Northwest Pilot Project’s Impact Awards celebrate and show special gratitude to extraordinary people and groups whose contributions have been critical to the work of the agency over the past year. Our Agency Impact Award recognizes a significant contribution that provided a transformative opportunity for NWPP. This year, we honor Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury.
For decades, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury has been a leader in innovative and equitable solutions to the region’s most pressing issues. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005, joined the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners in 2009, and has been Chair since 2014.
In her role as Chair, Kafoury spearheaded the passing of the $2.4 billion Supportive Housing Services Measure — a transformative investment in the tri-county region’s response to homelessness — and has since directed its launch and implementation. Currently, Chair Kafoury is leading the creation of the first behavioral health resource center for people in crisis living on the street in downtown Portland, which is slated to open fall 2022.
Chair Kafoury shared that “Northwest Pilot Project exemplifies what it means to lead through service. Its leadership and staff have never sought the spotlight. Rather, NWPP focuses on doing what’s right, quietly and reliably setting the standard for other providers while offering a moral compass for elected officials.”
“For me, this award is a testament to partnership and collaboration,” Chair Kafoury says. “None of the progress we’ve made, and will continue to make, through the Metro Supportive Housing Services measure is possible without the enduring connections we’ve built in our community. Crucially, NWPP demonstrates how effective local long-term rent assistance is in ending homelessness.”
“I am honored and humbled to be receiving the Agency Impact Award, and I am extremely proud to have walked side-by-side with those who so clearly reflect NWPP’s values. I’m grateful to the entire Northwest Pilot Project team for all we’ve done together, as well as the work they do every day to extend the stability and safety of housing to our most vulnerable neighbors. Thank you.”
NWPP is grateful to Chair Kafoury’s leadership on providing resources and support for housing and homeless services that have amplified NWPP’s impact in the community.