“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
—Booker T. Washington—
Johnson Family Scholarship (JFS)
Johnson Family Scholarship Program is designed to provide educational resources to those qualified individuals at Highland Christian Center who are seeking higher education. The program was started by the late Rev. Sam Johnson Sr., Mother Opal Johnson, Dr. Richard Johnson and Mr. Wilmar Elliot and thus is named in honor of Pastor and Mrs. Johnson.
We also provide an incentive for students who excel academically and recognize promotions from middle school
and graduates from high school and college and universities.
There is an annual banquet to raise funds. While we seek sponsorship and fundraisers to fund this endeavor, we encourage all Highlanders to participate financially in the most worthy scholarship program as we push education to change the vector of our young adults.
To apply, please follow the link below. Thank you!
HAVEN
In Dec. 2000, a 501C3 non-profit Corporation called Highland Haven was formed. Highland Haven serves distressed communities in North/Northeast Portland with several different social service programs.
Highland Haven is a non-profit organization focused on educating and empowering youth. Highland Haven transforms the lives of promising youth and their families through dynamic collaborative programs which create a safe environment of self-directed and empowered individuals.
The mission and goals of the Haven is to educate and empower, helping youth reach their potential to become self-directing and autonomous adults.
Highland Youth Leadership Academy (HYLA)
HYLA was birthed out of the program “Coaching Boys into Men.” It was designed to help the underprivileged and often disenfranchised gain valuable mentorship needed to transition into a productive citizen. In the program young men, called Ambassadors, learn valuable lessons such as, but not limited to effective communications, bullying and cyberbullying, self-discipline, taking initiatives, healthy lifestyle choices, respect, historical and cultural awareness.
This year Highland is seeking to expand the program to include young women. Our young women are especially targeted with imaging that pushes them to be more like the world for financial gain and fame, including selling one’s body to do so. Portland’s Violence and Prevention Office has stated that this is now a major challenge in Portland with our youth and is growing rapidly. This can ultimately lead to human trafficking and other heinous practices to the unsuspecting.
Our endeavor in HYLA is to teach respect, dignity, cultural pride, and self-esteem to all of our youth who participate. We will stress the importance of higher education, financial independence, and entrepreneurialism.
We want to create an atmosphere that equips young women and men to be the best they can be in our society.
Highland Access, Re-entry and Recovery Program (HARRP)
HARRP was established at Highland United Church of Christ in Northeast Portland in December 2009 by a group of men and women wanting to make a difference in the lives of people getting out of prison. Most of these individuals had been in prison themselves. Many are now acting as professional drug and alcohol counselors or mentors, putting their experience to work to change lives.
HARRP provides transitional services to formerly incarcerated persons and their families in order to increase public safety and awareness, empower families and strengthen the community. Services include mentoring released prisoners, in-prison education, educating and mentoring for the children and families of the incarcerated.
HARRP’s goals are to help people in recovery and coming out of prison become successful, reunite with their loved ones and stay clean and out of trouble. We work primarily with people in the Portland Metro Area.
HARRP also provides counseling and support to the families of the incarcerated and spiritual counseling.
Highland Youth African American Community Coalition (HYAACC)
Highland African American Youth Community Coalition creates a thriving community through collaboration, prevention, education, advocacy, and networking with African
American youth, families and stakeholders.
Highland African American Youth Community Coalition is a Multnomah County organization of people committed to addressing concerns with alcohol and drug use in our African American youth. We are students, researchers, professionals, educators, development workers, and most importantly, we are part of the community.
The mission of HYAACC is to create a thriving community through prevention education, advocacy and collaboration with African American youth, their families and stakeholders.
