As we have discussed in past posts [scroll down to see several], the board has committed to improvement in five areas this year. We have promised to:

1. Improve accessibility.
2. Hear from members.
3. Communicate more.
4. Increase accountability.
5. Evaluate the organization’s structure and activities.

We’d like to share some of the steps we’ve taken in these areas with our members and with the general public.

This week, we’ll look at our successes and our next steps to Communicate more.

What we’ve accomplished

Audited our email groups. As the organization has matured, we’ve realized that we have had legacy email groups that were forwarding to the wrong people, which meant we had a broken chain of communication in some cases. We reviewed, analyzed, sorted, and reorganized email groups under 107ist.org.

Posted committee and board meetings on the website and on social media. In the past, not all committees and work groups publicly posted dates and times for meetings. We have been posting these to the website, with the option to sign up to attend those that are open to membership and/or to the general public. We also post reminders of these meetings on social media, along with links for members to sign up if they wish to attend.

Created a process for members to be able to submit questions/feedback to the Front Office. While the 107IST board has had regular monthly meetings with the PTFC Front Office for years, we hadn’t formalized ways for members to submit questions. Now we do, and we follow up with members after the fact.

Updated the newsletter to include contact information for the board, as well as reminders of board meeting dates and times.

In progress

We are in the process of organizing TA and 107IST website and blogs to reflect the organization’s structure.

Ongoing

We post the 107IST board meeting agenda ahead of every meeting, we post board meeting minutes after every meeting, and the Comms team follows ongoing processes for communicating weekly meetings and events via the newsletter and social media channels.

The following is a post from Dominique Whittaker.

This year, 2020, has brought societal issues to the forefront of the American consciousness — from having frank conversations about systemic racism and police brutality, to asking what diversity and inclusion means and the what the expectations of allies are. The 107IST itself has been called upon to reflect on the ways in which it has historically not been perceived as inclusive and how that can be changed going forward. Community, inclusion, and action are more paramount than ever and, while more can (and will) be done, the 107IST and Community Outreach Committee are awarding $10,000 in micro-grants to community organizations whose mission and efforts center on furthering local efforts central to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The first recipient of micro-grant funds is the Black & Beyond the Binary Collective, an organization dedicated to the advocacy and healing for transgender and gender-variant Oregonians who are Black and have lived experiences as a member of the African Diaspora. While the Black Lives Matter movement has brought racial inequality, systemic racism, and police brutality/abuse to the forefront of the conversation, Black Trans and non-binary folx are often left out of the conversation, even though they are at the forefront of every major Civil Rights movement, dealing with homophobia, transphobia and misogyny. The Human Rights Campaign reports that, in 2020 alone, more than 36 transgender or non-conforming people have been fatally short or killed by other means, and too often these stories go unreported or in some cases, misreported. This monetary award will enable them to provide deepened support for the Trans and Nonbinary community, specifically around harm reduction and suicide prevention and enable them to start providing many of the needs of Black Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary Portlanders.

How can you help support Black & Beyond the Binary Collective? They are planning a Trans Day of Remembrance Event on November 20. This is an opportunity to connect, create joy, break bread and collectively heal as they highlight those who have been lost to anti-trans violence. They are looking for volunteers for security and specifically look to white allies to redirect other white folks who show up as this event is POC only. Additionally, they have other needs, ranging from a mini-fridge, microwave, full-size refrigerators and a paper shredder. If you are interested in volunteering or donating please contact Babatunde (Ze/hir) at babatunde@bbbcollective.org.

Our greatest asset as an organization is our dedicated, empathetic, and passionate membership. If you wish you help with other outreach efforts from donation drives, group volunteer activities or want to get involved in the Outreach Committee, please contact community@107ist.org. We want to hear from you and connect on ways to help our community near and far. Thank you for supporting the work of these and other organizations.

107IST Board Elections Update

After a thorough review of the organization’s election by-laws and procedures, and consultation with our legal advisors, it has been determined that a formal election will be held as originally planned.

• On November 15, from noon to 2 p.m., we will host a virtual forum session for all candidates. This session is moderated, and the questions are sent in by members. 
• After the virtual forum, all current 107IST members will be able to post questions to candidates in the member forums on the website.
• Ballots will be sent out on Sunday, November 29, to all 107IST members who renewed their 2020 membership before October 31.
• Voting will take place from November 29 through December 12, and we will announce the results on December 13.
• We request that all candidates attend the December 8 107IST board meeting.

Important: You must have been a member of the 107IST by October 31, 2020, to be eligible to run for the board and/or to vote.

Virtual Forum:

More about the candidates can be found here. If you would like to attend the forum please check your email for a link to RSVP. A link to join will be sent out to registrants by 10 a.m., Sunday morning. Questions and comments you would like addressed can be submitted through the link in your email. 

If you have any questions about the election process, feel free to email our elections committee at elections@107ist.org.

As we discussed in previous posts (original post and our first update), the board has committed to improvement in five areas of focus this year. We have promised to:

This week, we’d like to share some of the steps we’ve taken to Hear from members.

What we’ve accomplished

• Member town hall: We held a town hall on September 19, where — instead of board members setting the agenda — the conversation focused on what members brought to the table. The plan is for the board to continue to hold these town halls mid-year, so members can ask questions, raise concerns, and share their ideas face-to-face with the board.
• Member survey: We recently sent an updated membership survey to 2019 and 2020 107IST members to better understand who we are as an organization. Results will be shared with membership and with the board, workgroups, and committees.
• Board meet-ups: Board members have given stakeholders the opportunity to meet up online and engage in dialogue with individual board members. To date, there have been board meet-ups with Joshua, Dawn, Zach, and Gab; Sheba is next on the schedule in November.

Ongoing

• Grievance process: We’re still working on establishing a process to hear from members about past grievances, ensuring that there is a safe space and process for members who wish to address past issues. This may involve contracting with outside experts for assistance, and we are engaging in research on that front.
• Neutral ombudsman or listening committee: In addition to addressing past grievances, we are working to determine how best to have ongoing means for members to bring concerns to the board.
• Volunteer recognition: We have had volunteer-recognition systems in the past; we are researching ways to establish and implement a volunteer recognition program.

Still to come

• Mingle events in the warehouse: This will be revisited once we can gather in larger groups post-COVID restrictions.
• Social events or gatherings to help foster a social club environment: We will revisit this once we can gather in larger groups post-COVID restrictions.

It's election season again! Once you've cast the most important ballot of 2020, consider turning your eyes toward your next ballot: 107IST board of directors.

This year, we're introducing some changes to the election process and board setup. Check it out here.

For elections, we'll have candidates vying for one of four open positions for a three-year term (2021 through 2023).

• Applications for candidates will be open from October 28 until 11:59 a.m. on November 11.
• We will post the list of candidates and their statements on the website on November 11.
• On November 15, from noon to 2, we will host a virtual forum session for all candidates. This session is moderated, and the questions are sent in from members.
• After the virtual forum, all current 107IST members will be able to post questions to candidates in the member forums on the website.
• Ballots will be sent out on Sunday, November 29, to all 107IST members who renewed their 2020 membership before October 31.
• Voting will take place from November 29 through December 12, and we will announce the results on December 13.
• We request that all candidates attend the December 8 107IST board meeting.

Important: You must have been a member of the 107IST by October 31, 2020, to be eligible to run for the board and/or to vote.

What are our needs?

As always, we are looking for professional, committed people to join our board. Non-profit experience is a definite need. The main requirement is always people who have a history of committed and reliable work with the 107IST and who can put in the time needed for the board. (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 moving away from being a working board to being more strategic, so are definitely looking for organizational development skills, as well as proven project management, leadership, and strategic thinking..

We also absolutely recognize the need for the organization to grow in its work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage members of the BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities to put their names forward.

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 financial or real estate experience.

To apply to run for election to the 107IST board, go here. 

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 in, and the initiatives they manage here.

If you have any questions about the election process, feel free to email our elections committee at elections@107ist.org.

Update: Donation drive is postponed until such a time as we can open up again safely and be in line with the governor's orders to slow the covid spread. Fanladen will be closed at least through the end of the year. If you have items, hang on to them. If you wish to contribute directly to FSSW, we will be publishing an address to send donations via check. Thanks for your support!

New donation drive: Friends of Seasonal and Service Workers

In November and December, we'll be supporting Friends of Seasonal and Service Workers. FSSW has supported low-income workers for nearly forty years, providing material support for self-organized groups of Washington County farmworkers and workers in the Medford. They believe that those of us in the Portland area have a responsibility to help our entire state-wide community, and we're honored to support their mission.

We'll be collecting goods that are especially helpful as Oregon heads into our rainy season:
- New socks and underwear (including kids sizes)
- New and like-new clothing for kids and teenagers (especially teenagers)
- Dried pinto beans
- White rice
- Cooking oil
- Non-perishable snacks for kids: granola bars, Goldfish, etc.

- Dishwashing soap - both regular and for dishwashers

As always, donations can be dropped off in the doorway of Fanladen to maintain social distancing and ensure safety. Please wear a mask. If you are doing grocery pick-up or otherwise shopping in a careful and distant manner, these are easy items to add to your order!

Donation drop-offs are temporarily on hold, at least until January 2021. 

As we discussed in past posts, the board has committed to improvement in five areas of focus this year. We have promised to:

• Improve accessibility.
• Hear from members.
• Communicate more.
• Increase accountability.
• Evaluate the organization’s structure and activities.

We’d like to share some of the steps we’ve taken in these areas with our members and with the general public.

This week, we’ll look at our successes and our next steps to Improve accessibility.

All 107IST board meetings are now available by video conferencing. While this has been a necessary step during the pandemic, it also has the added benefit of allowing those who do not live close to Portland to attend board meetings. To avoid meeting-bombing, we do not publish the links for the general public, but anyone who wishes to attend a board meeting by video conferencing may do so by signing up at timbersarmy.org. All registered attendees receive a link to the board meeting by email ahead of time.

Ensure that virtual meetings are properly subtitled. When we hold meetings, we do so using Google Meet, with the captioning option, so that attendees can access the conversation through captioning as well as by audio.

Establish protocols and procedures for accessibility. It’s true that the pandemic has meant that we hold meetings online, which allows for captioning. We have established that this is not only a practice to undertake during a pandemic, but have also added procedures and protocols for accessibility to the board handbook for both in-person meetings (ASL interpreters) and for remote meetings (captioning) going forward.

In progress:
We are in the process of adding alt text to our (prodigious) collection of photos to make them accessible to persons with visual impairments or with low or limited vision.

Look for more information about our efforts in the few weeks!

The following is a guest piece from Sarah Groube (@groubes), a friend and fellow footy supporter from Australia. She writes to those who are impacted by closing in fires or those dealing with smoke in their homes. I thought we could learn from her experiences during the massive fires in Australia earlier this year. Please continue to monitor evacuation levels and follow advice from local authorities.

In southeast Australia, the fires burned from November 2019 to mid February 2020. It took a flood to put them out. Covid was in the country within weeks.

Given the magnitude of the fires, we had power and cell phone tower failures for hours, days, or weeks at a time during the fires. We’re really not used to living without those services, and rely on them for information.

This was different to anything we had ever experienced. Friends reported evacuating time and time again: back home, out again, back home. Our clothes smelled like a campfire for four months. P2 Masks weren’t available to help with the smoke because there was so much fire, and because China needed them for a pandemic that was taking hold.

This is not official advice, I’m not a Medico or firey, and do not offer these as life saving tips. You should follow the advice of local professionals for that. These are tips that helped us, or that we learned in the aftermath in hindsight. We didn’t lose our property (thanks to a wind change), nor were we in the path of the fire, but we left when ‘watch and act’ warnings came, because we could. We found that when evacuation orders were given, sometimes roads out of the region were already closed and the only options were evacuation centres, so we chose the ‘leave early’ option. We totally appreciate that not everyone has that option. Even if the fire doesn’t impact you directly, it might affect you through smoke and loss of services.

An evacuation warning is more stressful than you think it will be. Prepare a checklist of actions/items to grab so you don’t have to think at the time. We prepared our go-bag and safe at the back end of the fires. It’s fair to say that despite the annual warnings we really weren’t prepared.

Tips

• If your home is smoky, wet some towels and hang them around your house. We pegged them to clothes hangers and hung them in doorways. Some say the smoke particles cling to them - I don’t know the science but it helped.

• Don’t assume that because you’re ok that people know you’re ok - try to give regular updates to your loved ones. We didn’t hear from close family for nearly a week after the fires burnt through their town. They were totally fine. We were totally beside ourselves. Yes, land lines and mobile phones were down, but Red Cross usually have a comms service of some type - please check yourself in as safe.

• Make sure you fill your car with Petrol (gas?). If an evacuation is called you don’t want to be queuing for hours or stuck on empty.

• With the power failures, none of the credit card or EFT/POS facilities worked and people couldn’t withdraw cash. So withdraw some cash now.

• While you have power, keep your phone charged, and charge your portable phone chargers.

• Make sure you have lots of water in containers in case the water supply is affected.

• A tip from a guy who was in the Christchurch earthquake and wished he knew this one, so we put it to good use which helped us in our recent floods - Put 1.25 litre bottles of water in your freezer so that when the electricity and water goes out you have freezer blocks to keep your food fresh, then you can drink the water when it defrosts.

• Don’t overburden the electricity grid. Turn off non essentials.

• Again - plan for comms and electricity to go down. And know that, even at midday, if the fire is nearby, there will be no daylight because the smoke will block the sun. We had some family who were ‘ready’... except they couldn’t find their shoes, torch or cat because it was unexpectedly pitch black at 10 a.m..

• Listen to local radio - our community radio station had check ins with people on the ground near fire areas. Official sources take some time to verify info before they can broadcast or update apps, so this direct intel was invaluable.

• Reverse park in your driveway so that when you need to leave you can literally drive straight out.

• Have multiple plans to leave - roads close and the navigation systems you rely on in normal times won’t keep up with fire and emergency needs.

• Have plan A, B and C for an evacuation. The Evac centre you plan to go to might be fire impacted. If you’re in a household, plan together. Communicate what you will do if you get separated.

• Great quote I read after many in my family had spent new year in evacuation centres sleeping on hard basketball court floors “Evacuation centres are a life raft not a cruise ship” - take your own bedding, camp mattress, sleeping bag - and food.

• If you can’t evacuate in time, make sure you are wearing long natural fibres - wool preferably. A pure wool blanket might be your best friend if confronted by fire. And fully enclosed shoes goes without saying. We had friends who were surrounded by fire on a beach - as well as good clothing and face masks, they had the foresight to grab some swimming goggles which protected their eyes from the smoke.

• Don’t be complacent about how quick, and in which direction the fire can move. At the coast the fire came on New Year’s Eve which just didn’t compute with people, and they weren’t listening in to warnings as they were on holiday, and the fire wasn’t ‘expected’ for a few more days.
  

• If/when you donate money, check to see who is on the ground helping. There are some big charities with big fundraising drives but there are some very worthy practical charities on the ground helping people and wildlife.
  

• When grey ash is falling around, it’s a sign the fire is near (enough) and the wind is coming your way. Where we are, the ‘fire brand’ got heavier - burnt bark and sticks - the closer the fire was. No doubt it then feels hot, and then embers, but I don’t know because we left when it was ash.
  

• Apps to download - windy - wind direction and speed is the most important intel and our fires created their own weather, air quality, s**t!ismoke
  

• Pack a Go-Bag and have it in the car or easy to grab. Google it for what to include. Our essentials would be a battery operated radio, woolen clothes, underwear, toiletries, medication, water, torch (flashlight or lantern), phone charger, cash, long life food. Essential documents (in a fireproof safe if possible). 

• We prepared our go-bag and safe at the back end of the fires. It’s fair to say that despite the annual warnings we really weren’t prepared.

It feels like it will never end, but it will.

During 2016, the 107IST embarked on a fundraising project in conjunction with Tanager coffee to help build a soccer field in El Salvador so the families of workers in local coffee fields would have a place to play the beautiful game. As always, our members and supporters were generous, purchasing special-edition scarves and coffee, and raising $20,000 for the project.

Since that time, we have been working with coffee farmer partners in El Salvador to get the project underway, but it has been slow going. In late 2018/early 2019, we received initial drawings and estimates for the project. We communicated with our contacts in El Salvador regularly to see where we stood with breaking ground, but unfortunately made little progress.

In early 2020, the board decided that we couldn’t wait any longer, especially given the pressing needs in our own community at home. We again communicated with our project contacts in El Salvador, explaining that we needed to see some kind of communication or plan by June 1, or we would need to move the funds to other endeavors. The coffee-farm owner we spoke with was understanding and promised to get back to the board promptly. After many weeks, we still had no update, despite repeated attempts.

Therefore, the board voted to move $10,000 of the funds initially allocated for this project to other outreach efforts — particularly those focused on Black Lives Matter and local organizations (particularly those serving the BIPOC community and LGBTQIA+ members) who have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We remain firmly committed to supporting soccer in and around Portland and beyond, from the grassroots to the highest professional level, and we truly appreciate the support from the community for the project. In the interest of transparency, we wanted to share the current status of the project and of the board’s redirection of a portion of the funds raised to meet local community needs.

This month's drive supports JOIN! 

Mission statement: "JOIN exists to support the efforts of individuals and families experiencing homelessness to transition into permanent housing. Our efforts are directed at individuals sleeping outside or in their car in the Portland Metro area. Our service provision is not dependent on age, gender, race, ethnicity, faith, culture, language, sexual identity, specific diagnosis, or identifiable issue."

In addition to their other work, JOIN has recently been involved in the creation of Portland's C3PO camps, which started operating in April to mitigate effects of covid, and prioritize BIPOC, trans, gender non-conforming, and queer individuals who often have a more difficult time in the shelter system.

Many items can be gently used or open, please check the list (below or found at their website) for details:

Cold Weather Items - New or gently used

• Socks
• Blankets
• Sleeping Bags
• Tarps
• Jackets
• Hats
• Gloves

Hygiene Items –New or partially used/open

• Shampoo – large or small size
• Conditioner – large or small size
• African American hair care products
• Feminine Products
• Razors & Shaving Cream Soap (bar and liquid)
• Lotion
• Deodorant

First Aid Supplies- New or partially used/open

• Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Aspirin
• Band-Aids
• Anti Bacterial Wash
• Neosporin
• Ace bandages

Basic Service Center Food items

• Coffee
• Sugar
• Creamer
• Peanut Butter

Clothing- Gently used or New:

• Men’s and women’s functional clothing
• Men’s and women’s underwear & bras
• Men’s and women’s boots and shoes

Miscellaneous:

• Headlamps
• Pet Food & Supplies
• Trimet Bus Tickets
• Fred Meyer/Safeway/Albertsons Gift Cards
• Stamps
• Bike Locks
• Bath Towels
• Books & Periodicals
• Backpacks
• Paper & plastic bags

We do NOT accept: Furniture, Dress clothing and shoes, Toys 

Donations can be dropped off at Fanladen during the following hours:

• Wednesdays - 6pm to 8pm

• Fridays - 3pm to 6pm

• Saturdays - 12pm to 3pm

• Sundays - 12pm to 3pm

Fanladen is located at 1633 SW Alder. All donations are accepted at the door to maintain social distancing. This drive will run through September. 

JOIN also needs financial donations to purchase additional items. If you wish to make a donation, please visit this link. We know some folks are not currently leaving their homes, or are supporting from afar. A direct financial donation is currently the best way to support this effort.

Thank you for your support and donations! 

If you have any questions about this drive, please contact Evan Taylor. If you wish to help out with this or future drives, please contact Rachel Greenough.