Community Services Consortium (CSC) invites community members to help fight poverty in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. This season, CSC is asking people to make a difference to needy families in our own community.
CSC puts food on the table, keeps the lights on, puts a roof over people’s heads, and provides education and job training to break the cycle of poverty for families most in need. Anyone can help. What better gift this holiday season than to warm a family home, supply nutritious food and provide the skills people need to succeed in the workforce and in life? To make a gift click the donate button at www.communityservices.us or mail a check to CSC, 250 Broadalbin Street, Suite 2A, Albany, OR 97321.
Give a gift that matters: give people the skills and support they need to build stable, productive futures. Community Services Consortium provides a range of services with the vision to end poverty, including youth and adult education and workforce training programs, Head Start in Lincoln County, utility and housing assistance, and Linn Benton Food Share.
With your help CSC can continue to distribute food to the hungry, provide energy assistance to heat homes this winter and empower people through workforce and education programs. Your gift makes a difference no matter how large or small, whether it’s one more meal on the table, or it provides a warm home for a family the whole new year!
CSC is the community action agency serving the people of Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties, Oregon. For more information on the poverty fighting programs of CSC visit www.communityservices.us. Change a life this holiday season.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
LBFS Winner in PacificSource Healthy Life Challenge
The 2nd annual PacificSource Healthy Life Challenge was held from October 23rd to November 21st, with more than 1,000 people taking the pledge to be more active, smoke free, eat healthy, and/or reduce stress. For each pledge participant, PacificSource agreed to donate $1 to one of four local charities, which were also voted on by pledge participants. Linn Benton Food Share won the pledge participant vote, which means a healthy donation will be coming their way from PacificSource. Thank you to everyone that participated in the Healthy Life Pledge and congratulations to LBFS!
For more information on the PacificSource Healthy Life Challenge, click here.
For more information on the PacificSource Healthy Life Challenge, click here.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Basic Budgeting Workshops Scheduled for December
Want to take control of your money? Basic Budgeting Workshops are two-hour classes that focus on how we can learn to take control of our money by setting up a monthly budget and spending plan. The workshops are offered to any CSC client receiving housing or energy assistance. Topics covered in these workshops include:
Workshops will be held at the Albany, Corvallis and Lebanon locations listed below:
Corvallis CSC Office 545 SW 2nd St., Suite A, Corvallis, OR 97333
Albany CSC Office 250 Broadalbin SW, Suite 2A, Albany, OR 97321
Lebanon CSC Office 380 Market St., Lebanon, Or 97355
- Identifying and prioritizing expenses
- Tips to trimming your budget
- Creating a monthly budget
- Setting financial goals
- Developing a spending plan that is right for you
- Wednesday, December 12th, 1:30pm-3:30pm (Workshop ID# BBC121212)
- Thursday, December 26th, 10:00am– Noon (Workshop ID# BBC122612)
- Tuesday, December 4th, 10:00am-Noon (Workshop ID# BBA120412)
- Thursday, December 20th, 9:00am-11:00am (Workshop ID# BBA1220712)
- Monday, December 17th, 1:00pm-3:00pm (Workshop ID# BBL121712)
- Wednesday, December 26th, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Workshop ID# BBL122612)
Festival of Trees Event to Benefit Community Outreach Shelter
The Festival of Trees, a spectacular winter event, will be kicking off on December 8 with a gala and auction at 6pm. The gala will feature music from the OSU men's award-winning a capella group "Outspoken," as well as food, drink, a dessert bar and raffle prizes. Family Day will be on December 9 from noon-4pm and includes cookies, coffee and punch and candy canes and photos with Santa for the kids.
Events will be held at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the OSU campus. Tickets are available at Rice's Pharmacy, Grass Roots Book Store, and Community Outreach, Inc. To buy tickets online, visit www.tickettomato.com.
For more information about the event, visit Community Outreach, Inc.'s event web site.
Events will be held at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the OSU campus. Tickets are available at Rice's Pharmacy, Grass Roots Book Store, and Community Outreach, Inc. To buy tickets online, visit www.tickettomato.com.
For more information about the event, visit Community Outreach, Inc.'s event web site.
OHCS and LASO Launch New Foreclosure Assistance Program
Low-income homeowners and renters affected by foreclosure now have access to new a statewide service that provides free legal assistance from an attorney to help address urgent foreclosure issues.
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has contracted with Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) to develop and deliver the new program. The statewide service will be offered both over the phone and in person from offices in Portland, Medford, Hillsboro, Eugene and Bend.
Interested households can call 1-855-412-8828 toll-free or 503-227-0198 in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties to learn more about the program. Intake specialists will screen callers for income eligibility and will refer qualified households to an available attorney. Program phone lines are staffed between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Assistance can be provided in English and Spanish, with additional translation services available if necessary. Program phone lines are not staffed by attorneys and intake specialists cannot give legal advice.
The program is funded by a May 2012 legislative appropriation, utilizing proceeds from the National Mortgage Settlement, settled in part by the State of Oregon’s Department of Justice.
In addition, OHCS and LASO are developing a referral program to provide legal assistance to moderate income households, utilizing sliding-scale and pro-bono assistance from private attorneys. This component of the program will provide moderate income households the opportunity to have a free one hour consultation with an attorney, with additional representation offered at a discounted rate. Information about the program will be posted as it develops at OregonHomeownerSupport.gov.
Interested households can learn more about accessing legal assistance and other foreclosure prevention programs by visiting OregonHomeownerSupport.gov. For additional foreclosure prevention assistance interested person can also visit the above website or dial 211 toll-free from any phone in Oregon.
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has contracted with Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) to develop and deliver the new program. The statewide service will be offered both over the phone and in person from offices in Portland, Medford, Hillsboro, Eugene and Bend.
Interested households can call 1-855-412-8828 toll-free or 503-227-0198 in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties to learn more about the program. Intake specialists will screen callers for income eligibility and will refer qualified households to an available attorney. Program phone lines are staffed between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Assistance can be provided in English and Spanish, with additional translation services available if necessary. Program phone lines are not staffed by attorneys and intake specialists cannot give legal advice.
The program is funded by a May 2012 legislative appropriation, utilizing proceeds from the National Mortgage Settlement, settled in part by the State of Oregon’s Department of Justice.
In addition, OHCS and LASO are developing a referral program to provide legal assistance to moderate income households, utilizing sliding-scale and pro-bono assistance from private attorneys. This component of the program will provide moderate income households the opportunity to have a free one hour consultation with an attorney, with additional representation offered at a discounted rate. Information about the program will be posted as it develops at OregonHomeownerSupport.gov.
Interested households can learn more about accessing legal assistance and other foreclosure prevention programs by visiting OregonHomeownerSupport.gov. For additional foreclosure prevention assistance interested person can also visit the above website or dial 211 toll-free from any phone in Oregon.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Second Chance Program Workshops Scheduled for January
Second Chance Renter Rehabilitation classes will be held throughout January at CSC’s Corvallis office (545 SW 2nd Street - upstairs) from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on the following days:
Tuesday, January 8: How to be a Good Tenant
Thursday, January 10: Landlord/Tenant Responsibilities
Tuesday, January 15: Goal Setting
Thursday, January 17: Conflict Resolution
Tuesday, January 22: Energy Education
Thursday, January 24: Basic Budgeting
Pre-registration is required. Due to limited space, each class is limited to 16 people. The deadline for registering is Friday, December 28th.
Second Chance helps people without stable housing remove the barriers they face in finding stable housing and become the ideal tenants that landlords seek. Second Chance helps resolve homelessness and helps individuals become self-sufficient. 94% of Second Chance participants secure permanent housing within 60 days of graduating the program. The program combines a powerful combination of education, case management, personal responsibility training, financial literacy education, money management, and more.
To register or ask a question, please contact Cindy Pratt-DeMarzo, Resource Coordinator, at cpratt@communityservices.us or 541-758-2632.
Tuesday, January 8: How to be a Good Tenant
Thursday, January 10: Landlord/Tenant Responsibilities
Tuesday, January 15: Goal Setting
Thursday, January 17: Conflict Resolution
Tuesday, January 22: Energy Education
Thursday, January 24: Basic Budgeting
Pre-registration is required. Due to limited space, each class is limited to 16 people. The deadline for registering is Friday, December 28th.
Second Chance helps people without stable housing remove the barriers they face in finding stable housing and become the ideal tenants that landlords seek. Second Chance helps resolve homelessness and helps individuals become self-sufficient. 94% of Second Chance participants secure permanent housing within 60 days of graduating the program. The program combines a powerful combination of education, case management, personal responsibility training, financial literacy education, money management, and more.
To register or ask a question, please contact Cindy Pratt-DeMarzo, Resource Coordinator, at cpratt@communityservices.us or 541-758-2632.
CSC Sponsors National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day
Homeless individuals, social service providers, faith-based organizations, and the public are invited to gather at the Albany City Hall Plaza, 333 Broadalbin Street SW, at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 21, 2012, for Albany’s fourth observance of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.
The event is an opportunity to remember the people who have died on Albany streets, in abandoned properties or open places, and from illnesses or conditions directly related to homelessness. Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day is a national observance.
The memorial event will include a proclamation by Albany Mayor Sharon Konopa, the reading of the names and lighting candles for those who have died in Albany and other Linn County communities in 2012, words of remembrance, and a military salute by the American Legion Post 10 Honor Guard. Refreshments will follow.
The observance is sponsored by the City of Albany, the Homeless Enrichment and Rehabilitation Team (HEART) board of directors, American Legion Post 10, Community Services Consortium, and Samaritan Health Services.
Donations of socks, thermal underwear, stocking caps, gloves, hooded sweatshirts, and gently used coats will be collected for Albany Helping Hands and Signs of Victory shelter guests.
The national observance has been held annually since 1990 on or near the first day of winter (and the longest night of the year). In 2011, 157 cities in 40 states and the District of Columbia held memorial events.
For more coverage of this event, see the article here.
The event is an opportunity to remember the people who have died on Albany streets, in abandoned properties or open places, and from illnesses or conditions directly related to homelessness. Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day is a national observance.
The memorial event will include a proclamation by Albany Mayor Sharon Konopa, the reading of the names and lighting candles for those who have died in Albany and other Linn County communities in 2012, words of remembrance, and a military salute by the American Legion Post 10 Honor Guard. Refreshments will follow.
The observance is sponsored by the City of Albany, the Homeless Enrichment and Rehabilitation Team (HEART) board of directors, American Legion Post 10, Community Services Consortium, and Samaritan Health Services.
Donations of socks, thermal underwear, stocking caps, gloves, hooded sweatshirts, and gently used coats will be collected for Albany Helping Hands and Signs of Victory shelter guests.
The national observance has been held annually since 1990 on or near the first day of winter (and the longest night of the year). In 2011, 157 cities in 40 states and the District of Columbia held memorial events.
For more coverage of this event, see the article here.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Third Annual Civil War Brew-Off a Smashing Success!
On November 2, the Oregon State Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE) partnered with the University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF) to host the third annual Civil War Brew-Off. Homebrewers from both organizations went head-to-head for bragging rights and the coveted Brew-Off Cup.
Linn Benton Food Share and our community was the big winner of the evening. The Brew-Off raised $3,383.97 and more than 500 pounds of food for LBFS, which will make a huge impact this season!
Many thanks to CGE and GTFF for their efforts and generosity, as well as everyone that participated in the event!
If you would like to volunteer or make a donation to Linn Benton Food Share, please contact Susan James, Gleaning and Volunteer Programs Coordinator at sjames@communityservices.us or 541-758-2645.
SNAP Incentive Program Offers More Food for the Money
The "That's My Farmer" program will be providing a bounty of fresh, local food to SNAP recipients this winter.
Every time a customer spends at least $6 at a participating farmers’ market using his/her Oregon Trail card, they receive an extra $6 in farmers’ market tokens. For customers who shop at the market each week, that adds up to $24 a month to spend on fresh foods that support our local economy.
The Lincoln County Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market will continue to run through the winter on Saturdays from 10am-2pm through March.
For more information, visit the Ten Rivers Food Web website here.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Albany Social Security Office Early Closures
Effective November 19, 2012, the Albany Social Security office will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – a reduction of 30 minutes each weekday. In addition, beginning January 2, 2013, the office will close to the public at noon every Wednesday.
While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without incurring the cost of overtime. The significantly reduced funding provided by Congress under the continuing resolution for the first six months of the fiscal year makes it impossible for the agency to provide the overtime needed to handle service to the public as it has done in the past.
In addition, on November 23, the day after Thanksgiving, all Social Security field offices will be closed to the public. As we did last year, employees working that day will focus on reducing backlogged workloads.
Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office.
Many services, including applying for retirement, disability or Medicare benefits, signing up for direct deposit, replacing a Medicare card, obtaining a proof of income letter or informing us of a change of address or telephone number are conveniently available at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. Many of our online services also are available in Spanish at www.segurosocial.gov.
While agency employees will continue to work their regular hours, this shorter public window will allow them to complete face-to-face interviews and process claims work without incurring the cost of overtime. The significantly reduced funding provided by Congress under the continuing resolution for the first six months of the fiscal year makes it impossible for the agency to provide the overtime needed to handle service to the public as it has done in the past.
In addition, on November 23, the day after Thanksgiving, all Social Security field offices will be closed to the public. As we did last year, employees working that day will focus on reducing backlogged workloads.
Most Social Security services do not require a visit to a local office.
Many services, including applying for retirement, disability or Medicare benefits, signing up for direct deposit, replacing a Medicare card, obtaining a proof of income letter or informing us of a change of address or telephone number are conveniently available at www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. Many of our online services also are available in Spanish at www.segurosocial.gov.
SHIBA Volunteer Receives 2012 Oregon Governor's Volunteer Award
Karen Burrell, one of our extraordinary SHIBA volunteers, has been awarded an Oregon Governor's Volunteer Award for Outstanding Senior Volunteer. Karen is always learning and teaching public workshops that attracts hundreds of people each year, in addition to her individual Medicare counseling. She also volunteers with PEO and her church.
The 2012 Oregon Governor's Volunteer Awards on Friday, November 9 will honor 14 individuals and 12 organizations from throughout the state for their commitment to serving Oregon and its people.
“Oregon is made richer by the contributions of our talented and compassionate citizens,” said Gov. John Kitzhaber. “These award winners represent the best of the state—people who give their time, energy, and resources to lifting up others and making Oregon a better place to live.”
The annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards honor ordinary Oregonians who do extraordinary things and also inspire and motivate future volunteerism. Nominations were received from all over the state and were carefully evaluated by appointed review committees. Winners will receive cash grants from Wells Fargo to give to their favorite nonprofit group.
You can read more about Karen's awesome achievement here.
Congratulations Karen, and thank you for everything that you do!
The 2012 Oregon Governor's Volunteer Awards on Friday, November 9 will honor 14 individuals and 12 organizations from throughout the state for their commitment to serving Oregon and its people.
“Oregon is made richer by the contributions of our talented and compassionate citizens,” said Gov. John Kitzhaber. “These award winners represent the best of the state—people who give their time, energy, and resources to lifting up others and making Oregon a better place to live.”
The annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards honor ordinary Oregonians who do extraordinary things and also inspire and motivate future volunteerism. Nominations were received from all over the state and were carefully evaluated by appointed review committees. Winners will receive cash grants from Wells Fargo to give to their favorite nonprofit group.
You can read more about Karen's awesome achievement here.
Congratulations Karen, and thank you for everything that you do!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Siletz Tribe Supports CSC Youth Crews
A generous grant of more than $4,500 from the Siletz Tribal Contribution Fund has enabled 36 Lincoln County youth to participate in vital natural resources restoration projects. The Lincoln County Natural Resource Crew program, run by Community Services Consortium, used the funds to buy supplies for projects that also provided 9,952 combined hours of job training and educational support to participants.
Program participants executed a number of vital environmental projects, including planting in damaged riparian zones throughout Lincoln County, seed gathering, supporting Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on projects aiding threatened species, creating community garden spaces and trail building and maintenance.
Many thanks to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians for providing such a huge benefit to both the youth and environment of Lincoln County!
You can read more in this article by the Newport News Times.
Program participants executed a number of vital environmental projects, including planting in damaged riparian zones throughout Lincoln County, seed gathering, supporting Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on projects aiding threatened species, creating community garden spaces and trail building and maintenance.
Many thanks to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians for providing such a huge benefit to both the youth and environment of Lincoln County!
You can read more in this article by the Newport News Times.
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