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Riverside Community Outreach fostering hope

Originally published in The Chronicle Vol. 141 September 27, 2023

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

A local non-profit is excited to try and make resources available to foster children and foster families by developing a new safe space that will open in phases in the coming years.

Riverside Community Outreach (RCO) is a nonprofit community organization serving vulnerable children and supporting families in Columbia County, Oregon. At a fundraising event dubbed “Evening of Hope” on Sept. 23, RCO founder Abby Olson gave attendees a walk-through of the building at 1465 Columbia Blvd that RCO hopes to turn into a support center for vulnerable youth and families.

“Just this last year, we were able to get the building that is connected to the food bank,” Olson said. “What we really want to do with it is start spending time on prevention.”

Olson began RCO in 2018 to serve families impacted by foster care in Columbia County. Olson and her husband have worked as foster parents in the past, and they have adopted five children in addition to their five biological kids.

Olson started RCO because no non-profits in St. Helens were partnered with the Every Child movement, which needs partner organizations to support foster children and families.

“We started our own non-profit, and it became an official 501(c)(3) in 2019. That’s the local non-profit here in Columbia County that serves families im-

pacted by foster care,” Olson said. “And because we had been foster parents, and walked the journey with our own kids, we wanted to have a really holistic approach.”

Olson said a holistic approach means not just serving the child in foster care but also the foster families, their relatives, and their biological families when reunification happens, and they meet needs regarding child welfare. One of the big focuses for RCO is meeting tangible needs.

“Things like clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, car seats. Often, when kids come into care, they come into foster care with the clothes they’re wearing, and that’s it,” Olson said.

“Sometimes they get to bring stuff with them, and often it’s just like thrown into a garbage bag because they just have a couple of minutes to grab stuff before

they need to leave.”

RCO aims to ensure that when kids get placed in a foster or relative’s home, the families can request support from the organization. RCO receives donations from the community of new or like-new clothing and shoes, and upon receiving a request, they put together a duffel bag to meet the needs of that family and child. One example of something they provide families is through a partnership with Linda McMann, who makes “Fostering Love Kits.”

“She makes these beautiful bags, it’s a backpack, and inside it has comfort and essential items for kids when they first come into care. So when that kiddo gets picked up on a Friday at 8 p.m., a case worker can grab one of those backpacks so they can have something that’s theirs,” Olson said. “There’s a snack, there’s a flashlight, there’s usually a

stuffed animal of some kind. Things like that to help them with the trauma that comes with removal.”

Addressing a generational issue

Olson said that something that she has seen in her 20 years in Columbia County is the generational cycle of foster care on families.

“We’ve got families whose kids are in foster care, who their parents were in foster care, and their parents were in foster care,” Olson said. And so, trying to break the cycles of poverty and addiction that are just hanging around. One of the ways we think we can do that is with this building by having it open to kids.”

The building will act as a home base for children and will be an accessible place that will address some of the issues facing vulnerable

kids. The building will have a 50s-style cafe that can offer the kids a bite to eat and an open space where they can host karaoke events or plays through a partnership with ShoeString Community Players. The second floor will be turned into a studio to offer a creative outlet to children.

“This really cool place, the opportunities that kids in St. Helens can have who don’t have money,” Olson said. “Because if you don’t have money or transportation, if you want to go certain things, you have to drive to Hillsboro. And that’s just not possible for lowerincome families.”

Olson said that providing children with a safe space and opportunities to spend their time productively will hopefully begin to address the cyclical issues she has seen. Olson hopes the facility will “revolutionize what foster care looks like in our community.”

The building will not offer overnight lodging; Olson hopes that they will be able to offer facilities, like a shower, washer, and dryer, for children who are houseless and don’t have access to those services.

Right now, Olson works out of her home as they continue renovating the building. Olson has been writing grants to try and secure funding for the project, and as they receive more funding, they are able to complete more of their work.

The goal is to have the entire facility open in the next three years. However, as they are able to complete different phases of the project, they hope to open the building gradually and make components accessible this year. RCO is also accepting donations from within the community to fund the project. Olson said the fundraiser on Sept. 23 was well attended, and she estimated that about 120 people attended. Wild Currant Catering provided food for the event, free of charge, in support of the project.

Ultimately, Olson wants to provide a service that will have lasting impacts on the community.

“I’ve been here in St. Helens for 20 years, and was a foster parent, and have been around in the community, and I’m just so excited to see a place where kids and teenagers can come and feel safe and have opportunities,” Olson said. “I really hope that it provides some longterm change, really makes a difference in the future of our community, so that in years down the road, we don’t have the same families still in foster care, that’s my hope.”

A local destination for divine delights

Originally published in The Chief Vol. 132

September 29, 2023

LAUREY WHITE

Chief Guest Article

There is a new business in Rainier, that aims to satisfy even the most persnickety sweet tooth.

Its name is Birdie’s Devine Delights, and everything crafted there strives to be both divine and delightful.

The proprietor of the establishment is Birdie Standen. The eponymous website is up and running and is available for viewing and ordering. The address is 126 W. B Street. You can also order cakes, cookies, and cupcakes at Birdie’s Devine Delights Facebook page.

Birdie has been a baker for as long as she can remember. “I was in 4-H in school,” she said. “And I used to bake with my mom. I was one of her first students.”

The four “H”s stand for “Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.” It is the nation’s largest youth development organization with researchbacked programs for kids.

Birdie first thought of opening a business after

her baking became the talk of the town. “I did it at home in my regular kitchen oven,” Birdie said. “It was very time-consuming and took a very long time to get anything done. I couldn’t make anything with dairy products, really, because you need a special oven.”

The new store features state-of-the-art equipment, and Birdie gives baking classes. And, of course, there are products available to buy at the store.

The phrase “too pretty to eat” comes to mind when you view her works of art. Who else can make meringue mushrooms that resemble real mushrooms? Birdie, that’s who.

Some of her creations include Spider-Man cakes, Hot Wheels cakes, Christmas and Halloween cakes and cookies, and Valentine’s treats.

Birdie has cookie decorating classes for many separate occasions. There will always be cookies that are self-decorated to take home.

“I only have a few slots open, so hurry and go to Facebook if you are interested, check out the pricing, and sign up,” Birdie said.

“Payment in full must be received to reserve your

spot. There will also always be a drawing for a gift and I will have a goodie bag for each participant,” she continued. “The classes will be held at the shop, right next door to the now closed Karol Lee’s Beauty Salon.”

After all the years of creating, Birdie and her baking skills seek to always rise to the occasion. Birdie goes to lengths to try and make both herself and the customer proud. One cake did present unique challenges: the cake she made for her son-in-law, who was retiring from the Army.

“The uniform, the U.S. flag, etc..,” Birdie said. “That cake was a challenge, but it did turn out beautifully.”

For those cake and cookie lovers who would like to be placed on Birdie’s calendar for special dessert requests for an event, a deposit is required to secure your order.

Please get your order in at least a month in advance so that Birdie can have plenty of time to work her magic. Her phone number is 503-791-8499. Her email is delights@yahoo.com.

“I look forward to providing customers with your dessert for your next event,” Birdie said.

Courtesy photo from Abby Olson Abby and her husband Matt at the construction site of their envisioned support center.

Courtesy photo from Abby Olson

The building located at 1465 Columbia Blvd, will be undergoing a major facelift in the coming years.