The Nugget Newspaper's Partners in Giving 2022 // 2022-11-02

Central Oregon was built on a pioneering spirit, a spirit of entrepreneurship, where people see a need and find a way to meet it. And it’s built on a generous spirit of giving. That’s what makes this a special place, where people want to put down roots.

Dedicated local people staff and volunteer for an array of nonprofits

committed to

all

are enabled to do their

work by the generous support of a giving community —

and me. We are the partners of these dedicated outfits that

children, seniors, the disabled,

anyone else in need —

our furry friends.

Building community through outreach

Amazing things happen when dedicated people endeavor to build a community through reaching out.

Alison Perry has seen her vision realized, of a place where combat veterans can connect with each other and find a way back home after experiencing the hardships and traumas of Americas two decades of war. Central Oregon Veterans Ranch (COVR) fosters connection and community through a pioneering regenerative agriculture. In the words of one veteran, “We’re not just regenerating the soil, we’re regenerating souls.”

Their success in helping veterans bridge the gap between their military service and civilian life, to find a new way of building a sense of identity and purpose, has been profound — and its impact is broad.

“I’m talking with veterans in other states about implementing the model,” Perry said. “This is not just a small Central Oregon nonprofit — it’s really a movement.”

A documentary on the program, titled “Cover Me: The Path to Purpose” is awaiting an official release date.

The Ranch is continuing to evolve its program.

“We would like to do more regenerative agriculture workshops for veterans,” Perry noted.

Support COVR’s regenerative agriculture program through a donation at www.covranch.org.

Outdoor activity is one of the keys to the good life in Central Oregon — but for some people with physical injuries or limitations, it’s hard to access. That’s where Destination Rehab steps in.

“We are the only group in the area that is a physical therapy nonprofit that works outdoors,” said Stephanie Odell, donor journey coordinator.

Destination Rehab is a group of specialty-trained neurologic physical therapists who are passionate about getting people into the outdoors with improved physical ability, movement, and confidence. There are summer activities for outdoor adventurers; personalized exercise programs with monthly check-ins; an Adventure Retreat; and outdoor physical therapy, oneon-one with a neuro-trained physical therapist.

Their work is profoundly lifechanging and life-affirming, and community support is vital to their mission. Seventy-five percent of their clients are scholarshipped, thanks to generous contributions from the community.

“Monetary donations are huge for us,” Odell said.

Donors help provide equipment and fund the highly qualified staff.

There are also opportunities to volunteer: “Come adventuring with us,” Odell offered. “It helps us make sure we have eyes on everybody around.”

To donate or to explore volunteering opportunities, visit www. destinationrehab.org.

Citizens4Community (C4C) is built on the premise that getting people together to talk vigorously, yet civilly, about challenging topics is a foundation of a healthy community. The organization has sponsored town hall meetings on free speech, the challenges of growth, and Sisters’ growing homelessness concerns. They host informal talks on a wide array of topics — always seeking diverse points of view.

“We’re giving a lot of great opportunities for diverse groups of people to get together and have some great conversations,” said Executive Director Josie Newport.

It’s not just about talking: C4C helps to build community connections so that Sisters can harness the remarkable energy and expertise of its citizens to do generative work on some of the challenging issues that face this community and others like it across the nation. An engaged and connected citizenry is a key to

real prosperity and quality of life, and C4C’s work is all about fostering the best in our citizens.

The organization is seeking volunteers to help put on events, and donations are always welcome to defray the costs. Most of all, they want folks to spread the word about their experience of C4C events.

“(We’re) asking people to share their experience of what we do,” Newport said. “If you’ve been to one of our events, tell people about it.”

To get involved, visit www. citizens4community.com.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire & Ambulance Association is sponsoring the annual “Spirit of Christmas Giving Tree” to provide Christmas gifts to families in need in Sisters Country this holiday season. The Association expects to serve close to 200 children this year.

Gifts are available to children from newborns to seniors in high school of low-income families who live within the Sisters or Black Butte School Districts. Applications for the program are available to be picked up now at the following locations: SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank, Furry Friends, and the Family Access Network office in Sisters. Applications are due by Friday, December 2 at 5 p.m. in order to receive a gift. Please get your applications in early, so your request can be filled.

To donate to the Spirit of Christmas Program, collect a tag with items requested by the families at one of the “Spirit of Christmas Giving Trees,” purchase a new gift listed on the tag, and deliver the unwrapped gift with the tag to Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District as soon as possible (no later than December 12). Spirit

Ray’s Food Place, Bi-Mart, SistersCamp Sherman Fire Station, Black Butte Ranch Post Office, and Black Butte Ranch Police Department. Tags will be available to collect from all locations beginning Saturday, November 26.

Program leader for the SistersCamp Sherman Fire District, Sarah Bialous said, “While monetary donations are appreciated, the best way to help is to pick a gift tag for a child from one of the trees and purchase specific gifts requested by the families, rather than just donating a non-specific gift.”

The deadline to return your gift donation to the Fire Station is Monday, December 12 at noon. The gift requests that are not filled by the community will be filled by Fire District volunteer shoppers using donated funds, which means that no qualifying child will be left without a gift.

For those folks that would like to participate in the program but are unable to purchase a specific gift, the Association will also accept cash donations. Cash donations are tax deductible and will go toward gift buying. Cash donations can be made at the main fire station at 301 S. Elm St. in Sisters, by mail at P.O. Box 1509,

Sisters, OR, 97759, or online at www.sistersfire.com.

Thanks to “amazing community support,” Blazin Saddles has distributed over 500 bikes to folks of all ages who need one to get around and to fully enjoy the pleasures of life in Sisters’ bike country.

For the eighth year, the Sisters bike shop will take donations of used bicycles from November 15 through December 15, for distribution at Christmastime.

Owner Casey Meudt says they’re looking for “bikes in good condition that we can tune up, clean up, replace necessary parts, that we can get to people who need them.”

Prospective recipients are identified through the schools, Habitat for Humanity, and Sisters Family Access Network — or they can make a request at the bike shop or by emailing info@blazinsaddles hub.com. The first 40 on the list will receive a bike helmet.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) gives a lot to Sisters — bringing 10,000 visitors to

town, boosting the economy, and enhancing the quality of cultural life in the community. Since it is a free show, it relies on the community to support it.

“We are encouraging people to think of how they can give to the Quilt Show and partner with us,” said SOQS Executive Director Dawn Boyd.

One way to do that is to enroll yourself or a quilter in your life as a Friend of the Show. As Friends of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, your friends and loved ones will have access to exclusive SOQS programs.

The Quilt Show is truly a community event.

“We love it that it’s not just for quilters,” Boyd said. “It’s for people who want to enjoy a festivaltype atmosphere for a day — at no charge. People want to come to the Show, so let’s continue to partner and make it happen.”

To find out more about ways to sponsor the show, work as a volunteer, or become a Friend of the Show, visit www.SOQS.org or call 541-549-0989.

Sisters

and stability

By Katy Yoder

In September, the Oregon Food Bank announced the need for emergency food funding. There’s been a sharp increase in food support needed throughout Oregon as rising food and housing prices compound the impacts of the pandemic. More than 42,000 neighbors utilize food pantries each month throughout Central Oregon, nearly 15,000 more than in 2019.

When people are undernourished, unhoused, suffering from trauma, mental health challenges, or addiction it’s almost impossible to make a better life for themselves. With the rising numbers of people in need, Central Oregon nonprofits are working hard to offer support in a myriad of ways. The following three are feeding the hungry through food drives and farming.

For the past eleven years, Ray’s Food Place has done their “Stuff the Truck” food drive, which provides sustenance for people in need in Sisters. Bags of groceries are assembled and available for customers to purchase. The bags are then donated and delivered to Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank. Dan Gustafson is the marketing manager for Ray’s and hopes more

people understand that Ray’s Food Place is now an employee-owned company.

“We’re three years into employee ownership. Our employees are our shareholders and benefit from future profitability. Company profits don’t go to a bank or hedge

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fund, but stay with the employees. Our programs are the same, but all the things we do now benefit employees 100 percent,” said Gustafson.

Oliver Lemon’s ramps up their giving every December with their “Food for February”

campaign. Lauren G.D. Redman, Oliver Lemon’s CEO and “Leader of the Pack,” says at the end of the month the Sisters store will match up to $5,000.

“Customers make donations at the register; some donate a dollar and some a thousand. In December we collect the money. Last year we received $5,214.68, then we matched the $5,000 for a grand total over $10,000. The money is used to purchase food at wholesale cost from two nonprofits in Sisters: Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank and Sisters’ Family Kitchen meal service. They will begin utilizing those moneys in February because February is the hungriest month. We’re Central Oregon’s only locally founded and 100 percent-employee-owned company. In 2015, we sold the company and became 100 percent employee owned,” said Redman.

The nonprofit Seed to Table (S2T) has cooked up another year of delicious locally grown veggies that leave no doubt, they’re the little farm that can. The fouracre farm is just a short walk from Sisters Elementary School and is supporting the community with fresh veggies grown to help fill the shelves of many Central Oregon food pantries. To make fresh food

campaign. Lauren G.D. Redman,

accessible they offer a sliding scale produce share that ensures lack of resources won’t be a barrier to eat ing nourishing food. As the man ager of Sisters Farmers Market, S2T connects farmers, ranchers, makers, and shoppers throughout the summer months at the Market. They also host farm-based classes for students and has teachers in the schools. Children learn how to grow, tend, harvest, and pre pare food. That kind of learning integrates math and science into classes that are fun and tasty. With the need for growing locally grown foods, S2T has increased their pro duction to help bridge the gap and keep feeding families with healthy food options. To keep Seed to Table going strong donate online at www.seedtotableoregon.org/ donate-today or mail in a donation to Seed to Table Oregon, P.O. Box 1812, Sisters, OR 97759.

Sisters Kiwanis is the recipi ent of food and support from both Sisters grocery stores and S2T. The Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank is a vital resource and has a big impact on the Sisters community.

“One hundred percent of dona tions go to Food Bank recipients and groups we support, because we keep a low overhead. We have no paid staff,” said Doug Wills. “Our budget for food is $95,000. People need to understand that we often pay for the food we receive.

Jeff Taylor and I work the Food Bank and figure out what we need for food on our shelves. We take what we’ve been given and buy what our recipients need. We buy milk, and cheese on a weekly basis. S2T donates produce to us during the growing season. They bring in a bag with a recipe and we add whatever is needed to complete the recipe. That’s why we need dona tions for the Food Bank to help cover costs.”

Donate to Sisters Kiwanis online at sisterskiwanis.org or mail a check to Sisters Kiwanis, P.O. Box 1296, Sisters, OR 97759; spec ify Kiwanis Food Bank.

“We’ve been servicing over 40 families through the Sisters food bank a week,” Wills said.

A new focus for St. Vincent de Paul is helping people who are homeless find their way back to housing.

“We are offering a piece of the puzzle that’s been missing,” said Executive Director Gary Hewitt. “Our approach is different from everything else in Bend because we offer longer term residency. It’s a highly structured program meant to give stability and structure while offering encouragement and support. We offer up to two-year programs versus only 10 weeks.”

Through fundraising, Hewitt says they’re hoping to generate operations costs for the first year

of their housing program.

“Sponsorships of units and fundraisers will help us pay for this every year,” he said. “We offer our residents privacy, safety, and security. They can shut the door behind them and be alone. That’s a privilege you don’t get when you’re homeless on the street. We want to bridge the gap between homelessness and permanent housing. It’s hard to have a job when you don’t have an address.

Make a donation at https://stvincentdepaulbend. org/donate-3/.

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Creating housing stability in Central Oregon

By Sue Stafford

Being without a permanent, stable home impacts every aspect of a person’s life. For a family with children, those impacts are multiplied.

The Bethlehem Inn high barrier shelter in Bend has made it their mission since 1999 to transform lives together through shelter, help, and hope. They serve adults over 18 in their Next Steps Adult Program, as well as families with children under 18 in the Families First Program. They now also operate a shelter in Redmond that serves up to 88 adults with the Next Steps Program.

A $2.7 million Oregon Community Foundation Project Turnkey grant provided the funds to be able to expand services to Redmond. The funding enabled the organization to purchase and convert an existing motel into Redmond’s first year-round emergency shelter.

At both locations, they offer residents shelter, three meals a day, case management and referrals to community resources, access to personal hygiene products and clothing, and on-site laundry facilities. The shelters offer a positive and dignified environment combined with guidelines and expectations. Both locations provide clean

and sober environments supported by drug and alcohol testing.

In Bend, there are 10 units exclusively for parents with children under 18. They are served their meals in their own dining area in the family service hub. Schoolaged children are transported to their regular schools. For the younger children, there is a play structure on-site.

Bethlehem Inn as a five-week case management program. Past that, stay is based on goal setting and achievement. There is also access to weekly on-site Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

There is always need for volunteers to help at both locations, and there are ways to provide help from home with baking and preparing frozen meals. Visit www. bethleheminn.org to view volunteer opportunities as well as a comprehensive list of the types of items that are needed, including seasonally appropriate clothing, hygiene products, and food items. Monetary donations can be made on their website or mailed to PO Box 8540, Bend, OR 97708. In-kind donations of food or goods can be made Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 541-322-8768.

Sisters has no resident shelter, but since 2017 there has been the Sisters Cold Weather Shelter, which provided shelter from the cold at night during the winter.

Guests arrived at 6 p.m. and left by 7 a.m. the next morning. The first two years, the shelter was hosted for a month at a time at local churches. Dinner and breakfast were served, and guests had a safe and warm place to spend the night. The support from the community was phenomenal and many locals volunteered in those early years.

COVID interrupted the smooth

operations, and accommodations were made to provide what they could. For a variety of reasons, the churches were unable to continue to host the shelter and last year they located in the former Habitat for Humanity office on Main Avenue.

This year, aside from one church who offered to host in January, the board has been unable to find a location and the decision was made to not provide overnight shelter this year. They will be serving dinners, and the details for that are not yet firm. They will continue to

connect our houseless neighbors with services provided by other organizations. To offer support, contact Molly Jones 541-368-0297.

The vision of Sisters Habi tat for Humanity is simple – “A world where everyone has a decent place to live.” Their mission is to “put God’s love into action, bring ing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.”

For 31 years, that is what Sisters Habitat has been doing very suc cessfully. To date, they have built and provided homes for 76 local families. All the labor is provided by volunteers, and the families receiving the homes are required to put in 500 hours of “sweat equity” either working on the construction of the house or helping in the Habi tat office or Thrift Store.

Sisters Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substan dard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabili tating, and preserving homes, by advocating for fair and just housing policies, and providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Habitat homes are Energy Star certified.

In 2013, they started a program offering to make repairs to exist ing affordable homes for families in need. To date they have done 13 home repair projects in Sisters. Some of the areas where Habitat

can help are in roof repair, weath erization, adding ramps, replacing windows, and exterior painting.

They were able to purchase property on Brooks Camp Road several years ago and are creat ing a community of Habitat homes called Village Meadows. Construc tion of three single-family homes in Village Meadows will start in early spring of 2023, weather permitting. They also had the opportunity to purchase 10 lots in the new Sisters Woodlands development and will build affordable homes there. They are also building in ClearPine.

Between Village at Cold Springs and McKenzie Meadows Village, Hayden Homes has built the largest number of new homes in Sisters during the last decade. Their goal is to build the highest quality home at the lowest possible price in all their markets.

In 1998, Hayden Homes owner Hayden Watson started the non profit First Story, which gave donations to charitable causes in towns and cities across the Pacif ic Northwest. His vision was for something bigger, and in 2002 First Story collaborated with Hayden Homes to build the very first grant house. Today, First Story addresses the affordable housing crisis with an integrated approach that gives individuals a hand up to homeownership. Hayden Homes constructs houses for First Story in

their communities, which are then sold through First Story’s 30-year no-interest loan program. This approach provides move-in-ready homes to qualified applicants who are at or below 80 percent of the area median income.

First Story was designed with a sustainable funding source, to ensure the work of the nonprof it would continue in perpetuity. A donation of one-eighth of one percent of the sales price of every Hayden home is given to First Story each time the home is sold. Hayden Homes contributes the charitable donation on the initial sale in the homeowner’s name. If the homeowner sells their house,

they donate one-eighth of one per cent of the sales price to First Story. One hundred percent of the con tributions donated from the chari table covenant by the homeowners are contributed back to the county in which they were raised. To date, $4.8 million has been contributed to First Story through the charita ble covenant.

In Sisters, nine families have received First Story homes, eight in McKenzie Meadows Village and one in Village at Cold Springs.

Over 80 percent of Hayden Homes employees contribute to First Story through regular payroll deduction, which is matched 100 percent by the company.

Creating quality of life for seniors

By Sue Stafford

There is an organization in town that works quietly behind the scenes promoting a livable, resilient Sisters Country that people of all ages are proud to call home.

Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that acts as an umbrella organization to help people with good ideas bring them to life. The AFSC process is designed to quickly move projects from concept to completion, so residents benefit right away. From “one and done” initiatives with very targeted goals to long-term programs created to be a sustainable community resource, they are available to help get them across the finish line, because they know every good work makes a tremendous impact.

They provide the administrative, legal, and financial structure that is necessary to launch a new enterprise. The AFSC board members all have expertise in a variety of disciplines and can assist an innovator in learning what it takes to turn their passion into a working, structured nonprofit organization, and they can help with short-term initiatives as well.

To facilitate some of the upcoming projects on the drawing board,

AFSC is looking to grow their board, which is entering its fifth year of facilitating resident-initiated projects. The organization has been officially recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the eight Age Friendly communities in Oregon.

For more information and to volunteer and donate, visit their website at www.agefriendlysisters. com. Unrestricted grants and donations can help AFSC guide new organizations while keeping their administrative services up to date.

So far, the best example of an idea that grew legs and now provides a vital service free of charge for the community is Sisters Transportation and Ride Share (STARS), an action team that functions under AFSC with an eventual goal to become its own 501(c)(3), no longer requiring the incubation of AFSC.

Their success and the need for the rides they provide to nonemergency medical appointments in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond is borne out by the statistics. Since March 1, 2020, volunteers have provided 800 free rides for Sisters residents, covering a total of 40,000 miles. That means that volunteer dispatchers, working 256 shifts, booked those 800 rides.

Services have been expanded to include rides to pick up groceries, healthcare products, and prescription refills during inclement weather. Rides are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To schedule rides, call STARS dispatch at 541-904-5545 on Tuesday or Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. At least 48 hours advance notice is required.

To keep STARS active and growing, more drivers and dispatchers are always needed. Drivers are community members who generously donate both time and gas so Sisters Country residents can get much-needed help. All volunteers are screened and trained. Drivers continue to follow CDC-guided health protocol, and must provide proof of insurance for their vehicle.

To volunteer or donate to STARS, visit www.agefriendly sisters.com and click on Join the Action or Donate.

Council on Aging of Central Oregon (COACO) is a resource hub for adults over 60, their unpaid caregivers, and family members in Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, and North Klamath counties.

When you call the help desk at 541-678-5483, they can provide information, referrals, and access to services you need to successfully age at home in your community.

Nutrition and food services include home-delivered Meals on Wheels and Community Dining, as well as Grab-N-Go meals.

In Sisters, the Community Meal is on Tuesdays at Sisters Community Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy. A hot meal at no cost and the opportunity to socialize is available for adults age 60 and over. Programs, activities, and information about health, resources, and nutrition often accompany the meal. Grab-N-Go meals are also available in front of the church

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on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 12:30 and 1 p.m.

Volunteers are needed to pro vide friendly phone calls and checkins to a senior who is looking for connection. Simple weekly phone calls mean the world to seniors who do not get regular contact with oth ers. The calls can help reduce feel ings of social isolation. If you would like to volunteer, and are vacci nated, you can join a community of more than 450 people who contrib ute more than 20,000 hours each year to support their programs and services. Volunteer opportunities are available in all the programs offered by COACO and a volunteer interest form is available on their website, www.councilonaging.org.

Donations to COACO can be made on their website or can be sent to Council on Aging, 1036 NE 5th St., Bend, OR 97701.

Partners In Care is not just a provider of end-of-life care. Central Oregon’s only independent, nonhospital-based, not-for-profit home health and hospice offers a mul titude of services to the people of Central Oregon.

They are certified by Medicare to offer both home health services wherever a client lives, and hos pice services, both in the home and in the newly completed Hospice House, which has 12 individual patient suites.

This year the Sisters community

participated in the $6 million capi tal campaign to build the new Hospice House, donating $134,310, surpassing the $100,000 goal. That money went to furnish and outfit, with necessary medical equipment, the Three Sisters patient suite.

Other services include the Transition program, palliative care, grief programs and support groups, and veterans outreach, as well as Camp Courage for children and monthly educational programs.

For veterans who have given their best for our country, Partners In Care is honored to provide assis tance with ceremonies and celebra tions, memorial benefits, military honors, recording or sharing a lega cy, emotional and spiritual support, care plans, and pain relief, helping caregivers, and connection to help ful resources. They are a four-star member of the We Honor Veterans organization.

Specially trained, professional grief counselors offer a variety of opportunities and support for fami lies, friends, and the community when a loved one dies. Ongoing grief support and education for adults and children is available to everyone in the community. Camp Courage helps children understand and express their loss using a vari ety of meaningful tools.

Opportunities for volunteering or donating can be found online at www.partnersbend.org.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH US!

Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) champions a livable, resilient Sisters Country that people of all ages are proud to call home. We have big plans for our small town and that’s why we are growing our board of directors. Board members share their strengths, connect with the community, and enjoy the rewarding experience of creating meaningful change. If you have a passion for making a difference, we want to hear from you.

Caring for furry & feathered friends

By Katy Yoder

The animals sharing Central Oregon with us enhance every aspect of life. Taking a four-legged companion along for a hike is usually accompanied by birds singing in the pines or gliding across a lake or river. Their presence makes the experience so much richer. When those birds or dogs need help it’s important to know who to call and how to support them.

Elise Wolf started Native Bird Care 14 years ago. Her nonprofit is run by volunteers and is entirely operated with donations from the public. “One hundred percent of donations go toward our patients’ care, food, and housing. Our volunteer staff work thousands of hours each year saving birds that would otherwise perish,” said Wolf.

Wolf also provides ideas and ways to live with our flighted neighbors, including solutions to common problems like striking windows, what to feed wild birds, and how to create a bird-friendly habitat. Her popular blog and Facebook pages answer questions often asked by Central Oregonians. Her blogs and Facebook pages are very informative and have gotten attention both locally and

nationally. Find these resources at facebook.com/native.bird.care.

“Our mission is to provide a standard of care that offers the best chance for success and survival once our patients are released into the wild. We’ve gone through significant growth. We started with a trailer, two aviaries, and a small stock tank. Today, we have five aviaries from small to large and four filtered recirculating waterbird pools (one swan sized). In 2014, we built our large avian-care room called Hopes Room and an intake hospital room, with an indoor water set up,” said Wolf.

Wolf says that whether you live in an apartment or on multiple acres, every person can improve habitats for birds.

“We teach the public about beneficial habitats, bird-safe yards, how to deal with salmonella and disease at feeders and other feeding tips,” she said. “We also cover how to keep birds clean with bird baths and water features. Native Bird Care focuses on birds that need specialty care and do better in smaller centers vs. larger ones that can be more stressful,” said Wolf.

They also care for birds that are more challenging to handle.

“Songbirds are facing serious challenges in the coming decades

as populations decline. We treat everything from window strikes, cat-caught birds to starvation and smoke inhalation and we encourage people to get injured birds into a box as soon as possible without waiting. Immediate emergency medical care is what saves them.”

To make a donation to Native Bird Care visit their website: www. nativebirdcare.org

Marianne Cox is an avid traveler with a strong love for animals. As she moved throughout the world, she often saw dogs who were on

their own — by the looks of them, many weren’t faring well. One of Cox’s lifelong dreams was to save one of those street dogs. In 2017, the Cox family flew Trece, a Vizsla mix dog deemed a pest in Sayulita, Mexico. Within three days Cox found Trece a forever home in Bend.

Since then, Street Dog Hero has flown hundreds of dogs to loving homes in the Pacific Northwest. By focusing her rescue efforts on dogs living outside of the United States, Cox seeks to

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Elise Wolf of Native Bird Care treats a trumpeter swan who was the victim of a gunshot wound.

fill a void in rescue operations. Street Dog Hero has saved dogs from Mexico, India, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, China, South Korea, Albania, and dogs from overcrowded shelters in Texas, Ohio, and California.

Street Dog Hero has moved into a permanent site at 910 SE Wilson Ave., Suite A-1, Bend, OR 97702. The location allows rescued dogs to have a landing spot after rescue and before going into foster care. It also allows them to do more spay/neuter and wellness clinics. They are hosting a wellness clinic in November.

Donations to the nonprofit will fund an increase in regular and low-cost spay-andneuter clinics in 2023. They’ve launched a capital campaign with a goal of raising $50,000 by the end of 2022. Their latest numbers show they’ve rescued 2,200 dogs from 12 countries, primarily from Mexico. Senior Director of Communications and Development Kody Osborne says upgrades increase their ability to do spay and neuters.

“We’ve done 1,450 spay and neuters so far and 2,700 wellness visits to both owned and street dogs and cats for dental care checkups, etc. We just got nine puppies from a Texas shelter and will be finding them new homes.”

Focusing closer to home, Street Dog Hero is rescuing within the U.S. in states that have high rates of euthanasia within the shelter system. Transferring dogs to no-kill shelters gives them a chance.

“We focus on communities that are least likely to receive the services they need,” Cox said. “We are delivering services to folks living on Warm Springs land as well as in Madras.”

To donate to Street Dog Hero visit www.streetdog hero.org.

By Katy Yoder

Supportingfamilies & kidswith education and services

Knowledge is power. It can also be a lifeline for families and children who are struggling. In Center Oregon, resources are available to support families in a variety of ways. These local nonprofits are improving the lives and futures for families as they offer ideas, programs, and approaches for life’s challenges.

EDUCATION

Josh Nordell is a teacher for the Sisters High School (SHS) program Advocates for Life Skills and Opportunity. Recently, the

program moved next to the SHS greenhouse, which offers a safe place to learn and grow students’ knowledge and a variety of plants.

“Students have been cultivating plants, watering them, and learning what it takes to care for plants. The job skills they develop can help them find employment,” said Nordell. “The program offers important life and job skills to use with disabilities.”

There’s also an opportunity for integration with students with all kinds of abilities. Students work with Life Skills students with everyday tasks. Donations help fund

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the program and allow Nordell to acquire the resources needed to enrich the lives of students. To sup port the SHS Lifeskills program contact Nordell at: josh.nordell@ ssd6.org

Heart of Oregon Corp’s Youth Build is based in Sisters. Development Manager, Leanna Williams, says the Sisters’ program provides job training for people between 16 and 24 years old. Youth build teaches tools like construc tion training. They’ve just started a new childcare track.

“There’s a big gap in childcare in Sisters Country, so we added that to the youth build alternative train ing track. It just started this year,” said Williams.

Programs are not a temporary solution but an ongoing investment in future generations.

“Young people in our program learn job skills through hands-on community projects like build ing affordable housing for Habitat for Humanity or assisting in local childcare facilities,” said Williams.

Tanner Rohne, program direc tor of Youth Build, describes Youth Build as a credit recovery program for kids.

“We have a partnership with the Sisters School District to help students get caught up so they can graduate on time. For others, we help them attain their GED at their expected graduation time,” said

Rohne. “The construction group is getting ready to work with Sisters Habitat for Humanity to build our seventh home. We have worked with Habitat and closely with Camp Caldera, Seed to Table, and on projects with Veterans Village in Bend, the City of Redmond, and the Community of Warm Springs. We look for donations to provide a warm meal during our commu nity lunches as well as financial support.”

To donate to Heart of Oregon visit http://weblink.donorperfect. com/heartoforegoncorps

Family Resource Center’s (FRC) mission is to support par ents and strengthen parent-child

relationships that foster chil dren’s healthy development, love of learning and lifelong wellbeing. Marketing and Communications Coordinator Gina Beer says FRC supports parents in whatever way they need it.

“We have evidence-based par ent support that we’ve studied to find the best strategies and skills that support healthy development for kids,” Beer said. “Consider how many hours we spend learn ing to drive and compare that to how much time we spend learn ing to parent. We don’t really get a parenting guide or manual. So, its normal to want to learn the ins and outs of how a child’s brain

develops, and how to deal with a challenging behavior.”

FRC offers guidance about what kind of parenting skills and strate gies work for each family. Parent education supports strong rela tionships, and helps children move through life’s inevitable challenges.

“We can help prevent some of the things we’re seeing in society like substance abuse, trauma and bullying through strong relation ships in the family. Imagine you had a place in your community to go as a parent where you were sur rounded by other parents going through the same things you are. We’re here to listen and support family goals and values,” said Beer.

To make a donation visit their website and click the Donate but ton: frconline.org

Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (GRO) has been facilitating scholarships from the community for Sisters graduating seniors. The impact for students has been enormous reflecting over a million dollars reduced from their student debt. Scholarships come from individuals, businesses and foundations and through the Sisters GRO endowment. Many local students wouldn’t be able to pursue higher education without the support. Hundreds of graduat ing seniors are attending college or have graduated from other pro grams because of the scholarships.

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According to Program Director Laura Kloss, every student that applies receives a scholarship. Typically, the minimum amount is $1,000. Support Sisters GRO by establishing a scholarship or by contributing to their endowment. To learn more about how to donate visit sistersgro.org and click on Get Involved.

SERVICES

KIDS Center is a medical mod el providing child abuse evaluations that include a head-to-toe medical exam, child-friendly forensic inter views, family advocacy, and mental health services to children and fam ilies impacted by abuse. Services include prevention programs to teach adults how to better protect children from abuse.

Children are referred for a KIDS Center evaluation by one of four community partners including law enforcement, DHS Child Welfare, medical providers, and licensed mental health professionals. KIDS Center services are provided at no cost.

Gil Levy, the KIDS Center execu tive director, says they just com pleted a new strategic plan over the summer focusing on ensuring KIDS Center is serving the region as well as possible.

“We’re looking at areas that have barriers to services, or disparities that impede services. This year we’re seeing the continued increase

of children needing services from potential child abuse cases. There have been more cases in 2022 than in 2021. With our population increasing, that alone will mean we’ll be seeing more children,” said Levy. “Helping us keep families and kids safe and able to heal is critical. We recognize that Central Oregon is growing rapidly, and these ser vices have to be effective and acces sible to everyone in the region. We can’t remain static as the region continues to shift.”

To donate visit kidscenter.org/ support-our-work.

Court Appointed Special Advocates’ (CASA) Development Director Angelique Zojonc sees a big need for additional funding and volunteers.

“We need advocates in Crook, Jefferson, and Deschutes coun ties,” she said. “Donations to CASA go to Central Oregon children who are experiencing foster care and need a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). The CASA advo cate meets with the child and all the people in their lives every month to make an informed suggestion to the courts. Being an advocate is a big commitment.”

Training to be a CASA is an intensive, 40-hour process. CASAs spend on average about 10 to 15 hours per month working on the case. The CASA is there to speak on behalf of the child and their best

interests. In their last fiscal year, 437 children in Central Oregon spent at least one night in foster care.

“We were able to serve 381 of those with a CASA. We see that gap and need to serve those 56 children that needed a CASA. A CASA is an ordinary community member who does extraordinary things for chil dren in foster care. We’re nothing special as far as previous training or professional background. CASA provides everything you need to know to be an effective CASA,” said Zojonc.

To make a donation visit casa centraloregon.org or email their general mailbox: info@casacentral oregon.org.

November is National Runaway Prevention Month. Eva Gill, mar keting creative for J Bar J Youth Services wants everyone to know about this national event.

“The youth living at the Loft in our shelter will be passing out green light bulbs on a specific day to raise awareness and ask people to put the light bulbs out on their porches,” she said.

J Bar J programs are in place to help kids before and after they run away.

“We work on that through Cascade Youth & Family Center (CYFC), which is a shelter for homeless and runaway youth,” she said. “It offers family mediation

and crisis intervention and shel ter, so kids can go to a safe and secure place while their situation deescalates.”

At times, CYFC has kids come in who are under 16, and they can’t stay there for a variety of reasons.

“We use host homes for emer gency shelter. We could use one in Sisters,” said Gill.

To learn more go to the host home page of CYFC’s website cas cadeyouthandfamilycenter.org. To donate to J Bar J go to https:// www.jbarj.org/donate.

Assistance League Vice President of Marketing Kim Rush says the nonprofit provides cloth ing for young people and cooking nutrition classes, but their main focus is Operation School Bell. The program offers school children a chance to purchase clothing for school.

“We have increased the program to provide shopping at Walmart for more families in need of new school clothing. Our whole thing is to give them new clothes versus used clothing. That alone can really build their self-esteem,” said Rush.

Teens are excited to pick out shoes that fit and clothing of their own choosing. The program gives $100 to elementary students and $125 for high school students.

“We do a voucher system through Family Access Network. This year we see the need even

more because inflation is hitting families so much harder. Clothes aren’t in their budget. Statistics show that with better self-esteem students have a higher graduation rate when they feel good about themselves. That’s why we do Operation School Bell,” said Rush.

To donate, visit assistancelea gue.org/bend/donate.

Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center (HRTRC) is the only premier accredited center east of the Cascades in Oregon, offering professionally recognized horsecentered therapies. Experiences are offered to bring strength, hope, confidence, and joy to people of all ages with disabilities and spe cial needs. For the past 23 years,

HRTRC has grown tremendously, serving more people with equine therapy. They serve close to 200 recipients a week. Programs include Hero’s Horsemanship, Equine Assisted Mental Health Services, and Physical and Occupational Therapy utilizing horses and horsemanship lessons. There are close to 80 weekly volun teers and PATH-certified instruc tors. Participants work with their horse to learn horsemanship skills like grooming, tacking up, and rid ing, while gaining life skills. Once riders mount up, disabilities are less obvious, and they can move because of the bond between horse and rider. To donate to HRTRC vis it www.healingreins.org.

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Soren Smith says that the best thing about school is going out and having fun. And he does a lot of that through the Life Skills program and the Project Unif y spor ts program.

enjoys “any thing that ’s outside,” including hiking, bike riding, and swimming

“Soren’s positive attitude and smile make this school a better place to be!” — Susie Seaney

Life Sk ills,

work to expand their abilities academically, socially, vocational ly, and emotionally.

work — primarily reading and math

take up the morning hours, foll owed by daily excursions out into the communit y. For example, on Oc tober 31, they went to Harmony Farms to interact with the animal s.

Smith enjoys playing spor ts in Projec t Unif y, which stages basketball, soccer, and other games with schools that have similar programs. They also participate in Special Olym pics. Smith’s favorite spor t is soccer.

Smith grew up in Sister s and

“It’s not possible to have a bad day when you are around Soren!” — Shannon Beutler

“Congratulations, Soren! Soren is a pleasure to be around. Always in a good mood and curious, with ques tions about everything. It has been great watching him grow into the person he is now, and we look forward to observing all of his accomplishments in the future. Seeing him daily in the lunchroom, picking his favorite foods, is always a treat!”

— Terri Rood

“Soren is nothing short of a rock star on the campus of Sisters High School! For many of us here at SHS, especially myself, my day always gets better when I get a moment to talk and visit with Soren. He can make your worst day better simply with a look and a smile. We are so blessed to have him with us. We love you, Soren, you are our Rock Star Outlaw!!!!” — Gary Thorson, Athletic Director

“Soren is such a positive person to be around; he is beyond loved by his track-and-field teammates! His work ethic

— Coach Katie

“I am thankful for the opportunity to teach and have Soren as a part of my life. He has the ability to bring joy and kindness through his personality. He is engaging and it has been an honor to be his teacher for a number of years because I can see how much he has grown in all ways. Soren is a remarkable young man.”

— Josh Nordell

and positivity radiate during practice. We love you, Soren. Thank you for being you!”