Communities connect and celebrate after three years of pandemic response

CELEBRATION SLIDE SHOW “I’m so excited I could cry,” said Betty Brown, executive director of Portland Open Bible Community Pantry, as she surveyed the celebratory crowd that filled a Portland hotel ballroom. Brown was one of nearly 300 people representing more than 100 community-based organizations (CBO) gathered April 26 at the Holiday Inn Portland Airport. […]

Central Oregon group breaks down barriers to food access and production

This Saturday in Warm Springs, chef and co-founder of Tahoma Peak Solutions Maria Givens will kick off a free event with a presentation about using Native foods as medicine. Following the presentation, attendees can stick around and enjoy snacks with Native and culturally significant ingredients. Click here for event details. This event and others like […]

Mpox vaccines are free, abundant and available to anyone

Update: May 23, 2023 – This blog has been updated to reflect the latest data for Jynneos vaccine effectiveness. Available in Spanish It’s been almost a year since Oregon reported its first case of mpox. That number has since risen to 279, including two pediatric cases (under age 18). But new cases have been trickling […]

COVID-19 VACCINE NEWS: Additional booster authorized for some people; original vaccine discontinued

Available in Spanish The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a second COVID-19 bivalent booster dose for people ages 65 and older and for some people with compromised immunity. Following discussion by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the CDC recommended the changes yesterday. The additional […]

Psilocybin 101: What to know about Oregon’s psilocybin services

Oregon voters approved Measure 109 in 2020. The Oregon Psilocybin Services Act is the first law in the United States that establishes a regulatory framework for receiving psilocybin, also known as psychedelic mushrooms. (Read the law here.) “This can be a life-changing opportunity for many people’s health and well-being,” said Angela Allbee, manager for the […]

Pacientes del hospital estatal cultivan plantas para el vivero de Salem

Los dedos de los pacientes del Hospital Estatal de Oregon State Hospital (OSH, por sus siglas en inglés) se están poniendo verdes.. A través de una sociedad con el vivero 13th Street Nursery, los pacientes de OSH aprenden lo que se necesita para sembrar, nutrir y entregar plantas para ser vendidas a la comunidad. Esta […]

Ranch therapy: horses supporting mental health

Of course there are horses trotting around at HORSES on the Ranch in Prineville, near Bend. But “HORSES” also stands for Heal, Overcome, Reconnect, Strengthen, Educate and Support. The young nonprofit offers trauma-informed, equine-assisted psychotherapy programs that focus on women, veterans and young people. HORSES on the Ranch opened in March 2020, just as the […]

State hospital patients nurture plants for Salem nursery

Available in Spanish The thumbs of Oregon State Hospital (OSH) patients are turning green. Through a long-standing partnership with 13th Street Nursery, OSH patients learn what it takes to seed, nurture and deliver plants for sale in the community. This week, OSH staff delivered about 400 young plant starts to the Salem nursery where gardeners […]

COVID-19 and loss of smell: what we know

Available in Spanish One of the most curious symptoms of COVID-19 is loss of smell. It can occur during the illness and linger for weeks, months or years. It can also crop up after the infection goes away. This makes loss of smell a common symptom of long COVID-19. Long COVID can affect vaccinated or […]