The following is a post by Sarah Gehrke.

I moved to Portland, Oregon, three years ago. As an avid supporter of women’s soccer, I was in awe to finally be in the city I considered to be the home of the pinnacle of women’s professional soccer. After spending five years supporting the Washington Spirit, I was finally in a place I thought gave women’s soccer the environment it deserves. I thought Portland had it all — a gorgeous downtown stadium that regularly boasts tens of thousands of fans, a large and passionate supporters group, significant brand awareness throughout the city, and much more.

However, Portland is not the shining beacon of women’s soccer I thought it was. One month ago, we learned that Paul Riley was accused of sexually coercing multiple players, while the Thorns Front Office quietly placed Riley on leave and then declined to renew his contract without any mention of the investigation or administrative leave. Both Gavin Wilkinson and Merritt Paulson publicly continued cordial interactions with Riley. On top of that, Wilkinson allegedly dissuaded Mana Shim from speaking openly about her sexual orientation. 

An environment where players aren’t protected, where they are made to fear speaking openly, and where a known abuser is allowed to move on without consequence is not acceptable. Despite the extensive reporting and follow-up stories, the Front Office has done little more than pay lip service to the calls for accountability, including only placing Wilkinson on administrative leave from the Thorns while allowing him to continue in his capacity as GM of the Timbers. This decision stands in contrast to a recent sexual abuse scandal in men’s hockey, where the GM who mishandled sexual assault allegations stepped down from his role. While we need to wait until the results of the investigation before terminating Wilkinson, he should be placed on administrative leave from the team — full stop.

Closure and moving forward doesn’t happen wIthout accountability and consequences for the people in positions of power in the Thorns Front Office that 1) fostered an environment where this type of abuse could occur and 2) allowed an abuser to move on from the team without acknowledgement of the circumstances of his departure.

I am cautiously optimistic about the recent hiring of Karina LeBlanc as Thorns GM and rumored hiring of Rhian Wilkinson as the next head coach. I’m thrilled to see women who played the game in Portland coming back to the organization; however, it is also true that both lack experience for their future roles. If one of the goals of bringing R. Wilkinson and LeBlanc into the organization is to improve treatment of players and culture within the club, then there needs to be clear policies in place to give that power to both of them. Without explicit empowerment and guardrails, I believe existing, powerful members of the Front Office — including Paulson, G. Wilkinson, and Mike Golub — will control the real levers of power within the organization, which is part of what has created an environment of silence and disempowerment of players.

I love this city. I love my community of supporters. I love to support the players of Thorns FC. I will not back down, and I will not give up until we’ve seen the safety and environment for players of Thorns FC protected (as outlined by the demands published by both Thorns players and the Rose City Riveters). 

The news of how the Portland Thorns handled learning of former coach Paul Riley’s abuse hit many people hard. We continue to be awed by the strength shown by Mana and Sinead in sharing their stories, and we follow the lead of the players in designing the 107IST response.

We recently conducted two surveys to see how people feel about 107IST actions in response to the revelations. We did a members-only survey first, and then followed that up with one for the wider community.

We heard from a lot of people — and we appreciate everyone who took the time to give feedback!

• 274 members responded to the member survey, and 461 to the community survey.
• Of those 461 who responded to the community survey, 42% were 107IST members. We asked folks to only fill out the community survey if they had not done the member one, but it is possible some people responded to both.
• We ran the member survey for two weeks before the community survey, so that time gap may have affected people's opinions either positively or negatively.
• We’re breaking out results as “Member Survey,” “Members in Community Survey,” and “Wider Community.”

Respondents representing the full range of the PTFC community. Most survey-takers follow both the Timbers and Thorns, though some follow just one team.

Note: Numbers in all charts may not add up to the total number of survey respondents because all questions were optional.

Not surprisingly, folks who took the survey have been following the 107IST response to the news. Three-quarters of members and more than two-thirds of non-members have been following our actions “very closely.”

We asked two similar questions: How has the 107IST response been so far, and how hard should we push moving forward? It’s a similar question, but we wanted to ask it in both a backwards-looking and forward-facing way.

For the backwards-facing question, results were very split. Overall, around half of respondents think the 107IST response has been about right, with the rest fairly split between wishing we had pushed harder and wishing we had a softer response. Notably, members taking the more recent community survey softened a tiny bit: While 48% still said we've been doing well, 29% said we've been pushing too hard. There are many things this could mean, but without additional research, it’s difficult to read too much into the directional changes in this question.

How hard should 107IST push moving forward? The bottom line of this is similar to the previous question: Roughly a quarter of respondents think the response should be tempered, and nearly 75% think the organization should continue pushing for change. A very small portion of respondents — 3% overall — think the organization should stop all work on this issue.

Gavin's future: Like everything else, people are split. About half of folks have already seen enough and think he should be fully removed from the PTFC organization. A third want to see how the investigation goes. Timbers supporters are slightly less interested in his ousting. In the member survey, only 43% of Timbers Army folks wanted him gone, compared to 56% of Riveters and 66% of people who identified as being part of both supporters groups.

Thanks to everyone who took time to participate in the survey. We’re also looking at all the thoughtful comments you left. Your responses will help shape our future work on this important issue.

The following is a post from Stephan Lewis, 107IST board member.

For those of you who actively engage in the elections process for the 107IST board of directors, you know that it has for years been a process in which members can help set the priorities for the future of the org. You know that the process has been daunting at times with the depth of questions and responses. While we’ve worked to make the process smoother through appointments from the Rose City Riveters Steering Committee, the Timbers Army Steering Committee, and the BIPOC group, it can still be overwhelming for members to run for an at-large position. It takes a lot of personal and mental preparation to be willing to throw your hat in the ring.

I was asked to write this because, historically, I’ve been good at long-range recruiting for the board. A lot of this is planting the seed in people that have the potential to be effective in a specific role, coupled with encouragement and support. Honestly though, it’s been hard recently. Who wants to do this? While it does honestly have some enjoyable moments, it’s not like it’s that frequently fun or free of stress anymore (if ever). Just calling it like it is and looking straight at the elephant in the room.

We’ve said, “Well, in a normal season…” a lot over the past few years — but what is a “normal season”? I barely remember at this point. These past few years, we’ve had 107IST board members go their entire terms without experiencing whatever a “normal season” is. Between compressed schedules for construction, a friggin’ pandemic, and struggles to get the PTFC Front office to understand some of the most basic elements of who we are and what is important to us within the diaspora of our broader community, maybe this is just the way things are. Regardless, we will always put the work in to be standing at the ready, even if it feels like it’s always on the struggle bus.

In the past few election cycles, we’ve been using this space to talk about what skills we think we’ll need as a board with a lot of success. We’ve been blessed with truly solid people — people who are committed to serving and who bring valuable skills to the table. The best laid plans don’t always shake out, however — especially given the issues we’ve collectively faced over the last years.

At this point, we could probably use someone with conflict resolution experience, to be honest.

There is an inherent symbiosis between the 107IST and the PTFC Front Office. We spent the better part of this last year working to strengthen the relationship with the FO in the hopes of making it “more healthy.” None of us got into this to “stick it to the FO.” That’s not why we’re here. We do this to sustain and grow support for the Beautiful Game and this place we call home. We’ve been talking to them about some topics for the entirety of our existence that are just now getting traction, and others that have fallen on overly confident, yet unqualified ears, more consistently than any of us would like. (Tweak your business model and hire qualified people to help you through some of these issues already.) It seems to be the nature of professional sports, where big egos and swagger rule the day, to use confidence to get through things one doesn’t understand or are qualified to address. What other professional sports don’t have, however, is a supporters culture like what we have.

It’s not all bad. We’ve done a lot of great things through our relationship with the FO and will do more in the future. But, holy shit, they pissed me the fuck off talking about their “ethos” in their statements and saying they share ours without even understanding what ours means. Or, using the phrase “proven track record” to absolve themselves of doing the continuous, often difficult work of striving for improvement. Look, we obviously aren’t perfect, but our ethos against hate and intolerance means we will constantly strive to improve. It’s a cornerstone of who we are. At this point, we don’t even know when, or even if, we’ll meet with them again. Our last monthly meeting was pushed before ultimately being cancelled, and this month’s wasn’t even scheduled. Some form of communication will continue, but it may just be … different … moving forward.

And look, it’s not all about the FO. Most of what we do as an organization has little if anything to do with them. However, what we understand through personal experiences and hearing from you, our members, is that there is a lot of disillusionment with the FO, and the effect on our passions is leading to a crisis of faith in many — if not just apathy.

We know that we are blessed with so many talented and passionate people within our membership. We may have worked with you on projects, read your well crafted emails to the FO that you cc’d us on or, you’ve engaged in high-level discussions we’ve been privy to. We see you. We know that there are almost endless other local organizations doing amazing work in our community that are worthy of your volunteer time and effort. We would even encourage our members to look at other organizations we support that would benefit from their skills and passions without as much frustration. We get it.

Why does this sound like I’m trying to persuade you not to run for the board? Well, we know where you are because you're not alone. It is through an understanding of the elephant in the room that we learn to tame it and ride it into battle like the soldiers of Hannibal. As One Club.

Being a PTFC supporter has never been about winning. Don’t get me wrong, winning is great and sharing it with you people makes it even greater. Just as having you people there to share in the frustrations of loss; the embrace of pain and suffering for our support, we have each other; we have this place on earth. Attending matches and growing the game is opportunity to take your joys from the week or your sorrows and frustrations from the week and give them all freely as an offering to this place on earth through a tangible, visceral experience empowering our Club through dance and song and ecstasy and yes, shared despair. Even if it’s only a fleeting moment like that Dairon bicycle last week, I’m reminded of what we’ve created together. That’s what brought us here. That’s what drew us in. That’s who we are as a community. That’s what we need to work to protect. That’s what we need to rebuild. That’s where our past, present, and future reside.

That’s why we need your help.

This thing we’ve all created together is in crisis, along with our collective faith. It’s long been said that owners, staff, and players come and go but we, the supporters, will always be here. I’m here to assure you that we will indeed be here — and we want you to be, too. Together, we can make this into what it needs to be. Together, we can stand shoulder to shoulder for what we love. You can play a role in that. Your passion is worth fighting for. Your skills and experience can contribute.

Do you have something to contribute by running for the 107IST board? You’re damn right you do.

The following is a post by Matt Cleinman.

It’s now been a month since Meg Linehan’s article about Paul Riley’s abuse has rocked the NWSL community — and especially the Thorns. As a long-time supporter of the Thorns, those first few days were really difficult. Hearing the news was one of those “time stops” moments. Disbelief. Tears. Unable to focus on anything else. More crying. Holding tightly to every update that trickled out over those first couple days. And then thinking about how I’m a man, and how this news is hitting even closer and harder for many women and non-binary supporters.

A few weeks later, there are still aspects that make me sick. My stomach knots up each time that I remember Paul Riley traded for specific players he had coached for years. And while I’m incredibly awed by the strength and courage that Mana, Sinead, and Kaiya have shown in coming forward to transform our league, I still cry every time I consider that there are likely more victims out there. More than anger, though, these days I’m mostly disappointed and worried.

Disappointed: The Thorns leadership still has not shown that they understand why their response in 2015 — or 2021 — is completely inadequate to many of us, how it fully misses the mark. Merritt Paulson’s kind tweets to Paul Riley over the past few years are infuriating: They are overtures to an old friend, not the words of someone who is irate at someone who abused his employees. (Further anger-inducing: The day the article was released, as I was sobbing, Merritt’s priority was deleting these old tweets.) Merritt’s recent open letter reads extremely false, especially when compared to his kind pre-article tweets. It seems like he’s trying to save face now that his dirty secret is out. Leadership and attitude starts at the top. If Merritt doesn’t understand, it’s hard to think that his deputies will.

Worried: I’m worried that the changes being promised won’t be enough to transform our team and our league into a place where our players can feel safe and supported. Every day that Gavin Wilkinson remains employed makes me worried that real change isn’t coming. The fact that he is still actively working for the Timbers makes no sense, and it betrays the lack of concern this organization has about his conduct. If you’re worried enough to put him on leave from Thorns duties, why aren’t you worried enough to remove him from his Timbers duties? Why are Timbers players safe with him, but Thorns players are not? It seems like you’re setting up to clear him after a cursory investigation.

(Update: Karina LeBlanc has been hired as the general manager of the Thorns. She is extraordinarily qualified, and I look forward to her return to Portland. However, this underscores that the Front Office’s process has been a sham. After weeks of insisting that they were waiting for a complete investigation before making any decisions, they reverse themselves and hire KK. It’s almost as if it’s not about the investigation, but instead about other factors.)

I bought season tickets before our inaugural season kicked off, and I have been a dedicated Thorns supporter ever since. I’ve traveled to most of our postseason games, even when it seriously stretched my budget — and saw our team lift the trophy in both 2013 and 2017. In two weeks, we have a semifinal game at home. But I can’t bring myself to purchase a ticket from the Thorns organization. There is one other thing that presently gives me a pit in my stomach: The thought of sending more of my money to this team’s owners and leadership.

We are now accepting candidate submissions for this year's 107IST election cycle! To run for the board, you must have been a current member as of October 31, 2021. The deadline to submit your application is noon on November 19.

This year, there are two member-elected positions that will serve three-year terms. The Timbers Army Steering Committee, Rose City Riveters Steering Committee, and the BIPOC Committee also nominate candidates for one-year terms. You can read more about the board composition and the elections process in our bylaws.

If you’re considering running, we recommend you join us at our next board meeting on November 9. Over the next few weeks, we’ll also be publishing some more information about day-to-day board life and the things we’re working on to give a better idea of what being on the board is like.

Important dates

• Applications for candidates will be open until noon (Pacific) on November 19.
• We will post the list of candidates and their statements on the website on the afternoon of November 20.
• After the slate is announced, all current 107IST members will be able to post questions to candidates in the member forums on the website.
• On December 4, from noon to 2 p.m. (Pacific), we will host a virtual forum session for all candidates. This session is moderated, and the questions will come from members.
• We will post a recording of the forum on December 5 to all 2021 members.
• We will also email ballots to all 2021 members on December 5.
• Voting will take place from December 5 through December 12, and we will announce the results on December 13.

What are our needs?

As always, we are looking for professional, committed people to join our board. The main requirement is always people who can put in the time needed for board initiatives. (The time commitment can vary depending on what members take on, but the average is somewhere between 6 to 10 hours a week.)

We continue to work towards becoming more strategic in focus, empowering the steering committees to take on SG efforts, so we are definitely looking for individuals with organizational change experience, as well as administrative, project management, and strategic thinking skills.

As the board continues to evolve and grow, and we continue our capital campaign for a permanent home, it would be great to have people with fundraising experience on the board.

There is no age requirement or residency requirement — those who identify as part of an RSG should consider running!

About the board

Our board members help shape the organization and work to make the Timbers and Thorns supporter experience bigger and better, as well as contribute to initiatives in the Portland soccer community. You can find out more about the current board, the positions and committees they serve on, and the initiatives they manage here.

If you have any questions about the election process, please email us at elections@107ist.org.

Boycott concessions and merchandise

Three weeks ago, our leadership teams called for our members to boycott concessions and official team merchandise until significant changes are made to our club’s organization — changes that will focus on the players and increased transparency. We continue to ask for your support in this boycott.

You can read more about our demands here.

The Portland Thorns players have also listed out three demands for the club:

• That the investigations proceed immediately, and that our GM, Gavin Wilkinson, be placed on administrative leave until the process concludes.
• That there be an increase in the diversity of voices within the club’s board of executives.
• That we, the players of the club, gain seats at the table in order to increase transparency, accountability, and cooperation between the players and the front office.

The NWSLPA have provided their own list of demands for the league, which can be found on their website.

24th-minute activities

The Riveters have published more information about the protest, the players’ asks, and how to participate here. The key pieces for the Timbers match today are:

• Smoke at the 24th minute will continue. The 24th minute was chosen because Sinead Farrelly’s original number with the Thorns was 24 and 6 (2+4=6 ) was Mana Shim’s number.
• During the 24th minute, TA or Riveters capos may be on the main stage waving Riveters flags while we chant “Protect the Players.”
• Bring in two-sticks or signs showing your support of the players or your displeasure with the current situation. We have been told that as long as signs do not violate the PTFC code of conduct and do not have profanity or threats, they will be allowed in.
• Pick up a flyer or two from the 107IST membership table located on the concourse in the North End that gives more detail about what and why we are doing this.

Beyond what we are currently doing, we are working on next steps that can increase pressure for systemic change. We are not taking this lightly. Stay tuned. If you have suggestions for additional actions we can take as an organization, please let us know. We are stronger together.

[Originally published in the member newsletter, on October 13.]

Background information

Over the past month, our organization has been responding to reporting in The Athletic about events that occurred in 2015, when Mana Shim reported Paul Riley’s behavior to the PTFC leadership team, including Merritt Paulson, Gavin Wilkinson, and HR.

We also learned about how Wilkinson talked to Shim behind closed doors, essentially telling her to “just stick to soccer” and not be publically out and proud. Reporters have also confirmed that the Timbers/Thorns leadership had unexpected reactions to stories that told us about the whole player. Wilkinson has said that Shim’s claims are “bullshit” when initially asked for comment. He later walked back that comment.

Merritt Paulson’s open letter, posted three weeks ago, further demonstrated that the organization has yet to make concrete changes to address their past failures. While Wilkinson has been placed on administrative leave from the Thorns, per the players’ request, he is still performing his duties as GM for the Timbers. There have been no further updates from the organization in the past three weeks. This is unacceptable.

The Rose City Riveters Steering Committee, the Timbers Army Steering Committee, and the 107IST Board believe that the incident recounted by Shim describes a toxic culture and should not be ignored. This reporting calls into question the credibility our club has with future players and forces us to ask the question: Who else has been silenced or did not feel they could be their authentic selves here? We believe that systemic change is needed to restore the reputation of the club across both NWSL and MLS, and that Wilkinson needs to be terminated.

The 107IST’s mission is to support soccer in and around Portland, from the grassroots to the highest level. As such, we stand behind the players, and we believe that immediate and meaningful action is necessary for our club to thrive. Soccer is more than a sport: It’s a community of people who collectively pour their blood, sweat, tears, and passion into something they love. We have learned that there are players whose safety and identity was threatened, and players who continue to fear retaliation. As supporters of PTFC and members of the 107IST, now more than ever, this is our time to support and stand behind the players of today and tomorrow.

The following is a guest post from the Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters Capos & DnT teams.

We (Capos & DnT as a unit) are nothing without you!

The limited season, and needed COVID limitations to provide some small feeling of health and safety have affected us all this season, especially following the extra distance from last season. We haven't had the usual tension, loss, joy, irritation at the refs, of standing with you in passion and love.

The Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters Capos & DnT have joined forces in our annual tradition of BYCAP this year. We work to amplify those voices that have been muted, stifled, and ignored. Those voices of the survivors of abuse. Traditionally, BYCAP funds provide help to the young voices in our neighborhoods, to aid them in learning how to be strong and confident, to provide them with the ability to communicate their needs, dreams, ideas, and opinions. There is no greater way to help them than to show that we listen to those who are in the places they dream to be. To make sure our players are HEARD and the pro soccer pitch is a place they can dream to be.

We refuse to ignore or minimize the long term and systemic effects of the human rights abuses of our communities locally, nationally, and globally.

We are again joining forces for a single BYCAP event, with a single entity recipient, instead of the traditional tandem, team-specific BYCAP fundraisers.

100% of funds raised in this online BYCAP will be donated to Raphael House. In this way we support our community, provide help to those whose voices have been muted and marginalized. To provide any aid we can to break the cycle of violence.

About Raphael House: Thanks to community support, the families we serve are ending the cycle of violence and building lives without abuse. Together we are working toward a future without domestic and sexual violence, and where oppression in any form is not tolerated. We are proud to offer immediate safety and a wide range of supportive services for survivors, while working to create lasting change through prevention education.

Please help us surpass prior years fundraising by donating and signal boosting this event.

>>> GOAL: meet or surpass our current BYCAP best year of $6240 <<<

A donation link will be available here from 10/30 - 11/15. Please make sure to select the BYCAP fund!

You can also use the QR code below for easy donation both in and out of the stadium, and we will happily accept cash donations too!

*Buy Your Capo A Pint: For those of you who are unfamiliar with BYCAP, it usually happens on or near the last match of the regular season for Timbers and Thorns. As the season is coming to a tense point (or wrapping up) often folks are feeling kind and nostalgic for the events of the season, and many want to “buy us (Capos, DnT) a pint” to say thanks. Thanks for helping to hype the crowd, to keep it on time, to provide eyes and assistance when there is an interloper or and altercation, to represent good safety habits, and generally for us needing to buy tickets to turn our backs to the pitch for a whole season, so the North End volume can resonate beyond the PP rooftop to roll across the pitch and through the neighborhood. All because we love providing focused passion for our teams. It has been noted that our livers cannot take so much thanks… so… instead we have collection buckets out at our stage, nests and drums, and we ask you to donate that ‘pint’ (or soda, water, coffee) money to our fundraiser (particularly when there is a concessions boycott) so we can help others find a voice the way we have. We get the “thank you” vibes and affection AND our community gets much needed help and support.

Effective immediately, the Rose City Riveters, the Timbers Army, and the 107IST call on our members to boycott all concessions inside Providence Park and PTFC official team merchandise across all platforms. 

The Rose City Riveters and the Timbers Army support the players of the Portland Thorns, Portland Timbers, NWSL, MLS, and worldwide.

This past week has been harrowing as we learned the extent of abuse and suppression that has taken place in Portland. It is clear that the Portland Thorns organization is complicit in the NWSL’s failures by actively sweeping incidents and complaints under the rug and passing issues off to others without holding offenders accountable. It is also abundantly evident that the PTFC leadership team knew about the incidents when they were reported in 2015. This is inexcusable. 

This week’s message from owner Merritt Paulson further demonstrates that the Thorns organization has yet to make concrete changes to address their past failures.

Our hearts and our actions are with Portland’s players — one hundred percent. Our trust, however, is utterly shattered, and it cannot be repaired until significant changes take place across all levels of the PTFC organization.

We call for the immediate and complete removal of Gavin Wilkinson from the PTFC organization, including the youth academies. We also demand the following:

• Implement a transparent and proactive safety, training, and accountability plan that is approved by the players.
• Create an executive-level Diversity Officer position, which will be filled by a candidate with more than 10 years of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) experience and a proven track record of building and implementing an organizational inclusion roadmap. 
• Demonstrate transparency that players’ voices will be prominent in the hiring of the next Thorns coach — and any future coaches — as well as information about who will be responsible for background checks and vetting of any new staff.
• Hire separate general managers for the Thorns and the Timbers.
• Create a Club Culture and Player Liaison position for each team whose sole purpose is to mentor and support players from the academy on up. This role should also help transition any new players when they are signed. 
• Disclose who has been secured to complete the new investigation of the 2015 events and subsequent investigation.
• Influence the league’s fulfillment of the NWSLPA demands and take local action to satisfy these demands, including immediate suspension of any staff member who violated the current anti-harassment policy or failed to report the alleged violation.

We will purchase nothing in the stadium or online until the PTFC Front Office meets these demands and any additional demands that are shared by the NWSLPA or players individually. We encourage supporters of the team to donate to the NWSLPA any money they would have otherwise spent at a match. The NWSLPA continues to fight for the players to take their power back, and we wish to support them in any way we can.

On game day, we will continue to show up and safely support our teams. Our remote supporters and those not attending games will continue to support from afar. The players deserve our loud and visible support — and to withhold it would send an incorrect message to the players. We want to make it abundantly clear that we are there for the players, but that we remain in protest against the PTFC organization until such time as demands for transparency and change have been met.

We encourage those attending Thorns and Timbers games to wear red in solidarity with the Thorns players and to bring signs that show support for the players and amplify the demand for changes. 

We stand ready to change or pivot our actions at any time should there be further requests or information from the NWSLPA or individual players.

The players know their rights and are fighting for their rights. We support them in taking their power back, and we are fully behind them.

#ProtectNWSLPlayers #ProtectOurPlayers #BAONPDX #RCTID

This September, we’ll be collecting items for the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO). We have a long-standing connection to IRCO, and we’re proud to support them again this year. Please consider picking something up on the way to a match or swinging by Fanladen during membership hours so we can continue our support of this important organization. This year, they have specifically asked us to gather items for K–12 students in Portland. They need the following new items in all sizes:

• Backpacks
• Headphones
• Shoes
• Clothes
• Socks

From IRCO's website:

IRCO’s youth programs seek to break down barriers facing youth. Youth Programs ensure that students (ages 6+) receive a quality education to overcome the obstacles that perpetuate inequality and poverty. From one-on-one mentoring, tutoring, academic advocacy and after school activities, to gang prevention and intervention for at-risk youth, IRCO provides culturally and linguistically specific support to help close the achievement gap, improve 3rd grade reading, ease middle school transitions, and increase the number of youth graduating from high school and pursuing college or career opportunities.

We also must acknowledge that Oregon and its community has a role to play in the events unfolding in Afghanistan. We aim to support the organizations here in Oregon that exist to support our immigrant and refugee neighbors.

There are many ways to help, and many incredible voices out there sharing information on how to do so. Many of us are familiar with Shireen Ahmed from her sports journalism and activism. She wrote an article for InStyle magazine that has a list of voices to follow and some steps we can take. She also encourages us to educate ourselves. Her work is a great place to start.

Here at home, Oregon non-profits and lawmakers have been seeking ways to welcome refugees to the state, and one of the organizations working on this is, as always, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization.

Other ways to help: While IRCO has asked us to focus on youth items during this drive, they also have an ongoing need for other items to support refugee communities in Portland. Please see this press release from IRCO about their needs. We will collect any of these wish list items as well, and you are welcome to support them via online donation or wishlist at any time.

Bonus opportunity

For the rest of this season, we will also be collecting blankets for Janus Youth Program, our upstairs neighbors at Fanladen. They can accept new and gently used blankets, which will go directly to the youth who seek their services. Bring these to Fanladen anytime it is open (match days and membership hours) for the rest of the season.

Remember that all donations via 107IST will entitle you to receive a special donation merit badge! We now have five different designs available, so come on down and continue your collection.

Thank you for your support of the community.

What: Donation drive for IRCO (and blankets for Janus)
Where: Fanladen 1633 SW Alder (just a couple blocks from the stadium)
When: Match days in September and regular membership hours
Check the newsletter for open hours.