by Duncan Hwang
APANO Associate Director
As we near the midpoint of our Roots to Rise campaign, we’re happy to report that we are on track to reach our $2 million goal to bring a vibrant community space to the Jade District! Building on our kickoff Indiegogo campaign, which raised $26,000 from 441 backers in a few short weeks, we’ve continued to build momentum in generating community support for this project. We’re thankful for the strong support of the many individuals who have given to the campaign thus far. Here are a few more highlights:
As we celebrated AAPI Heritage Month at our annual Voices of Change fundraiser on May 4th, 2017 we raised nearly $60,000 from individual donors and sponsors. This memorable night celebrated the contributions of our members and and offered optimism despite difficult times facing many in our community. Additionally, our months-long major donor effort raised another $30,000 for the campaign. Roots to Rise has not only raised funds for this capital project but has also cultivated a strong network of major donors, which strengthens APANO for the long term. As all donations over $250 are matched dollar for dollar from a matching grant from the Coulter Foundation, major donor gifts have been extremely impactful.
Due to such strong community support, our requests for support from government and foundations have also begun to bear fruit. Led by approval of a $75,000 contribution from the Oregon Community Foundation, we’re beginning to receive additional pledges from health care providers, local government, and other foundations. As of mid May, Roots to Rise is crossing the $1,000,000 mark in donations and pledges. A big thank you to all our early supporters who have contributed thus far – this vision would not be possible your excitement for this project.
To keep up with the campaign progress or learn more, visit our campaign site rootstorise.org