THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
BAKER CITY HERALD — A5
LOCAL & STATE
Nonprofit helps families affected by COVID
 Northeast Oregon
Network serves
Baker, Union and
Wallowa counties
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The (La Grande) Observer
LA GRANDE — In difficult
times, a community-based organi-
zation is providing some relief to
families impacted by COVID-19.
Northeast Oregon Network, a
nonprofit based in La Grande, pro-
vides support to families whose in-
comes are impacted by a quarantine
or isolation by offering grocery gift
cards and other services. Funded
by the Oregon Health Authority
and other partners, the nonprofit
health collaborative aims to provide
financial and non-financial support
to families in need.
“We just want to help people
make it through their quarantine or
isolation safely because it’s a really
stressful time,” Executive Director
Liberty Avila said.
For families in need due to quar-
antine, the program can provide
up to $120 in grocery gift cards per
family member. Northeast Or-
egon Network also helps families
retrieve their groceries if necessary,
transport family members to medi-
cal facilities, run errands as needed
and other means of service.
“We’re just trying to fill those
gaps that are hard to fill, especially
when you’re stuck at home,” Avila
said.
Families in need
There is no needs-based test-
ing for families looking to utilize
the NEON program, which aims
primarily to help families that are
greatly affected by a loss of income
due to staying in quarantine.
The intake forms specifically
state that the family needs to be
in isolation due to COVID-19 or
contact with someone that has
COVID-19. The program seeks to
help families that do not receive
sick time through their job or are
losing significant income because of
testing positive for COVID-19.
“It’s limited to people who are
in isolation or quarantine, not
Local outreach
just generally folks that need help
The Oregon Health Authority
began funding the program in July unfortunately,” Avila said. “But,
we can help people sign up for the
2020, while the Center for Human
vaccine or help navigate resources
Development, La Grande, also
works with the organization on a lo- and help them figure out how they
cal basis. According to Avila, North- can get rental assistance and other
things.”
east Oregon Network has assisted
In order to request financial
roughly 300 families with groceries
and other services since the start of assistance in the form of grocery
gift cards, families can reach out to
the pandemic. The organization’s
the county’s WRAP services at 541-
outreach spreads across Union,
962-1610 or covidwrapsvcs@union-
Baker and Wallowa counties.
The (La Grande) Observer, File
Northeast Oregon Network, a nonprofit based in La Grande, provides support to families whose
incomes are impacted by a quarantine or isolation by offering grocery gift cards and other services.
county.org, which will connect them
with Northeast Oregon Network.
However, Avila said the majority of
families come directly through case
investigation and contact tracing.
“One of the questions they ask
is if you need services to be able
to stay in quarantine,” Avila said.
“That’s when a referral might get
made. They might, with your con-
sent, send your information to our
coordinator, Sandy, and she might
reach out directly.”
ADRIAN
could do both. Now, with the
the argument. But, with per-
political nature of vaccines,
sonal freedom comes respon-
Continued from A2
sibility, not only for ourselves, masks, government threats
and that stuff, I think you’ve
but for our neighbors.”
got to pick a side. You’ll toe the
“Superintendents imple-
Adrian taxpayers will pay
line, or you’ll stand on your
menting safety protocols are
out the $52,500 plus health
NOT being political, they are beliefs.”
insurance costs owed under
Among those beliefs is a
trying to maintain in-person
Purnell’s contract over the
learning,” said Gill. “The idea conviction that masks are
next six months as a new
at best unnecessary, and at
of a superintendent losing
superintendent is sought.
worst, actively harmful to
their job due to prioritizing
Purnell has been an
children.
educator for 37 years, and an in-person learning makes no
While Adrian High School
administrator for 19 of those. sense.”
The mask mandate was a Principal Billy Wortman
Before coming to Adrian, he
key topic at the Adrian School insisted in an interview with
held a variety of roles — in-
the Enterprise that masks
cluding superintendent, high Board meeting on Aug. 12.
are required in his building,
Speaking during public
school principal, geometry
observers reported that few
comment, Paul Shenk said
teacher and volleyball coach
that while he enjoyed skirting students at the high school are
— during 18 years in Prairie
wearing them.
rules, “Kevin likes rules.”
City.
One high school student in-
“What I feel the frustra-
Monday night saw Purnell
terviewed said that “not many”
energetically defended by the tion is, is that we expect the
community he has served.
administrators to advocate for of her peers wear masks, but
that at the elementary and
the community,” said Shenk.
“I know firsthand that
“As superintendents, you guys middle school levels there has
Mr. Purnell is one of the best
superintendents in the county, need to band together to fight.” been more compliance.
The Enterprise is not iden-
“(Purnell) is going to pro-
and it breaks my heart that
we are in this position,” said
tect the district by protecting tifying students interviewed to
Nickie Shira, Malheur Educa- its employees, and a lot of the protect them from retaliation.
Masks or face shields are
community would say, ‘I think
tion Service District STEM
coordinator and Adrian 2040 that the superintendent needs currently mandated through-
to protect the kids, and protect out Oregon in public indoor
founder. “It’s sad that it has
come to this. But beyond mask the education the school gives and outdoor spaces, with the
mandates, there’s a lot to run- by protecting the kids,’” said
first restrictions announced
specifically for schools.
ning the school, to leading the Jake Speelmonn, former
Adrian School Board mem-
Districts can face heavy fines
staff and being an adminis-
for flouting the mandate, and
ber, in an interview with the
trator. And Mr. Purnell is a
teachers and administrators
man of integrity and ethical
Enterprise. “They see those
leadership.”
things as opposing. Before, you stand to lose their licenses.
The subject of masking, op-
posed by some as government
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COVID-19 spike
With the recent COVID-19
spike, more and more families
are affected by hardships related
to loss of income from staying
in quarantine. Northeast Or-
egon Network is aiming to help
families in need financially, but
the scope of their assistance has
been limited since the start of the
pandemic.
“There were other times where
we could pay bills and things
Still, Purnell has been a
vocal opponent of the state’s
right to impose masking on
Adrian. On July 31, he wrote
in a letter to the community
that “it is my belief that lo-
cal agencies have a better
understanding of the social,
emotional, psychological and
physical needs of their schools
and communities, rather than
the one-size fits all approach
that is now mandated.”
He promised that during
like that, but we had budget
constraints to work with and we
aren’t able to do that anymore,”
Avila said.
The nonprofit seeks to aid fami-
lies dealing with the repercussions
of the pandemic, with around-the-
clock responses.
“We want people to feel safe
when they quarantine,” Avila said,
“and we’re also trying to stop the
spread by making sure fami-
lies quarantine.”
superintendent meetings with
the Oregon Department of
Education and the Oregon
Health Authority, he would
continue to advocate for
Adrian.
Throughout the pandemic,
Adrian residents have consis-
tently opposed state protocols
for dealing with COVID in
schools.
Last September, the Adrian
School Board sued the Oregon
Department of Education and
Oregon Health Authority, al-
leging that the state’s system
for determining which schools
could open for in-person
instruction was both arbitrary
and capricious, and that their
students should be allowed to
go back to school.
Kincade said that the
Adrian School Board is now
considering joining a class
action lawsuit against the vac-
cine mandate for school staff
and volunteers.
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