Awarded Grants

In support of Suicide Prevention Awareness, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has awarded a $20,000 grant to One Community All Spirits to bolster local efforts to reduce suicide in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

In early 2022, Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) helped to form a coalition now named One Community All Spirits. The current coalition includes Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL), Community in Action, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization-Eastern Oregon (IRCO), Oregon Department of Human Services, and Oregon Food Bank-Southeast Oregon Services.

One Community All Spirits focuses on creating safe spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Malheur County. Currently, One Community All Spirits members assist Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living’s Youth Center initiatives, as well as Community in Action and their Youth Center programming.

This coalition has held two family friendly Stronger Together Pride events in Ontario and hosted breakout sessions at the Malheur County Health Equity Conference the last two years. The coalition also assists in coordinating Pajama Drives and Coat Drives for the community and increasing communication and advocacy within community organizations on behalf of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living is the acting fiscal sponsor for One Community All Spirits.

One Community All Spirits was among 13 coalitions throughout Oregon that received the grants, which will be administered by the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide, an advisory group to OHA on matters related to youth and young adult suicide. One Community All Spirits intends to use the funds to increase visibility by hosting community events such as the Stronger Together Pride event, creating training curriculum that is more culturally appropriate for those experiencing intersectionality, and providing specific contacts as points of advocacy within organizations in the community.

“We are proud to support these dedicated suicide prevention coalitions in their life-saving work,” said Annette Marcus, policy manager of the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide. “Coalitions are effective change agents because they bring together organizations and individuals who understand the tragic impact of suicide in their own communities and are committed to working together to save lives. Time and time again, we have seen local efforts that maximize even small amounts of funding and look forward to seeing the successes of these local coalitions.”

According to recent data from OHA, Oregon remains above the national average for suicide rates. OHA and the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide are committed to combating this trend through targeted and community-driven approaches.

“The best suicide prevention is local. These projects will contribute to connection and belonging in communities across our state — work we know can save lives by inspiring hope and building local capacity,” said OHA Behavioral Health Director Ebony Clarke.

The priorities identified by One Community All Spirits align closely with Oregon’s Suicide Prevention Framework and are driven by an understanding of local needs and resources.

For more information on the other grants awarded visit https://oregonalliancetopreventsuicide.org/2023-grantees/. For more information about the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide and their initiatives, please visit oregonalliancetopreventsuicide.org. 

Members of the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide include representatives from state, education, health care and community-based organizations, people with lived experience of suicide loss or attempts, and young people, who are all committed to reducing suicide rates and promoting mental health through advocacy, education, and collaborative efforts.