Awards & Accomplishments

Working Hard to Make Our Community Stronger

Recent Activities and Accomplishments

  • REACH was awarded a $30,000 gift from The Grainger Foundation to support our resident services and youth development programs.  “We chose to partner with REACH because of their demonstrated commitment to ensuring local families have stable homes in these challenging times,” says Grainger Branch Manager Jeremy Deeney.  Read more.
  • REACH was ranked among the Top Ten Nonprofits to Work for in Oregon in 2009 by Oregon Business Magazine!  Read more.
  • REACH was recently nominated as the American Lung Association “Smoke Free Housing Champion of the Year” for our efforts to make our housing portfolio a smoke-free environment.
  • Our Resident Services program received the Award of Excellence from Oregon Housing and Community Services for “constantly going beyond the call of duty in providing services to lower income individuals in their communities.”
  • REACH Executive Director Dee Walsh was presented with the “Ross Dey Award” for demonstrated excellence over a lifetime.  The award was presented by the Metro Multifamily Housing Association on May 21st 2008 at their annual Apartment Community Excellence Awards.
  • Resident Services started the 11th year of Youth$ave, a matched savings and money management program for youth living in REACH housing.
  • The Community Builders Program has completed over 5,500 free home repair projects for over 1,400 elderly and disabled homeowners since 1996.
  • Over 280 volunteers completed 116 free home repairs for 22 senior and disabled homeowners during our 2009 Paint & Repair-a-thon in August.
  • 505 volunteers donated 4,360 hours to REACH projects and programs in 2007-08.

National Awards

  • 2009 Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Award.  REACH CDC has been named one of two 2009 Portland Neighborhood Builders® through which REACH will receive $200,000 in unrestricted grant funding for our greening initiatives.
  • 2009 MetLife Foundation Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing for Station Place Tower, from MetLife Foundation and Enterprise Community Partners.  REACH was awarded a $50,000 grant.
  • 2006 “Affordable Housing Built Responsibly” National Runner Up for Station Place Tower, from The Home Depot Foundation.
  • 2005 James A. Johnson Fellowship Award, for Dee Walsh, Executive Director, from Fannie Mae Foundation.
  • 1996 “Building Innovation for Homeownership Award” for the City Life project, from the National Partners in Homeownership.
  • 1993 “President’s Volunteer Action Award” for West Clinton Action Plan. Awarded by President Bill Clinton.
  • 1991 “Organization of the Year” awarded by National Congress for Community Economic Development.
  • 1991 Rudy Bruner “Award of Excellence in Urban Environments”  Finalist, from Rudy Bruner Foundation.
  • 1990 “National Award of Excellence for the Production of Affordable Housing” for the Rose Apartments, from Fannie Mae Foundation.
  • 1989 “Research and Development Fund Award” for outstanding achievements in the field of community economic development, from National Congress for Community Economic Development.
  • 1984 Low-Cost Housing Competition Third Prize. From the Enterprise Foundation’s Rehab Work Group.

Select State & Local Awards

  • 2009 Light a Fire Award recipient from Portland Monthly Magazine for REACH’s excellence in community building.
  • 2008 Award of Excellence for outstanding Resident Services from Oregon Housing and Community Services
  • 2005 BEST Award – for Station Place Tower - stormwater management system; from City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development
  • 2004 Urban Pioneer Award from Portland State University
  • 2004 Gilman Award for Exemplary Achievement for the Community Builders Program from Community Development Network
  • 2002 Property and Asset Management Best Practices Award from Community Development Network
  • 2001 CDC of the Year from Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations
  • 1996 “Crowded House Award” for the development project with the most partners, from the Community Development Network
  • 1992 “REACH Community Development Day” in recognition of REACH’s work to revitalize inner Southeast Portland, proclaimed by Mayor J.E. “Bud” Clark on November 19, 1992