Red, White and Blue BBQ! Fundraiser for RSVP

Check out the good eats of famous Chef Matt Bennet during the Red, White and Blue BBQ July 8 at 1 P.M. !!  Enjoy all the fun:  Silent Auction, Live Music, Great Food and Raffle Prizes.  A fun day to be have by all ages.  The amazing event is a fundraiser for RSVP.  Tickets are available at the Albany Chamber of Commerce, Sybaris Bistro, and Community Services Consortium's Albany RSVP Office.  For additional information call: 541-812-0849.

Volunteers Celebrated

RSVP Volunteers Dan Haake, Peggy Adams, Lucille Rapp, Ann Rice receive the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Will Tucker and John Lindsey

RSVP, a program of Community Services Consortium recognized volunteers in Linn County this past fall. Linn County Commissioners were invited to hand out 18 presidential awards Gold Awardees (500+ hours per year) and 4 Lifetime Awardees (4000+ volunteer hours.)

A Free Class to Understand Basic Medicare

Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance – SHIBA – is holding Medicare classes in several locations in Linn and Benton County. The classes cover the basics of Medicare. The class is designed for anyone eligible or new to Medicare. It is a valuable class for current beneficiaries that would like a better understanding of their Medicare benefits and options for changes. Spouses and other relatives are welcome to attend the class as well.

SHIBA trained counselors:
· Provide confidential service
· Provide assistance to Medicare beneficiaries with unbiased information regarding health insurance decisions
· Provide advocacy services for consumers with claims, appeals and complaints

Preregistration is required. To register for any of the dates and locations
please call 541-812-0849

Corvallis: April 19, 2012 1:30-3:30pm Timberhill Athletic Club
2855 NW 29th S Street, Corvallis
Sweet Home: May 10, 2012 10am-noon Sweet Home Senior Center
880 18th Avenue, Sweet Home
Corvallis: June 21, 2012 1:30-3:30pm LBCC Benton Center
757 NW Polk Avenue, Albany

SHIBA (Senior health Insurance Benefits Assistance is a Community Services Consortium’s RSVP Program

Pastini Pasta-Thon

Lower Your Hunger While Raising Money For a Good Cause

Date: Monday and Tuesday, March 26 & 27th
Location: Pastini

NW 9th & Garfield, Corvallis, OR

Support HandsOn Linn-Benton on Monday and Tuesday, March 26 & 27 between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Delicious food, good friends, serving a worthy cause – what could be better!
Take-out food counts too! Make sure you mention to your waiter that you are dining for HandsOn, and Pastini's will donate 50% of the net proceeds to HandsOn.

HandsOn Linn-Benton: Promotes volunteerism by connecting people of all ages, diverse backgrounds, and skills to community organizations that value volunteers.

Get Your Taxes Done For FREE / Access EITC

File your taxes for FREE and access the Earned Income Tax Credit – a refundable federal income tax credit for eligible low-income working individuals and families.

If you worked during 2011, and your household earned income was less than $49,078 you may be eligible to claim and receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) of up to $5,751*

How Do I Qualify for EITC? Be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident; Have a valid Social security number; Earned income during 2011; Earned less than $49,078 (total household) in 2011; EITC refund amounts can range from $1 to $5,751

What Should I Bring With Me? People should bring their Social Security Card or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for each family member, W-2 forms for all jobs worked in 2011, all 1099 forms for other income, all 1098 E & T forms for education expenditures, childcare provider information, picture identification and a copy of their 2010 income tax return.
For more information: Call (541) 602-5829

To access free, on-line tax filing services, and access the Earned Income Tax Credit, please go to: www.communityservices.us/aarp_tax_aide.htm

To see list of free tax aid places to visit, please go to http://www.communityservices.us/documents/CompassSpring2012.pdf

Ruby Tuesday’s Community GiveBack Program

Community Services Consortium's Linn-Benton RSVP is partnering with Ruby Tuesday to raise funds to support our programs, including SHIBA, Senior Peer Counseling and Tax-Aide.

Dates: November 8 & December 13
Where: RubyTuesday, 1895 NW 9th St., Corvallis

To help us and enjoy a great meal, just mention to your server that you are dining to support the RSVP program. We will receive 20% of each “non-specials” purchase for the entire day on the 2nd Tuesday of November and December.

Please join us for Second Tuesday @ RubyTuesday!

HandsOn Linn-Benton Coat Drive

Make a difference by joining HandsOn Linn-Benton, RSVP and Community Services Consortium in a community coat drive culminating on Veteran’s Day, November 11. The organizations are partnering with local nonprofits to collect and distribute new and gently used winter coats. The coats will benefit homeless and low income persons in the two counties served.

Drop-off locations in Benton County include Community Services Consortium, Good Samaritan Episcopal School, and First Congregational Church. In Linn County, coats may be donated at Community Services Consortium, Albany Senior Center, Albany Public Library, and two Richards Cleaners locations.

Nonprofit partners receiving the coats will include Vina Moses and Old Mill Center in Corvallis. Albany Helping Hands Homeless Shelter, Christ Walk and Sweet Home Emergency Ministries are recipients in Linn County.

Richards Cleaners, located at 623 Lyons Street and 630 Hickory NW in Albany, will donate their services and will dry-clean the Linn County donated coats.

For more information or to see how you can volunteer in your community, visit http://www.handsonlinnbenton.org/.

Senior Health Insurance Fair

The Corvallis Clinic invites you to the Senior Health Insurance Fair.
This is a chance to review all your options, including traditional Medicare, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans. All three of them offer different benefits, some that exceed basic Medicare coverage.

• AlbanyWednesday, Oct. 12
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Corvallis Clinic at Waverly Drive
1705 Waverly Dr.

• CorvallisWednesday, Oct. 26
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Asbury Building Lobby
3680 NW Samaritan Dr.

You may contact any of the insurance providers listed below and have them send you the complete details about their Medicare health insurance programs.
• AARP Medicare Complete Secure Horizons by United Healthcare, 1-800-533-2743
• Regence MedAdvantage, 1-800-228-0978,
• Samaritan Advantage, 541-768-4550 or 1-800-317-7489
• ODS Health Plans, 503-243-3948 or 1-800-852-5195
• Providence Medicare Choice or Extra (location limitations may apply) 1-800-878-4445
• Medicare, 1-800-633-4227

Linn -Benton RSVP, a program of CSC will have a table at the Senior Health Fair.

Celebrating Service

CSC's RSVP program is celebrating its founding 40 years ago, and will honor its volunteers during Senior Corps Week. These honorees were recognized in the past for their community service.

National Senior Corps Week is September 19-23. For the past four decades, the three Senior Corps programs - Foster Grandparents, RSVP and Senior Companions - have engaged age 55-plus volunteers in service to meet critical community needs. Last year in America, nearly 500,000 Senior Corps volunteers provided 98 million hours of service estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.

The Foster Grandparent Program connects volunteers age 55 and over with children and young people with exceptional needs. Working with schools, libraries, Head Start, and Boys and Girls Clubs, volunteers help children reach life-changing goals.

RSVP offers "one stop shopping" for all volunteers 55 and over who want to find challenging, rewarding, and significant service opportunities in their local communities.
The Senior Companion Program brings together volunteers age 55 and over with adults in their community who have difficulty with the simple tasks of day-to-day living. They serve frail older adults, adults with disabilities, and offer respite for caregivers.

In 2010, 8,982 Oregon Senior Corps volunteers in 29 projects across the state contributed 1.7 million hours of service at an estimated value of over $61 million.

Locally, Community Services Consortium sponsors Linn-Benton RSVP. Signature programs include Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance, Senior Peer Counseling, AARP Tax-Aide and HandsOn Linn-Benton.

RSVP is celebrating its founding 40 years ago, and honoring its volunteers during Senior Corps Week with two separate Recognition Awards Luncheons in Lebanon on September 21, and Corvallis on September 22.

Medicare Workshops Scheduled in Lincoln, Linn and Benton Counties

Lincoln City:Lincoln County Medicare beneficiaries will have an opportunity to ask questions about Medicare at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 23 at the Lincoln City Community Center at 2150 NE Oar Place. Lincoln City, Oregon.

Andrew Tartella, a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) representative, will be available to answer questions about changes to Medicare enrollment periods and benefits. Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers are encouraged to attend.

Newport:The Newport Church of the Nazarene at 227 Northwest 12th Street, Newport, OR will host an informational meeting on Medicare at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25. (541) 265-6684

Richard Reynolds, a Newport resident and local volunteer with the Oregon Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program, a senior advocacy group for Medicare, will explain the different parts of Medicare. The purpose of the workshop is to provide seniors with a better understanding of Medicare and allow them to make an informed decision as to their own needs.

Linn & Benton Counties
Albany: Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance – SHIBA – is holding a “New to Medicare” class on Thursday, August 27 from 3 pm to 5 pm at the Albany CSC offices at 250 Broadalbin SW in Albany. The class will be offered on the second floor in the Large Conference Room.

The class is open to anyone who will be eligible for Medicare within a few months or is new to Medicare. We will cover the basics of Medicare A, B, C and D. Beneficiaries will better understand their Medicare benefits and learn how to choose a supplemental insurance plan that best meets their individual needs.

Corvallis: The same class will be offered in Benton County on Wednesday, September 14, from 3 - 4:50 pm at LBCC Benton Center Room 204, 757 Northwest Polk Avenue, Corvallis.
Reservations are required in Linn and Benton county workshops. To reserve a seat please call the CSC RSVP office at 541-812-0849
SHIBA is sponsored in Linn and Benton counties by Linn-Benton RSVP, a program of Community Services Consortium.

Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning

Garfield Elementary third-graders display their work honoring Ceasar Chavez . The mural is on display at American Dream Pizza in downtown Corvallis.

HandsOn Linn-Benton received a mini grant to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, 2011. A mural depicting the life and accomplishments of Chavez was created by Garfield elementary students with the assistance of HandsOn Linn-Benton and partners RSVP, American Dream Pizza, and Corvallis High School. The mural is on public display at American Dream’s downtown Corvallis location.

Volunteers spent time educating the students about Chavez, Corvallis High School students created two original pieces of artwork, then mentored 65 third graders to re-create their artwork onto a 30–piece pizza box mural. Students, parents, teachers and other community members celebrated the unveiling of the mural and enjoyed pizza and soda at American Dream on Cesar Chavez Day, March 31st.

The mural will remain on display at American Dream during the entire month of April, educating the community and bringing awareness to the work of Cesar Chavez. A second mural is on display at Garfield Elementary School. The high school students created note cards, using their original artwork, and are selling them for $0.50 each to raise money for art programs at their school.

Save the Date!

Join us for an important community discussion about aging

The Healthy Aging Coalition of Linn and Benton Counties will be holding community forums in Albany, Lebanon, and Corvallis in the first part of 2011. All community members are invited and encouraged to join the conversations on healthy aging in your community. We are planning on hosting three local community discussions, we ask you to consider attending a forum close to your home. Light snacks and beverages will be provided and car-pooling is encouraged.

Albany: Tuesday March 8th, 3pm to 5pm
at the Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Avenue NW

Lebanon: Tuesday March 29th, 3pm to 5pm
at the Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent Street

Corvallis: Tuesday, February 22nd, 3pm to 5pm
at the Corvallis Senior Center, 26091 NW Tyler Avenue

For more information, contact: Shannon sproctor@ocwcog.org or call (541) 924-4542
Sponsored by HEALTHY AGING COALITION

This event made possible by a Community Health Priorities grant.

Extra Help Program

The Linn County Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) volunteers can assist those on Medicare apply for help through the Social Security Administration’s Extra Help program.

An individual’s income must be less than $1,354 monthly (16,248 annual) with less than $12,640 in resources to qualify. For a married couple living together, income must be less than $1,821 monthly (21,852 annual) and resources less than 25,260.

To see if you or someone you know qualifies for extra help with prescription costs, contact the RSVP/SHIBA office at 541-812-0849 for an appointment with a SHIBA volunteer.

Volunteers Provide Free Assistance with Income Taxes

The AARP Tax-Aide program trains and certifies volunteers that will prepare and file your federal income tax return with the IRS, free of charge. The volunteers are available to help taxpayers of all ages between February 1 and April 15, 2011. All of the tax returns are prepared on computers and are e-filed. The volunteers are working out of eight locations across Benton and Linn counties.

What you should bring when you visit an AARP Tax-Aide site:
• Social Security cards or other official documentation for yourself and all dependents;
• Copy of last year’s income tax returns;
• W-2 forms from each employer;
• Unemployment compensation statements;
• 1099 forms
• All forms indicating federal income tax paid;
• Child care provider information (name, employer ID, Social Security number);
• Summary of receipts or checks for deductible items if itemizing;
• Noted amount of economic stimulus payment received

The AARP Tax-Aide is locally sponsored by RSVP, a program of Community Services Consortium, and its partner locations.

TAX AIDE LOCATIONS
RSVP sponsored AARP Volunteers, trained by the IRS will prepare Federal and State Income Tax returns until starting February 1st to April 15th. This service is free of charge for middle and lower income persons of all ages in Linn, Benton and Lincoln Counties:

LINN COUNTY
Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Avenue NW Albany.

Mon. & Wed:9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Walk-in only. (541)917-7760

Albany Public Library 2450 14th Ave SE Tues. and Sat., Times vary. By appointment
(541) 928-5594 or e-mail taxhelp.apl@comcast.net

Lebanon Senior Center Appointments (541)258-4919
80 Tangent St., Lebanon Wed. & Thurs: 10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m., Wed. evening 5:00-7:00 pm Thursday 10.00 – 3:00 pm

Sweet Home Library 1101 13th Ave., Sweet Home. Appointments (541) 367-5007 Tues: 11:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Sat: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Appointments (541) 367-5007

BENTON COUNTY
Corvallis Senior Center Appointments (541) 766-6704, 2601 NW Tyler Street,Corvallis Mon., Wed. & Fri:10:00 am - 2:30 pm,Thurs. 6:00 pm- 7:00 pm

Corvallis Library Walk-in. 645 NW Monroe Ave, Corvallis
Tues. & Thurs: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Elks Lodge, Corvallis 1400 NW 9th Street. Walk In
Mon. Tues. Fri. and Sat. 11:00 – 3:00 pm

Philomath Library Appointments (541) 766-6704. 1050 Applegate St., Philomath.
Thurs., Fri., & Sat:10:00 am - 2:00 pm

LINCOLN COUNTY
Newport Recreation Center, (facing Avery St.) behind the Senior Center located at 20 SE 2nd Street, Newport,
Walk-in only. Wed. & Fri.: 9 am - 2 pm, (541) 265-9617.

Lincoln City Community Center Call (541) 996-1245.
2150 Oar Street, LincolnCity, Walk in; preference
given to age 60 and over. Tues., Thrs., and Sat.: 9 am - 12 pm

WaldportWashington Federal Savings, 325 NW Hemlock
Walk-in only Tues. & Wed. 10 am - 2 pm (541) 563-3226

RSVP Receives Grant From the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde

Beth Fox, RSVP Director, (middle) at the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Headquarters, accepting a grant award of $5,000 for the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance program (SHIBA) from Spirit Mountain Community Fund. Pictured with Fox are Chris Mercier, Tribal Council Member and Shelley Hanson, Fund Director.

10,000 people are turning age 65 every day in America, making Medicare a hot current issue. The 2010 Annual Enrollment Period is going strong, with Community Services Consortium’s (CSC's) RSVP/Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) volunteers assisting clients out of eight locations across Linn and Benton Counties. Volunteers meet one-on-one with individuals to explain their options in Medicare insurance. Volunteers in each county have also been teaching monthly workshops for those people that are new to Medicare or more extended Medicare A, B, C & D workshops – always packing the room.

Proclaiming Success in Oregon!

Oregon's Senior Corps Association, Seniors Serving Oregon Coalition (SSOC), presented an oversized check to Governor Kulongoski in value of $37.3 million dollars, representing 1,910,966 hours of service by Foster Grandparent, RSVP and Senior Companion Program volunteers. Following the presentation in the Governor's ceremonial office at the State Capitol of Salem, Oregon, Governor Kulongoski reciprocated by giving the Coalition the official "State of Oregon Proclamation" to celebrate Senior Corps Week!

Rural Oregon Senior Corps Programs worked together to present separate "value of volunteer" checks during three separate Board of Commissioner meetings held in Linn, Benton and Lincoln County. Commissioners in all three counties presented the partners with proclamations and their sincere appreciation for services provided by residents 55 and better.

Senior Corps is comprised of the Foster Grandparent Program, RSVP and the Senior Companion Program through which 500,000 Americans age 55 and older use their skills and experience to cost-effectively address vital community needs.Senior Corps programs made the national news

Make A Difference Day Coat Drive

Make a difference by joining the LBvision Volunteer Center, RSVP and Community Services Consortium in a community coat drive culminating on Make A Difference Day on October 23.

The organizations are partnering with OSU sorority Alpha Chi Omega and local nonprofits to collect and distribute new and gently used winter coats. The coats will benefit homeless and low income persons in the two counties served.

Drop-off locations in Benton County include Community Services Consortium and Corvallis Senior Center. In Linn County, coats may be donated at Community Services Consortium, Albany Senior Center, Albany Public Library, and two Richards Cleaners locations.

Nonprofit partners receiving the coats will include Vina Moses and Old Mill Center in Corvallis. Albany Helping Hands Homeless Shelter, Christ Walk and Sweet Home Emergency Ministries are recipients in Linn County.

Richards Cleaners, located at 623 Lyons Street and 630 Hickory NW in Albany, will dry-clean the Linn County donated coats.

Volunteer Conference in NYC

Beth Fox, Director of Linn-Benton RSVP, a program of Community Services Consortium, recently returned from the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New York City.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the Points of Light Institute hosted the conference, supported by corporate sponsorships. Each conference workshop offered opportunities to network with colleagues in volunteer management from across the nation, with a few attendees from around the world, including the Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Activities from the country of Liberia.

One of the network opportunities was held in Chinatown. This immersion session focused on the literacy work of four local nonprofits supported by AmeriCorps members. A second opportunity to network sponsored by Target was called “Party With a Purpose”, where one evening 2,000 attendees gave their time to build enough food boxes to provide 150,000 meals.

Dr. Erwin Tan, the new director of Senior Corps was introduced to Beth's group. He shared that his wife is from Corvallis! Amy Dailey, the Oregon CNCS Director, invited him to Oregon to see the best and brightest Senior Corps projects the country has to offer and specifically to see the impact the program has in Benton County.

Protect Yourself and Your Money

A lunchtime lecture focusing on the most common frauds and scams reported in Oregon — A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.


June 14, 2010
12:00—1:30 pm
Citizens Bank, Corvallis
275 SW Third St
RSVP: 541-812-0849

Sponsored by CSC Linn-Benton RSVP, Citizens Bank, and the Department of Justice

Four Community Services Consortium Programs receive Grants

Community Services Consortium (CSC) recently received $38,500 from Trust Management Services, of Waldport, Oregon for four CSC programs.

“We are delighted to receive funding from Trust Management Services,” said Martha Lyon, Executive Director of Community Services Consortium. “It allows us to strengthen our programs and helps us provide uninterrupted services, especially when we are seeing more requests for help.”

CSC’s Linn Benton Food Share received $10,000 to help support the fuel costs for trucking in the Fresh Alliance/Food Rescue program. Six thousand dollars of the money will be used to supply local gleaning programs with gas vouchers. There are forty-eight hundred low-income people in 14 gleaning groups in Linn and Benton counties. Gleaners collect donated food while sharing half with elderly and disabled people as well as community food pantries. The gas vouchers help them with the costs to collect and transport the food.

CSC’s Community Housing Services program received $10,000. “We are receiving a rising number of calls about foreclosure and this grant will stabilize our foreclosure counseling program,” said Tom Hatley, Director of Community Housing Services program. “We can help local residents understand the choices they may have in terms of their mortgage issues.”

Retired Senior Volunteer Program received $8,500 to assist with Senior Peer Counseling, a program that helps people aged 55 and older who are experiencing a difficult time in their lives, whether from a grievous loss, health problem, or a transition from a home they may have lived in for many years.

The Workforce & Education Program is the final program to receive funding in the amount of $10,000 from Trust Management Services. The money will be used by their nonprofit program, Housing Employment and Learning Programs for Self Sufficiency (HELPS) for the Youth Garden Project to purchase supplies and to help pay stipends for youth summer jobs.

Tom Cope, CSC’s Resource Development Officer, said “We appreciate these grants from Trust Management Services to CSC. It helps us provide better services to the people we serve.”

Community Services Consortium (CSC) is the state-designated Community Action Agency serving Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. CSC provides a wide range of services to low and moderate income individuals and families. CSC helps with employment, job training skills, food, housing, weatherization, housing rehabilitation, education and volunteer opportunities. For more information, or to support CSC and its many programs, please contact the administrative office at (541) 752-1010 or visit www.communityservices.us.