STATE OF
GIVING
STORIES OF OREGON
VOLUNTEERS, DONORS,
AND NONPROFITS
PRESS RELEASE
RELEASE DATE
14 October 2015
MEDIA CONTACT
Linda Quon, lquon@quondc.com; stateofgiving@gmail.com
PHONE
(541) 610-4317; (971) 271-1385
How to Make a Difference: State of Giving Book Tour and Public Talks/Discussions
Josephy Center for Arts and Culture | 403 N. Main St, Joseph | October 27th, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Baker County Public Library | 2400 Resort St., Baker City | October 28th, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Pendleton Center for the Arts | 214 N. Main St., Pendleton | October 29th, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
October 14th, 2015 (Portland, OR) -- A series of three community events are taking place in eastern Oregon
this month to celebrate the civic spirit of local donors, volunteers, and nonprofit leaders and to issue an
impassioned call-to-arms for more citizens to get involved. The events—scheduled to take place in Joseph
(October 27), Baker City (October 28) and Pendleton (October 29)—are part of an eastern Oregon book
tour for the recently published State of Giving (OSU Press 2015) by Greg Chaillé and Kristin Anderson.
“It’s a timely message as we move into the holiday giving season,” said Anderson. “We want to
recognize some of the eastern Oregon community leaders who have made a tremendous impact on our state,
and also to inspire a renewed passion for giving back.”
According to Chaillé and Anderson, the need for action is urgent: Oregon’s communities of color
suffer lower high school graduation rates and incomes than white Oregonians, Oregon women earn 79 cents
to every dollar earned by men, arts organizations struggle to keep their lights on, small towns still fight to
balance economic and environmental needs, and in eastern Oregon, aging populations and higher
unemployment rates mean basic assistance providers struggle to keep pace with demand. These challenges,
and the stories of everyday Oregonians fighting them, are what makes State of Giving such an important work.
Each of State of Giving’s three eastern Oregon events will include public discussions where attendees
will learn about how they can get involved and give back, talk to others already engaged in such work, and
gain insight from local nonprofit leaders. In Joseph, the authors will be joined by local panelists from the
Josephy Center, Wallowa Resources, South Forks Grange, the Wallowa Band Nez Perce Interpretive Center,
the Maxville Heritage Center, and the Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness. The Baker City event will feature
an author talk and public discussion: members of the nonprofit community are encouraged to come share
their work. Pendleton’s event will include a panel of civic leaders from the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, the
Pendleton Roundup, the Umatilla Watershed Basin Council, and Community Action Program of East Central
www.stateofgiving.com
Oregon (CAPECO). All events will also include discussions about the statewide #OregoniansGive campaign, a
unified movement to make the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving a statewide #GivingTuesday, and will
showcase eastern Oregon’s leading role in the campaign.
“Eastern Oregon’s communities, and communities across the state, are filled with people who are
doing tremendous work on behalf of others, but the people who are giving so much back to their communities
seldom get their impact recognized,” says Chaillé. “The work of donors, volunteers, and nonprofit staff, and of
other civic leaders is transformative; it changes lives and landscapes and improves our daily experience,”
added Anderson. “We wanted to share these people’s stories and show how their innovations and generosity
are strengthening our state. These events will let the public learn about some great local nonprofits and
pathways into getting more involved, and it will give nonprofits a chance to share ideas and raise awareness.”
According to Chaillé and Anderson, nonprofits and community members have played a vital role in
Eastern Oregon’s history and present. Regional organizations and initiatives featured in the book include:
Wallowa Resources (Enterprise), Fishtrap (Joseph), the Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra (La Grande),
Project Dove and the Four Rivers Cultural Center (Ontario), the Malheur Field Station, the Richland School
Housing and Community Center, the Pendleton Foundation Trust, Tamástslikt Cultural Institute (Umatilla
Reservaiton), Friends of Kam Wa Chung (John Day), and sustainable forestry partnerships that have emerged
in the Ochoco, Wallowa-Whitman, and Malheur forests. Eastern Oregonians profiled include: rancher Doug
McDaniel of Lostine; Duncan Evered and Lyla Messick of Malheur; Bobbie Conner of the Umatilla Tribes;
Chuck Rouse and Leo Adler of Baker City; Lorna Spain of La Grande; and many regional supporters of
Fishtrap, the Nature Conservancy, ASPIRE, Oregon Food Bank and others.
“The stories of these people and organizations form the heart of the book’s message and are the reason
that State of Giving is on the road,” said Anderson. “These tour events are not about book sales, they’re about
showing people that anyone, no matter who you are, can make a difference, and that Oregon's future depends
upon more people realizing that and getting involved.” Chaillé adds, “As the holiday season begins, it’s a good
time to be thankful for what you have, and to think more about giving back."
To schedule interviews with authors Greg Chaillé and Kristin Anderson, contact Linda Quon at
lquon@quondc.com or 541.610.4317, or the authors at stateofgiving@gmail.com or 971-271-1385.
“State of Giving is an inspiring, essential, and accessible history of the unique community spirit that makes Oregon
the special place we call home. It sounds a timely call to action that clearly and effectively shows each of us as
Oregonians the philanthropic legacy we inherit and how we can all build upon that legacy in every corner of our
state.” - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
“A new book, State of Giving: Stories of Oregon Volunteers, Donors and Nonprofits, is a sweeping compendium
of the best of Oregon's community-minded people. It recognizes the value of individual and collective effort to better
our communities by reaching out to those in need and by enriching the culture through art, music and theater.”
- Editorial, Medford Mail-Tribune
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