University of Oregon students award $10,000 to Eugene nonprofit agencies

EUGENE, Ore.—(Nov. 27, 2007)—Two Eugene nonprofit agencies split $10,000 in grants from a University of Oregon graduate course in philanthropy.

Doulas Supporting Teens and M.E.C.C.A., the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts each received $5,000.

The grants are funded by the Stewart Foundation, which was created by Faye and Lucille Stewart who were prominent members of the local community. Its mission is to support local community nonprofit organizations.

Students in the University of Oregon's School of Architecture and Allied Arts department of planning, public policy and management graduate seminar in philanthropy learn about the process of fund raising and giving away money by screening applicants for actual grants and then deciding which of several non-profit agencies will receive funds.

The students evaluated applications, made site visits, narrowed down the finalists and then awarded the grants. According to the seminar professor Renee Irvin, this year is the first time the graduate students have opted to split the donation between two deserving organizations.

The first award recipient, Doulas Supporting Teens, is a non-profit organization that pairs volunteer doulas (trained labor support professionals) with pregnant teens in the Eugene/Springfield area, as well as offers free childbirth education classes and parenting groups.

"Thanks to the grant from the Faye and Lucille Stewart Foundation, Doulas Supporting Teens will reach out farther into the rural and homeless populations in our community where our services are needed most," said Iris Bicksler, director, Doulas Supporting Teens. "We're also actively seeking new space where we can expand our parenting group classes and meetings, which enable new friendships and a solid support network for young parents."

M.E.C.C.A., the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts, is a local group that diverts reusable materials from the landfill and puts those items back into the hands of people who can make use of them, from artists and teachers to youth and their parents.

"With this award, MECCA will be able to continue on our successful path by expanding our Afterschool ReCycle Art program, providing high-quality and low-cost community art education and changing the way people think about their trash," said Yvonne Manipon, executive director, M.E.C.C.A.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Media Relations Contact: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

Links:
Doulas Supporting Teens, http://www.doulassupportingteens.org/
M.E.C.C.A., http://www.materials-exchange.org/

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