Gazette-Times Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
The Benton County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to appoint a new advisory committee to focus on implementation of its Ten Year Plan to Address Issues Surrounding Housing and Homelessness.
The committee's focus will be to set priorities for the initiatives included in the plan and to identify resources to implement those initiatives.
The selected group of participants represents several different organizations throughout Benton County, indicative of the collaborative total community effort underway to identify and address issues surrounding housing and homelessness in Benton County.
Commissioner Jay Dixon and Julie Manning, of Samaritan Health Services, who both have been involved throughout the process to create and implement the Benton County 10-year plan, will be co-chairing the group. The committee also includes the following members: Jennifer Lief, Benton County Health Department; Rich Donovan, Community Outreach, Inc.; Ann Craig, Jackson Street Youth Shelter; James Hackett, Linn-Benton Housing Authority; Gail Newman, Benton County Sheriff's Office; Barbara Ross, Homeless Shelter Coalition; Kent Weiss, city of Corvallis; Jim Moorefield, Willamette-Neighborhood Housing; Martha Lyon, Community Services Consortium; Jennifer Moore, United Way of Benton and Lincoln Counties and Kristin Osborne, Corvallis community member.
The committee will be working to carry out implementation plans relative to the Benton County Ten Year Plan to Address Issues Surrounding Housing and Homelessness, which was adopted recently by the Benton County Board of Commissioners. Benton County worked with Community Services Consortium and members of several other Benton County organizations to draft the plan.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
We’re Helping Our Neighbors,
But We Can’t Do It With Out You!
But We Can’t Do It With Out You!
This email “news blast” about CSC is intended to reach people who need help, and people who can give help.
During this recession, I think many people have been surprised to find themselves in the first category. They have never before required assistance from CSC, but now they find themselves in need. If there is a positive effect from this recession, it may be that we have all gained an increased awareness of how easily disaster can befall any of us. Even more, we appreciate living in a community that supports us in times of need. Thank you for helping us help our neighbors!
Over the course of the last year, CSC departments and programs have met increases in requests for help that range from nearly 13% in our food programs (Linn-Benton Food Share) to 48% in our Emergency Services department (which helps with emergency housing and utility assistance). We helped serve an additional 17,000 people through emergency food boxes this year. And we were bombarded with so many requests for housing help that although we provided 10,954 nights of emergency shelter and 15,232 nights of transitional housing for our neighbors; we were unable to serve 4,175 households (9,602 individuals).
We grew our youth employment program over 600% this summer, but we had to cap it at 320 new jobs. We could have served hundreds more. We expected to provide work experience and to stimulate the local economy, but many of our participants told us that these paychecks kept their families afloat this summer. Businesses and agencies thanked us for helping them make it through a tough year. In communities throughout the three counties, residents told us that our young workers gave them hope, in addition to a fresh coat of paint, a newly cleared bike path, and assistance on projects they thought would have to wait.
We bought, and are rehabbing, 18 units of supported housing in Lincoln County. Once the rehab work is complete, applications will be available and accepted for potential residents. We will weatherize between 300 and 400 homes for low-income residents, but over 10,000 additional homes are eligible for, and in need of our help in our 3 counties.
This newsletter is packed with stories of people who needed assistance and got it through CSC.
Thank you again, for helping to make that possible. For more information on our programs and services, please check out our website at: www.communityservices.us.
If you need help, CSC is the place to get started. If you are looking for an opportunity to offer help, we hope you consider starting that at CSC, as well. We promise to give you a good return on your investment. Over 90 cents of every dollar donated goes to program services. More importantly, every dollar you donate allows us to claim as much as $11 in matching state, federal and grant funds. That’s value!
Thank you – and may you each enjoy a safe and fulfilling holiday season.
Martha Lyon, ED
During this recession, I think many people have been surprised to find themselves in the first category. They have never before required assistance from CSC, but now they find themselves in need. If there is a positive effect from this recession, it may be that we have all gained an increased awareness of how easily disaster can befall any of us. Even more, we appreciate living in a community that supports us in times of need. Thank you for helping us help our neighbors!
Over the course of the last year, CSC departments and programs have met increases in requests for help that range from nearly 13% in our food programs (Linn-Benton Food Share) to 48% in our Emergency Services department (which helps with emergency housing and utility assistance). We helped serve an additional 17,000 people through emergency food boxes this year. And we were bombarded with so many requests for housing help that although we provided 10,954 nights of emergency shelter and 15,232 nights of transitional housing for our neighbors; we were unable to serve 4,175 households (9,602 individuals). We grew our youth employment program over 600% this summer, but we had to cap it at 320 new jobs. We could have served hundreds more. We expected to provide work experience and to stimulate the local economy, but many of our participants told us that these paychecks kept their families afloat this summer. Businesses and agencies thanked us for helping them make it through a tough year. In communities throughout the three counties, residents told us that our young workers gave them hope, in addition to a fresh coat of paint, a newly cleared bike path, and assistance on projects they thought would have to wait.
We bought, and are rehabbing, 18 units of supported housing in Lincoln County. Once the rehab work is complete, applications will be available and accepted for potential residents. We will weatherize between 300 and 400 homes for low-income residents, but over 10,000 additional homes are eligible for, and in need of our help in our 3 counties.This newsletter is packed with stories of people who needed assistance and got it through CSC.
Thank you again, for helping to make that possible. For more information on our programs and services, please check out our website at: www.communityservices.us.
If you need help, CSC is the place to get started. If you are looking for an opportunity to offer help, we hope you consider starting that at CSC, as well. We promise to give you a good return on your investment. Over 90 cents of every dollar donated goes to program services. More importantly, every dollar you donate allows us to claim as much as $11 in matching state, federal and grant funds. That’s value!
Thank you – and may you each enjoy a safe and fulfilling holiday season.
Martha Lyon, ED
Friday, December 4, 2009
Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service
Homeless individuals, social service providers, faith-based organizations and the public are invited to gather at the Albany City Hall Plaza, 333 Broadalbin St. SW, at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 21, 2009 for Albany’s first 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, 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 recent years, words of remembrance, and a 21-gun 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 2008, more than 120 memorial events took place in cities across 46 states, honoring more than 3,200 individuals who died homeless last year.
Please Share with Clients ...
$ HELP $
with Heating Bills
with Heating Bills
LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program which provides assistance to income eligible households once each heating season. The intent of LIHEAP is to help low income households offset their winter heating costs. LIHEAP is not an entitlement program. The LIHEAP program is operated by Community Services Consortium (CSC) and began taking calls December 1st, 2009, to set up appointments at our major offices in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties. To qualify, a household must have an income at or below the following limits:
Household Size / Monthly Gross Income
1 / $ 1,757.75
2 / $ 2,298.58
3 / $ 2,839.42
4 / $ 3,380.25
5 / $ 3,921.08
6 / $ 4,461.92
Call for an appointment at:
BENTON COUNTY
752-2840
545 SW 2nd (upstairs, Rm #2)
Corvallis, OR 97333
LINN COUNTY
926-7163
250 Broadalbin St. SW, Suite 2J
(Two Rivers Market-Upstairs)
Albany, OR 97321
380 Market St.
451-4408
Lebanon, OR 97355
LINCOLN COUNTY
265-3293
120 NE Avery St.
Newport, OR 97365
APPOINTMENTS ARE NECESSARY AT ALL SITES
(and take approximately ½ hour each).
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program which provides assistance to income eligible households once each heating season. The intent of LIHEAP is to help low income households offset their winter heating costs. LIHEAP is not an entitlement program. The LIHEAP program is operated by Community Services Consortium (CSC) and began taking calls December 1st, 2009, to set up appointments at our major offices in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties. To qualify, a household must have an income at or below the following limits:
Household Size / Monthly Gross Income
1 / $ 1,757.75
2 / $ 2,298.58
3 / $ 2,839.42
4 / $ 3,380.25
5 / $ 3,921.08
6 / $ 4,461.92
Call for an appointment at:
BENTON COUNTY
752-2840
545 SW 2nd (upstairs, Rm #2)
Corvallis, OR 97333
LINN COUNTY
926-7163
250 Broadalbin St. SW, Suite 2J
(Two Rivers Market-Upstairs)
Albany, OR 97321
380 Market St.
451-4408
Lebanon, OR 97355
LINCOLN COUNTY
265-3293
120 NE Avery St.
Newport, OR 97365
APPOINTMENTS ARE NECESSARY AT ALL SITES
(and take approximately ½ hour each).
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Hunger in United States at 14-Year High (11/20/09)
The number of Americans who lived in households that lacked consistent access to adequate food soared to 49 million last year, the highest since the Department of Agriculture began tracking "food insecurity" 14 years ago, the New York Times reports.
According to the Times, the increase of 13 million Americans was much larger than even the most pessimistic observers of hunger trends had expected and cast a light on the daily hardships caused by the recession. About a third of the struggling households are experiencing "very low food security," which means that a lack of money has forced members to skip meals, cut portions, or otherwise forgo food at some point during the year. The other two-thirds typically had enough to eat as long as they ate cheaper, less-varied foods, relied on government aid such as food stamps, or visited food pantries and soup kitchens.
Drawing officials' attention were the 506,000 households in which children faced "very low food security," up from 323,000 in 2007. In addition, about 37 percent of households with children headed by single parents reported some form of food insecurity, compared with 14 percent of married households with children. Serious problems were most prevalent in the South, followed equally by the West and Midwest.
Some conservatives have attacked the survey's methodology on the grounds that it's hard to define what it measures; indeed, the phrase "food insecurity" stems from years of political and academic wrangling over how to measure adequate access to food. James Weill, director of the Food Research and Action Center, which pioneered the report, called the study a careful look at an underappreciated condition. "Many people are outright hungry, skipping meals," Weill told the Times. "Others say they have enough to eat but only because they're going to food pantries or using food stamps. We describe it as 'households struggling with hunger.'"
DeParle, Jason. "Hunger in U.S. at a 14-Year High." New York Times 11/16/09. http://bit.ly/63fFsk; http://pndapps.fdncenter.org/link/20013340/1.
According to the Times, the increase of 13 million Americans was much larger than even the most pessimistic observers of hunger trends had expected and cast a light on the daily hardships caused by the recession. About a third of the struggling households are experiencing "very low food security," which means that a lack of money has forced members to skip meals, cut portions, or otherwise forgo food at some point during the year. The other two-thirds typically had enough to eat as long as they ate cheaper, less-varied foods, relied on government aid such as food stamps, or visited food pantries and soup kitchens.
Drawing officials' attention were the 506,000 households in which children faced "very low food security," up from 323,000 in 2007. In addition, about 37 percent of households with children headed by single parents reported some form of food insecurity, compared with 14 percent of married households with children. Serious problems were most prevalent in the South, followed equally by the West and Midwest.
Some conservatives have attacked the survey's methodology on the grounds that it's hard to define what it measures; indeed, the phrase "food insecurity" stems from years of political and academic wrangling over how to measure adequate access to food. James Weill, director of the Food Research and Action Center, which pioneered the report, called the study a careful look at an underappreciated condition. "Many people are outright hungry, skipping meals," Weill told the Times. "Others say they have enough to eat but only because they're going to food pantries or using food stamps. We describe it as 'households struggling with hunger.'"
DeParle, Jason. "Hunger in U.S. at a 14-Year High." New York Times 11/16/09. http://bit.ly/63fFsk; http://pndapps.fdncenter.org/link/20013340/1.
CSC Workforce and Education Awarded $292,000 for Youth Employment
CSC’s Workforce and Education Department (W&E) received nine grant awards totaling $292,000 from the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps’ (OYCC) Oregon Youth Employment Initiative (OYEI). The OYEI school-year grants will fund nine youth employment crews, which will employ more than 50 disadvantaged young people, ages 16 – 24, and nine adult crew leaders. Projects will span CSC’s three-county region of Linn, Benton and Lincoln Counties with three crews per county. 
“We are very excited at the prospect of creating jobs for one of our most at-risk populations, our youth,” said W&E Director Clay Martin; “We very much appreciate OYCC and the Youth Employment Initiative for allowing us the opportunity to benefit so many people in need in our communities.” OYEI funds are very specific to job creation and economic stimulus which directly supports the mission of CSC’s W&E Department.
The youth employment crew projects are focused on areas of identified need and will include natural resource and environmental stewardship work in all three counties. Lincoln County’s CSC office is working in cooperation with the Mid-Coast Watershed Council, which also received OYEI funding ($64,000), to support two additional Natural Resource crews on the coast. Crews across the entire region will work on invasive species eradication, riparian area and/or native habitat restoration, and trail maintenance.
CSC attributes a large part of the success of their youth crews to effective community partnerships. “Our community partners assist us in identifying the areas of need,” Martin added. CSC’s community partners include Oregon State University (OSU); Cities of Corvallis, Albany, Lebanon and Toledo; Linn and Benton Counties; the Port of Toledo; U.S. Forest Service; Oregon State Parks; many service agencies, departments of the above-mentioned municipalities; and others. CSC’s two East Linn County crews will operate as part of CSC’s Santiam Wilderness Academy.
CSC also received funding for a youth construction crew which is partnering with the Port and the City of Toledo to build a new park and educational greenhouse for local school students. Youth crew employees throughout the region will learn real world, transferrable work skills, and many will receive industry-recognized training certificates and/or earn high school credits while accomplishing meaningful projects in their own communities.
Youth employment crews create jobs for at-risk young people and provide a training environment where participants can develop job skills and increase their probability of future employment.
For more information, contact Dee Teem, W&E’s Program Advisor, at 541-265-8505 or by email – dteem@communityservices.us.
News from CSC's Lincoln City Career Tech
The school received a grant to buy a weather bug system; the cameras will go on the North East corner of the building’s roof where the biggest concern is ensuring the weather won’t blow it off the roof.
Requests are coming in from the community about having students help with video projects. The school’s van is all decked out and is good PR when the film crew in out and about in our three different counties.
Enrollment is currently capped, and there are four youth on the waiting list.
Recruitment is on-going for new Advisory Board members. Anyone interested in serving should contact Mark Peery at 541-996-5534.
So What is Career Tech?
Career Tech High School is a workplace simulation, which means that students are "hired" for a quarter at a time. At the end of each quarter, students meet with their family and school staff for a performance evaluation, where productivity (credits earned), attendance, behavior, and employability skills are considered. Students who are making adequate progress are invited to return; most students make adequate progress. Students who are not earning minimum credit requirements are placed on a work plan for the next quarter.
Career Tech History
Back in 1999, Career Tech was called First Resort and was an alternative high school serving a high-risk population of students who were not successful in a regular high school environment. In 2000, the school changed to a charter high school, with the charter granted by the Lincoln County School District and held by CSC. In the years since becoming a charter high school, Career Tech has been continually redefining itself and improving its focus, which is to be a technology-based workplace simulation that provides students with engaging, relevant courses that prepare them for a diploma and train them for success.
From CSC Employee to Oregon Activist ...
"In 1985, she became a Vista volunteer, developing a firewood-gleaning program and working herself into a staff position with the Community Services Consortium in Corvallis.
Soon, Thornberry coordinated a dozen gleaning groups across three counties, getting food that would otherwise go to waste onto the tables of the hungry."
Check out the rest of the story here, courtesy of OregonLive.com:
Sharon Thornberry
Head Start on Full Power
CSC’s Head Start of Lincoln County, a major program of the Child Development Department, is at full capacity right now and has three sites operating in the county.
New Director Suzanne Miller recently attended the first fundraiser – “Dinner Down the Bay” – which was planned by Shawn Cardwell, the program’s AmeriCorps* Vista Volunteer (her first fundraising event). It was a great success with the generosity of all involved. We hope it will become an annual event with the help of Head Start “Friends” who donate their time and energy to keep Head Start a true star on the coast. New friends are always welcome and anyone interested in joining this great group can contact Suzanne directly at the Lincoln City site – 541-996-3028.
Each day at Head Start, a young life is being given a chance at a head start on life, not only in terms of learning but also in knowing and trusting that they belong to a great community of caring people. Family involvement is a cornerstone of Head Start. Last week in one of the classrooms, a shared meal was prepared by parents and the children as part of the day’s learning. It was a pre-Thanksgiving celebration, and the children were very proud and happy to accomplish such an event.
From the smallest celebration to major fundraisers, Head Start is about community and serving families with the greatest need so that they, too, feel and become an integral part of their communities.
Where poverty and economic struggles can isolate, Head Start is a place of belonging.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Coastal Farm & Ranch Will Match Funds Weekend of Dec. 4th
Coastal Farm and Ranch is very generously matching donations to Linn Benton Food Share at their Albany store up to the amount of 5,000 dollars the weekend of December 4th, 5th and 6th. Also they will have Santa at the store on Friday, December 11 from 3 to 6 p.m. and with a donation of cans of food or $3 you get a 5x7 picture with Santa.Albany Coastal Farm and Ranch is located at 1355 Goldfish Farm Road, Albany. Phone: 541-928-2511, Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday, November 20, 2009
Hotline For Flu Questions
News release issued by Oregon Department of Human Services.
Oregon public health offers nurse advice hotline for flu questions
These days, a simple fever raises questions: Do I have the H1N1 flu and if I do, should I go to the doctor?
Before you rush to the clinic or hospital, there’s a simple call you can make. Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline (1-800-978-3040) now has nurses to talk to about symptoms, prevention advice, concerns about flu exposure, taking care of others and when to see a doctor.
“Most people recover from the flu on their own with rest and fluids. But sometimes it’s helpful to talk to a medical professional to decide if you need to go to the doctor,” says Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for the Oregon public health immunization program.
The Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline is one-stop shopping for all your flu concerns. Operators can tell callers about vaccine availability and answer many basic flu questions. The new feature connects callers with a nurse who can provide medical advice about both seasonal and H1N1 flu. These services are available throughout the state, in nearly any language, and the call is free. It could save you a trip to the doctor or emergency room, and ease crowding so that health care providers can help the people who need it more quickly.
The Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; weekends and holidays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For additional information, visit www.flu.oregon.gov.
Oregon public health offers nurse advice hotline for flu questions
These days, a simple fever raises questions: Do I have the H1N1 flu and if I do, should I go to the doctor?
Before you rush to the clinic or hospital, there’s a simple call you can make. Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline (1-800-978-3040) now has nurses to talk to about symptoms, prevention advice, concerns about flu exposure, taking care of others and when to see a doctor.
“Most people recover from the flu on their own with rest and fluids. But sometimes it’s helpful to talk to a medical professional to decide if you need to go to the doctor,” says Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for the Oregon public health immunization program.
The Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline is one-stop shopping for all your flu concerns. Operators can tell callers about vaccine availability and answer many basic flu questions. The new feature connects callers with a nurse who can provide medical advice about both seasonal and H1N1 flu. These services are available throughout the state, in nearly any language, and the call is free. It could save you a trip to the doctor or emergency room, and ease crowding so that health care providers can help the people who need it more quickly.
The Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; weekends and holidays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For additional information, visit www.flu.oregon.gov.
Congratulations Graduates
Graduates of the CSC Workforce & Education Program’s accelerated welding and fabrication training class received their certification November 5th after completing the course. The certificates were handed out by Sue McGuire-Thompson, Operations Manager of the CSC Albany Office, and Dagmar Johnson, Linn Benton Community College, a partner in facilitating the class. Family members attended the graduation party where coffee and cake were served.
Community Services Consortium used stimulus money to pay for the class offered to displaced workers. The 20-week course is usually taught over an 18 month period. The graduates learned to weld and read blueprints in the focused course and they learned the process of fabrication.
“We wanted to develop a full training program that would help people get jobs in our local area. We talked to local businesses to help us determine the curriculum,“ said Sue McGuire-Thompson. “Now we will assist our graduates in developing their resumes and help them find jobs.”
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