Creswell First! is Creswell’s local community foundation. The mission of Creswell First! is to connect people who care with causes that matter for the betterment of Creswell. One such project is to manage the Community Service Fund for the City of Creswell. The Community Service Fund purpose is to assist non-profit agencies and organizations that serve Creswell’s residents. It is funded by cigarette and liquor taxes and state shared revenues. No property tax dollars are used to support this fund. Projects that are funded for 2021 were recognized and awarded funds in a city hall recognition ceremony.
Organizations awarded funds were:
Community Food for Creswell
The Creswell Food Pantry asked for funds to provide operational costs toward the expense of packaging foods for distribution. The food pantry has seen an increase of 39% since the pandemic began. The new Community Kitchen is being used to make meals for families that are frozen and packaged for distribution. The total request of $2,500 was approved. In addition, later in the year $624 was approved to purchase COVID – 19 masks for volunteers and clients.
WomenSpace, Inc.
Now “Hope and Saftey Alliance”
Womenspace provides hope and safety to domestic violence survivors and their families. Domestic violence increases during times of high stress in families and the current pandemic certainly provides a high level of stress for everyone. The request for Creswell First! funding was to help with food, supplies, infrastructure to support working from home and online schooling, rental and utility support. Some individuals and families need new safe housing arrangements to avoid violent encounters. Funding was requested at $2,500 and was approved and funded.
Creswell Clubhouse ($2,500) The Creswell Clubhouse is located on the grounds of Creslane Elementary School. It provides an after-school program for 30+ children. The Clubhouse program helps them with their homework and builds their skills, while keeping them safe. In the past they have been able to use the school computer lab, but now they need to build their own computer lab and supplies. Their request of $2,500 was approved.
Creswell Family Relief Nursery ($2,500) The Creswell Relief Nursery needs to gain the support and involvement of parents who are under stress. The program has a therapeutic nursery on the grounds of Creslane where pre-school children attend. Successful outreach to the parents requires an increase in home-based services. The parents have so much stress in their lives they find it hard to keep appointments, attend parenting classes, and take advantage of what is available in the community. While help provided in the home is more staff intensive, it is what is required to meet the needs of these parents. Funding to increase outreach was requested at $2,500 and approved.
Family Support Services At Crestlane Creslane
Special Services at Creslane school provides low-income families with support during November and December. These are times when children in Preschool Promise and the Relief Nursery, as well as families with younger children not yet school age, need food boxes, gifts, and help with increased utility and household costs. This support during the holiday season forms a connection with the elementary school and integrates them into the school district. The request for $2,5000 was approved and funded.
Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center’s goal is to assist families with school age children by connecting them with helpful resources. For these children to be successful in school, basic needs such as food, shelter, electricity, and transportation. Many of these families can’t afford these basic needs and the Resource Center connects them with outside agencies. They also fill in the gaps with their own funding. Creswell First! approved and funded the Resource Center’s request of $2,500 to help these low-income children.
Creswell Heritage Foundation
The school house renovation and restoration has been a project strongly supported by the city council. The Heritage Foundation has had a difficult time raising funding for the operation of the building renovation due to the cancellation of fund-raising efforts during the pandemic. In addition, there was an emergency stabilization project that had to be addressed. The request of $2,500 was approved and funded so the renovation operation could continue during the pandemic.