Trevor Thibert, 9 years old has a history of donating to Food Share

Trevor Thibert last year at age 8 when he donated $404.32 to Food Share from his earnings at the farmer's market and a match from his grandfather.

Trevor Thibert, aged 9, donated to Linn Benton Food Share for the third year in a row. He played his fiddle with his grandfather at the Corvallis Farmer’s Market this summer to raise money for Linn Benton Food Share. Last year he raised around $202 at the market which his grandfather matched for a $404 donation. Three years ago he asked his friends to bring a donation of canned food for Food Share to his birthday party instead of presents.

This year Trevor reached his goal of earning $250 (plus 66 cents) at the Corvallis Saturday Farmer’s market and talked his father’s boss into matching his donation with a check for $250.66. Trevor and his brother, Brayden and their parents brought their donation of $501.32 to Linn Benton Food Share this month.

Linn Benton Food Share salutes you, Trevor. The money will go to buy nutritious food for people in Linn and Benton counties who need the food this winter.

Cheadle Challenge Adventure Run Volunteers

Throughout late October and early November, CSC YouthBuild AmeriCorps students volunteered over 15 hours to help the Lebanon Community Foundation (LCF) prepare for the first-ever Cheadle Challenge Adventure Run that occurred on November 12, 2011. The event was held at Lebanon Community Park near Cheadle Lake and funds raised will benefit the LCF, as well as the Oregon Military Support Network. Over 300 runners participated in Cheadle Challenge, including eight YouthBuild students who were given complementary registrations by the LCF as a gracious thank you for students’ efforts. Such efforts included trimming blackberry bushes and removing brush to clear several trails along the course of the Adventure Run. In addition, students assisted with creating obstacles and even built an 8-foot tall wall which runners had to climb over during the first mile of the 3.6-mile race!

AmeriCorps*VISTA Team Spends the Day Learning About Homelessness in Benton County and Giving Back

CSC’s Building BridgesAmeriCorps-*Vista Leader, Katherine Finch, right, gives the fridge a thorough washing, while Melissa Poole, left, VISTA member at ChristWalk Supportive Transitional Housing in Lebanon helps organize the cabinets.

Last month, on November 16th, the ‘Building Bridges’ VISTA team gathered together for an educational, entertaining and service-filled team day.

The group started their day at Community Outreach Inc.(COI), a local agency that provides services and assistance to the homeless and poor individuals in the mid-Valley area. They toured the facility and learned about its services and resources from Volunteer Coordinator, Gerry Perrone.

They moved on to COI’s Supportive Permanent Housing Program, located in Benton Plaza. They assisted Case Manager and Coordinator, Angie Dahlke, clean, organize and decorate the community room for the holiday season. The team was joined by residents of the housing units for a hot apple cider social, accompanied with holiday-themed games and goodies made by the programs women’s group.

After a dinner at Downward Dog restaurant, that was graciously partially donated by the restaurants’ owner, Cloud Davidson, the members headed to the Oregon State Campus to attend the OSU Center for Civic Engagement’s faces of Homelessness Panel Discussion. Representatives from Jackson Street Youth Shelter, COI, OSU’s Human Services Resource Center and community members shared their personal and work-related experiences with the issues of hunger and homelessness. Commissioner Jay Dixon provided attendees with an update to the progress on “Benton County’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness.”

The day was considered to be a huge success by all, and the team parted knowing a little more about homelessness and poverty in Benton County. They felt positive about being able to give back through their volunteer project.