MCNW News

June 9, 2020

#BlackLivesMatter – We Are Listening

Over the last few months, the Mercy Corps Northwest team has been fortunate to hear from our community across the Pacific Northwest. In April we heard from the small business community. You shared your challenges ...

February 6, 2020

Mercy Corps responds to details of abuse and commits to action

PORTLAND, Ore. — In October 2019, Mercy Corps and its Board requested that investigative firm Vestry Laight conduct an independent, external review into what steps were taken when reports of abuse by Mercy Corps’ late ...

October 10, 2019

Mercy Corps Chief Executive Officer Resigns

Statement from Gisel Kordestani, Mercy Corps Board Co-Chair PORTLAND, Ore. — “The Mercy Corps Board has accepted the resignation of CEO, Neal Keny-Guyer, who has immediately relinquished his responsibilities. We are launching a search for ...

July 1, 2019

Mercy Corps Northwest Pitch Competition Grants $10,000 to Three Women-Owned Small Businesses

Mercy Corps Northwest hosted a pitch competition “shark-tank style” for small business owners in the Portland area this month. Over 60 small businesses applied to join the competition and just nine were selected to present ...

City of Walla Walla and Mercy Corps Northwest Fuel Local Entrepreneurship

Walla Walla’s Micro-Business Assistance Program to host graduation ceremony for first program cohort WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The first cohort of participants in the City of Walla Walla and Mercy Corps Northwest’s Micro-Business Assistance (MBA) ...

April 15, 2019

Mercy Corps Northwest Entrepreneurship Program Expands to Empower Incarcerated Men

Mercy Corps Northwest enrolls the first cohort of students at the all men’s prison in Portland, Oregon PORTLAND, Ore – Mercy Corps Northwest is expanding its entrepreneurial program for people who are incarcerated to the ...

November 3, 2017

Mercy Corps NW Lending Team Partners with Hacienda CDC Food Business Boot Camp

Hacienda Food Business Boot Camp Graduates Are Now Pre-Approved for Streamlined Incubator Loans The Mercy Corps NW lending team is excited to announce a partnership with Hacienda CDC to expand our Incubator Loans to participants ...

June 27, 2016

Farewell to Jeremy and Luby!

The RTC is experiencing some significant staff changes in the next few weeks. Our Housing Navigator, Jeremy Nichols, and our Employment Navigator, Luby Wind, will be heading off to new adventures this summer! Jeremy is ...

Mercy Corps NW Hosts National Reentry Week Event

Mercy Corps NW Hosts National Reentry Week Event Helping people return from prison to productive, law abiding lives.   Portland, OR (4.12.16) The US Department of Justice has designated the week of April 24-30, 2016, ...

May 31, 2016

Foundations I Now Available in Russian

Mercy Corps Northwest is proud to offer our Foundations I class entirely in Russian. Check out a short video below featuring our staff and community partners discussing this exciting offering:   Our Russian Language Foundations ...

January 26, 2016

Former IDA client wins Pitch Competition

Just announced on Specialtyfood.com! (article and photo by Deanna Ting): Last evening, Jan. 16, at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, the Specialty Food Association hosted its inaugural Shelf Showdown: A Specialty Food Pitch Competition, and declared ...

October 1, 2015

MCNW IDA Client Matt’s BBQ Featured on Oregon Live

Congratulations to Matt Vicedomini on his write-up in Oregon Live, earning high praise on his brisket and ribs from food critic Michael Russell. “But it gets one thing right that eludes nearly every other Portland-area ...

May 22, 2015

Key Bank Business Pitch event featured in Portland Business Journal

The Portland Business Journal recently covered our May 6 Key Bank Business Pitch event. Representatives from the SBA, Portland Business Journal, Key Bank and Wave One Consulting judged 15 entrepreneurs on how well they could ...

April 28, 2015

Oregon Live profiles MCNW business client, Ben Firestone

Oregon Live ran a profile on Mercy Corps NW Loan client, Ben Firestone and his incredibly inspirational journey. MCNW is excited to help find innovative and sustainable ways for small business owners to thrive in ...

August 29, 2014

Reentry Transition Center featured on NPR’s All Things Considered

“They find a way to fit in prison. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve grown as a man — they’re just growing older.” Felton Howard, former inmate and Reentry Transition Center staff member Mercy Corps ...

January 1, 2013

2012 News Stories Featuring Mercy Corps Northwest Clients

“3-D printers offer new opportunities for product design and small-run manufacturing” by The Oregonian, October 31st, 2012 “Mercy Corps Northwest expands micro loan program” by Portland Business Journal, June 29th, 2012 “Microenterprise loans create hope ...

June 13, 2012

Bank of America Grant Helps Mercy Corps Northwest Tap Low Cost Funds to Support Local Entrepreneurs

PORTLAND, Ore. – June 13, 2012 – Mercy Corps Northwest (MCNW), the U.S. economic development office of global humanitarian organization Mercy Corps, today announced it received $37,500 from the Bank of America loan loss reserve ...

March 18, 2012

Celebrating Five Years of LIFE

March 2012 marks the five-year anniversary for LIFE (Lifelong Information for Entrepreneurs). A first of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the 32-week program provides soon-to-be released women with the skills they need to succeed ...

January 1, 2012

2011 News Stories Featuring Mercy Corps Northwest Clients

“Acupuncturist gets start with Mercy Corps’ help” by Molly Walker, Yamhill Valley News Register, December 18th, 2011 “Small business lending in a tough environment: Q&A with the Small Business Development Center’s Rick Stone” By Molly ...

January 1, 2011

2010 News Stories Featuring Mercy Corps Northwest Clients

“Hawthorne Boulevard artist aims to help other young creatives stick in Portland” The Oregonian, December 7th, 2010 “Two crowd-sourced books feature well-known local character: Portland; Peter Korchnak’s book debuts with Mercy Corps kickoff Wednesday” The ...