Welcome
Metropolitan Family Service creates opportunities that bridge generations and inspire all people to live their best life. Many of our clients face cultural and economic barriers – such as inadequate education, health issues, isolation, unemployment, and poverty.

We are dedicated to building stronger communities by providing services, connecting people with resources, and offering volunteer opportunities throughout the Portland, Oregon region.

April 2012
Leadership Training Gets Parents Involved. Class participants from many cultures are able to network and share ideas and experiences in a unique North Clackamas parent leadership course. More>

Ways to Work, our auto loan program for working parents, has expanded to Clark County. Our services will be available to more families. More>

March 2012
Low-Interest Auto Loan Program for Working Parents Comes to SW Washington. Metropolitan Family Service announces launch event for anti-poverty program Ways to Work's expansion into Southwest Washington. More>

Ways To Work Program Helps Families Retain Jobs and Offers Taxpayers a Significant Return on Investment. Ways to Work partners with local, nonprofit, family service agencies like Metropolitan Family Service to help the underemployed access better jobs. More>

Shaver Sharing Garden's Edible Sidewalk Garden project benefits from a fundraiser by Parkrose Burgerville. They will be donating 10% of sales to the Shaver Sharing Garden's Edible Sidewalk Garden project. More>

Oregon Community Schools Model Staying Power. As interest in this school model grows, the SUN Community Schools show how it's done. More>

Classic Wines Auction was held on March 3, 2012. The auction raised more than $2.42 million for its four benefiting local charities: Metropolitan Family Service, New Avenues for Youth, Friends of the Children-Portland and ywca clark county. More>

February 2012
Promoting School Readiness. MESD Speech Pathologist Heather Wells is a familiar face at Parklane Elementary School in the Centennial district. Twice each week Heather travels to Parklane to provide speech therapy for young children enrolled in MESD’s Early Childhood Special Education Program. More>

January 2012
Metropolitan Family Service and Artichoke Music Work in Harmony at David Douglas High School. Metropolitan Family Service has launched a community school program at David Douglas High School. The program held its first session this fall, offering many after school classes and activities for students. More>

Looking for a a new career in the nonprofit world, Cheryl Edmonds accepted a Civic Ventures Encore Fellowship at Metropolitan Family Service. She brings a rich mix of experiences from a career in avioncs, art and marketing. Read more about her story in this Fast Company article. More>

December 2011

Holiday Cheer for Those in Need from Metropolitan Family Service. It was a festive scene inside the main hall at Madeline Parish in NE Portland, where nearly 50 volunteers sorted and wrapped gifts to fill 235 gift bags. The volunteers gathered for Holiday Cheer, an event that creates gift bags for seniors and people with disabilities. More>

November 2011
Retirement evokes thoughts of taking it easy - sunny vacations and quiet mornings without the hustle of career life. For Cheryl Edmonds, 60, retirement began a new kind of career. Edmonds started work at Metropolitan Family Service. More>

AmeriCorps Community Involvement Specialist Erin Osborne noticed the gym at Lynch Wood was looking “a bit drab.” Osborne works through the Metropolitan Family Service BEST program, which places AmeriCorps members in our community schools to address needs among children and families. More>

You can save 50% on your next oil change and benefit Ways to Work, a program of Metropolitan Family Service. Portland-based Green Drop Garage is excited to announce its holiday season promotion/philanthropic effort, “Save Half. Give Half.” Green Drop Garage plans to offer a half-off deal for its eco-friendly oil change service (typically $40) on its website (www.greendropgarage.com). More>

October 2011
On October 28th. 330 people socialized in the Hilton’s Ballroom as they raised money for the Metropolitan Family Service organization. Sarah Henry, Mike Ellis (President of Fred Meyer Stores ), Krista Larson (MFS Executive Director), and Dave Johnson were some of the movers and shakers at the event. More >

Metropolitan Family Service has been honored with the 2011 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility for its use of flexibility as an effective workplace strategy to increase business and employee success. More >

September 2011
Parents get schooled: Portland moms and dads can learn experts' tips about raising boys and girls. In the Portland area, Metropolitan Family Service offers free classes to parents in more traditional settings -- at schools in east Multnomah County and Clackamas County. More >

Ready, Set, Go! - Making sure that kids get the best start. Experts say that no single factor determines if a child is ready for kindergarten. What they do agree on is that getting a good start in school is very important to later academic success. More >

August 2011
Discussion Series Focuses on Shifting Demographics. Through its agog discussion series,local nonprofit Metropolitan Family Service is convening important discussions focused on Oregon’s changing demographics and implications for the future. More >

July 2011
Portland Timbers held Soccer Clinics at Metropolitan Family Service summer programs in North Clackamas School District. Soccer players from the Timbers premier development league conducted day clinics at four summer community school sites. The clinics were free to community school participants. More >

Return of the Geek Squad! Over a three day period, a dozen Geek Squad instructors brought video cameras, laptops and pc’s to our North Clackamas community school for fun interactive classes and activities. More >

Changing Demographics Affect School Redesign. Metropolitan Family Service encourages citizens to examine shifting demographics in order for our students, our schools and our entire community to succeed. More >

It's Not Four Years or Nowhere. Recently, a group of dynamic educators, community members and businesspeople met at the Happy Valley home of Cheryl Myers to discuss the importance of aligning educational choices for students with the needs in our changing business environment. More >

May 2011
May is National Older Americans Month. Metropolitan Family Service recognizes our older adult volunteers for their commitment and service. At Metropolitan Family Service, we offer older adults many opportunities to volunteer and remain active in the community. More >

Metropolitan Family Service community school benefits from Lowe's Hero Project. The Wood Village Lowe’s store selected the Metropolitan Family Service community school at Clear Creek Middle School as their Lowe’s Hero Project for the year. The company donated $1,200 worth of goods and volunteer time. Volunteers from the store arrived at the community school on May 11 to install a shed and create raised beds. Students participating in the garden club worked with the volunteers to plant starts and assemble a composter.

April 2011
Delegates of 16 countries visited Metropolitan Family Service older adult programs through U.S State Department trip. These service agencies from around the globe are studying volunteer engagement. The visit to Portland focused on the role of older adult volunteers. More >

Lot Whitcomb Elementary School celebrated for closing the achievement gap. The school benefits from after-school programs like Children and Family Enrichment from Metropolitan Family Service. More >

We're Working in Your Neighborhood
MFS is building stronger communities by providing services, connecting people with resources and offering volunteer opportunities at more than 100 school and community sites throughout the greater Portland area.

MFS 2010 Service Map
 
MFS Annual Report 2010

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