News and Articles

Meet Tam Hyunh, a key member of our Parent Accountability Council

In August 2021, Lydia Gray-Holifield and Kathleen (Red) Holifield were re-elected onto the Parent Leader Network Steering Committee.

In August 2021, Lydia and Petra were appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, for their dedication and contribution in successfully passing Preschool for All in Multnomah County.

Say Hi to Linda!

Linda King has recently joined the Community Impact Department and the Early Learning Multnomah Hub team at United Way of the Columbia-Willamette.

Voters in Multnomah County overwhelmingly supported “Preschool for All” on Nov. 3, with 64 percent of voters approving the measure to extend early education to children across the County. Measure 26-214 directs the Department of County Human Services (DCHS) to administer this new program. All families in Multnomah County will be eligible to apply, with families who have the least access to high-quality preschool prioritized for the first-available slots. Families are now able to apply for slots in early 2022!

Every child in Multnomah County is prepared to succeed in school and life, regardless of race, ethnicity, or class. Our Strategic Plan describes how we’ll make that happen.

“It reminds me of a tornado,” says Hadiyah Miller. “It’s growing and there are a lot of pieces in the air.” Miller is an early childhood education expert and a member of Portland’s Black Child Development Council. She’s talking about—and taking on—school suspension and expulsion rates which disproportionately impact children of color from a very young age. Learn more about what the council is doing to calm the storm—and how you can help.

#WeCountOregon is a coordinated statewide effort working in rural and urban communities around Oregon to ensure that the Census is equitable, fair, and just, and that every Oregonian is counted. The Census Equity Funders Committee of Oregon (CEFCO) is raising $10 million to support a campaign to reach out to communities that are more likely to be undercounted. United Way of the Columbia Willamette is serving as the backbone organization for CEFCO.

The Student Success Act presents a tremendous opportunity for students and families. School districts and early learning hubs across the state are being asked to engage their communities to understand the needs of students and families as a first step toward investing these new resources.

The root causes of inequities impact families and children across our county in lots of ways, every day. The work we do at Early Learning Multnomah and the programs we invest in have to reflect the reality of that diversity of experience and opportunity. As Oregon prepares to make new investments in early learning, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the significant work that has happened since the beginning of this year.