- Making plans: Our Right from the Start program has been supporting Black childcare providers in creating healthy environments for Black children for over five years. It’s time for this program to grow and support more Black children, families, and childcare providers in the Portland metro area. With the leadership of our Right From the Start manager, Kyna Harris, we’ve been planning this program’s next chapter. Healthy food at daycare? Check. Support for Black childcare providers to grow their businesses? Yes, please. PPE delivered to daycares during COVID? Gotta have it. Strategic planning has never been so inspiring! We are actively seeking support for this program and welcome your ideas, introductions, and contributions.
- Making calls: In partnership with PHI, we launched our Tracing Health program in Washington County in June, supporting the Washington County Public Health Departments’ COVID-19 response efforts. Since then, we’ve expanded to include Clark County, Skamania County, and Spokane County (all in Washington State) — a group we now refer to as “Tracing Health: Pacific Northwest.” We’ve now hired 150+ contact tracing staff for our Oregon and Washington projects. Twenty-five languages are represented on our PNW team. But wait! There’s more: Kaiser Permanente awarded PHI $63M to expand Tracing Health into California, and a group of philanthropic funders committed $18M more for community-based COVID-19 wraparound support to California communities. Not bad for three months, right?
- Making updates: This summer, we’ve revisited OPHI’s mission and vision and given them a refresh. We’re looking forward to sharing them with you in next month’s newsletter!