City Funds dedicated to support the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods and its support for 12 inner N/NE neighborhoods are in jeopardy!
Let’s demonstrate how we work together and show strong support for the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods and the 12 neighborhoods we work with: Alameda, Boise, Concordia, Eliot, Grant Park, Humboldt, Irvington, King, Sabin, Sullivan’s Gulch, Vernon and Woodlawn!
You can help by emailing letters of support of the “Right Budget for ONI (Office of Neighborhood Involvement)” to the Mayor and Commissioners this week (and no later than March 30, 2009).
Email, phone calls or letters indicating support for “The Right Budget” for ONI will be of tremendous help. We have provided you a draft letter to get you started.
Please send your email in this week if at all possible, by Friday, March 20, 2009 and no later than the end of March!
Letter Template:
Subject Line:
“[insert your name or organization] supports the Right Budget for ONI”
Example subject line of email:”Elders in Action supports the Right Budget for ONI”
Opening line:
“Dear Mayor and Commissioners,”
Main text of email – write your personal story:
Start off with a personal story. For example, if you are a small grant recipient share what great project you were able to do with those funds – if you leveraged money then include that as well – and ask that they keep the small grants program. If you are involved with neighborhood watch, received public safety training or participated in National Night Out share your story and support for Crime Prevention remaining intact. If you have been involved with your neighborhood and used new funds or support from your Coalition to do outreach in a way that was successful, share the story and request that Coalition funding remain intact. Etc., etc. Whatever is relevant to you, include a brief description with a personal story.
Closing – use text below or some other similar language from the Talking Points (available online at: http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=49099&a=233290):
I understand that times are difficult and that we face an unprecedented financial crisis. I appreciate the difficulty of the budgetary task before you. While economic and environmental sustainability are critical at this juncture – so is social sustainability. Building, supporting and maintaining human capital in our city is important now, more than ever, when our communities need to weave tightly together instead of being divided. This is why I support the Right Budget for the Office of Neighborhood Involvement.
Be sure to include your name and address.
Send the Emails to the Mayor and Commissioners:
samadams@ci.portland.or.us
Nick@ci.portland.or.us
randy@ci.portland.or.us
dsaltzman@ci.portland.or.us
Amanda@ci.portland.or.us
Mailing Address for City Hall:
1221 SW 4th Avenue
Portland OR 97204
Please forward this to your networks to increase the number of emails, letters and phone calls the Mayor and Commissioners receive from inner North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods!
Our sincere thank you for the support of the work we do together to build livable communities here in N/NE Portland!
Apologies for any duplicate emails!
_________________________________________________
Paige S. Coleman, Masters of Sustainable Business Administration
Executive Director
Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods
4815 Northeast Seventh Avenue, Portland, OR, 97211
503-823-4575 main office
503-823-3151 direct line
503-823-3150 fax
paige@necoalition.org
www.necoalition.org
Building livable communities since 1974