Portland Loses A True Leader

An important message from Ceasefire Oregon....

Dear Friends,

We are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Rob Ingram, director of Portland's Office of Youth Violence Prevention. Rob was a friend to Ceasefire Oregon and the Ceasefire Oregon Education Foundation, as well as a personal friend to many of our supporters and board members.

Rob Ingram was a gift to Portland. He reached out to young people to help them follow a path that would improve their lives. He listened to our youth. He listened to all of us. He was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed it.

I saw Rob every other Friday at the Gang Violence Task Force meeting. He always brought with him his indomitable energy, his endless patience, and his deepest compassion for all people in all walks of life.

His bright and ready smile will be missed forever.

He ended our meetings by saying, "Let's get to work!" I have a feeling that his true task has now just begun, so in his absence, let us now look to each other to lend a shoulder to our work and a hand to those in need.

We send our deepest sympathies to Rob's wife and five children. He spoke of them all with happiness and pride and a deep, unending love that made his eyes sparkle.

All of our lives are better now because of Rob Ingram.

Thank you, Rob. We all miss you.

Penny Okamoto

Executive Director

Ceasefire Oregon

A related article, from Oregon Public Broadcasting: http://news.opb.org/article/ingram-remembered-man-wit-and-wisdom-mayor/