CSC Head Start Celebrating Head Start Awareness Month – 50 Years of Opportunity

October marks Head Start Awareness Month, and this year also marks Head Start’s 50th anniversary. Head Start locations around the country are celebrating, including Community Services Consortium’s (CSC) Head Start locations in Lincoln County.

Teacher Saka Coy sings with children on Button Day

 On Friday, October 24, CSC Head Start locations participated  in “Button Day,” where staff, students, parents and community partners wore buttons in support of Head Start. It was a fun day and a great reminder of the important work being done at Head Start locally and nationally today and for the past fifty years.

“The buttons say “Head Start Works,” and every day we see that it does—both for growing and learning children and their families, who also receive our support, referrals, partnership and our friendship.  Our community partners help make our Head Start a true success,” shared Suzanne Miller, Director of CSC Lincoln County Head Start.

Suzanne Miller with
Reverend Dr. Paul Hayden

Community partners in attendance included Reverend Dr. Paul Hayden, the new reverend at the Chapel by the Sea Presbyterian Church. The church has been a generous and committed supporter of Head Start, hosting an annual luncheon for Head Start Lincoln County staff, giving the children holiday gifts, and giving backpacks with school supplies at the end for the school year for children needing supplies for kindergarten. 

“Their support, care, and compassion in action has been a real inspiration!” said Miller.

CSC Head Start provides a free preschool education to Lincoln County children ages three to five years old, offering a nurturing learning environment that includes parents as important resources for their children’s learning.

Head Start has locations in Lincoln City, Newport, and Toledo. Head Start focuses on the “whole child” and includes the child’s educational, health, family, and social needs.

CSC Head Start’s educational program is designed to foster intellectual, social, and emotional growth. It meets the needs of each child and is sensitive to the child’s cultural identity, as well as any health or academic challenges.

Head Start staff on Button Day

CSC’s Head Start program doesn’t just focus on education, it also emphasizes the importance of the early identification of health concerns that might get in the way of a child’s success. Every child has a comprehensive health screening, which includes immunizations; medical, dental and mental health assessments; and nutritional needs.

For more information, call or stop by the following CSC Head Start locations:

Lincoln City: 2130 SE Lee Avenue, 541-996-3028
Toledo: 845 NW “A” Street , 541-336-5113
Newport: 253 NE 1st Street, 541-574-7690

To show your support for Head Start, please visit www.communityservices.us and click the “Donate” button or call Dee Teem at 541-574-2277.

Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Season Opening Soon

Community Services Consortium (CSC) administers LIHEAP for Benton, Lincoln, and Linn Counties, and this year’s LIHEAP season is opening soon. LIHEAP provides funding to assist low-income households with heating bills during the winter months. Households with gross monthly incomes of less than 60% of the State Median Income are eligible to apply. State Median Income is $1792.16 for a single household and $3446.41 for a four-person household.

Appointments for seniors and individuals with disabilities will begin November 1, 2014, and appointments for the general public will begin December 1, 2014. To schedule an appointment, please call:

• Benton County: 541-752-2840
• Lincoln County: 541-265-3293
• Linn County: 541-926-7163

For years, Community Services Consortium has helped local low-income residents to keep the lights on and their families warm during the winter months as part of their mission to end poverty in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. Some consequences of unaffordable heating costs include:

• Hunger and malnutrition increases when people are forced to choose between heating and eating.
• Personal health suffers as people are not able to fill prescriptions, must skip or reduce their medications, or go without needed medical or dental care.
• Seniors, people with disabilities or medical conditions, and small children are put at risk of hypothermia.
• Health and safety is endangered by people using alternate heat or light sources such as kerosene heaters, candles, lanterns, fireplaces or charcoal briquettes.
• Evictions increase and more people become homeless. Many never regain their housing and children leave school.
• Loss of utility service contributes to children going into foster care, as living without utility service is considered neglect.
• People in subsidized housing risk losing their housing voucher if their power is shut off.

During the 2013-2014 LIHEAP season, CSC served 5,283 households in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. The following is an overview of the households served last year.

Total energy payments: $1,598,021.69 (4.5% decrease over 12-13)
Total served: 5,283 Households (10% decrease over 12-13) including 13,106 individuals (7% decrease over 12-13)

• Benton County – 1,006 unduplicated households served
• Lincoln County – 1,129 unduplicated households served
• Linn County – 3,148 unduplicated households served

Of the 5,283 households served:

• 1,543 households with at least one member who is a senior
• 1,932 households with at least one member who is disabled
• 1,067 households with at least one child under the age of 6 years old
• 506 households with at least one member who is a veteran
• 829 households headed by a single female parent
• 84 households headed by a single male parent
• 65% (or 3,455 households) earned less than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level
• 48% of the households served were at risk of having their heat turned off.

Community Services Consortium (CSC) is a state-designated Community Action Agency serving Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties with housing, nutrition, economic stability, and educational assistance programs since 1980.

To support this program or any of CSC’s poverty-fighting programs and services, visit our website at www.communityservices.us. Donations may be made through our website or mailed to our main office: Community Services Consortium, 245 Broadalbin Street, Suite 2A, Albany, OR 97321.

Fourth Annual Barrel to Keg Relay a Huge Success!

Nearly 700 runners and walkers traversed a backcountry race route from Philomath's Harris Bridge Vineyard to the Rogue Ales Brewery in Newport for Community Services Consortium's fourth annual Barrel to Keg Relay – Race to End Poverty (B2K) on Saturday, July 12. More than 150 volunteers were also stationed along the route, helping the day to flow smoothly.

Relay participants came from as far as Canada to raise money for CSC. Walkers covered seven legs totaling 32 miles, and runners covered 14 legs totaling 69 miles. There were 111 teams of runners and walkers, mostly comprised of six team members.

Solo ultrarunner Seth Paredes

This year's B2K also included a solo ultrarunner, Seth Paredes of Newport. Paredes did the full course in 14 hours and 44 minutes, at an impressive 12:49 pace.

“I'm glad I was able to finish. I really shocked myself with the last 15 miles to go.” said Paredes.

One walker, Roger Sinks, also chose to solo the route, completing 32 miles in 10 hours and 55 minutes at a pace of 21:09.

Running team “We Got the Runs” came in first place overall with a total time of 7 hours, 25 minutes and 6 seconds at a 6 minute, 28 second mile pace. This is their fourth first-place finish at B2K.

First place in the Women’s Open division was “Bad Mother Runners,” and first place in the mixed Open division was “Mixed 6.” Team Mixed 6 included CSC’s own Youth and Education Manager Sean Larsen.

In the Master’s division, “Coast Hills Bootleggers” received first for Men’s, “Easy But Not Cheap” placed first for Women’s, and “Santiam Snot Rockets” placed first for Mixed.

Walking team "Don’t Worry Be Hippy” came in first with a total of 8 hours, 30 minutes and 52 seconds and a 16 minute and 29 second mile pace.

With the help of the Lincoln County Emergency Radio Operators, Newport Police Volunteers and TCB Security, the course was kept safe and communications ran smoothly.

When participants completed the course against a beautiful backdrop of the Yaquina Bridge, they were greeted with a celebration inside the Rogue Brewery headquarters. B2K sponsors made the Finish Line Party possible, with Rogue providing food and beer, Oregon Coast Event Rentals providing an elegant and comfortable setup, Harris Bridge Vineyard serving up wine, Franz providing bread and cookies, Bespoken Roasters brewing fresh coffee, and Cabot Cheese providing delicious cheeses. Cytomax energy drinks and Odwalla bars were also available. Participants and their families refueled and enjoyed live music by the Valley Cats and Island Joy. Verterbrata Chiropractic welcomed participants with free massages.

During the celebration, the best costumes award was given to "#oldladyproblems" and “What’s With the Pound Sign? #.” The best team name award was given to "Seven Deadly Shins," and the best-dressed vehicle award was given to "Shamble in the Bramble."

Costume contest winners #oldladyproblems and
What's With the Pound Sign? #

CSC Executive Director Martha Lyon said this year’s B2K was the most successful relay yet, with a preliminary estimate of $37,000 raised.

“The proceeds from this race are used to help stabilize people in poverty in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties, and then help them acquire the skills and tools to move out of poverty.” said Lyon.

The agency will use the money raised to support programs and services for low-income families with housing, utilities, food, education, and job skills training, as well as weatherization to better insulate their homes and bring down monthly heating bills.

CSC would like to thank the many race participants and sponsors for their support - we hope to see you again next year!

To learn more about B2K - Race to End Poverty contact info@barreltokeg.com or visit us at www.barreltokeg.com.  

LBFS Planting Seeds to End Hunger

Wilma Whitmore poses with her towering tomato plant

Linn Benton Food Share (LBFS) – a CSC program – has been busy this summer with two innovative programs aimed at increasing the amount of healthy, locally grown produce available to those in need in Linn and Benton counties.

Members of LBFS’s 14 gleaning groups took part in the Patio Project, growing 900 vegetable plants at their homes, with vegetables distributed by LBFS. Many gleaners are seniors with gardening experience, and have families eager to learn how to grow food for their children.

FOOD for Lane County also shared a generous BiMart donation of vegetable seeds with LBFS. LBFS distributed seven pallets of seeds, valued at $25,000, across their two-country area for the summer growing season.

Cindy Rice, manager of the Sweet Home Emergency Ministries food pantry in Linn County, distributed some of the seeds to clients accessing emergency food boxes.  She reports that many clients are excited to grow vegetables at home, and are planning to contribute excess produce back to the pantry.

LBFS also offered seed packets to several local programs including the CSC Youth Garden. The group will grow the seeds in the garden, and a portion of what these young people learn to grow is given to partner gleaning groups.

Many generous local businesses provided the vegetable starts and supplies to grow the seeds.

The donations of seeds and starts will help LBFS increase the amount of healthy, locally grown produce available to those in need through their 74 local partner agencies that include emergency food pantries and shelters, soup kitchens, child and senior care centers, residential care homes, and gleaning groups.

LBFS Director Mike Gibson notes that Food Share has made it a priority to increase the amount of fresh, nutritious produce for emergency food boxes. With an increase of 28% this year, a total of over one million pounds of produce will be distributed.

“Linn Benton Food Share is thankful for the generous donation from Bi-Mart and local nurseries,“ Mike stated. “These seeds will provide produce for people who are at risk of going hungry. We always feel good when we can increase the nutritional content of the food we distribute—and in this case, the people planting the seeds have a new way to provide for their families.”

Interested in joining a gleaning group in Linn or Benton counties? E-mail Susan James at sjames@communityservices.us or call her at 541-758-2645.

Happy Retirement Terry, Hello Marisha!

Marisha Johnson has been appointed as CSC's new Director of Housing and Energy Services. Prior to joining CSC, Marisha was the Mental Health Planner for the Oregon Health Authority Addictions and Mental Health Division, where she administered the State’s Community Mental Health Services Block Grant. She also led the statewide initiative to implement Supported Employment for individuals with serious mental illness and staffed the Addictions and Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council.

Before moving to Albany, she was Transitional and Legal Services Coordinator with Battered Persons’ Advocacy in Roseburg, Oregon, where she managed their transitional housing program and worked to provide safety for victims of domestic and sexual violence. She was also a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II at ADAPT providing substance abuse counseling services for adults and adolescents.

Marisha received an Executive Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Portland State University, and a BA in Psychology from Northwest Christian University.

Marisha is filling the shoes of retiring Director Terry Knoll. Terry took on a number of roles in her 27 years with our agency, excelling in each of them as her dedication to serving our community shined through.

"I’ve known true joy in community service in my various roles as an energy assistance receptionist, intake worker, energy education coordinator, case manager, program manager and department director. My career at CSC has been one learning experience after another and every day I have been inspired through the association with my coworkers." said Terry.

We will all sincerely miss Terry's smiling face, positive outlook, and upbeat personality, and look forward to working with Marisha and continuing to improve housing options for those in need in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties! 

CSC Head Start Accepting Applications for September 2014 School Year

CSC Head Start is a nonprofit federal and state funded preschool. The program is family centered, with comprehensive services to assist not only in the education of children, but also in their overall health and well-being.

Families are supported in a variety of ways and encouraged to participate fully in their child’s education and in school events. If you want your child to be fully prepared to succeed in kindergarten and beyond, Head Start is the way to begin.

The CSC Head Start program is open to Lincoln County children ages three and four, based on family income eligibility, needs assessment and space availability. Call us or stop by for more information:

• Lincoln City: 2130 SE Lee Avenue, 541-996-3028
• Toledo: 845 NW “A” Street , 541-336-5113
• Newport: 253 NE 1st Street, 541-574-7690

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