Central Eastside Together Awards $44,000 to 6 Portland Nonprofits

In February 2019, Portland City Council unanimously voted to approve an Enhanced Services District in the Central Eastside, the first ESD in Portland in nearly 20 years. Known as Central Eastside Together, the ESD is managed by the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC), the area’s business association. Its goal is to ensure that the district is safe for all, enhance the pedestrian experience, to reinforce economic viability and to promote Central Eastside’s unique identity through innovative and highly-responsive programs including the Community Grant Program.

Central Eastside Together Community Grant Program just awarded a first round of funding, totaling over $44,000, to 6 non-profit organizations completing projects within the District.

Central Eastside Together Community Grants Program focuses on these areas: houseless services, workforce development, placemaking, community building, environmental stewardship & citizen engagement. The grant is funded through the Enhanced Services District as outlined in the ESD service plan.

Executive Director, Kate Merrill said, “During the COVID-19 crisis, it is more important than ever to come together as a community in support of projects that reflect our district values, to the benefit of all. This first round of funding supports the goals of our ESD.

"We are excited to see the momentum these projects will bring.”

The following organizations received funding:

Portland Street Medicine
- Brings the Bike Outreach Program to the Central Eastside. The program delivers street medicine services to areas where the homeless congregate that are not accessible by car or where a large van is impractical.
Portland Street Art Alliance
- Creates additional murals for The Central Eastside Mural District, a world-class public art destination in the industrial heart of Portland.
Trash for Peace
- The Central Eastside Canner project aims to deepen understanding about canners in the district and support the film documentation of Ground Score’s work in partnership with Outside the Frame.
Milagro Theatre
- Organizes a district walking tour of the Central Eastside, centered around community constructed altars honoring the Dia de Muertos tradition of Mexico.
Architectural Heritage Center
- A self-guided walking tour guide of the architecture of the Central Eastside. The tour journeys through the district’s unique historic architecture that has defined the district over time and new buildings that reinforce its current identity.
Hygiene 4 All PDX
- CAHOOTS and AORTA will partner with and train H4A’s houseless attendants in de-escalation, and disrupting racist, sexist, anti-LGBTQ, neuro-diversity intolerant harm. This will prepare them to offer peers dignity and health-enhancing bathrooms, showers, trash drop-off, and first aid on the Central Eastside.