Al Forthan Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Volunteers of America Oregon
The Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship supports Oregon high school seniors whose lives have been affected by addiction. Students may have grown up with a parent or guardian experiencing addiction or may be pursuing recovery themselves.
About the Scholarship
Al Forthan believed a life could change. Once a prominent dealer in the Portland drug scene, Al became known for something very different.
After entering treatment at Volunteers of America Oregon’s Men’s Residential Center (MRC) in 1992, Al studied alcohol and drug counseling and became the first MRC alumnus to join its staff. Over the next ten years, he helped hundreds of men in recovery, drawing on his own experience and treating them with compassion, honesty, and respect.
When Al died in 2006, MRC Program Director Greg Stone honored him by giving $500 of his own money to a high school senior whose family had been affected by addiction. That first scholarship became a way to recognize students’ strength, support their education, and invite them to imagine solutions to addiction in their communities. In 2026, the Al Forthan Memorial Scholarship awarded $126,000 to 84 students. With the community’s support, it has awarded $1,226,000 since its founding—and continues to carry Al’s belief in possibility forward.
Go to Scholarship Application