TUALATIN TOGETHER

TUALATIN IS A SUBURB OF PORTLAND, OREGON. IT IS NESTLED AROUND THE TUALATIN RIVER AND IS HOME TO ALMOST 28,000 RESIDENTS. APPROXIMATELY 35% OF THE COMMUNITY IS LATINO AND 20% OF RESIDENTS ARE OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE AND THE COMMUNITY IS DIVERSE IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND EDUCATION LEVELS AS WELL. TUALATIN IS ROBUST WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND LARGER CORPORATIONS DOING BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. THIS LEADS TO A STRONG AND ENGAGED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUT BECAUSE 80% OF THE PEOPLE WORKING IN TUALATIN DO NOT RESIDE IN TUALATIN, THE CHAMBER IS OFTEN UNAWARE OF THE COMMUNITY'S CORE VALUES AND NEED FOR SOCIAL NORM DEFINITION. TUALATIN TOGETHER CONTINUES TO BE FOCUSED ON INCREASING OUR BUSINESS SECTOR AND HAS BEEN TAKING STEPS IN THAT DIRECTION, WHICH INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHAMBER AND ROTARY, ACTIVE PARTICIPATION ON SEVERAL COMMITTEES, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS, AND ENGAGING IN LEARNING SESSIONS. TT IS ALSO FOCUSED ON ENGAGEMENT WITH TUALATIN RESIDENTS THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR DRESSED TO DREAM PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CLOTHING TO STUDENTS FOR HOMECOMING, PROM AND BUSINESS. TT HAS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP ITS GRATITUDE PUMPKIN PROJECT, A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM THAT HAS BEEN USED IN ALL THREE OF THE TUALATIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. THIS PAST SUMMER, TUALATIN TOGETHER A SAFETY TOWN CAMP FOR 4-6 YEAR OLDS. THE CAMP WHICH FOCUSED ON AGE APPROPRIATE PREVENTION WORKED WITH OVER A DOZEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE PROGRAM WILL BE EXTENDED TO STUDENTS IN 2ND THROUGH 5TH IN THE SUMMER OF 2025 AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE SPRING OF 2026. WE LIKE TO SHARE WHAT OUR YOUTH VOICE, LEAP YOUTH ALLIANCE IS DOING AS WELL AS OUR COALITION AS A WHOLE. WE HAVE BEGUN HOSTING PARENT WORKSHOPS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO HELPING PARENTS COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. TUALATIN TOGETHER SUPPORTS OUR YOUTH CLUB AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THEIR EVENTS, INCLUDING A NATIONAL DRUG FACT WEEK CAMPAIGN, A SCHOOL WIDE HEALTH FAIR, A COLOR RUN AND MORE. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH ATTENDING THEIR PARENT GROUP MEETINGS, CULTURAL EVENTS, PARK POP-UPS, JOB FAIRS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARISE FOR US TO FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS. THIS YEAR WE WERE IN YEAR 10 OF YEARS 6-10 OF THE DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK THROUGH 2024 WITH THIS AWARD. TT WAS ALSO AWARDED FUNDS FROM END IT'S ARPA FUNDS AWARD IN DECEMBER OF 2024 AND WAS AWARDED A FIVE YEAR PARTNERSHIP FOR SUCCESS GRANT THROUGH SAMHSA.