Behind the Scenes!
Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit! This is a big deal for the spinal cord injury community of Oregon and SW Washington because now we can intentionally plan, build, and advocate for our community. How did this happen?!
Since November 2014, families, friends, and people affected by spinal cord injury and disease in Portland and SW Washington have been ‘meeting-up’ at the NW Quimby Lucky Lab on the last Monday of every month. Immediately, there was support for the group. We’ve routinely had 20-50 people show every month. This is incredible! Ryan Green and Ian Ruder, both long-timers in the chair who’ve participated in groups around the country, have shared with me that this is rare. Something special is happening in Portland.
With the enthusiasm from these meet-ups, I was encouraged and supported by a handful of people to coalesce this energy into a non-profit, and that we did. In December 2015, Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection was incorporated as a non-profit in the State of Oregon and in July 2016 we received the tax-exempt status designation from the IRS. Thank you to the all the board members, Gabrielle Richards, our tireless lawyer, and all of you who participate in the meet-ups, support groups, and forums. We’ve just begun. I and the board are excited to share with you our vision at the September launch event in Oaks Park in Portland. Please come!
