State of Giving
Kristin Anderson and Greg Chaillé
State of Giving is at once an authoritative overview of Oregon’s toughest challenges and a much-needed manifesto for greater civic engagement. Chaillé and Anderson highlight the crucial role that nonprofits play as pillars of Oregon’s civic structure through their engaging profiles of the charismatic civic leaders, grassroots organizations, donors, and volunteers who are working to combat some of Oregon’s most enduring problems, including:
• Education Inequity
• Environmental Conservation
• Social Inequity and Discrimination
• Hunger and Homelessness
• The Urban/Rural Divide
• Arts, Culture, and Heritage Funding
Traversing the state from a remote Great Basin field station to an intercultural center in north Portland, State of Giving shows the many faces of public engagement in people like education activist Ron Herndon, volunteer historians Gwen Carr and Willie Richardson, and Wallowa County philanthropist and rancher Doug McDaniel. Their stories reveal that there are ways in which we all—regardless of wealth, location, age, or background—can give back to our communities.
In addition to introducing Oregon’s key areas of need and demonstrating diverse pathways into civic engagement, the book provides extensive resources for prospective volunteers and donors. Rousing, accessible, and enlivened by photographs of its people and places, State of Giving is an essential reference for anyone interested in building a better Oregon, starting today.
About the author
Kristin Anderson is a nonprofit consultant, writer, and educator. A native Oregonian, she has worked with the Oregon Community Foundation, Literary Arts, Disjecta Arts Center, the Oregon Historical Society, Levé, and several other organizations. She is a published academic, and has also written political and cultural commentary for The Dublin Review of Books, Newsweek, The Oxonian Review, Café Babel, and other periodicals.
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Greg Chaillé is the former president of The Oregon Community Foundation. During his 24-year presidency, the Foundation grew to become the largest grantmaker in Oregon and the sixth largest community foundation in the nation. Chaillé is also a dedicated volunteer himself, contributing countless hours to SMART, OMSI, the Chalkboard Project, and Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon.
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“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
“State of Giving is a celebration of Oregon civic engagement. It is inspiring and mobilizing. As a survey of our state’s most tenacious challenges, it is sobering; and as a chronicle of Oregonians from every background and walk of life, it is invaluable. Oregonians care. They give dollars, time, and heart to building healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. This book tells that story.” --Barbara Roberts, former Oregon Governor and author of Up the Capitol Steps: A Woman’s March to the Governorship
“State of Giving is a catalyst of compassion and connection, of discussion, of action. A ground-breaking contribution to Oregon’s cultural, political, and civic discourse, it should be in every classroom, in every boardroom, and on every nightstand in the state.” --Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO of Mercy Corps
But the Prehistoric Gardens on Highway 101 is one of the more arresting. Cruising along the southern coast’s wave-beaten monoliths and forested headlands, a bend in the road brings you face-to-face with a life-size T-Rex reaching with feeble arms and a cartoonish expression towards your car.