Put Experience To Work!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Cyndi Rhoads

Phone:     (503) 232-0007 ext 177

Email:      cyndir@mfs.email

MFS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW PROGRAM

[Portland, Oregon, July 23, 2018] By the year 2020, almost a half of a million people will be over 65 in Oregon*. As a result, the face of volunteerism is dramatically changing. With years perfecting their skills, these older adults want to continue to use their experience in retirement, stay engaged, and make a difference in their community.

With over 10,000 nonprofit organizations in Oregon**, there are countless small projects — critical needs that are not being met because of a lack of resources and capacity across this sector.

Metropolitan Family Service (MFS) announces the launch of their latest program innovation — Social Purpose Works — to connect metro Portland’s retiring professionals with nonprofits that need their support, experience and wisdom to further their missions. MFS, along with the Encore Fellows Program administered by Social Venture Partners, joins in a larger encore movement where people across the country are bringing decades of experience to tackle society’s biggest social challenges.

Social Purpose Works recruits and matches professionally skilled volunteers with nonprofit projects that feature short-term, high impact, flexible work schedules and the satisfaction of making a difference.

“There is an encore movement in the US with efforts to engage millions of people in later life as a vital source of talent to benefit society,” said Judy Strand, MFS CEO. “This movement has made its way into Portland, first through the SVP Encore Fellows Program. MFS engaged Portland’s first Encore Fellow in 2011. Our fellow explored the use of professionally skilled volunteers in short-term projects in our own organization with resounding success. We realized that other nonprofits could benefit from this type of volunteerism. We are excited to connect professionally skilled volunteers with metro Portland’s nonprofits.”

The new service features online tools for registration and project posting. A whole spectrum of pro bono professionals of all ages are already signing up. For more information, visit www.socialpurpose.works or send an email to spw@socialpurpose.works.

About Metropolitan Family Service

Founded in 1950, MFS currently serves more than 10,000 children, families, and older adults in the greater Portland and SW Washington area each year. With a mission to help people move beyond the limitations of poverty, inequity and social isolation, MFS delivers prevention-focused services to help people succeed at home, in school and in the community. For more information, visit www.metfamily.org.

*Census Bureau and Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. http://www.oregon.gov/das/OEA/Documents/OR_pop_trend2012.pdf

**PSU and the Nonprofit Association of Oregon https://nonprofitoregon.org/sites/default/files/uploads/file/ONSR.pdf