CSC 'Building Bridges' now accepting applications for VISTA Members

A former Americorps*VISTA team at CSC.

The CSC ‘Building Bridges’ AmeriCorps*VISTA Program is now accepting applications for VISTA Members. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, give back to your community, and to fight homelessness in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. VISTA Members serve full time for one year and receive a living allowance of $858/month, preventative health coverage, student loan forbearance, $5,350 for school loans or future education, and much more! It is a life changing experience! Contact Tifani Erpelding at 541-758-2641 or terpelding@communityservices.us.

CSC Clients Benefit From Computer Donations

Community Services Consortium’s Emergency Services Program and Information Technology department worked together to pass on donated computers to clients. Two families who received the donations came to our attention.

One young family moved to Oregon to care for a dying family member with promises of housing and employment. Unfortunately, after their family member died, they were left with no housing or job. The couple spent a cold winter with their toddler in a borrowed van which they parked on a street. They have since transitioned to CSC permanent housing with goals for self-sufficiency which include schooling for the mother in business management.

The father of the family is on disability and has new medical issues leaving the couple to worry about his ability to care for their child while the mother is in school. The donated computer makes a huge difference in their lives, by allowing the mother to stay at home, take on-line classes for her pre-requisite courses and monitor her husband’s health issues. It gives them both confidence they can move toward achieving their family goals.

A mother and daughter were the second household to receive a computer. They left a domestic violence situation to live with a family member, but moved to a local shelter when it didn’t work. After a referral, CSC found the mother’s achievement goals were a match for sustainable employment and a transition to permanent CSC housing.

Mother and daughter have been walking to the city library after school to work on the library computers for school work. Both their lives have been greatly improved after receiving a donated computer. They won’t be rushed by the library’s hour limit on computers, the daughter can complete her homework in an unhurried manner, and the mother can begin her
pre-requisite course work on-line at home before fall registration and the path toward her career goal.

CSC acknowledges the powerful impact the donated computers have had on these two households and many thanks are sent the donor’s way.

CSC's Energy Smarts Team Helps Save Energy at School and Home

Last year CSC received a grant from NW Natural Gas to help develop an energy based curriculum for elementary students in a local school. Stephanie Bugni, CSC Energy Education Coordinator, developed a pilot program called the Energy Smarts Team and found a 4th grade classroom at Waverly Elementary School in Albany who was willing to try it out.

For the past 3 months the Energy Smarts Team program has been in place. The class spent the first few weeks learning about energy sources, the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, how energy is produced and transmitted, and the importance of energy conservation.

After this training, the Energy Smarts Team patrolled their school looking for smart energy use. They spread the word about energy savings by leaving reminder tickets in places they found energy being wasted and thank you tickets where energy was used wisely. After 3 weeks of school patrol, they went home with an assignment to perform their own home energy audit.

The class was rewarded for their hard work with a field trip to Oregon State University. They visited the wave research lab, the new Energy Center and received a tour of the campus.

“The whole class worked hard to learn about energy and teach others in their school and home about positive energy use, but the best part was they had fun while doing it,” says Stephanie Bugni. “The program was so successful that next year, all 4th and 5th grade classes at Waverly will be using the Energy Smarts Team program.”

Leadership Corvallis Volunteers at Linn Benton Food Share Warehouse

Elizabeth Westland welcomes Leadership Corvallis team members.

Leadership Corvallis repackaged and sorted food at the Linn Benton Food Share Warehouse on April 26th.

“Many hands make light work as the proverb goes,” said Elizabeth Westland, a member of Leadership Corvallis who called upon Leadership members And their families to volunteer for the warehouse event. “We are gaining personal experience as volunteers and helping people who need food.

“We appreciate the work of Leadership Corvallis,” said Susan James, Linn Benton Food Share Volunteer& Gleaning Coordinator . “They were enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers who repacked and sorted close to 5,000 pounds of pounds of food.”

Linn Benton Food Share is a program of Community Services Consortium, the Community Action Agency of Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties.

CSC Information Technology Department Upgrades the Server Room

Community Services Consortium's IT Department has an ideal combination of spirit, they work hard and they love fun! This combination worked for them one Saturday in late March when they spent 12 hours to upgrade, spiff up and organize the server room with donated equipment and expertise.

Under the supervision of Elaine Lahey, Director of the CSC IT department, Larry Larios and Randy McKay, CSC employees , worked with JJ Maclean and Rob Rotert of Catalyst Technology Group who donated their time as consultants on the server room project.

Fred Long, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee in Eugene and customer of Catalyst, donated the server rack enclosure, which has been key to the upgrade, as you will see by following this link to a video by Elaine Lahey called The Server Rack Project.

Community Services Consortium Receives Grant to Train Low Income Teens

Sue McGuire-thompson, Albany CSC Operations Manager receives a grant award from South Albany High School Community 101 program for $975. The grant money will provide job/work skills and experience for teens with low income through the River JAVA Coffee Kart.

Community 101, a program of The Oregon Community Foundation, with major support from the PGE Foundation, is a classroom based program that provides students opportunities to be involved in their communities through grantmaking and volunteering.

Students work together to identify community needs, research nonprofits, conduct site visits, review grant applications and make funding decisions. Each classroom has $5,000 to award in grants to community nonprofits.
C101 represents an innovative collaboration of schools, businesses and charitable organizations. Students acquire the tools to bring about positive change in their communities.

Artists Donate Mural For Lincoln City Head Start Site

Mural Artists Rory Lehrman, right, and Evan Peterson, left

Community Services Consortium's and the Lincoln County Head Start program are the recipient's of Newport mural artists, Rory Lehrman and Evan Peterson. They painted the beautiful murals at the CSC Head Start Lincoln City and and Newport sites. The mural at Lincoln City was finished in time for the dedication ceremony of naming the Head Start building for Dean-Stephen Kauffman.

The community minded artists from Newport donated their work. They were also assisted by film-maker, Devin robinson. Community Services Consortium and CSC's Lincoln County Head Start Program are honored to be a recipient of their creativity.

CSC Honors Dean-Stephen-Kauffman in Lincoln City

Photo to Left Lincoln County Commissioner Don Lindly, Dean-Stephen Kauffman, Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall, CSC Lincoln County Head Start Director, Suzanne Miller, and CSC Executive Director Martha Lyon.

Photo Right, Dean Stephen and Suzanne Miller.

A CSC Head Start event to honor Dean-Stephen Kauffman couldn’t have picked a nicer day on April 8th. The sun was shining and over 80 people came to honor the Lincoln County Head Start benefactor. Because Dean-Stephen's work has been so instrumental in bringing the Head Start School in Lincoln City to a high level of parental involvement and academic achievement, the school was named in his honor.

Eleven of Dean-Stephen's family from San Francisco and from around the State came to participate in the festivities. CSC governing board members and Lincoln County Commissioners Bill Hall and Don Lindly, Lincoln City Mayor Dick Anderson, CSC Executive Director Martha Lyon, and Annie Soto, Executive Director of Head Start Lane County all spoke of the life-long philanthropic work of Dean-Stephens.

CSC Lincoln County Head Start Director Suzanne Miller was the Master of Ceremony, "This is our chance to honor and thank Dean-Stephen Kauffman, he is an exceptional humanitarian and has been an extraordinary mentor to parents and staff at Head Start." A plaque that dedicates the school building to him will hang in the school vestibule.

A Unique Way of Helping The Community

Emely Day and Mike Crickmer have a unique way of helping others. they gather and recycle cans and give the money to Linn Benton Food Share. They are not only helping people who need food in our area, but they keep the cans out of the landfill.

In addition, Mike recycles the pull-tabs to give to the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center for dialysis patients who can't afford supplies. They give credit to Gary Lebeau, who started the project before he retired. Emely and Mike have continued the work alone after losing a couple helpers, but Emely says they welcome any volunteers who are ready to help their community. They are continually seeking additional sources of empties, so this project can continue and expand.

If you would like to help this effort or contribute empties, just contact Mike and Emely at eaday@aol.com. They will arrange to pick up your empties if you're in the immediate Corvallis area. The empties should be rinsed and clean.

Albany Heart to Heart Resource Fair

Homeless Enrichment And Rehabilitation Team Thursday, May 12 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Albany Boys & Girls Club, 1215 Hill St. SE Learn about: jobs housing medical help food stamps getting identification addiction treatment and recovery insurance for children and teens services for homeless veterans Get: bike repair, a haircut, reading glasses, sunscreen, first-aid and grooming supplies, new socks, lunch, pet supplies, blood preassure checks. For Information: (541) 917-7505 Presented by City of Albany and Community Services Consortium

Helping at the Linn Benton Food Share Warehouse

Fourteen youth from the Community Transition Program at West Albany High School gave a helping hand to Linn Benton Food Share in March, both inside and out of the warehouse.

One group helped inside the warehouse while a second group spread gravel in the parking area.

AmeriCorps*VISTA

Lola Jones, AmeriCorps VISTA member serving at the Lincoln Commission for Children and Families, is organizing a Project Homeless Connect to be held on May 19, 2011 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church at 1226 SW 13th Street Lincoln City in Lincoln City. If you would like to help with the event, a volunteer application can be found here: