Project Lemonade

This Saturday, Project Lemonade is hosting a special service project for 500 teens at the Jack and Jill Regional Conference. Held at the University of Portland, these Jack and Jill teen members will participate in a one-day, onsite volunteer project preparing items, such as blankets, socks and hygiene kits, for the Project Lemonade Store. Project Lemonade is honored to be selected by Jack and Jill for this exciting project, which grew out of a three year partnership with the local Portland chapter. Pictured above are the Teen Officers of the local chapter. We are excited to get to know all the teens on Saturday and work together to make a big impact for local foster youth! Read all about Jack and Jill and the service project on our website: https://lnkd.in/ggAeAW_u

Thanks to UBS (Lake Oswego Office) for hosting a drive collecting 60 wallets for teens in foster care and raising an additional $500! Our teens have to carry additional documentation with them, and wallets are a big need. These are already flying off the shelves at Project Lemonade. Special thanks to Todd Schroeder and Kerry Witterschein for organizing the drive. Interested in hosting a donation drive at your workplace? Message us 💌

Juneteenth is a national holiday celebrating African-American liberation and commemorating the official end of American slavery. Juneteenth reminds us of the painful racialized history of our country and the importance of working towards greater equity and uplifting Black voices in our community. On this day, the Project Lemonade store remains open to serve the foster youth community with basic needs and empowering opportunities and experiences.

Wow! We are overcome with gratitude. Our community came together for Foster Care Awareness Month and contributed $85,000 in direct support for youth in foster care. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who donated, attended and event and got involved. We wanted to share a special shout out and thanks to our INCREDIBLE local business community. These local businesses showed up big for youth this May. Let's give them a big thanks and keep supporting these local businesses who make a positive impact <3 THANK YOU LOCAL BUSINESSES Life of Pie Optimistic Soap Sloan Boutique Skin by Lovely Consign Couture So Susie Certa Pro Painters of Portland Little Bitter Bar Grand Amari Alpenrausch Bar Casa Vale Olympia Provisions Raylee Consignment The Sports Bra Frock Boutique #FosterYouth #Portland #DoingGood #Gratitude

We're celebrating LGBTQ2SIA+ Pride at Project Lemonade and you can help! According to Children's Rights, a social justice advocacy group for children, 30% of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ+, with 5% of these youth identifying as transgender. The need is great for affirming spaces and foster placements. We're looking to stock our store with items so our queer and trans foster youth can show their pride. Will you help a youth or teen in foster care? Here's an easy-to-shop Amazon Wishlist that will ship directly to Project Lemonade. https://lnkd.in/gmhDUDzS Items range from $5-$25 and will directly support a youth in foster care. Thanks for taking action with us this Pride Month!

Last week at Project Lemonade's Advisory Council* meeting, we welcomed a special guest, Seema Steffany. Seema is the founder of Project Never Again, an organization created in 2018 to help eliminate the use of garbage bags for transporting the belongings of children in foster care. Seema pressed forward with her mission and successfully pushed Oregon Senate Bill 548 which prohibits the use of trash bags for children in Oregon's foster care. This new law went into effect in 2024. Thank you, Seema, for sharing your story and inspiring work. There is a lot we can all learn from your passion and determination! In her words: "Standing up for vulnerable children can come at a cost, but our actions to support, serve and nurture are a gift every child in foster care needs. You are The Change!" Learn more about Project Never Again at https://lnkd.in/ewRSFPS *Project Lemonade's leadership team includes our Advisory Council, a group of passionate and experienced individuals who represent different facets of the foster care system. The Advisory Council meets periodically to discuss relevant issues affecting the foster care system, share experience and be in community together.*

Let’s lift spirits and lighten the lid for kids in our community. https://lnkd.in/df_z2K-W 🤲 *Aja, a former foster youth shared, “If Project Lemonade’s teen programs had existed when I was going through foster care, I would have been a lot better off. I wouldn’t have struggled so much. I would have known there was a safe place to turn to when I was in trouble.” Every donation made this week (by Sunday midnight) will be DOUBLE-MATCHED up to $7,500. It’s your gift x3! Every person who donates TODAY, in any amount, will be entered to win one of these 6 raffle prizes! 🎫 2 tickets to a Portland Timbers game of your choice + an official scarf 👗 $100 gift card + a personal styling appointment @garnishapparel 🎁a $25 gift card to @buddandfinn 🍋 a limited edition Project Lemonade soap by @optimisticsoap (only a dozen remaining) 🍷 3 bottles of wine (red, white and rose) from The Cellar Door (must be 21+) 🫶 a 100 gift card + a shopping party for up to 10 friends at Garnish Apparel. Visit www.ProjectLemonadePDX.org to donate 💛💛💛

MAY IS FOSTER CARE AWARENESS MONTH #DareToCare. Info at https://lnkd.in/giNJXcUp An estimated 7,000 youth in Oregon will spend time in foster care this year. Kids impacted by the child welfare system have often experienced trauma, abuse or neglect in their families of origin. We know that relationships heal trauma. That's why Project Lemonade is here year-round, serving 3,000 youth in care annually. This May, we invite you to join us. ***Attend an event.*** ***Donate whatever amount you are able.*** ***Share this post and spread the word.*** Let’s Paint The Town Yellow to support youth impacted by foster care. #SupportFosterYouth #FosterCareMonth #Advocate #Donate #Community Thank you to our partners! Life of Pie, Olympia Provisions, Alpenraush, Grand Amari, Little Bitter Bar, Bar Casa Vale, Sloan Boutique, Optimistic Soap, CertaPro Painters of Portland, The Sports Bra, Evereve, Raylee Consignment Boutique, Paydirt Bar and Frock Boutique! #SupportLocalBusinesses #Portland

This Tax Day, let's Kick It to Foster Youth! With the largest Oregon Kicker credit in recent history, we're encouraging everyone to consider donating 5% of your tax refund. https://lnkd.in/g3uHgbdR According to the Oregon Center for Public Policy, Oregon's Kicker widens income inequality in our state, as financially stable and wealthy households see a wider share of this tax refund. And according to the American Economic Association, tax policy is one of the primary reasons for growing income inequality in our country. Systemic poverty impacts our foster youth. Let's be a part of the change. Let's Kick It to Foster Youth! #Donate5% #SupportFosterYouth

Project Lemonade was featured on Michelle Beck's podcast, We Rise by Lifting Each Other. Listen to the full conversation at the link below!