Center for Women, Politics & Policy Hosts National Day of Service

The Center for Women, Politics & Policy (CWPP) at Portland State University will be participating in their 5th Annual National Day of Service called for by President Obama. Through partnerships with Regence Group of Oregon and Washington and the Assistance League of Portland, CWPP board members, alumnae, volunteers and staff will be collecting supplies and constructing care packages for local sexual assault survivors, and invite members of the Portland community to contribute and lend a helping hand to the effort. CWPP will begin collecting donations of supplies immediately, and will work together with the community to make the care packages on Martin Luther King Day, January 21, 2013 from 11:00am - 3:00pm at Regence Group Building (100 SW Market St., Portland). 

Just $25 pays for an entire kit for a woman in need!

Sign-up to Volunteer with us on January 21st! Send an email to cwppinfo@pdx.edu with your contact information.

About the Cause

Makenzy Byrum of Rapid SAVE Investigation, LLC is a registered nurse and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. Her organization provides 24/7 response to 6 Portland hospitals for forensic evidence collection following sexual assault.

“We see approximately 300 patients each year in the Portland area alone. When sexual assault patients are seen in the emergency department, it is directly following a very traumatic event. Being able to offer the patient a bag of new, comfortable clothes and toiletries is a small gesture, but can be an enormous comfort to someone who is feeling particularly vulnerable.”                                                                                                        — Makenzy Byrum

Part of the evidence collection Byrum describes requires that the patient’s clothing and undergarments are retained as evidence. The CWPP constructs care packages to distribute to area emergency rooms to provide patients with adequate clothing and toiletries for their trip home.  The supplies in these packages can offer a measure of comfort and dignity in a time of panic and grief.  The supplies in the care packages are donated by local businesses, Center alumnae and the Center’s network of friends. Regence will provide the bags which will hold all of the supplies, as well as a location for assembly of the packages on January 21, the National Day of Service.

Dignity Kit Partners
This year's community partners include: Regence, Kaiser Permanente Dental Program, Veggie Grill, New Seasons Market, Nike and the Assistance League of Portland who will distribute the kits as needed to hospitals.