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Us First Initiatives (UFI) is a peer-run organization that prioritizes Black/African American communities, other communities of color and people living with mental health and addictions challenges (youth and adults).
Our Organization
Us First Initiatives (UFI) is a peer-run organization that prioritizes Black/African American communities…
Our Services
Us First Initiatives provides peer support services, training, workforce development services and more to grassroots and culturally specific organizations.
Contact Us
Get in touch with UFI to inquire about services, pledge a donation, or any other questions / comments you may have for us.
UFI Fundraiser Sponsorship Opportunities
The Power of Us: A Night to Heal & Rise
Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Portland, Oregon (Venue details upon RSVP)
About Us First Initiatives (UFI)
UFI is a peer-run organization led by individuals with lived experience, committed to supporting Black and African American communities through culturally rooted healing, mental health advocacy, systems literacy and workforce development. Your sponsorship helps sustain our work and supports our signature annual event, the UFI Black Healing Summit.
Sponsorship Levels
· Community Champion – $3,500
Includes VIP table for 8, logo recognition during event, printed materials, and a dedicated shoutout from the stage.
· Healing Advocate – $2,000
Includes 4 tickets, logo displayed on signage, and acknowledgement in the event program.
· Supporter Circle – $1,000
Includes 2 tickets and recognition in printed/digital materials.
· Table Host – $750
VIP table for 8 guests (no branding benefits).
· Individual Tickets – $75 each
All proceeds support the 2025 UFI Healing Summit and UFI’s year-round peer support and healing programs.
Please register by clicking the button below.
We also welcome in-kind donations (e.g., food/beverage, raffle items, supplies).
To sponsor or learn more, contact us:
Email: usfirstinitiatives@gmail.com
Phone: 503-847-0203
About U.F.I.
Us First Initiatives (UFI) is a peer-run organization with a culturally specific focus on Black/African American youth and adults who are impacted by mental health and addiction.
Our focus is to provide technical assistance to grassroots and culturally specific organizations to help develop, sustain and grow their infrastructure. UFI will provide workforce development (including training and internship opportunities), culturally specific peer support, peer supervision and consulting.
Our hope is that by doing this, it will increase equity and access across the behavioral health continuum, increase representation of Black/African American folks in the workforce, reduce recidivism, provide adequate self-directed services, collaborate with dominant culture organizations to provide trauma-informed, culturally appropriate services.
Our Purpose & Mission
Us First Initiatives (UFI) is a peer-run organization that prioritizes Black/African American communities, other communities of color and people living with mental health and addictions challenges (youth and adults).
UFI intends to support dominant culture organizations to develop policies and best practices that prioritize retention, recruitment and advancement of Black and African American employees, and other people of color. UFI will provide connection to community, peer support/mentorship, consulting, professional development, technical assistance, and pathways to recovery services.
Areas of focus/expertise:
- Housing Navigation
- Professional Development
- Career Mapping
- Peer Mentoring
- Connection to community events and resources
- Systems navigation
- Recovery support services
How to Get Involved
Volunteer
If you would like to volunteer with our organization please send us a message using the contact form below.
Fundraise
To get involved email us at usfirstinitiatives@gmail.com or fill out the contact form below.
Donate
We accept donations of all kinds to help fund our mission and work.
Us First Initiatives Equity Statement
Us First Initiatives (UFI) is a response to the local and national inequities in the behavioral health continuum of care. UFI is Black-owned and operated. Historically, and still to this day, services have been designed by and for the dominant culture and rooted in Eurocentric policies. Far too often Black/African American people are harmed by those policies and forced to fit into service models designed for the dominant culture and don’t have service models to support their ideas, thoughts and creativity in their professional development. This is true for folks seeking direct services as well as providing them. Generally, Black employees don’t have the support they need to thrive and advance in the current dominant culture workforce. UFI wants to be the connective tissue for organizations who are culturally specific, employ people of color, or people of color who work for Eurocentric organizations to provide trainings, consultation, technical assistance and mentorship.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW !
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Contact Us
Service Area
UFI serves the entire Portland / Vancouver Metropolitan area
Phone
503.868.9243
usfirstinitiatives@gmail.com