Kelly Kenoyer
Donors have two days left before the Dec. 31 cutoff to get tax credit for charitable contributions.
Looking for an opportunity to give of your substance (or energy) to help a good cause?
Whether it’s your local church, a struggling small business, or a non-profit, your dollars can help in this holiday season. Plus, Sweet Home has a number of local registered non-profits, as well as some other local efforts that may not fall under that category, which are active in trying to address challenges in our community.
If you don’t have a lot of pocket change to spare, a worthy New Year’s resolution could be to volunteer your time to help one of these community organizations, listed alphabetically:
Church of the Nazarene
sweethomenaz.org
541-818-0247
415 Holley Road
Sweet Home, OR 97386
While there are many churches worthy of support in Sweet Home, we highlight this one in particular for its service to the needy of this community. T
he homeless in town are relying on the Church of Nazarene for shelter during this cold winter, and the church could use some help. Financial donations can be given on the church’s website, sweethomenaz.org, or checks can be made out to either Sweet Home Church of the Nazarene or ONE SHELTeR, a non-profit aimed at providing cold weather shelter for the homeless.
For donations of physical items, it is best to either call the church to confirm what is needed or bring supplies to SHEM.
East Linn Museum
facebook.com/
EastLinnMuseum
746 Long St.
Sweet Home, OR 97386
541-367-4580
The East Linn Museum began in 1973 with the formation of the Museum Association sponsored by the Sweet Home Beautification Committee, and tells east Linn County’s story through a growing collection of photos, artifacts, and documents.
It is run, maintained, and managed entirely by volunteers and financially supported solely by its members and visitors. Call the number above to volunteer or donate.
Family Assistance and Resource Center Group
facforthehomeless.org
P.O. Box 714
Lebanon, OR 97355
541-224-7503
FAC serves more than 100 unhoused people in East Linn County, whether they’re on the streets, sleeping in a car, or couch surfing. The organization provides transportation assistance, supplies, and support through the social services process.
Advocates work with unhoused clients to help them get the paperwork they need to get medical help or housing. Item donations and financial donations are both gladly accepted: for more information or to donate, visit their website.
Founder Shirley Byrd said donations largely go towards supplies like baby wipes, water bottles, socks, hygiene products and non-perishable food.
“We have no administrative costs, really,” she said, because the organization is volunteer-run. But it does more than just hand out supplies.
“We help people get signed up for their stimulus checks, we’re partnered with Community Services Consortium to provide rental assistance for those affected by COVID-19.”
Their mobile unit can sometimes be seen around town. A former incident command vehicle provided by SHPD, it’s kept stocked with supplies and resource information for the needy.
“We’ll set it up if someone needs some privacy to talk to behavioral health or a doctor for a medical appointment,” Byrd added. “Thank you for caring for the community, because we are seriously all in this together and what helps one person helps us all.”
Fair Share Gleaners
Fairshareonline.org
P.O. Box 582
Sweet Home 97386
202-461-2472
Fair Share Gleaners’ mission is to obtain donated distressed food products and distribute them to disabled and low income households.
Friends of the Library
sweethomeor.gov/library/page/friends-library
1200 Long St.
Sweet Home, OR 97386
541-367-5007
Friends of the Library volunteers staff a community bookstore which helps support the library.
Founded in 1984, the organization has purchased a big screen TV for the library, helped develop a library area for teenagers, purchased computers, printers, books, sponsored children’s programs, and helped with the automation process and purchased audio books and DVDs.
Little Promises Children’s Program
littlepromiseschildrensprograms.wordpress.com
541-367-4350
28028 Pleasant Valley Road
Sweet Home, OR 97386
This non-profit daycare center struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly after problems with the well on site led to the program remaining shuttered for months.
Director Nelia Taraski is still seeking some financial help to cover the cost of the new well, and to manage other costs while the daycare tries to re-establish its client base.
“This past month we did not meet the operating budget,” Taraski said. “We will not be able to continue for two more months of this.”
Little Promises still owes $4,000 on the well, and donations can be sent by check to the address above or can be processed over the phone.
South Santiam Watershed Council
sswc.org
4431 Hwy 20, Sweet Home
541-367-5564
The council’s mission is to involve local people in the enhancement and protection of the South Santiam watershed for the social and economic benefit of its landowners, managers, and users.
It is involved in restoration, education programs, and watershed monitoring.
Supporters can donate on the organization’s website.
Plus, for those desiring to get personally involved, both the Elks Lodge and the Rotary Club in Sweet Home are very engaged in efforts that benefit the local community.
Sweet Home Alumni Foundation
P.O. Box 83
Sweet Home, OR 97386
Since 1992, the Alumni Foundation has provided scholarships for higher education for graduating seniors of Sweet Home High School, with more than $400,000 worth of awards ranging from $50 to $1,500 – $54,000 to last year’s graduates alone.
Sweet Home Community Foundation
sweethomecommunity
foundation.org
P.O. Box 24
Sweet Home, OR 97386
541-730-3670
The Sweet Home Community Foundation provides grants to local non-profits for projects and programs in the Sweet Home area. To date, the non-profit has awarded more than $215,000 to organizations around Sweet Home.
Sweet Home Emergency Ministries
shemfoodbank.org
1115 Long St.
Sweet Home, OR 97386
541-367-6504
Sweet Home Emergency Ministries is the preeminent food bank in Sweet Home. The organization is a coalition of numerous churches which work together to meet the needs of the poor.
It provides food, clothing, school supplies, and financial assistance for those struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For physical items, it’s best to check their website, shemfoodbank.org and see which items will do the most good.
Sweet Home Gleaners, Inc
sweethomegleaners.org
3031 Main St.
Sweet Home, OR 97386
541-367-3190
Sweet Home Gleaners is an all-volunteer organization that operates a thrift shop and provides food to its low-income members.
Sunshine Industries Unlimited
Sunshineindustriesunlimited.net
1333 Clark Mill Road
Sweet Home, OR 97386
541-367-2765
Sunshine Industries was established in 1974 by a group of dedicated parents from the Sweet Home community. The organization provides opportunities for people to fulfill personal goals and visions through a variety of programs and employment services. Donations are accepted online, but the organization also takes item donations and seeks business partners to host mock interviews and work readiness assessments.
Sweet Home Pregnancy Care Center
shpregnancy.org
1344 Main Street
541-367-2447
The Pregnancy Care Center is a resource center that offers free pregnancy tests and confidential, caring support. The faith-based, non-profit also offers free parenting classes to help with information, education and practical items for parents and their children.
Rotary Club of Sweet Home
district5110.org
P.O. Box 123
Sweet Home, OR 97386
The Rotary Club has a mission of providing service to others, promoting integrity, and advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
The local club is involved in projects like book giveaways for youth and service projects like building platforms for the homeless to stay out of the weather.
Elks Lodge #1972
http://www.elks.org/lodges/home cfm?LodgeNumber=1972
440 Osage St.
541-367-3559
The Elks Lodge’s mission, in a few words, is to promote fraternity, good will, patriotism and benevolence in the community.
The local lodge has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars locally to youth causes and sports, local cultural efforts, scholarships, its Christmas Baskets program, drug prevention and Local Eyes, a program that provides glasses to veterans that is unique to Sweet Home’s Elks.