Wrestling Club Receives a Fred Meyer Grant

The Northwest Disciples Wrestling Club has received a community grant of $2,500 from The Fred Meyer Foundation to help support its amateur wrestling program.
The North Portland-based group considers wrestling the ultimate challenge sport that benefits self-confidence, personal discipline, a strong work ethic and personal integrity. With the grant funds, the club hopes to produce only outstanding athletes and exceptional young people and leaders who will be future assets to the Albina neighborhood. The grant will be used to provide equipment, team traveling expenses, tournament registration and entry fees.
The 4-year-old Northwest Disciples program was started by the late Travis West, an Oregon high school, collegiate and Olympic wrestler. West's dream was to enhance the athletic, academic and social skills of disadvantaged and at-risk youth in North Portland. With 40 members, the Northwest Disciples — West's dream — is alive and well.
"The Fred Meyer Foundation and its advisory committee were particularly impressed by the successful track record of Northwest Disciples and its programs," said Glynda Brockoff, philanthropy coordinator for Fred Meyer and The Fred Meyer Foundation. "We hope this community grant will help Northwest Disciples continue the important work it is doing to enhance the welfare of the community. We are proud to be part of the Portland community and are committed to helping where we can."
The foundation's community grant program is driven by 29 local advisory committees composed of local Fred Meyer associates who research nonprofit organizations in their communities and then award community grants.
The programs are funded by the company's annual employee giving campaign and customers' contributions to the "Make Change Count" coin boxes and scan cards at the checkstands, Brockoff said.
"The dollars collected through these associate and store efforts are combined and then allocated by the advisory committees as community grants in the four western states where we have stores," she said.