Oregon’s poverty problems just won’t go away after Christmas
“Business isn’t about wearing suits or making as much money as you can, it’s about being true to yourself, your ideas and focusing on the essentials.” 
 – Jim Chapman, President, Legend Homes/Matrix Development

Portland, OR (December 7, 2006) Holiday giving -- it seems that nearly all Oregon companies encourage giving and community involvement in December, but passing along a tradition and ethic of year-round philanthropy is neither simple nor assured. At Legend Homes/Matrix Development giving and volunteerism has been integrated into the corporate culture since the company’s inception. 

 Research on Oregon’s poor, published by University of Oregon Extension Service, reports 400,000 Oregonians currently living in poverty. Legend Homes/Matrix Development President Jim Chapman says that building homes is only part of building a community; food and lack of resources plague Oregon’s poor, from single working parents leaving young children unattended, to adults skipping meals so that children in the household can eat.  Chronic malnutrition in Oregon effects the longevity of the elderly and young people’s ability to learn. 

 For the last 20 years, Legend Homes’ employees have coordinated collections and the pick up of food in all of their current communities.  In 2006, this represents individual employees picking up food collections from up to 1,275 homeowners.  This year’s Legend staff and community food collections will go to Blanchet House and Linn Benton Food Share. 

 Founded in 1952, Blanchet House of Hospitality provides those in poverty free meals, beds and jobs.  Blanchet House has recently grown to include Blanchet Farm in Carlton, OR, and Mr. Riley's Place at 615 NW 18th in Portland. Linn Benton Food Share annually distributes nearly 5 million pounds of food each year to emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, child and senior care centers, shelter homes, and gleaning groups.

 This year, Legend Homes will also be participating in KPTV Fox 12 toy drive benefiting the Salvation Army and will give five dollars for every new unwrapped toy donated at model home sites located throughout Oregon.  Collections will be taken through December 20th; model home sites are listed at www.LegendHomes.com.  

The company’s cash donations for 2006 have totaled close to $300,000.  In the Portland area, Legend Homes is a long-term donor to Friends of the Children, the Salvation Army, the Oregon Food Bank, Sisters of the Road Café, Waverly Children’s Home, Albertina Kerr Center and others. A Legend Homes program in Linn and Benton Counties, now in its fifth year, currently supports at least 26 nonprofits in the Corvallis and Albany regions.  

 Legend Homes also encourages their contractors and subcontractors to become involved in the community through the Home Builder’s Association of Portland Home Builder’s Foundation (HBF).  In May 2005, Legend Homes co-chaired the HBF Haven House project and assigned a Legend staff member to act as a building site supervisor donating hundreds of hours of staff time to coordinate dozens of volunteer home building professionals.  This HBF team donated dollars, time and materials to create Haven House, a four unit townhome shelter program and for pregnant and teenage mothers. 

 Started in Portland, Oregon in 1965, Legend Homes and Matrix Development has developed, designed and built approximately 12,500 home sites, homes, town homes and condominiums. 

Contact: Krista Boyd, Legend Homes Director of Marketing and Communication at 503.620.8080 X204 -or- Mara Woloshin, all hours, 503.241.3834; cell 503.310.4504.