Portland, Oregon — December 18, 2007 — Open Meadow Alternative Schools has received a $5,000 grant from the Safeway Foundation. Grant funds will assist the organization’s Student Voice Project, a visual arts and poetry program for youth in middle and high school.

At a presentation ceremony today at Open Meadow’s campus in North Portland, Dan Floyd, Safeway Foundation Director of Public Affairs was joined by Troy Williams, Store Manager for the NE MLK Blvd. Safeway.  Floyd told the students: “The Safeway Foundation is impressed with Open Meadow’s programs and its students.  On behalf of the employees at Safeway, we are delighted to support the Student Voice Project.  We believe that with quality education and hard work you can achieve anything you want in life.”

Open Meadow’s Student Voice Project provides students in middle and high school with the opportunity to express their voices to the community through art and poetry.  The students work with arts and writing professionals throughout the school year.  The program culminates with a student art show for community members in May, as well as the publication of an anthology of student poetry and a desk-top calendar featuring student art and poetry.