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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 2014)
CIVIL LIBERTIES AND WOMEN’S ISSUES The Civil Liberties Defense Center (cldc.org or 687- 9180) gives support to activists, protesters and ordinary citizens who know their rights have been trampled but may not be able to afford an attorney. CLDC Executive Director Lauren Regan and other CLDC members also conduct “know-your-rights” trainings around the state and coordi- nate and serve as legal observers for local actions, such as the recent Seneca biomass plant protest. CLDC also gives legal support outside of Oregon, such as for California’s Winnemem Wintu Tribe and as far away as Keystone XL pipeline protests in Texas. SASS (Sexual Assault Support Services sass-lane.org or 484-9791) has been Lane County’s primary sexual assault responder since 1991 and is one of only two agen- cies in Oregon focused solely on providing services to survivors of sexual violence, SASS board president Lindsey Gelser tells EW. SASS provides an “empower- ment-based, survivor-centered approach to change societal conditions that allow oppression, especially sexual vio- lence, to exist.” Gelser points out that SASS “is incredibly important to our community and is very relevant because of the work and discussions around sexual violence taking place in our community, at the University of Oregon and around the nation,” and we agree. Also vital to the wellbeing of our community and pro- tecting those who need our help is the work of Womenspace (womenspaceinc.org or 485-8232). Womenspace’s mission is to prevent violence in intimate partner relationships in Lane County and support survivors in claiming personal power. THE UNHOUSED Eugene and Lane County can still do more to fight poverty and aid the unhoused. But let’s take a moment to admire the amazing work local nonprofits have done to address these problems. In 2013-2014 the Egan Warming Center (eganwarmingcenter.com or 689-6747) gave shel- ter to 1,124 individuals. Egan, which is administered by St. Vincent de Paul, is “a coalition of community members representing service providers, religious congregations, nonprofit support agencies, social activist communities and local government who have come together to ensure that homeless people in Lane County have a warm and safe place to sleep when temperatures drop below 30 degrees between November 15 and March 31.” Community Supported Shelters (communitysup- portedshelters.org 683-0836) has pro- vided Conestoga huts at Opportunity Village (opportunityvillageeugene. org or 606-4455) and around town such as at the Eugene Safe Spots it manages. These rest stops and villag- es give the unhoused a leg up and the dignity of a home and access to toilets and showers. The Nightingale Public Advocacy Collective (respectexistence.org or 485-1755) will be running rest stops for the unhoused and is continuing in its efforts to “establish and operate a self-governed village-style communi- ty focused on health and wellness.” Nightingale also supports the efforts of SLEEPS (Safe Legally Entitled Emergency Places to Sleep) and the Whoville camp, which calls attention to the right to sleep as a basic human right. MEDICAL CARE Universal Health Care on the Streets of Eugene Occupy Medical (occupy-medical.org or 316-5743) is something you have to see for yourself. Watch the all-vol- unteer crew gently and cheerfully care for those in need, starting with something as simple as a haircut at the Gorilla Hair Salon or as dramatic as saving a life. You can also experience it for yourself. OM is truly universal health care, turning no one away, whether they are insured or not. The big red-and-black bus shows up every Sunday at the downtown Eugene Park Blocks (8th and Oak) between noon and 4 pm and dispenses socks, burritos (courtesy of Burrito Brigade), peanut butter, coffee, herbal medicine, health care, prescriptions and more, according to OM med- ical director, Dr. Bruce Harrow. Harrow says Occupy Medical’s work to care for wounds, treating or preventing infections, has kept people out of the emergency room and prevented possible ampu- tations. OM’s mental health care has also kept people out of the Johnson Unit. Born of Eugene’s Occupy encamp- ment, OM is the little bus that could, and it can do it even better with your donations. Stitching Holes in the Social Net A WARM PLACE TO REST AT THE EGAN WARMING CENTER Let’s not mince words: The work done throughout this community by White Bird Clinic (whitebirdclinic.org or 342-8255) is astonishing. Established in 1969 by a coali- tion of concerned citizens — doctors, stu- dents, activists — wanting to provide medi- cal and legal aid to folks in need, White Bird today has become a sort of crisis catch-all, providing dental and medical care, drug and alcohol treatment, crisis intervention ser- vices (largely through its roving CAHOOTS vans), mental health services and legal assistance and case management for low and no-income individuals. Staffed largely by volunteers, this orga- nization has committed itself to plugging the holes in our community’s social welfare KIDS EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS WITH NEARBY NATURE PHOTO COURTESY OF NEARBY NATURE net, creating a kind of alternate care system. And all this vast, comprehensive care requires money. As volunteer coordinator Ben Brubaker points out, “Any donations that we receive help support the clients we work with in a vari- ety of ways. It underwrites all of the different programs that we do. Individuals can even specify a certain depart- ment or area.” Brubaker says that, among the new devel- opments at White Bird, he is particularly stoked about a new area of coverage for White Bird’s mobile-care sup- port. “We’re excited about CAHOOTS being able to expand into Springfield any time now,” he says. EDUCATION Want to help fund education? Support the top-notch nonprofits around Lane County that make it their business to teach kids about the world around them in creative, engaging ways. Take Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN), for example, which leads free Wetland Wanders every month in the West Eugene Wetlands. January 2015’s wander is at Swallow Pond, where WREN (wewwild.blogspot.com or 338-7046) staff and volunteers will guide kids and parents through the wetlands to observe lichens, aquatic animals and plants. For costumed gambits through local parks, Nearby Nature (nearbynature.org) is just the thing. Volunteers dress up as woodland creatures and guide kids through natural areas, where they learn about ecosystems through hands-on activities and crafts. Tech-centric Thinkersmith (thinkersmith.org or 632- 4096) is perfect for kids of all ages, with a focus on encouraging young women to enter tech fields, and it provides opportunities for students to delve into computer science while exploring their creativity. Currently Thinkersmith is raising money for a permanent facility in order to expand its offering of classes, so find the Indiegogo link on its website — the fundraising campaign ends Dec. 31. For a broader donation, check out the Eugene Education Foundation (eeflane.org or 790-7744), which awards grants to schools in Eugene School District 4J. Last school year, EEF granted money for improving music education, growing the School Garden Project and sending kids to see Shakespeare plays in Ashland, to name only a few causes. Outside of 4J, the Bethel Education Foundation (betheleducationfoundation.org or 913-1740) PHOTO COURTESY OF EGAN WARMING CENTER Storewide holiday savings thru Dec. 24th! Cargo & Family Bikes $100 00 bonus on Yuba Mundo & Boda Boda, Xtracycle Edgerunner, & Surly Big Dummy. Child seats, cargo bags, electric assist motors. Daily specials on great gifts! Details at facebook.com/arriving.by.bike ÓÇäxÊ7>iÌÌiÊ-ÌÊUÊx{£°{n{°x{£ä °qÀ°Ê££qÇ]Ê->Ì°Ê£äqÈ]Ê-Õ°Ê£Óqx eugeneweekly.com • December 24, 2014 13
