THE LOWENSTEIN TRUST
__________________________________________
2012 Awardee Named
The Steve Lowenstein Trust Board is proud to have
selected William West, community activist, organizer,
with the
The Arc of Multnomah/Clackamas
to receive the 2013 Lowenstein Trust
Award.
First presented in 1992, this annual award is given to the
nominee who has demonstrated, in the judgment of the
Trustees, a significant personal contribution to assisting
the underserved in the City of Portland. The formal
presentation of the Award took place on Wednesday, December
12th 2012, at 9:30am in Portland City Council.
William
West celebrated by Portland City Council and Lowenstien
Trust Board
William
“Bill” West has dedicated over 30 years of his
life to advocating for and assisting Portland, Multnomah
County, and Clackamas County community members who are
working through the challenges presented by developmental
disabilities.
William
West with Lowenstein Trust Board Chair Michelle
Harper
Whether
it is finding lodging, counseling, medical assistance,
housing or legal services Mr. West has been there for the
community he has chosen to serve. Bill has assisted
hundreds if not thousands to navigate daunting, seemingly
impenetrable bureaucracies. His work has often made the
difference between a person’s independence or
institutionalization.
William
West, with family, friends, colleagues, and Lowenstein
Trust Board members
Up
to the year 2000, when Fairview Training center was closed,
Mr. West was an advocate for those who were housed there.
He also helped with growth of Portland area and state
chapters of People First of Oregon, the state’s
leading advocacy group run by and for people with
developmental disabilities. The ripple effect was felt
around the nation as those with mental disabilities
embraced the idea that a mental disability does not mean
surrendering the right and responsibility to speak for
themselves. Additionally, while Fairview was open, Bill
worked as advocate during hearings for residents with
particularly difficult personal circumstances, helping to
make sure their rights and best interests were respected.
Lowenstein
Trust Awardee William West and Family
In
recent years Mr. West has focused his attention on helping
local governments. Working with the developmentally
disabled community, he helps public agencies understand the
pressing need for policies and procedures - particularly in
law enforcement – designed to enable employees to
recognize and supportively engage people with developmental
disabilities. Mr. West is deeply committed to reducing the
likelihood that interactions with developmentally disabled
individuals will turn into in needless, dangerous, or
tragic confrontations.
For his years of compassion and dedication to the safety,
welfare and independence of vulnerable, underserved, and
too frequently invisible members of our community, the
Board of the Lowenstein Trust is proud to name William West
the recipient of the 2012 Lowenstein Trust
Award.
Photos:
Art Alexander, Charlie Williamson
-----
Steve Lowenstein was an
inspiring model of public service. His sense of purpose,
his integrity, and his perseverance inspired many who have
worked on issues of human rights and social justice. He
joined the Peace Corps after law school in the early 1960s
and wrote a textbook on Ethiopian law. He worked in
Washington DC for the Office of Economic Opportunity and in
Chile for the Ford Foundation. He was founding Director of
Oregon Legal Services, authored a groundbreaking
history—The
Jews of Oregon 1850-1950—and
at the time of his death in 1990 had served for six years
as Executive Assistant to former City Commissioner Mike
Lindberg.
The
Award -Steve
liked most to have an impact from behind the scenes. His
will established a board managed endowed trust fund for the
Lowenstein Trust award with the following stipulation:
“The
recipient of the Lowenstein Trust Award shall be that
person who demonstrated (in the opinion of the Trustees)
the greatest contribution to assisting the poor and
underprivileged in the city of Portland, Oregon. Each year
the recipient must be in need of these funds to help carry
on his or her work and must use the award to further the
type of work for which it was
given.”
TRUSTEES
Art Alexander, Linda Dobson, Jamaal Folsom, Sandra Haefker,
Michelle Harper, Margery Harris, Joe Hertzberg, Paul Kelly,
Mike Lindberg, Ron Paul, David Thornburgh, Charles R.
Williamson
ADVISORY BOARD
Gretchen Kafoury, Chris Lowenstein, Lee Rosner, Bev Stein
Contact/ Mail Contributions:
The Lowenstein Trust
c/o
Charles R. Williamson
520 SW Yamhill St., Suite 600
Portland, Oregon 97204-1329
Phone: 503-222-3531
Fax: 503-227-2980
