We are excited to present
the 2023 Community Outreach, Inc.
Gifts of Caring Catalog!
As one of the largest nonprofits in the mid-Willamette Valley, Community Outreach serves more than 5,500 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 offer 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.
"COI saved my life twice."
Tyler’s struggle with alcoholism caused friction with his family and, ultimately, led to him
living in his car. After utilizing COI’s emergency shelter and attending a detox program, Tyler
came to stay in the COI Transformative Shelter program. One month into his time in shelter,
Tyler failed a breathalyzer test. When COI staff advised him to not drink for the rest of the
night while he waited to meet with the housing director in the morning, his life was forever
changed. That seemingly small idea, to just hold off for 12 hours, was a revelation to him.
From that point on, Tyler engaged with counseling and treatment and was ultimately able to get sober. After a brief stay in another housing program followed by another summer spent living in his car, Tyler came back to COI. Eight months later, Tyler received an affordable housing voucher and moved out of COI into an apartment of his own and is now sober and thriving.
$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
Joey was one of the first residents in COI’s young adult dorm.
Joey came to COI shortly after we had opened the doors of our new young adult (YA) dorm in October 2021. During their stay, they were able to reconnect with education and work toward their high school diploma, obtain stable income, and receive treatment for a number of ongoing health concerns including an abrupt decline in mobility. They also made major
progress on their gender transition journey, which had been a dream of theirs for a very long time. The YA dorm provided them a safe and controlled environment where they could learn to be more independent. “I would tell freshly 18-year-old, terrified Joey that your life isn’t over, you always have options. Even if you’re in a situation where you don’t feel supported, loved, or encouraged to grow, there are going to be people out there who feel the same way and want to watch you succeed.” After spending over a year with COI, Joey left the YA dorm for an apartment of their own.
$70 – One patient visit to COI’s no-cost Medical Clinic
$140 – One patient visit to a specialty clinic, such as COI’s physical therapy clinic
$200 – One month of program fees at COI shelter
Cheyenne found support to keep moving forward while staying at COI.
When Cheyenne came to COI, she had just left a dangerous relationship and needed a safe place to work toward her own stability. When working with the COI staff, Cheyenne always felt supported and understood, which allowed her to heal and to work toward her goals. Focusing on her mental health was a major priority and she was able to receive treatment for her PTSD. During her time at COI, she graduated from Linn Benton Community College. Cheyenne took advantage of every opportunity COI could offer her, from RentWell courses to art activities. Support from the COI team helped Cheyenne maintain her focus and drive as she worked toward her goals. “The people here always made sure that you knew that you could do anything that you put your mind to.” Finally, she was able to obtain a housing voucher and transitioned into her own space. Now she is healthier, more secure, and she hopes to open an Etsy shop for her artistic hobbies.
$35 – One night of shelter, including case management and food, for an individual
$150 – One hour of behavioral health counseling for community members with no access to care
$400 – One RentWell course for shelter residents
Jorge is working hard to establish a safe and stable future for his children.
By the time Jorge and his children arrived at COI, he had lost a lot of hope. After being cast out of their home, they moved from shelter to shelter. Finally, they were referred to COI by one of our partners and Jorge was able to connect with COI’s Good2Go veterans program. Now that they are in our Transformative Shelter family dorm, Jorge is relieved to finally establish some normalcy and stability for his children while he works to navigate a draining divorce and build a brighter future. For folks who find themselves in a situation like his, he advises “as dark as it may seem, as alone as you may feel, there are those out there who have their hands out. Don’t give up, keep moving forward, and keep reaching out.” In the meantime, he and his children enjoy listening to music while they have dinner together.
$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
Last year, with support from friends and neighbors like you, COI provided:
- Transformative Shelter for 115 individuals, and 35 families.
- 1,731 patient visits to our no-cost medical clinics.
- Supportive services for 98 veterans.
- 1,705 emergency food boxes.
- Childcare for 23 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 and mail checks to:
Community Outreach, Inc.
865 NW Reiman Ave, Corvallis, OR 97330
