See how the Midway Business Association is helping better their area of outer East Portland through their programs …
People gather for another informative and friendly meeting of the Midway Business Association.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Noon was the time; Bill Dayton’s Pizza Baron Restaurant was the place where a dozen guests and members of the Midway Business Association (MBA) met on June 7.
Before the formal meeting began, guests networked, exchanged business cards, and made new and renewed business contacts.
nterim MBA President Lorelei Young, and Pizza Baron’s Bill Dayton, hold a tête-à-tête about City of Portland issues before the meeting began.
“The MBA has been involved with many businesses over the past year, helping them promote their businesses to the community,” Interim MBA President Lorelei Young of Keepsake Family Tree Video told East Portland News.
“We’ve also been writing grants to help promote our Neighborhood Business District,” Young informed.
Guests help themselves to slices of hot, fresh, delicious pizza.
Young announced that the MBA will be having another community event in August, resembling a block party, with Arte Soleil.
“We encourage all businesses, including those that are home-based, to join the MBA to help improve the climate of the area we serve; we need the input from as many people as we can get involved,” invited Young.
Promotes summer internships
POIC outreach person Mary Gilmore tells about the organization’s internship programs.
During the meeting, information sheets were distributed about the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC), and the Rosemary Anderson High School (RAHS) – which is a minority-led nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps youth gain work experience.
“Specifically, this is an invitation for businesses to gain the help of their own motivated intern, paid for by our organization,” said POIC outreach staffer Mary Gilmore. “Participating businesses agree to provide a safe and supportive work environment, along with training appropriate for young person with limited work experience.”
The PDXYouth@SummerWorks initiative pays wages for interns at qualified jobs, Mary Gilmore says.
Gilmore went on to detail the PDXYouth@SummerWorks initiative, a program of PDX Metro Works, that’s is for youth aged 16 through 24 years, and which pays the interns $16/hour during a 160-hour period. The program also supports the intern participants with bus passes, work apparel, and technology – to help them be successful, as well as to provide them personal career coaching.
Find out more by calling (971) 276-4970, or see their website: CLICK HERE.
ROSE builds new affordable housing in
Powellhurst-Gilbert
Telling about their new housing project was ROSE Co-Director Nick Sauvie.
The next speaker was ROSE Community Development Corporation Co-Executive Director Nick Sauvie.
“It’s wonderful being Co-Director, I love working with Ana Meza,” Sauvie smiled.
“Today I’m happy to be sharing information about a new ROSE affordable housing development called Berry Ranch Apartments, at SE Powell Boulevard and 111th Avenue.
“This is 50 units of new construction,” Sauvie told the group. “We’ll offer one- two- and three-bedroom apartments.
“One of the things we really want to do with this project is provide family housing for folks that are in the Earl Boyles [Elementary] School catchment,” said Sauvie. “They have this amazing Early Childhood program; but a lot of their families are being displaced out of the neighborhood because of rising rent costs.”
Here’s a first look at the Berry Ranch Apartments, an illustration provided by their architect.
Right now, ROSE in the permitting phase; construction will start in August, and move-in will likely be in August 2024. The $25 million project has State of Oregon and federal funding tax credits; along with a bank mortgage.
Learn more about the Midway Business Association
by visiting their official website: CLICK HERE.
© 2023 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News ™