FEBRUARY 26, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3
HOMELESS,
continued from Page A2
choice. It’s not what someone
sets out to be.”
A good portion of the
meeting was spent looking
at defi nitions and statistics, as
well as the general background
of the issue. For example, the
difference between homeless
and chronically homeless was
explained. Homeless means
being in a place not meant for
human habitation or tempo-
rary shelter, imminent risk of
homelessness or fl eeing do-
mestic violence. Chronically
homeless means having a doc-
umented disability and being
continuously homeless for 12
months or experiencing four
episodes of homelessness over
a three-year period.
Different housing types
(emergency shelter, transition-
al housing, affordable housing,
permanent housing, perma-
nent supportive housing and
tenant-based rental assistance)
were defi ned.
Statistics showed a count
of 1,660 homeless in the
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area in 2015, with the larg-
est portion being 615 in Sa-
lem. There were 95 homeless
people recorded in Keizer. Of
the homeless on the street, 69
percent had health conditions,
which included mental health,
substance abuse and chronic
health conditions.
Andy Wilch from Salem
Housing Authority said in-
creasing rents haven’t helped
matters.
“There’s a scarcity of af-
fordable housing,” Wilch said.
“What used to be affordable
housing, there was enough in
the private sector two years
ago. Now the rents have gone
very high in the private sec-
tor. There is new construction,
but it’s not affordable hous-
ing.”
Craig Bazzi, Transition Ser-
vices manager at Mid Willa-
mette Valley Community Ac-
tion Agency, said he’s proud
of the Marion County Re-
entry Initiative, which helped
formed the basis for the task
force.
“People I deal with are a
subset of the barriers,” Bazzi
said. “Some are incarceration
and drugs. The initiative is
trying to fi nd a solution that
works.”
Margaret Salazar and Kris-
ten Arnold were on hand from
the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to
talk about options.
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Miracle of Xmas sets record
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
When it comes to a big
event like the Keizer Miracle of
Christmas Lights Display held
each December in the Gubser
neighborhood, there are things
that can point to growth.
On busy nights the line of
vehicles waiting to start the
route of Christmas lights can
stretch to Lockhaven Drive.
Another sign of growth deals
with the food donation aspect
of the event. After all, the event
is a fundraiser for Marion-Polk
Food Share, with canned food
and cash donations accepted
throughout the three-week
run. Volunteers sign up to help
with the collection every night.
Brigett Eisle, who has run
the event the last few years with
husband Mike, revealed some
numbers from the 2015 event
at the Feb. 18 Greater Gub-
ser Neighborhood Association
meeting. Rick Gaupo, president
and CEO of the Food Share,
was also on hand.
Eisle counted and found
more than two-thirds of houses
along the route were lit up.
“We had waiting lists of
people wanting to participate
and help out,” she said. “We had
to turn away 10 groups this year
that wanted to help. We had so
many people, we had a waiting
list. If people can see what we’re
doing, it just brings the com-
munity together even more.”
Another way Eisle knows
the event is growing? She’s hav-
ing to buy more candy canes to
pass out every year.
“We spent close to $1,000
for 23,000 candy canes,” she
said. “It’s fi ne to do that, but
that’s $1,000 we don’t get to
give to the food bank. We’re
going to really explore options
to get those donated or to get
a business sponsor to pay for
those. When we fi rst took it
KEIZERTIMES/Craig Murphy
(From left) Mark Caillier, Jeremiah Ratliff and Brigett Eisle
present a check for $23,424.77 to Rick Gaupo on Feb. 18.
over, we bought 11,000 candy
canes the fi rst year. We ended
up having to buy more, but it
wasn’t 10,000 more. It’s grow-
ing and growing.
“The other thing that tells
us it’s growing is the check
donation, which this year is
for $23,424.77,” Eisle added.
“That’s the largest cash dona-
tion that we’ve done.”
Eisle noted the 20,539
pounds of food collected this
year was more than 4,000
pounds off of last year’s total.
However, the cash collected the
previous year was $21,837.
Eisle presented the oversized
check to Gaupo with assistance
from 12-year-old volunteer
Jeremiah Ratliff and GGNA
president Mark Caillier.
Gaupo was thankful.
“First of all, just a huge
thanks to you and the commu-
nity,” he said. “The combined
total for the life of this event is
more than $300,00 and more
than 300,000 pounds of food.”
Gaupo called the Miracle of
Christmas the largest of its kind.
“I’m so into family and the
community and the impact
we can have together,” he said.
“This food drive is the biggest
community-based food drive
we have, hands down. That is
huge. What’s super impressive
is the longevity of it. I love the
(events) that are big and fl ashy.
But I would give that up every
single day for something that is
sustained, community building
and impactful. That is what this
food drive does better than any
other food drive I know of.”
Gaupo referred to audience
member Curt McCormack
as the backbone of the Keizer
Community Food Bank.
“It’s such a great partner-
ship,” Gaupo said. “Families
come twice a week and get
food assistance. That food
wouldn’t be there without
the Marion-Polk Food Share
and Marion-Polk Food Share
wouldn’t be there without food
drives and campaigns like this.
I never think of the Marion-
Polk Food Share as an agent of
change, I think of it as a conduit
of change. You’re the agent of
change. You gave us $24,000 for
food. We give it to the Keizer
Community Food Bank to give
to the community.”
Gaupo emphasized the
MPFS uses what is given to it.
“We’re not going to hoard
the money,” Gaupo said.
“There’s no reason to hoard it.
It doesn’t go into a vacuum. It
goes right back into the com-
munity, the Keizer Community
Food Bank and into commu-
nity gardens. It all would not be
possible without the commu-
nity members. I’m so impressed
with what you do.”
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“These conversations are
so critical,” Salazar said. “Over
the years federal funding has
decreased to address homeless
housing.”
Arnold went over Housing
First, an approach to quickly
connect those experiencing
homelessness to permanent
housing without precondi-
tions and barriers to entry.
“It’s a whole system ap-
proach,” Arnold said. “This is
their home, so they don’t have
to think about living in cri-
sis. They can think about the
future again. When they can
start doing that, it makes life
easier and they’re more likely
to engage in services because
they’re not in a state of emer-
gency every day.”
Keizer Mayor Cathy Clark,
one of the city’s fi ve represen-
tatives on the task force, noted
the next evening the large
crowd meant future meetings
will be held at the Keizer Civ-
ic Center.
The next meeting is set
for March 29 from 4 to 6
p.m. The task force’s website
(http://homelesstaskforce.net)
has a variety of documents on
the issue.
There will be meetings ev-
ery month the rest of the year
except for April and August.
At the last meeting on Dec. 1,
it will be decided if the task
force is done or if more meet-
ings will be held.
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The City of Keizer is solicit-
ing applications for volunteers
to serve on committees:
Keizer Points of Interest
Committee: This committee
was established to identify, au-
thenticate and memorialize sites
of interest located in the Keizer
area. Sites to be identifi ed may
be of the historical, geographi-
cal, botanical, or unusual. The
committee meets on the third
Tuesday of each month at 5:30
p.m. (two vacancies).
Budget Committee: Re-
sponsibilities include assisting
the City Council in the ex-
amination and analyzing of pro-
posed budgets for the City of
Keizer. The Budget Committee
meets in May of each year.
Youth Liaison/Page: Op-
portunities are currently avail-
able to youth for service on
various city committees.
Nominations are also being
accepted for Volunteer of the
Quarter. Please check out the
city website to learn more.
Volunteer applications and
Learn how to help your community in times of emergency
JOIN
Volunteer of the Quarter nomi-
nations are available at Keizer
Civic Center (930 Chemawa
Road NE) or you can request an
application by calling city hall at
503-390-3700. Electronic ap-
plications are available on the
city website (www.keizer.org).
For more information, contact
Debbie Lockhart, Deputy City
Recorder, at 503-856-3418.
Applications/nominations
must be received by March 9 to
be considered at the March 17
Volunteer Coordinating Com-
mittee meeting.
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2016 Training Sessions
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Take part in this 8- week class
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