Bridges Oregon Announces $43,000 In Grants To Offer Additional Resources To Deaf, Deafblind, And Hard Of Hearing Oregonians

Salem, Oregon – Bridges Oregon was selected by three parties to provide much-needed resources to support Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Oregonians

• Crime Victim and Survivor Services (CVSSD) through the Oregon Department of Justice awarded $22,000 Survivor Housing Funds (SHF). The purpose of SHF is to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, and human trafficking to maintain and access safe permanent housing. This project ends on June 30, 2023.
• Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO) awarded $15,000 with a mission to end illegal housing discrimination and ensure equal access to housing through education and enforcement of fair housing laws. There is a possibility for additional funding to come in the near future. This project ends on June 30, 2022, and we are eligible for the next fiscal cycle.
• Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence (OCADSV) awarded $6,000 to engage with Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities on a digital storytelling project. Stories will address topics around social justice, collective liberation, and community activism. This project ends on June 30, 2022.

Bridges Oregon is the only dedicated Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing nonprofit organization that provides advocacy and accompaniment services in Oregon. The awarded grants will support the mission of Bridges Oregon in the following ways:

• The funding from CVSSD will enhance Bridges Oregon’s financial support toward reducing barriers to survivors’ housing stability.
• The funding from the Fair Housing Council of Oregon will allow our A5 Interpreting Services to provide accommodations for Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing clients to obtain housing or stay in stable housing. This funding also can be used to provide financial assistance for clients to receive reasonable modifications in the clients’ homes and ensure clients stay safe through equal access in their home environments.
• Through funding, OCADSV will partner with Bridges Oregon to advertise and recruit four to seven participants and develop a digital story project. Through this partnership, Bridges Orgon will coordinate and host a webinar to share the participants’ testimonies with the community.

Chad A. Ludwig, Executive Director and founder of Bridges Oregon stated, “We are extremely excited about our funding opportunities to address the disparity in housing and allow the members from the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities to share their stories.”

About Bridges Oregon:

Bridges Oregon is a nonprofit for Oregonians who are Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing or face other communication barriers. It is in our mission to facilitate equity and inclusiveness and to provide a bridge to opportunities through advocacy, education, and communication.