Welcome to Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood.     We're glad you're here.

who we are

Our neighborhood also has a very active neighborhood association and we need your energy to make our community even better!

Our Mission

To serve as a body in order to gather, enlighten, inform, celebrate, champion, empower, and support our Powellhurst-Gilbert neighbors, businesses, homes, schools, environment, and those invested in the neighborhood.

To facilitate a continuing increase in the well-being and standard of living of those persons residing within the bounds of the Association.

To provide a forum for organization, education, and research of information and ideas by assuring an open process by which all citizens of the community may involve themselves in the affairs of the community.

To provide structures for community building among members. 

We have a long history; recent accomplishments include:

Large Events since 2021:

East Portland Candidate Forum via Zoom, 2021

Virtual Town Hall around gun violence with Portland Police Chief Charles Lovell, 2021

Juneteenth Parties in 2021, 2022, and 2023

Concerts in the Park - 2022, 2023, & 2024

Dumpster Day - BPS with PGNA publicity, April 13, 2024

Metro Funded Dumpster Day, facilitated by PGNA, October 4, 2025

Numerous smaller cleanups with PGN volunteers and Solve, 2025

Presentations during our General Assembly meetings:

Springwater Wetlands Restoration Project - Bureau of Environmental Services

Outer Powell Transportation Project - Oregon Department of Transportation

Division Midway Street Improvement Project - Portland Bureau of Transportation

Building a Better 82nd - Yashica

Free Arts NW - Hannah White, Myk Clark

Back to School Safety - Jim Chasse

Johnson Creek Watershed Council - Marlee Eckman

Emergency & Fire response times in East Portland

PBOT - Building a Better 82nd street

Division Midway Alliance - Lisha Shrestha

Midway Business Association - Laura Martinez

Career technical education at David Douglas High School - Kimberly Olson

East Portland TIF Exploration - Paula Byrd, Dana Deklyen, Raul Preciado Mendez

Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO)

Budget Mapping of Infrastructure Improvements in East Portland - Nick Sauvie

Rebuilding Together - Stephanie Luyties

Cultivate Initiatives -

Thrive PDX - Gayle Palmer

Initiatives and endeavors:

Yard Tree Giveaway - Collaborating with Centennial Community Association and Thrive PDX

Continued work to address the increase in violence in East Portland, publicity and conversations

Advocacy for Kelly Butte

Improvements at Raymond Park with the Portland Parks Foundation

Advocacy for restoration of the Mural on the 136th roadcut

Ongoing involvement with Land Use and Transportation issues

Advocacy for 112th improvements

Ongoing involvement and conversations with "community safety" issues

Your involvement in our Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood is needed!

The Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association is an all-volunteer organization that works to gather, enlighten, inform, celebrate, champion, empower, and support Powellhurst-Gilbert residents, schools, businesses, and those invested in our neighborhood.

 We strive to facilitate a continuing increase in the well-being of those persons residing within the bounds of the association.

 Our hope is to provide forums for organization, education, and research of information and ideas by creating an open process by which all citizens of the neighborhood may involve themselves in the affairs of the community. Most of all, our focus is upon providing structures for community building among members. Members contribute by attending events and celebrations, participating in meetings, being involved with committees on topics in which they are interested, and serving on our all-volunteer board.

We hear from many of you who are interested in particular topics: community safety, gun violence, land use, transportation, safe passage to school, cleanups, litter, graffiti, houselessness, and environmental degradation, just to name a few. We only have the capacity to wrestle with any of these topics if you participate and help organize!

 Membership

Membership is open to all individuals who live, own property, have a business license, or represent a non-profit organization within the Powellhurst-Gilbert boundaries. Membership is also open to those who have a demonstrated interest in the neighborhood, in part through active attendance at Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association meetings, board meetings, or other PGNA sanctioned events.

Membership consists of individuals who have attended at least one of three (3) previous general membership meetings and express their wish to be a member. The Board of Directors, at their discretion, may waive the attendance requirement for a particular meeting. Checking “yes” on the meeting sign-in sheet is one way to express the wish to be a member.

 Each member is eligible to vote for election of board directors and topics brought to the membership as a whole.

Board Member

Active board members are what really makes our neighborhood association effective! The Board of Directors consists of the Chair, Secretary, and up to nine board members at-large. We have found it important to also have a Treasurer to ensure that we are all looking at the finances of the organization. Our bylaws require our Board of Directors to have at least three board members.

The Board of Directors acts for the association as a whole whenever it is not practical for a matter to await consideration of the next general meeting. If the board acts for the group, such action shall be reported to the membership at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Our "at-large" board members are responsible for attending a 2-hour monthly meeting most months of the year, and investing good energy and time with endeavors in which they are most interested. This may involve work with committee work revolving around a specific topic, or help planning and executing community-building events. We are currently looking for new board members who have passion and energy to weave the fabric of our community!

 Secretary

Our registration with the State of Oregon requires that we have a Secretary. This role can be much more than creating agendas and minutes, depending on the strengths of the person in that position. Other tasks may include involvement with our fiscal sponsor, District1 East Coalition, publicity, outreach, networking with other organizations, keeping the website current, and sending out Mailchimp blasts. The exact responsibilities of the role need to be coordinated with the Chair or Co-Chairs of the organization.

Treasurer

Keep the organization's financial records in excellent shape. Write checks (in conjunction with another board member for review), submit reimbursements, and help pursue grants and funding opportunities.

Chair and / or Co-Chairs

We have found that the best leaders are inclusive and inspirational instead of simply directive, folks who work well with others and who are also willing to do the boots-on-the-ground work necessary to meet our goals. The chair or leadership team is responsible for either coordinating a number of tasks, or doing it themselves when the situation dictates. These tasks include:

·      Involvement with our fiscal sponsor, District1 East Coalition, typically as one of their board members.

·      Read and respond to our pgnaboard@gmail.com address. Forward or delegate if necessary.

·      Formulate and send out Mailchimp email blasts. Communicate and collaborate with other organizations doing work and outreach in PGN.

·      Active involvement with PGNA finances.

·      Submit CT-12 to the Oregon Department of Justice before May 15 Annually. Annual registration with the OR Secretary of State.

·      Draft meeting schedule for the year. Communicate with Arte Soleil and others about venue use.

·      Write and report on grants as necessary.

·      Assume responsibility for events as needed. Work with D1EC for insurance.

·      Organize files, make accessible as necessary.

·      Track historical and institutional knowledge.

·      Facilitate updating bylaws.

·      Keep website current. Squarespace and Dynadot registration.

·      Update City of Portland information regarding meetings

·      Conduct outreach, in conjunction with other board members.

 An important part of the work is networking with partner organizations in our area.

(Division Midway Alliance, Zenger Farm, Midway Business Association, East Portland Action Plan, District 1 East Coalition, Thrive PDX, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, Free Arts NW, Arte Soleil, Portland Parks & Recreation, East Portland News, Neighborhood Emergency Teams, Friends of Powell Butte, Friends of Gates Park, Friends of the Portland Memory Garden, Green Lents, Rebuilding Together, Prosper Portland - East Portland TIFF, Portland Urban Forestry, Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon, The Rosewood Initiative, Lents International Farmers Market, Safe Blocks Program, East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Leach Botanical Gardens, etc)

 As you can tell, this is more responsibility than should be assumed by one person, so a collaborative approach with a co-chair, vice-chair, treasurer, secretary, and the rest of the board is ideal.