Komak

Who We Are

Komak is a Portland-based 501(c) 3 that brings immediate and interim financial solutions to working age individuals who are going through cancer treatment, who live within a 50-mile radius of Portland, OR and a 25-mile radius of Vancouver, WA

Our leadership team serves as volunteers, so 89% of our funding can go straight to the people. Our leadership comes from a broad spectrum: some are cancer survivors, some are medical staff, but all are philanthropists.

What We Do

We believe in offering security and hope for people with cancer. Because many of us are cancer survivors and care providers ourselves, we can tangibly relate on many levels with their fears, emotional struggles, and financial needs. Our beneficiaries must have been working at the time of their diagnosis, have less than $20,000 in savings or their 401k, and have a definable timeline for a return to work (not a terminal diagnosis). A stringent process is always followed before approving a candidate for funding.

We connect these people and their families to resources, whether financially from our funding or through connections to other organizations who can help.

Why It’s Valuable

No one serves in quite the same way we do. We take the time to really get to know our applicants, their needs, their medical history, and their current support system, and choose the recipients we believe we can impact the most with the currently available funds. We rally around our people, and invest time and experience into their recovery, empowering them to find what they need from our network of resources.

We never give cash; all our funds are delivered to the bill originator (PGE, landlords, etc.), or in the form of grocery cards, bus tickets, etc.