Proudly Presenting Rebecca Black
Executive Director / Founder at Community Based Outreach Inc.
1994 WPU Graduate
As a child, two events foretold Rebecca’s journey. Her church donated clothing to an orphanage in Charleston West Virginia, and Rebecca’s father took her with him to deliver the donation. Seeing dozens of children without parents broke her heart. It was then Rebecca began thinking about children in need and decided that someday she would choose to adopt. Rebecca has dedicated her life to the underserved and is the mother of seven children, five of whom are adopted, and 11 grandchildren.
Rebecca has served with the Idaho Youth Ranch and the Bannock Shoshone Tribe to help developmentally delayed children and their families, serve girls who have been abused, and counsel youth in residential treatment programs. Later with the Job Corp, Rebecca assisted low income youth in need of academic assistance and vocational training. It was during this time that Rebecca developed and ran the first homeless shelter in Pocatello, Idaho – Aid for Friends.
Seeing the number of youth who were not finishing school, Rebecca opened an accredited alternative High School for young men returning from incarceration, a middle school for expelled middle school students, and a school for drug and alcohol affected youth that provides education, intervention and treatment. Eventually all the programs were combined and became the Gladys McCoy Academy.
Rebecca believes strongly that “Education is the Great Equalizer,” and that access to a great education isn’t available for all youth in our country. This knowledge led Rebecca to found Oregon Outreach, Inc., a non-profit organization that works with gang identified youth by providing counseling, job training, job placement and educational assistance. Rebecca currently serves as the Executive Director for Community Based Outreach Inc., providing services to underserved individuals and communities with resources including Academics, Vocational Offerings, Life Skills and Counseling.
Rebecca has been awarded the Breakfast of Champions Educational Award from the Portland Red Cross, the AF Gray Award for Achievement from Warner Pacific College, the Virtue of Generosity Award from incarcerated students at Hillcrest Youth Facility, the 972nd Point of Light from former President Bush, and the Lewis Hines Award for Services to Children, which, at the same time was presented to then, first lady, Hilary Clinton. Recently Ms. Black received the Mayor’s Spirit of Portland Award from the Mayor of Portland.