Providing A Hand Up Instead of Hand Out to Oregon
How one non-profit's goal of empowerment and education will change the face of the Willamette Valley's most in-need
Crossroads Communities is one of Oregon's newest non-profit organizations. The IRS sees a tax classification as 501(c)(3) but to Oregon's homeless, recovering drug and alcohol addicts, and those afflicted with treatable mental illnesses Crossroads Communities is so much more than a tax classification; it provides them a new chance to succeed. Located in Lebanon, Oregon, Crossroads Communities is a pilot program focused on providing stabilization & supportive housing, life skills education and job training to those who need a second chance.
Homelessness in America is a humanitarian crisis impacting almost every community in our nation. Especially concerning is the number of homeless veterans who live on the street in the nation they served to protect (55% of homeless veterans in Oregon are unsheltered). Although the total number of homeless in the United States decreased as a whole from 2015-2016, the numbers in Oregon tell a different story; Oregon's homeless population increased by 2.5%, the fifth highest in the nation. According to a report released November 17, 2016 there were an estimated 13,238 homeless in Oregon. Of those, 60.5% were unsheltered-- the second highest percentage in the nation (after California).
Although Lebanon's population is under 17,000 it is one of the more progressive cities when it comes to providing solutions to the growing epidemic of homelessness. Part of the town's 2040 Vision and Strategic Plan there are items that speak to the need of addressing homelessness as well as substance abuse education, treatment, and prevention. Crossroads Communities as a pilot program will do just that.
Crossroads Community's stabilization and supportive housing facility will be open this summer. During their stay in the safe, closed-campus environment, residents will have the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to be self-sufficient and productive while avoiding triggers that may otherwise cause a relapse.
Donations may be sent to 146 W Grant St, Lebanon OR 97355.To learn more or to get involved please call KJ Ullfers at 541-514-5145
Crossroads Communities is one of Oregon's newest non-profit organizations. The IRS sees a tax classification as 501(c)(3) but to Oregon's homeless, recovering drug and alcohol addicts, and those afflicted with treatable mental illnesses Crossroads Communities is so much more than a tax classification; it provides them a new chance to succeed. Located in Lebanon, Oregon, Crossroads Communities is a pilot program focused on providing stabilization & supportive housing, life skills education and job training to those who need a second chance.
Homelessness in America is a humanitarian crisis impacting almost every community in our nation. Especially concerning is the number of homeless veterans who live on the street in the nation they served to protect (55% of homeless veterans in Oregon are unsheltered). Although the total number of homeless in the United States decreased as a whole from 2015-2016, the numbers in Oregon tell a different story; Oregon's homeless population increased by 2.5%, the fifth highest in the nation. According to a report released November 17, 2016 there were an estimated 13,238 homeless in Oregon. Of those, 60.5% were unsheltered-- the second highest percentage in the nation (after California).
Although Lebanon's population is under 17,000 it is one of the more progressive cities when it comes to providing solutions to the growing epidemic of homelessness. Part of the town's 2040 Vision and Strategic Plan there are items that speak to the need of addressing homelessness as well as substance abuse education, treatment, and prevention. Crossroads Communities as a pilot program will do just that.
Crossroads Community's stabilization and supportive housing facility will be open this summer. During their stay in the safe, closed-campus environment, residents will have the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to be self-sufficient and productive while avoiding triggers that may otherwise cause a relapse.
Donations may be sent to 146 W Grant St, Lebanon OR 97355.To learn more or to get involved please call KJ Ullfers at 541-514-5145