland’s urban center, we are connected to and impacted by the under-resourced and houseless community around us. In cooperation with The CARE Foundation, we will be granting money to nonprofits that provide more accessible health care to those who cannot afford it. We believe that those in need should have access to healthcare, including mental health resources, regardless of their financial or living situation. We want to directly change what we see outside the doors of our school and help Portland become a healthier community.

MISSION STATEMENT 45: The McDaniel High School Justice Lab class is granting money to organizations serving rural and/or urban communities in Oregon. The organizations selected will be those that use restorative justice practices to address issues affecting marginalized communities. These issues may include but are not limited to gun violence, drug abuse, climate justice, mental health crises, racial justice, or gender inequity. We believe restorative justice is necessary to further justice and equity in our society. Organizations that should apply for our grant funding are those dedicated to healing their communities through clear communication; engage in mediation or other restorative/transformative dialogue; and exercise innovative strategies to achieve equitable outcomes to complex problems.

MISSION STATEMENT 46: The CommuniCare students in the business class at Leodis V. McDaniel High School will be granting money to organizations directly serving houseless families or families at risk of losing their homes in Portland. We hope to support organizations that find affordable housing and/or help families stay in their homes. Job support is also important to us. We want to help slow down the largely growing population of houseless families. Living in Portland, we see families with kids our age who are houseless, and it is important to us to put a stop to this cycle of houselessness.

MISSION STATEMENT 47: This year, the Nixyàawii CommuniCare chapter will work to increase access to healthy, active lifestyle activities that have been traditionally under-utilized by people who have been negatively impacted by trauma. We recognize trauma as having multiple negative externalities, from substance abuse to multiple forms of violence, as well as negative impacts on physical and mental health. Healthy activities such as hiking or recreational sports can serve as aspiration and provide an escape from negative environments. Nixyàawii students will work to reduce barriers to entry so that more Oregonians from across the state will be granted the opportunity to experience these positive lifestyles.

MISSION STATEMENT 48: Northwest Academy’s America Under the Microscope class has chosen to focus its CommuniCare funding efforts on organizations that provide mental health services for BIPOC community members in the Portland Metro Area. We are specifically prioritizing organizations that provide mental health services such as support groups and counseling, among others, to survivors of domestic violence. We believe that survivors of domestic violence in the BIPOC community deserve to have adequate and quality mental healthcare to better their livelihoods and overcome their past or present trauma.

MISSION STATEMENT 49: The CommuniCare students at Open School East will be granting money to organizations in Multnomah County that offer mental health services. We believe there needs to be more support for mental health services that provide opportunities for people to get the help they deserve. We will focus on organizations who help people with mental disabilities and who serve our most vulnerable citizens. We would like to see people with mental health disabilities or struggles become healthy and respected members of our society.

MISSION STATEMENT 50: The CommuniCare students at Oregon Episcopal School will be granting money to organizations providing mental health support and recovery for those struggling with addiction in Portland. We believe there needs to be more action toward drug abuse as a coping mechanism that provides an opportunity for better mental health during drug use, withdrawals, and sobriety. We will focus on organizations that help people in our community with substance abuse problems and support them in improving their quality of life. We would like to see an increase in available resources for those who struggle with drug abuse as a result of mental health issues and a decrease in relapses.

MISSION STATEMENT 51: The CommuniCare Club at Pendleton High School will provide funds to increase access to medical care and emergency clothing, food, and supplies for those in need throughout Eastern Oregon. We have noticed a growing homeless population in our community and we hope to assist these individuals as needed through our efforts. In addition, we will also grant funds to organizations that provide services for immigrants and refugees in our community. We hope to provide more support to undocumented individuals and reduce the stigma around their immigration status.

MISSION STATEMENT 52: The Roosevelt High School Theatre CommuniCare Group will be granting money to nonprofit organizations that provide financial aid or access to historically excluded people, including people of color and people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, who would not otherwise be able to participate in the visual and performing arts in the greater Portland area. We envision a world where the arts nurture a representative community of diverse storytellers who strive to share a variety of experiences and to celebrate all humanity and identity as beautiful, joyful, and worthy.

MISSION STATEMENT 53: The Philanthropy Class at Roosevelt High School will be granting money to organizations that assist people who are struggling with poverty. Specifically, we want to help nonprofits that seek to alleviate or prevent poverty through providing access to free or affordable food, living-wage employment, or housing for people in North Portland and the broader Portland Metro Area. We have selected this service area because poverty is prevalent in our community and because we see people struggling to afford basic necessities that allow them to thrive. We believe everyone should have access to affordable and healthy food, fulfilling and living-wage employment, and safe and affordable places to live. We will prioritize organizations that focus their efforts on helping young adults, especially those who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQIA.

MISSION STATEMENT 54: Seaside High School will be working with our students involved with CommuniCare and will be granting money to organizations providing our community with more mental health, homelessness, and environmental support throughout Clatsop County. We believe our community needs more support regarding the lack of viable housing and mental health resources. We will focus on organizations that aim to help families and youth struggling with housing and living necessities, and groups that provide easy access to mental health support for the well-being of all community members. We will also prioritize organizations that advocate for the overall environmental health and well-being of our beautiful community throughout our experience with CommuniCare. We would like to see a decreasing number of homeless families and youth, along with more success in managing support for people struggling with mental health. We will also aim to help our environment be even more taken care of and protected. We hope our involvement with CommuniCare will be a successful and impactful influence on our community.

MISSION STATEMENT 55: The CommuniCare students of St. Mary’s Academy’s Green Chapter will grant money to organizations that provide healthcare to low-income families throughout Oregon, with emphasis on preventative care. This year, we aim to support organizations that serve BIPOC families. We know BIPOC people are disproportionately underserved within our healthcare system. Promoting accessible healthcare will interrupt the cycle of poverty by alleviating the stress and burden of medical bills for families. Uplifting organizations that focus on preventative care will reduce the need for emergency care within the BIPOC and low-income communities of Oregon.

MISSION STATEMENT 56: The Pink Chapter of CommuniCare at St. Mary’s Academy will grant money to organizations providing employment opportunities and services to refugees and immigrants in the Portland Metro Area. We believe everyone deserves access to employment and the opportunity to pursue a career that supports their goals. It is vital that organizations place individuals in jobs that pay living wages and include benefits, such as healthcare. We expect that nonprofits promote equity while respecting all forms of self-expression and identity. Organizations must foster unequivocal empathy, inclusivity, and support for immigrants and refugees seeking employment. Additionally, nonprofits should be environmentally responsible. Our objective is to see increased rates of sustainable employment among Portland refugees and immigrants to create a welcoming, accessible, and actively anti-racist society.

MISSION STATEMENT 57: We are the class of 2025 AVID Tigard High School students (A Group). We are working with CommuniCare to grant money to nonprofit organizations that support immigrants and refugees and we are prioritizing Washington County and the Portland Metro Area. We believe immigrants and refugees should feel safe, secure, and supported as they continue a better life in Oregon. We feel strongly that immigrants and refugees are important and integral parts of our community, but we know they face unfair hardships, difficulties, and obstacles on top of the struggles of leaving their home countries and coming to America to make a new home. Therefore, we will focus on organizations that prioritize providing economic and housing assistance, educational and career opportunities, as well as citizenship and legal advocacy, which are all central for any person to build a new, better, and happy life here as contributing members of our society. We would like to see a positive and compassionate outcome for immigrants and refugees to succeed and thrive as new members of our community, especially with support in combatting issues like deportation and discrimination. Immigrants and refugees, like all of us, deserve to thrive in their new lives here in Oregon.

MISSION STATEMENT 58: We are the class of 2025 AVID Tigard High School students (B Group). We are working with CommuniCare to grant money to nonprofit organizations that support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in the Washington County and Portland Metro areas. We believe survivors deserve attention and support in order to be free from their abuser, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. We believe housing support, as well as medical and mental health care, would help a large number of survivors who could end up homeless and alone. No person should experience abuse and all survivors should be treated with dignity, respect, and love. We understand that many survivors often end up homeless, so housing assistance is one of our biggest priorities in helping them get justice as well as break the cycle of abuse, especially for those with families or those who are children themselves. Survivors deserve not only to feel safe and secure, but also to finally be happy and have healthy relationships in the future.

MISSION STATEMENT 59: The CommuniCare students at Tualatin High School will be supporting nonprofit organizations that focus on forest protection, rejuvenation, and fire prevention in Oregon. According to Global Forest Watch, “The fire season in Oregon typically lasts about 13 weeks starting in late July. Last year by the time July rolled around over 518,303 acres had already burned, by the end of fire season over 820,000 were burned.” We will prioritize organizations that seek to rehabilitate forests after wildfires and reduce the risk of future fires. While we acknowledge that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of forest fires in Oregon, we believe that we have a responsibility to try to mitigate the damage and help protect our state’s forests for the future.

MISSION STATEMENT 60: The CommuniCare students at Twality Middle School will be granting money to nonprofits that provide food or mental health support for families experiencing homelessness in Tigard and the Portland Metropolitan Area. The impact of COVID was felt across our community and many people were forced out of their homes with limited access to resources. We will focus on organizations that work specifically with people experiencing houselessness and provide services around food or mental health accessibility. We believe everyone should have access to food and mental health services because these are vital components of a safe community.

MISSION STATEMENT 61: The CommuniCare students of Umatilla High School will be granting money to organizations providing youth program services in the city of Umatilla. We believe there needs to be more support for youth from low-income households to allow them to participate in sports, arts, CTE, recreation, and/or mental health services that may not already be financially available to them. We will focus on organizations who help youth in our community gain access to mental health services and who help youth get involved in recreational programs. We would like to see an increase in attendance due to more positive mental health and see a higher participation rate in extracurricular activities.

MISSION STATEMENT 62: We, the CommuniCare members of Warrenton High School, will be granting money to organizations in Clatsop County that provide services to people affected by mental health issues and its related impacts such as domestic violence, homelessness, addiction, and veterans. We believe these are the major needs within our county. We will focus on organizations with a strong drive to improve the safety and well-being of our community.

MISSION STATEMENT 63: We, the Advanced Leadership community at Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School, intend to grant money directly to addiction support organizations catered to individuals who are experiencing houselessness in the Portland Metro Area. Our aim is to make relevant resources more accessible to these individuals, who are without the proper support to combat serious addiction. We trust that our work will help lead to a future that properly addresses the issue of addiction within the houseless community in Portland.

MISSION STATEMENT 64: We are the CommuniCare Club at Ida B. Wells. We will be granting money to organizations that are local to the Portland area and focus on preserving natural areas and spreading environmental awareness. We believe supporting the environment will create a healthy community and a better future. We will focus on organizations that support the preservation and restoration of the environment, as well as organizations that spread awareness and encourage activism. We would like to see less pollution in outdoor spaces, cleaner local waters, a safer city, and hope for the future of our planet.

MISSION STATEMENT 65: The Ethnic Studies class of Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School will be granting money to organizations serving anyone experiencing houselessness. We want to respond to the most pressing needs in our community. We will focus on granting money to organizations that provide support for people struggling with mental health issues and addiction while houseless. In the last few years in the Portland Metro Area, there has been a rise in the need for resources relating to these issues due to increasing housing costs and the pandemic. This is in addition to pre-existing issues that exacerbate houselessness, such as domestic violence, low wages, and the effects of prejudice on historically marginalized populations. We would like to see an improvement in the treatment of people experiencing houselessness, addiction, and mental health crises.

MISSION STATEMENT 66: The CommuniCare students in the International Human Rights Club at Jefferson High School will be granting money to organizations working to challenge the Criminal Justice System that is built on power and privilege. We believe those who are wrongfully convicted of a crime and incarcerated should be presented with equal justice and have the opportunity to engage in post-conviction lawsuits. We will focus on organizations in Oregon that help preserve human rights through fighting the unfair justice system. We would like to see a lower rate of false accusations and more support as well as access to resources for individuals as they re-enter society post-incarceration.