With laughter and tears, ribbon cutting celebrates community champions and opening of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare’s Garlington Campus

At a moving ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by 250 supporters, including federal and county officials and community partners, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare celebrated the opening of its new Garlington Campus, home to the Garlington Health Center and Garlington Place Apartments, Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 in Northeast Portland.

The dedication marked a successful milestone in the nonprofit’s “Building a Culture of Caring” capital campaign with $4.3 million raised in charitable gifts.

“Every day we’re helping people overcome extraordinary challenges. It filled my heart with gratitude to see how much the community has given to make sure that the individuals and families who need it most have access to the full spectrum of health and wellness services,” said Derald Walker, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Innovative campus provides whole health care

Walker also shared with guests that the vision for Cascadia’s expanded behavioral healthcare services to include primary care, wellness and affordable housing was driven by the nonprofit’s longstanding goal to improve the quality of health for all residents.

The Garlington Campus is one of Oregon’s most innovative community-centered campuses – anchored by the new Garlington Health Center, which provides integrated health care services – mental health, substance use recovery, primary care, and wellness programs – all in one location to support a person’s whole health needs. The Center began serving clients in early September.

Adjacent to the Center is Garlington Place, a 52-unit affordable housing apartment building that opened in April for Cascadia clients, veterans and displaced North and Northeast Portland community members and families.

The campus is named in honor of the late Reverend Dr. John W. Garlington, Jr., and Mrs. Yvonne Garlington, who championed social justice in Portland. Their advocacy encompassed issues affecting the African-American community, access to education, employment, healthcare, police-community relations, and a voice for those experiencing poverty, mental illness and homelessness.

The Garlingtons’ five children and more than eight grandchildren and great-grandchildren took part in the dedication.

Garlingtons remembered for compassionate leadership

Congressman Earl Blumenauer recognized Reverend Garlington’s commitment to working with both local and state elected officials on social justice and inclusion for all citizens. He cited the model of wraparound care, noting the Garlingtons were early adopters of the concept that all points of service, safe affordable housing, mental and physical wellbeing, and economic stability are part of care.

“The Garlington Campus embodies compassion, understanding and humanity – the very same qualities that Reverend and Mrs. Garlington reflected in their service to the community,” added Deborah Kafoury, Multnomah County Commission Chair, at the event.

In a letter read at the ceremony, Senator Ron Wyden shared his experience working with Reverend Garlington in the 1980s, and Grace Stratton, a member of Wyden’s staff, presented a U.S. flag to Cascadia in dedication of the Garlingtons’ service.

Others who shared remarks included Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler; Michelle DePass, CEO of Meyer Memorial Trust; Andrew Colas; CEO of Colas Construction; Michael Buonocore, Executive Director of Home Forward; Mark Garlington, son of Reverend and Mrs. Garlington; and Emmett Wheatfall, poet and Garlington family friend.

The event featured the unveiling of five artworks that reflect local, social and cultural significance. These works, by prominent Portland artists Anne Crumpacker, Jeremy Okai Davis, Hilary Pfeifer, and Arvie Smith, form the core of Cascadia’s new Garlington Health Center Art Collection.

Campaign reaches milestone

The Garlington Health Center was funded through Cascadia’s Building a Culture of Caring capital campaign. Major gifts include $1 million from FamilyCare a $250,000 grant and $500,000 Program Related Investment from Meyer Memorial Trust; a total of $405,000 in anonymous gifts; $200,000 from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, $150,000 from the Mitzvah Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation; $135,000 from the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund; $125,000 from The Collins Foundation; $50,000 from the Oregon Community Foundation Community Grants Fund; $50,000 from Providence Health & Services; and $30,000 from the Clark Foundation. Additional major gifts from local foundations, businesses and individuals total $1 million. Central to the campaign launch to rebuild the Garlington Center was the $1 million land donation from Howard and Jane Glazer. To date, the campaign has raised $4.3 million toward a $3.5 million goal.

View photos from the event here: https://bit.ly/GarlingtnRibbonCutting.