We are excited to present
the 2025 Community Outreach, Inc.
Gifts of Caring Catalog!
As one of the largest nonprofits in the mid-Willamette Valley, Community
Outreach serves more than 7,500 of our neighbors each year – people like
those included in this catalog. Since 1971, COI has provided for the basic
human needs of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming
homeless. We provide shelter, food, medical care, counseling, workforce
development, and nature-based childcare, among other services, to help people transform their future. Our work alleviates the root causes of homelessness by focusing on families and individuals in crisis and by
collaborating with partners throughout our area.
To learn more about COI and the work that we do, you can visit our
website at www.communityoutreachinc.org/
We’d like to invite you to read on and experience some of our clients’ stories in their own voices.
"It took all of you, in some way, shape or form, for what I need to get myself back. It's the opportunity of a lifetime..."
Jenni credits her long stay at Community Outreach Inc. with giving her the strength and stability to successfully move out and rebuild her life. When she found her way to COI she was 48 years old, had been drinking nearly every day for forty years, and was experiencing substance-induced psychosis. She was struggling with housing and her own mental health, as she struggled to navigate even the simplest life tasks on her own. At COI, she says she found the support she needed to learn to live a sober lifestyle. When asked about her experience in the women’s dorm, Jenni said, “COI’s help has changed my life in ways that are more than just having a bed, more than just not having to pay rent… It’s getting another chance when you fall in life.” One of the things Jenni found most comforting at COI was the fact that everyone there is in the same boat. For two years, she found a sense of camaraderie, almost like a family. She celebrated the victories of the other residents, and found it uplifting when they, in turn, celebrated hers. Asked about the staff at COI, “It’s a job you have to love or you cant do it.” Jenni credits the sober life and the tremendous staff at COI with her life transformation and took the chance to express her gratitude. “Thank you for everything… It turned my life around.””
$20 – One hour of case management for an adult in shelter.
$55 – One substance use disorder therapy group session
$245 – One week of Transformative Shelter, including case management and food, for an individual.
$400 – One RentWell course for shelter residents
"Thank you for investing in me!”
Now 35 years old, Angela has struggled with addiction since she was 14. When her parents both passed away, Angela found herself alone, raising her young daughter, with no support. Living in Central Oregon, there were limited resources, and she struggled to break free from old patterns. In search of a better future, Angela packed only a bag of clothes for her four-year-old daughter and moved to Corvallis. She entered a treatment program five months ago, and that’s where she learned about MAri’s Place. While her daughter, Charley, is at COI’s licensed childcare program, Angela knows she is safe and well cared for. Angela shares that the nature-based curriculum is a perfect fit, and that now she sees her daughter engaging in nature when they take walks together. Angela can tell she feels safe and benefits from the structure and curriculum. Having affordable childcare allows Angela to focus on her own growth and recovery, knowing that her daughter is safe and thriving. At Mari’s Place, Angela says she found so much more than childcare. She found security and peace of mind.
$30 – One Hour of Specialized case management for a veteran
$150 – One month of part-time childcare at COI’s onsite childcare program, Mari’s Place
$500 – Emergency food boxes for 50 families
"I learned to be grateful for what i have, whatever it is, because you can have nothing. Treat every day as a holiday and every meal as a feast, because you can have nothing.”
For years, Robert struggled with health issues and medical providers who wouldn’t listen. He stopped attending school in the fifth grade and was incarcerated at a young age. Communicating was a challenge, and the obstacles to good health seemed insurmountable. When a doctor finally listened to Robert, he was shocked to find he has a long-standing brain infection and a broken back. The endless cycle of confusing and pain was overwhelming and made it difficult to function. Eventually, Robert moved in with a family member. When that situation deteriorated, Robert moved into his car and hoped for a shelter to have room for him. Already familiar with the program, he jumped at the chance to move into COI, where he knew he would find support and opportunities. Now, Robert is focused on improving himself. He is learning to be more confident in his reading and writing, and is working to expand his vocabulary. He works with a counselor at COI to process situations he has found himself in to learn how they happened, and what to do differently next time. He prioritizes his health, and is making slow steady progress toward his goals. Robert finds inspiration in his children and pushes himself every day to become a better person. “Sometimes I want to quit, but I can’t. I keep a mental picture of my kids in the front of my brain and ever time, I just remember them. They need me.” When asked if there was anything he would like to share with the staff at COI, Robert had this to say… “I appreciate you all and I love you. Thank you for your hard work and keep it up, because the community needs you.”
$70 – One patient visit to COI’s no-cost Medical Clinic
$140 – One visit to a specialty clinic, such as COI’s physical therapy clinic
$150 – One hour of behavioral health counseling for community members with no access to care.
Last year, with support from friends and neighbors like you, COI provided:
- Transformative shelter for 63 adults, 24 young adults aged 18-24 and 28 families.
- 1,585 patient visits to our no-cost medical clinics.
- Supportive services for 52 veterans.
- Over 120,000 lbs. of food to feed over 7,099 community members.
- Behavioral health care for 23 individuals.
- Affordable childcare for 31 children.
Caring for those who need it most is one of the greatest gifts of the holiday season, and this season you can give a gift that keeps on giving with a Gift of Caring. Your gift will bring hope to our clients, to make our community a better place, and impact the lives of all the people our clients choose to help in the future as they “pay it forward.”
You may choose to give a gift in honor of a family member, a friend, or a business colleague. Each honoree will receive a personal note card acknowledging your generous gift in their honor.
Select the gifts you would like to provide by filling out the enclosed order form. Make your gift online or mail the completed form with a check or credit card information to:
Select the gifts you would like to provide and mail checks to: