2023
Partners artners in Giving Partners and pioneers 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 making life better for all Central Oregonians. They are enabled to do their invaluable work by the generous support of a giving community — you and me. We are the partners of these dedicated outfits that serve children, seniors, the disabled, and anyone else in need — including our furry friends. We
help by volunteering our time, by making in-kind contributions, and by making direct monetary donations to these organizations that truly define the spirit of Central Oregon. Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief The Nugget Newspaper
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Partners in Giving • The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023
The
spirit of giving is strong in Sisters
You don’t have to be in Sisters for very long before you recognize that this is an exceptionally giving community. Whatever need is identified in the community, there is likely a nonprofit, a service club, or simply a group of caring folks who are working on meeting it. From education to support of the arts, from housing to medical and transportation needs, a wide range of needs is being met by a wide range of organizations and individuals. Some outfits are based in Sisters and have an international reach. (See related story, page 8.) Martin Cannon, who helped spark the creation of the recently formed Sisters Community Foundation, was inspired by the spirit of giving he sees on a weekly basis in the pages of The Nugget. “I’m overwhelmed, in The Nugget, with the outpouring of kindness of the people in the community,” he said. What motivates the spirit of giving in Sisters? Judy Trego, executive director of the Sisters Community Foundation, says that those who contribute to the funds used to help people in distress in the community are folks who have a “deep desire to help people of limited means.”
“It’s people who have strong ties to Sisters — people who live and work here,” she said. Some of them are only parttime residents, but they feel like this is their home, and they want to support it. That tracks with the “psychology of giving.” People like to feel a connection and a sense of belonging in their community, and giving to others in that community fosters that sense of connection — as does receiving help from community members when you need it. A fundamental aspect of giving, as identified by Psychology Today, is simply a desire to help: “A key reason we donate to charity is to improve things for others, including other humans as well as non-human animals. This might sound obvious, but the idea that good things happening to others can also make us feel good goes against a lot of traditional ideas in economics that humans are generally selfish and should only be motivated by their own monetary gains.” Giving to those who are not our kin — simply for the sake of helping them, with no expectation of reciprocity — is altruism. Research shows that altruism is part of our genetic makeup, and helps us
survive and thrive. You don’t have to delve into complex biological processes to know that giving to others simply feels good. As noted in Psychology Today, “A subtly different motivation from simply wanting good things for other people is the benefit we get from feeling responsible for that positive impact. In the same way that we enjoy achieving something in any aspect of our own lives, making a difference for someone else via a charity can be a strong motivation.” That motivation can be particularly strong when we see the impact of our giving up close and personal. Jonathan Hicks of Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty says that the business’ philosophy of giving is to focus on the passions of its staff. “The overall philosophy is hyper-local to a certain extent,” he said. “It’s driven by agents and employees in each individual market. Typically, it’s a direct involvement. We want to support the community we live in.” Cascade Sotheby’s gives through Sisters Kiwanis, and supports the Sisters School District and the Circle of Friends mentorship program, “individually down to Little League and softball scholarships
and that kind of thing.” Hayden Homes team members recently worked together to build 23 bikes that were then donated to Every Child Central Oregon ECCO for youth impacted by foster care, ahead of the holiday season. Chelsea Matthews of Hayden Homes said that the project reflected the corporate philosophy of “give as you go.” Giving makes us feel like part of a community, that “we’re all in this together.” As Cannon puts it, “I look at how lucky I’ve been in my life, and I see people struggling and I want to help. I see so many other people helping, I want to be part of that group.” Jack McGowan has been on both ends of the equation when it comes to charitable giving. For 18 years, he and his wife, Jan, operated former Governor Tom McCall’s statewide nonprofit SOLV (Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism) that relied on donations and corporate contributions to accomplish its mission. And, in turn, they are committed givers themselves. “We firmly believe in personal philanthropy,” McGowan said. “What we do is try to contribute a See GIVING on page 4
The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023 • Partners in Giving 3
GIVE THE GIFT OF SUPPORT WITH THE
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show™
Here is an opportunity to honor your favorite person with a gift to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Your partnership and financial support allows us to continue to celebrate the beauty of quilts while positively impacting our community. And with your help, we will continue to produce an event that is culturally, artistically, and financially important to Sisters.
Your contribution now is vital as we prepare for the 49th annual show on Saturday, July 13, 2024. For information visit www.soqs.org/donate or call 541-549-0989
SOQS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to celebrate the art, skill and heritage of quilting and fiber arts while enhancing the c cultural vitality of Sisters and Central Oregon and providing enrichment opportunities for area youth.
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Partners in Giving • The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023 GIVING
Continued from page 2
minimum of $100 up to $500” to the organizations and charities they support. Like many in Sisters, the McGowans give regularly, even though they are not so well-heeled as to be able to do it casually. “We have to pick and choose,” Jack said. “It is heart, it is emotion — but it is also pragmatism. What is the best return for our contribution?” McGowan thinks that nonprofits should be able to articulate “return on investment” to their donors (see related story, page 6). Giving feels best when you know it is truly making a difference. Volunteerism We tend to think of giving as making a financial contribution to a charity, a nonprofit or an organization. But one of the most important and effective ways to give is to give your time. Hicks says that the commitment of time his real estate colleagues make is even more significant than their financial contribution. As was pointed out in last week’s forum on loneliness and social isolation (see related story, page 1), volunteering is one of the most effective ways to make connections in our community. If you are looking to “find your tribe,” you can find a cause or an organization
that needs volunteers and naturally find yourself in the company of folks who share your interests and values. In Sisters, you can volunteer at events from Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and Sisters Rodeo to Sisters Folk Festival and many more. You can work on housing, and you can help seniors get to medical appointments. You can support arts, education, athletics. You can mentor children, or advocate for them in foster care. You can build trails to take people into our beautiful Sisters landscape. You can serve those coming to the end of their life’s trail through volunteering with hospice. You can work through a church or a service club, or you can work on a farm. The opportunities in Sisters are virtually limitless — and the rewards are great. Giving at its best should benefit the recipient and the giver — and volunteering is a wonderful, hands-on means of making that happen. The organizations and businesses found in these pages contribute mightily to the Sisters Country community. Some of them are giving support, many of them need our support — either financial or through our good works. Help them out, build your community — and know the satisfaction of being among those who contribute to the fabric of a special place.
The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023 • Partners in Giving 5
• It makes us feel good
Psychology Today reports that: “Charitable activities trigger neural activity in areas of the brain that are linked to reward processing — the same areas that are activated by pleasures like eating and sex, according to a 2007 study published in the journal Science.” Save the Children notes: “With positive self-esteem and self-worth comes a genuinely more optimistic mood and outlook on life as even more health benefits of giving. Studies show that one of the benefits of giving back is its positive impact on the brain. These effects are similar to activities people usually associate with joy and happiness such as eating, exercising, or affectionate gestures like giving someone a hug. Different chemical reactions can lead to an ongoing pattern of improved mental health and well-being. Keep this in mind the next time you’re having a bad day and need something uplifting to draw from. There are many advantages of helping others, as donating can help better somebody else’s life and lead to a healthier you.” It may seem counterintuitive or even selfish that a primary motivation for doing something that is good for others is that it is gratifying for us. But we shouldn’t feel
Why do we give? Studies of the psychology behind charitable giving and the effects of giving on the giver consistently show that giving is good for us. What is consistently at the top of the list as to why people give?
their differences, that the values they share are more similar than they might appear on the surface.
• We have experienced giving and want to give back
Many folks who contribute to or volunteer for local organizations have experienced the benefits they bring, and want to continue the cycle. People who have seen the impact of hospice care will often support the organization long after their need is done, because they know it makes a difference in people’s lives. A person who has used a food bank may donate once they have the means, because they want to “pay it forward.”
• We want to alleviate suffering
odd about that. It’s a signal that what we’re doing aligns with our values and aspirations. And there’s nothing wrong with doing things that make us feel good — especially when it helps another.
• It builds bonds of community
Giving of ourselves — especially
when we volunteer — strengthens the bonds of community. People of different races, faiths, political persuasions often come together for a cause — like providing Christmas gifts for disadvantaged youth, or building a Habitat for Humanity home. In working together, they find that what they have in common outweighs
When others are struggling and suffering, we feel it. That’s empathy, and empathy is a great motivator for giving. We give to stop negative impacts from happening, or at least to ameliorate the situation. Our desire to give may be rooted in a mix of altruistic and selforiented motives. That’s a natural part of being human. We are social creatures, and what we do for others, we do for ourselves.
Kiwanis Club of Sisters On a Mission of Giving Year-round The Kiwanis Club of Sisters has been serving Sisters Country since 1977. In addition to the SISTERS FOOD BANK, we provide FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS for Sisters High School seniors. Sisters Kiwanis also SUPPORTS YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS such as: Circle of Friends • Family Access Network Sisters Park & Recreation District Transitions (Sisters High School) Heart of Oregon Corps CASA • Camp Sunrise and others as the need arises.
Local donations fund the grant, which provides grant money to Sisters residents that wish to improve, or change, their careers.
To Donate or Volunteer call 541-588-6441
Sisters Kiwanis Club is a volunteer-run organization so 100% of the money raised goes to the charities we support.
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Partners in Giving • The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023
So many
ways to give in Sisters Country
Finding ways to give of yourself — your money and your time — is not difficult in Sisters Country. As these pages attest, there are many community organizations to choose from: nonprofits, agencies, service clubs, and businesses, all committed to bringing people together and meeting a wide range of needs in the community. Look carefully through these pages and you will find organizations whose work aligns with your passions and your values. And you will also find ways to make giving simple, a part of your regular business. Take a moment to think about what kind of impact you want to have and who you want to help. Expect those to whom you contribute to be able to answer questions if you have some. Jack McGowan, who operated the statewide environmental nonprofit SOLV (Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism) for 18 years, recalled that he always emphasized return on investment (ROI) when seeking donations from either corporations or individuals. “Every nonprofit should be able to discuss the ROI for any corporate or personal investment,” he said. Often, that ROI is astounding.
He calculated out a 17-1 ROI for SOLV. That counts volunteer hours — because volunteerism is critical. Don’t think that just because an organization is using contributions to pay staff that your investment isn’t paying off. Lucius Caviola, who studied charitable giving and was part of a Harvard Gazette story on the psychology of giving, said, “Many people believe charities must have low overhead ratios to be effective, but that’s not true. What matters is: Does the charity focus on a really important problem and does it use a really effective intervention? It doesn’t matter whether it has a high or low overhead as long as it uses it effectively.” Katy Yoder, a board member of Seed to Table in Sisters, puts it succinctly: “It takes people to run programs. To get good people, you have to pay them a living wage.” She also notes that, like many organizations, Seed to Table gives out more than it takes in. “We give a lot, so we need a lot,” she said. Choosing where and how to give Some criteria to bear in mind when deciding where, how, and how much you want to give: • How much can you afford to
give? Make sure your contribution is financially sustainable for you. And your contribution doesn’t necessarily have to be in cash; many Sisters organizations have a need for volunteers, and you may have expertise that could really help. • What kind of organization do you want to support? If you have a particular passion (education, for example), you are likely to get the most satisfaction and sustain your giving if you channel your giving in that direction. The more connection you feel, the more you are likely to give. Do you want to focus very locally, or seek broader, more widespread change? You can see the impact of your contributions up close with small, local groups, but a more prominent charity might have wider impact. Do you want to reach out globally, or keep your contribution close to home? • Support one organization, or several? There is something to be said for helping a little across a wider spectrum. However, you’re likely to have a bigger impact and your support may be significantly greater if you give substantially and/or regularly to one organization rather than spreading your support widely but thin. • Do you plan to give once, or multiple times? Are you donating
or volunteering to support a particular project, or do you want to support the work of an organization over time? • Do you wish to give anonymously, or do you want to establish a formal partnership or sponsorship with an organization? Methods of giving • There are opportunities for giving that pop up during our everyday routine. Local groceries like Ray’s Food Place and Oliver Lemon’s offer donation programs that you can access as you shop for your own groceries. Fill up a bag or make a checkstand donation, and you’re helping folks in need. • A major transaction — buying a house — can pay forward. Hayden Homes designates 1/8th of 1 percent to its First Story Program, helping first-time homeowners afford a home. Stephen Saunders of Avenir Realty has devised a program to create a community fund for distribution to needs selected by clients. Hayden Homes and Cascade Sotheby’s Realty staff contribute both funds and volunteer hours to many causes. • If your heart is in supporting children and education opportunities, there are many organizations See WAYS TO GIVE on page 8
The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023 • Partners in Giving 7
Building Hom , Community & Hope
Volunteer
Photo courtesy Jerry Baldock
Opportunities are available in our Thrift Store, ReStore, Construction Services, and Office. Call for information.
Donate
Online: sistershabitat.org By mail: P.O. Box 238, Sisters, OR 97759 With your smartphone: scan the QR code...
541-549-1193
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Partners in Giving • The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023
WAYS TO GIVE Continued from page 6
for whom that is a primary mission. Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (GRO) ensures that students get scholarship support for post-graduate work. Sisters Kiwanis Club has a tradition of supporting youth in Sisters, and Heart of Oregon Youth Corps provides meaningful and effective alternatives to classroom learning. Health and well-being and good educational outcomes are connected, and several organizations in Sisters Country work on a variety of aspects of that equation. Seed to Table offers both science education opportunities and access to good, healthy produce for families. ALSO (Advocates for Life Skills & Opportunities) advocates for children with disabilities, and CASA of Central Oregon advocates for children in foster care. Mosaic Community Health seeks to keep access to quality care open to families regardless of means. They are now operating the school-based clinic next to Sisters High School to serve young people in the community and improve access to care. Blazin Saddles continues its annual tradition of providing bikes to young people and families so that they can have transportation and healthy and fun exercise and recreation. Sisters Outdoor Quilt
Show supports the arts community and offers a major education component. • If supporting the elders of your community is meaningful to you, Age Friendly Sisters supports projects that do just what its name delineates — making Sisters a good place to grow old with satisfying quality of life. They incubated the highly successful STARS program that offers transportation to seniors. Council on Aging provides a range of services that support seniors. • Housing is tough in Sisters, and many people are working on solutions — and/or mitigation — to the strain on people trying to afford a home, stay in a home, or who are unhoused. Habitat for Humanity is expanding its scope of work, while Bethlehem Inn and Sisters Cold Weather Shelter seek to intervene with the needs of the unhoused. • Those who have lost a loved one know the value of quality hospice care — and they are often moved to volunteer themselves or to contribute to this vital need. Sisters was instrumental in helping Partners In Care build a new hospice house in Bend. • If you just want to help — and make sure your contributions are going to organizations that can help effectively, you can turn to tried-and-true charities that help
with a wide range of needs. St. Vincent DePaul helps the disadvantaged with meals, clothing, and housing assistance; the United Way works to build resilience and financial stability for families across Central Oregon. Sisters Community Foundation is set up to respond quickly to immediate needs of individuals, families, and others in the community. World’s Children is based in Sisters and has global reach in supporting children in orphanages and refugee communities from India to Ukraine. • There is an enormous number of nonprofits working in Sisters Country, in a wide variety of arenas. Some are involved directly in charitable giving, some have more indirect impact through events and educational outreach. All of them are busy weaving the fabric of the
community. See the list of Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce member nonprofits on page 12.
Because we take the guesswork out of giving,
your gift supports our future investments in education, health, financial mobility, local nonprofits, and programming of our own.
UNITEDWAYCENTRALOREGON.ORG
The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023 • Partners in Giving 9
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Partners in Giving • The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023
Commentary…
Finding the
generous heart of a community
By Jim Cornelius My wife, Marilyn, and I marked a significant milestone last week: our 30th year in Sisters. Apart from wondering how those years marched by so fast, it has been a time of reflection on what Sisters was in 1993, and what it still is. We’ve seen a lot of change, but one thing has been a constant: Sisters has always had an exceptionally generous heart. Arriving just before Halloween, one of the first things we saw in town was the kids’ Halloween Parade. We didn’t know it at the time, but we had witnessed our first example of the giving nature of the Sisters community. The Sisters Rotary Club put on the parade to give kids a safe, fun way to enjoy the spooky season. To be honest, Marilyn and I didn’t come to Sisters for the small-town living. We were newlywed refugees from Southern California, where the Rodney King riots signaled that the social fabric was badly frayed. So, yes, we were looking for a more congenial environment. The main motivation, though, was the one that has motivated thousands to visit here and to make it home. We took a
THE GIVEBACK REALTOR
Stephen Saunders
long look at the Three Sisters on a perfect, clear August day and concluded that we had to live here. Back then, all we wanted was forests, streams, and mountains. We got that, of course, and we treasure it still. But what kept us here for 30 years, during which we raised a daughter, was the spirit of the place. And that spirit really revolves around giving. Some of that giving comes from neighborliness; there’s a lot of folks who will show up when the chips are down, ready to plow a neighbor’s snowbound driveway and the like. Some of it is institutional. You’d be hard-pressed to find more active service clubs, and organizations like Sisters Habitat for Humanity have been punching above their weight for years. When we arrived in 1993, Sisters had just opened a new middle/high school. That didn’t just happen. Dozens of folks, not all of them having kids in school, thought it was important that our kids be able to graduate in their hometown, not Redmond, and made it happen. The schools have since become a focal point of the community, which supports them through local option taxes, and contributions to the Sisters
Homes With Heart!
My mission is to help buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals, then gift back a part of my net income to causes chosen by the Sisters community. Vote for your favorite causes online using the QR code.
480-452-9272
stephen@avenirrealtygroup.com LICENSED REALTOR IN OREGON
Schools Foundation and Sisters Graduate Resource Organization (GRO), which makes sure graduating seniors get scholarship support to launch them into the next phase of their lives. My closest experience with the generous heart of Sisters has come through the Sisters Folk Festival, which I helped to get going in 1995. Right from the beginning, we were determined that the Festival be more than a music event. Dick Sandvik and Kathy Deggendorfer conceived of The Americana Project, an educational outreach program that has over the past decades shaped hundreds of young lives. Community members — some of whom don’t live here permanently, but feel a profound connection to this place — have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the impact of the organization. Artists have donated work for auction, and uncounted volunteers have contributed time and talent to building programs. That’s an important illustration of how giving works in Sisters. There are people with the financial wherewithal to write a generous check, and their support is vital. But you don’t have to contribute
financially to make an impact. Time and talent are valued, and the amount of both that are given every year is breathtaking. I am privileged to have work that connects me to so many of those who give of their time, talent, and treasure to making Sisters the best community it can be. Martin Cannon, who helped launch the Sisters Community Foundation, told me that he was motivated to contribute to his community by the remarkable generosity he reads of each week in the pages of The Nugget. You’d be hard-pressed to find a week where we don’t have a story — or several — about people who are giving of themselves for the sake of their community. Witness, for example, this edition’s front-page story on the four Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District volunteers honored for decades of service. In a world that seems especially dark right now, it is important that communities like Sisters continue to shine a light. Sisters has grown and changed over the past 30 years, and it will grow and change some more. But Sisters will remain Sisters if only it retains its generous heart.
The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023 • Partners in Giving 11
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Partners in Giving • The Nugget Newspaper • November 1, 2023