Jessica Reynolds
First in a series
For The New Era
The holidays are coming upon us, and there are so many things to do, there are holiday meals to prepare, gifts to wrap, chores to do, the list goes on and on. And for many, this is when people donate their time or their treasures in order to help those in need.
Why does this time inspire an onset of giving? Why does this time seem to provoke us to give more than any other single time of the year? Is it an act of giving to others, or the message of hope and the ability to make a difference in someone’s life?
There are many noble organizations that meet such a large need. Let’s take a snapshot of one such organization, Community Outreach, Inc. (COI).
Although located in Corvallis, Community Outreach, Inc. offers a wide range of services to Linn County. There is a homeless shelter which holds 95 people, men, women, and families.
The services that assist the low and no income population include; an emergency food bank, case management services, doctor and dentist visits, multi-cultural assistance, counseling services, abuse intervention workshops, domestic violence services, alcohol and drug treatment, crisis intervention, therapeutic day care, information and requests for information, community kitchen and hygiene facilities, and a message service for those without a telephone.
In an average year, roughly 50% of the clients that are served are specifically from Linn county. In the last census it was documented that 1 out of 7 Sweet Home families live in poverty.
So, with the understanding that the need is there it is also important to understand that there is a tremendous amount of opportunity to give back, no one has ever said that you need to be rich in order to make a difference in some else’s life.
Here are some of the ways that you can give:
–Become part of the Community Outreach mailing list. You can join by e-mailing your address to “mailto:[email protected]”.
As part of the mailing list there is an open opportunity for you not only to be invited to upcoming COI events, but also alerted about more opportunities to give throughout the year.
–Adopt-a-family or individual during the holiday season. COI aims to give each client a Christmas present for more information about this program feel free to contact Briana Taylor at 541-758-3000.
–You can volunteer with COI. COI needs people to volunteer throughout the year, not just during the holiday season. As of now there is a need for people to become Crisis Line Volunteers. In September 2003, COI answered more than 7,070 calls that came in over the phone lines. A new session for Crisis Line training started November 17. Contact Molly Gage at 541-758-3000 for details.
–Donate. You can donate money, to help support programs that are helping those in need. Contact Dennis Dolan at 541-758-3000 if you wish to make a donation.