The 107 Independent Supporters Trust and Community Outreach Committee are pleased to announce the award of an additional $10,435 in micro-grants to community organizations. These funds are being dispersed to 22 organizations who are all working to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on individuals in our local communities. For many people, these organizations represent a lifeline, including access to food, utility payments, housing, technology, healthcare, translation services, job services, or other necessities. They also represent access to experiences like soccer, summer camp, books, and the arts. We are pleased to award this money, and encourage you to amplify our impact by visiting, learning, and sharing information about these organizations. Some organizations are large and established, others are newer to the scene, but all are doing remarkable work.

This second round of grants includes funding for the following organizations: Boise-Eliot/Humboldt PTA, Q Center, Woodlawn Farmers Market, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Camp ELSO, Black Resilience Fund, Portland Community Football Club, Northwest United Women’s Soccer Inc, Harmony Event Medicine, In4All, Girls Inc of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon Food Bank, Hillsboro Farmers’ Markets, and the Portland Chapter of the Alliance of the Guardian Angels.  We were also able to provide additional awards to several groups that were partially funded during the first round of funding: Y.O.U.th (Youth Organized and United to help), Write Around Portland, Rosehip Medic Collective, JOIN PDX, Friendly House, Equitable Giving Circle, Howard’s Heart, and Grow Portland. 

We encourage everyone to check out the fantastic work being done by these groups. If you have time or resources to donate, many of them have asked specifically for volunteers, dollars, and in-kind donations. You can find those needs on our community giving pages: timbersarmy.org/org-needs and rosecityriveters.org/caring. These sites will continue to be updated if we receive additional requests. 

As we all know, our greatest asset as an organization is our dedicated and caring membership. If you wish to help with outreach efforts such as donation drives or group volunteer opportunities, please contact rachel@rosecityriveters.org. We’d love to hear your ideas or connect you with ways to help. Thank you for supporting this work.

The following is post from Todd Diskin.

The list of BLM Resources started with a callout from Nando on Twitter a little more than a week ago. I’d been helping create resource lists for my job at Hands On Greater Portland and with a similar list of anti-racism resources from members of the Rose City Riveters, so I offered to help out.

The resources list is organized with information about how to support the protests in Portland at the top. Next are organizations you can connect with, other ways you can help, and then, finally, a long list of ways you can educate yourself. It’s organized this way to emphasize the importance of direct action as a means to advocate for change.

Now that we are in our third week of protest marches in Portland, the results of taking to the streets have significantly shifted the conversation at City Hall and the state capitol. Our community is making itself heard in response to the calls from Black leaders for justice and changes to policing in Portland. White folx need to keep supporting this movement, keep showing up, and be led by Black organizers. 

The BLM resource list also includes many ways to support organizations who have been doing the work in the Black community, as well as ways you can spread some cheddar around to help out Black-owned businesses, community farms, and other groups.

Finally, we have a number of ways for you to get educated: reading lists, podcasts, training, and even more lists of resources are at your disposal to help you learn. Start where you feel comfortable and push yourself to get uncomfortable. Build your knowledge. Then ... do something.

This is “the start of a list” because information is fluid and dynamic. It began with what a small group of us have collected. We welcome and need your feedback, additions, and edits to help broaden how we can take action. You’ll find a link at the top of the document to follow to provide any new resources, edits, or input. 

I’m grateful to those who’ve contributed so far; I’m inspired daily by the outpouring of support. We have a long way to go, but the daily work adds up. 

Keep it up, Rose City. 

The following is a post from Rachael Travis.

We’ve all seen it … someone has an idea on Twitter. No, really! A good idea. An “Oh, dammmmmnnn. Why didn’t I think of that?!” kind of idea.

There’s a kind of cycle that happens: An idea is thrown out there, people get really excited, we all brainstorm in an abstract way, someone @’s a board member, and then … “That’s a great idea! Thank you for volunteering.” I used to think those seven words were a metaphorical door slammed in the face of ideas. Boy howdy, was I wrong.

Earlier this year, Dawn had the amazing idea that there should be some kind of Riveters’ version of the front office’s Axe photos. She articulated that she didn’t have the capacity to be the task manager behind the project, so I jumped in and, before I knew it, Rose Poses happened. I’m being a little hyperbolic, but this project that I thought would take months to plan took mere weeks with a lot of support.

Roses Poses wasn’t the first 107IST-supported event I helped organize. In 2018, I came to the board to pitch the idea of bystander intervention training — and I came prepared. I had multiple options for what a training could look like, I had researched different groups from around Portland that could lead them, and I also a fundraising plan. I was ready to come in and have to do all of the heavy lifting. I wish I had footage of my face when the board told me that they would be fully funding the trainings and that they already had a space in mind. Having an idea, especially one so deeply personal and rooted in pain, be supported and encouraged is a rare gift.

Having had the bystander intervention training experience in my pocket, you’d think I would’ve remembered that 107IST members almost never have to reinvent the wheel. But repetition is the key to learning, and apparently, I needed another event-planning experience to truly learn about all the resources this organization makes available to us.

Back to Rose Poses …

When I agreed to take on the project, I truly thought I’d be on my own: I’d be setting up a black sheet in my garage and taking everyone’s picture by myself, while hoping people wouldn’t mind hanging out in my yard for hours. Instead, I put out an ask on Twitter for some volunteers to help plan and run the event. All of a sudden, I had a team to help.

Then, while we were trying to figure out where to hold the photoshoot, Gabby reached out and let us know we could use the Fanladen. That’s when I learned that members can ask and reserve that space — because it is our space. Y’all might already know that, but my mind was blown. Through the 107IST network, we found a few great photographers who volunteered their time and talents, even a couple backup photographers when Covid changed our original plan. It felt like magic when snacks, a professional lighting setup, and a background showed up. Of course it isn’t magic — it’s the support and resources of this community.

107IST is a member-driven community, not a board-driven one. Without us, this doesn’t exist. I want to acknowledge that I am speaking from a place of white privilege, so when I say “Oh, just pitch an idea, and it’ll come together!” I know that my experience is not universal, and that not all ideas are embraced and supported as enthusiastically as mine have been. Three months ago, when I was originally planning this post, I wanted to share the privilege of my experience planning events, something that feels even more important now than it did then. I imagined a laundry list of all the resources hidden in the Fanladen (did you know we have a button-maker?!), instead I want to uplift the truly endless resource that is a community with endless expertise and passions.

The board probably can’t write a blank check for a passion project, but when you hear “that’s a great idea! Thanks for volunteering.” I hope you hear what it really means “That’s a great idea! Thank you for volunteering. Please let us know how we can support you!”

If you have an idea you want to pitch to the board, email contactus@107ist.org. If you aren’t sure where to start, my DMs are open (@rachael_with2as)

I didn’t know how to do any of this until I tried. I want to support you while you try.

A long-time Timbers Army member has donated a first edition No Pity Scarf, which we are raffling off to benefit Urban League of Portland.

Here’s how to enter:

1. From now until 5 p.m. (Pacific) on June 19,  donate $10 (or more) to the Urban League of Portland.
2. Send a screenshot of your donation to npohelp@timbersarmy.org. 
3. Each $10 donation gets you a raffle entry. (For example, if you donate $100, you have 10 entries.)

We would like to thank Todd Diskin for his generous donation. Todd and his family will be doing the raffle live on June 19. We’ll post details on our social media channels soon so you can follow along.

Good luck!

We failed to listen to and incorporate the views and needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who identify as Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters. We ignored opportunities to listen to our community about concerns that are vital to them — not just this time, but many times.

We failed our community, and we commit to dismantling structures that keep BIPOC not only from speaking, but also from being heard.

Effective immediately, we will:

• Make space: Establish open sessions for our BIPOC community to express concerns and offer perspective to the board, and develop an ongoing process for members to have their grievances heard and addressed.
• Actively listen: Create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee to ensure that BIPOC are represented in leadership.
• Educate ourselves and improve: Hire experts to understand how to adapt to be a truly inclusive space for the community. Evaluate the 107IST organizational structure and change processes that silence the voices of marginalized communities.

We will get back to you within the next 30 days with a more structured plan. We are getting to work.

The 107IST board of directors

Sheba Rawson, President	Gab Rosas
Ray Terrill, Vice President	Joshua Lucas
Jennifer Ingraham, Secretary	Kristen Gehrke
Dawn Bauman, Treasurer	Maggie Williams
Christin Correz	Zachary Freeman
Drew Picard

The Rose City Riveters, Timbers Army, and the 107IST are anti-racist.

We strongly oppose the systems of racism and injustice that have caused so many black deaths in our country and our communities. We continue to mourn the loss of black lives at the hands of police and others. 

During this time of remarkable loss and fear, we recognize the hardship faced by people of color at all times. We encourage everyone to take action and speak up about what is happening in our communities. Listen to the voices of those who have lived this reality for their whole lives, and amplify them. Now is not the time for silence, and we are never silent. 

The NWSL Supporters Code of Conduct states that “We will not tolerate hateful or discriminatory words or actions based on race, gender identity, sexuality, citizenship status or nationality, age, appearance, disability, religious or cultural identity.” The new MLS Supporters Code of Conduct includes similar language. These are statements of our values, both within our stadium and in our community.

Now is the time to take action on those values in support of black lives. In the coming days, we will be providing information and directing Riveters and Timbers Army to ways they can help, both in Portland and nationally. 

Please stay safe, be well, and speak up.

#BlackLivesMatter  #BAONPDX #RCTID

It started simply enough in mid-April: Organizations locally and around the country were begging for masks for their essential workers. Many folks were spending their time and money to sew as many as they could, but the demand was far greater than the thousands of crafters could meet. How can we as an organization help locally?, we asked. So we launched Project Face Masks. We were a bit reluctant at first: Could we really sell 1,000 masks? The response, however, blew our expectations completely out of the water.

We sold that initial 1,000 masks in two hours — and 3,000 in 12 hours. The response was so incredible and the demand so great that we opened up another order … and then another.

As of this writing, we have:

• Donated 8,520 masks among 34 community organizations
  (Read a wonderful post by one of our recipients here.)
• Sold a total of 13,840 masks

Those orders came from 43 states and D.C., totaling 1,277 participants (76 percent of whom are 107IST members).

We still have organizations who are hoping for masks, though. So, we're making things even more enticing! From now through 9 p.m. (Pacific) on Sunday, May 31:

• Donate a set of masks, and the 107IST will match the donation (up to 250). That’s right: For every set of 5 or 8 that you donate, we’ll double it. Order here.
• Join or renew your membership, and we will donate five masks (unlimited).
• AND here’s the kicker: Each person who donates masks, either through purchase or membership, will be entered into a raffle to win:
• • One pair of signed cleat from Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke
  • One of three, signed Valeri bobbleheads
  • One of two, signed photobomb cutouts of Valeri
  • One of three, signed pictures of Chara, Clark, or Valeri
  • One of three, Timbers team-signed soccer balls

Yes, multiple purchases and guest registrations get you multiple entries.

This project has been an immense success, and we thank all of you for your support!

As we try to come to grips with the realities of the current situation, we see many organizations attempting to find a way to return to some semblance of normalcy.

While we’re hopeful for the return of sport as fans, our concern lies squarely with the health and safety of players, coaches, support staff, and the community at large. We continue to have reservations that a return to play happening too quickly risks too much.

We await the day when we can safely support our squads in person. Until then, we wish everyone good health. 

[Portland, OR: May 26, 2020] The 107 Independent Supporters Trust board of directors, the nonprofit engine behind the Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters, is pleased to announce the award of $10,000 in mini-grants to 20 locally based community organizations, in direct response to the COVID-19 crisis.

To mitigate the impact that the pandemic has had on so many in the Portland community, the 107IST board announced in April a revised budget for 2020 that allocated $20,000 for grants to community partners. This money is a combination of a reduction of expenses, a reallocation of current funds, and a redirection of other donations.

The first round of mini-grants were awarded this week to the following organizations: Equitable Giving Circle; Friendly House; Howard’s Heart; Gather:Make:Shelter; Grow Portland; JOIN; Latino Network; The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center; Oregon Worker Relief Fund, Causa Oregon; p:ear; Parkrose High School; Portland Action Medics; Rose Haven CIC; Rosehip Medic Collective; The Rosewood Initiative; Urban League of Portland; Voz Workers’ Rights Project; William Temple House; Write Around Portland; and Y.O.U.T.H.

“This process has shown us how much need exists in our community at this time and the incredible array of organizations stepping in to fill that void,” said Rachel Greenough, 107IST community outreach committee member and mini-grant subcommittee lead. “Many of these organizations are absolutely vital, trusted sources of information, food, or other resources for the communities they serve. It is an absolute honor for us to stand with these organizations and support their work.”

For more information about the mini-grants, please contact Rachel at rachel@rosecityriveters.org. Grant applications are available here.

The 107 Independent Supporters Trust (107IST) is a member-based non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, that is open to anyone who loves soccer, the Timbers/Thorns, and Portland. Its mission is to support soccer in and around Portland, Oregon, from the grassroots to the highest professional level. For more information, visit www.timbersarmy.org.

The following is a post from Rachel Greenough, Community Outreach committee member.

This past Saturday, May 16th, would have been a home game for the Thorns against the newly rebranded OL Reign. I can just imagine the tifo that might have gone up that day. How many choruses of build a bonfire we would sing. Fanladen would have been open, and we were planning to collect match day donations for Grow Portland, a great organization that plants school gardens and does a ton of work with food resources and gardening in our communities. I can almost feel what it’s like to be in the stands for a game such as this.

As Sheba and Gab have recently written, in much more eloquent words than my own, we miss that stadium and all of you — but the attention of the Rose City Riveters and Timbers Army are currently focused elsewhere. The “town” of “team, town, and TA/Riveters” is currently where our focus lies.

A few weeks ago, I started reaching out to organizations to help gather information for mask distribution and grant applications. Every organization I reached was in need. Every individual spoke of the increasing needs in our community: how many more meals they’re serving, how hard it is to find shelter beds for women who need them, and how some populations are being left out of the resources offered by our city, state, and country. They all spoke of the importance of donations and support from the community.

When we talk about community outreach from the 107IST, a frequent question is, “What can we offer?” Thanks to the generosity of our members, and the success of our merch teams, we can often support organizations with money or material donations. The biggest asset we possess, however, is our membership — a whole lot of people who care about the well-being of others in our community and are willing to help out when they can.

You. You are the most valuable part of the 107IST.

We are all in different spots right now. If you need help, we hope you will reach out to us via email or social media. We might be able to find help. If you are in a position to help others, we are here to facilitate that. When I reach out to organizations about masks or grants, I am also asking them what else they need. Do they need volunteers? How will those volunteers be kept safe? Do they need items? Do they have an online wishlist of vital needs? Do they need money to continue doing what they do in the community? The answer is yes.

We have added pages to the 107IST and Riveters websites to list these needs and spread the word. As needs come in, we will post them on these pages. The idea is that this is a place you can go if you have time, money, or other donations to offer. All of these organizations are doing great work. They all need help. May would have been a big month for both teams: two home games for Timbers, four for the Thorns, rivalry games for both teams ... Maybe some of those beer, cider, parking, transportation, or pizza dollars can go to one of these organizations.

Thank you for joining us and doing what you can.