Our next recipient of the 2020 Black Lives Matter microgrants is North Portland’s Self Enhancement, Inc. SEI is a comprehensive, one-stop resource for youth and families, primarily African Americans and others living in poverty or seeking culturally responsive services. It is also one of the city’s leading multi-service organizations, providing thousands of youth, families, and adults with a wide array of education and social services on an annual basis. SEI’s strength is in its ability to meet the complex needs of the children and families it serves, including helping people to overcome cultural, educational and economic barriers.
SEI was originally founded in 1981 as an upstart basketball camp to provide support and structure for kids in the neighborhood. The group quickly grew into an organization and began branching out into other areas of need, partnering up with local schools and organizations to embed and amplify their support inside the very communities that needed them. SEI is now nationally recognized for their innovative programming and partnership models.
The money from the Black Lives Matter micro-grant will go toward support of these SEI focus areas:
-
High school education support, graduation rates and a continuum of service from 6th-12th grade
-
College scholarship support
-
Culturally & population-specific “wrap around” support for families
-
Food, energy and housing assistance for families
-
Community-building and entertainment for youth
-
Free COVID 19 testing
If you are interested in getting involved and volunteering with SEI, you can find more information here.
For more information about SEI and its mission, please visit their website at https://www.selfenhancement.org.