Raices Community Garden participants sell their starter plants at the Hood River Farmers Market

Five years ago, Nuestra Comunidad Sana (NCS) devoted time to working with local people to build community leadership. This project, called Raices or Roots, blossomed into our current Raices Community Garden and Greenhouse project, which has a leadership group that supports each other in gardening and selling starter plants and vegetables at the local Farmer’s Market. Raices had turned into more than a gardening project and into an economic development project. This, in turn, led NCS to working with small, local Latino-owned businesses providing business services.

With funding support from NALCAB, USDA-Rural Business Development and Meyer Memorial Trust, our Promoviendo Prosperidad, or Promoting Prosperity project, now works with 18 local businesses, helping them with anything from marketing, business planning, customer service, permits, searching for buildings and accessing capital (loans and grants).  It is our goal to strengthen businesses so they can retain and create jobs.

What does this have to do with children?  Well, we can all agree that children and families are stronger when one or both parents have secure jobs.  You can’t separate children from how their parents are making a living.

Please remember that the next time you’re deciding where you spend your money.  Local businesses support local families.

Words and drawings are an important mode of self-expression

At our May Board of Directors’ meeting, Sky Vaday, Youth & Family Services Program Coordinator, gave a training on The Next Door’s Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) program, called Link Up. The training was chocked full of history about VOCA, the services we provide and the rights of victims; all of which are important to share as a blog post.   We have had this program for over a decade, during which time we’ve served hundreds of people.

During the training, the Board discussed whether our program participants are victims or survivors, and the difference in this terminology.  The term “victim” can be construed as being weak, where “survivor” brings to mind someone strong.  On the other hand, by using the term “survivor,” it implies that people should get over what happened to them, where “victim” gives proper weight to what people have endured.  It’s an interesting quandary and certainly wasn’t resolved at our Board meeting.

The following information was presented:

Type of victim services our agency offers:

• Crisis intervention
• Assessment of basic victim needs
• Information and referrals
• Case planning
• Court accompaniment
• Intermediate and long term support services
• Consultation with other professionals
• Education and risk reduction
• Criminal justice support and advocacy
• Education support
• Transportation
• Safety planning

What kinds of victims our agency serves:

• Child victims of physical abuse
• Child victims of sexual abuse
• Victims of emotional abuse
• Victims of domestic violence

 Victim Rights Movement History:

• President Reagan created the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime in 1982 to address the needs of the millions of Americans and their families who are victimized by crime every year.
• In 1984, it was called the Victim of Crime Act (VOCA)
• In 1990, Congress passed the Victims Right and Restitution Act and the Child Victims’ Bill of Rights
• In 1994, The Violence Against Women Act was passed
• In 1997, The Victim Rights Clarification Act was passed
• IN 2004, the Justice for All Act was passed
• Every state now has some form of victims’ compensation fund.
• Across the USA, some 10,000 victims’ assistance programs have been established.
• The Federal Crime Victims’ Fund has disbursed over $2.3 billion in funds collected from fines paid by federal offenders.

Crime Victims’ Rights:

The idea of promoting victim rights stems from the idea that victims need justice beyond simply punishing the perpetrator of the crime. Whether or not the perpetrator is caught and punished, the victim and the victim’s life are impacted by the crime. Victims have the following rights:

• The right to information;
• The right to be present at criminal justice proceedings;
• The right to due process, i.e., the right to notice of and opportunity to be heard at important criminal justice proceedings;
• The right to financial recompense for losses suffered as a result of a crime, such as restitution and/or compensation/reparations;
• The right to protection;
• The right to privacy

Victim rights may serve to enhance:

• Victim satisfaction
• Cooperation
• Comfort in reporting
• Risk-reduction efforts
• Feeling of safety and security
• Faith in social services/government/ justice system
• Speed of healing process
• Feelings of power/usefulness

Supporting crime victims requires- a basic belief that victims are not responsible for the actions taken against them. The role of the victim service provider is to assist and guide the victim through the healing process.

Guiding principles provide a unifying framework for victim service providers to support victims and their families:

1. Recognize the impact of violence on victims’ lives. Work with victims to achieve safety, prevent future violence, and stem the effects of violence in their lives as early as possible.
2. Offer compassionate and non-judgmental support, understanding, and respect.
3. Provide information, education, and advocacy that will contribute to empowerment, dignity, and self-determination.
4. Provide a trustworthy, client-centered climate that allows clients to begin to regain a sense of control over their lives and trust in others.
5. Support the clients’ capacity and right to grow, change, and make choices for themselves.
6. Provide accessible services to all those impacted by violence, particularly those who are marginalized or face barriers.
7. Offer a helping community that values diversity and provides culturally and linguistically competent services.
8. Maintain a respectful workplace that supports well-being, self-care, and growth for both clients and staff.
9. Model commitment to non-violence.
10. Ensure high quality and effective services in all programs, promoting a seamless and well coordinated transition to other appropriate services both within your network and the community at large.
11. Work to improve the systems and societal attitudes that affect victims of crime and abuse through education, advocacy, and collaboration.

Whether it’s taking their Littles on an outing, showing them new things or simply playing with them on the floor with toys, Bigs provide something special for their Littles

I was looking through my files this morning and came upon my folder of “warm fuzzies;” stories of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ matches from over the years, as told by Bigs and parents of Littles. Here are a couple that are well worth sharing:

As told by a parent: “Since “Sharon” has been in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, she has changed in many ways. She loves her Big Sister. Her self confidence has come up. She looks forward to spending time with her [Big Sister] every week. Sharon has grown in many different ways. She gets her school work done now; on her last report card, she got As, Bs and Cs, and before her grades were real bad.”

As told by a Big Brother: “Since my time with “Billy” started five years ago, I have seen remarkable improvement from a shy, reserved boy who just wasn’t sure of himself. He is now a young boy developing with the potential to become a fine young man, showing great advancement in confidence, poise and willingness to reach out to other people. He shows great progress in communication and social interaction.”

Becci Crane (right) presents NDI foster parents with “Victory” medals as she stands next to a poster of foster parents as superheroes, drawn by their foster children

I sat next to foster mom extraordinaire, Jody, who told me a story about her very first foster son, “Colin.” She told me that Colin tested her in every way. He did all he could to annoy her, challenge her, make her lose her patience and anger her. This lasted for five months, but she refused to give up on him. She told me that he grew on her. She said, “You know, I still found a way to love him.”

Jody went on to tell me that recently Colin’s birth mother called her with the news that Colin was currently in juvenile detention, but that he’d specifically asked to hear from Jody. Jody told me that she would write to him. I told her that she’d made a difference in Colin’s life and she should be proud. She replied that she’d always remember him.

As I sat in a conference later in the week, learning about child development in babies, the lecturer spoke about a baby’s “capacity to endear.” She said that even when babies cry and fuss and need their diapers changed, their caregivers love them because babies have that ability to make people love them.

This made me think of Colin, and even though he was a challenging teenager, he still had the capacity to make Jody love him.

Few could guess the amount of work that takes place in this humble building in Forest Grove–the office of Adelante Mujeres

Two weeks ago, four of my co-workers and I got to take a field trip to Forest Grove, Oregon to visit Adelante Mujeres, a fantastic organization that helps thousands of people every year through a variety of programs.  A few of these programs are similar to those of Nuestra Comunidad Sana, including our Raices/Roots Greenhouse and Community Garden and our Promoting Prosperity Business Services program.

Six employees at Adelante Mujeres took time out of their busy day to tell us all about their community garden and their small business development program, called Adelante Empresas.  We learned a lot and most importantly learned that we are on the right track with both of our programs.

We hope that we can return the favor and host our counterparts from Adelante Mujeres in Hood River someday soon.

Here is La Esperanza Farm’s greenhouse on a beautiful day in late April

From the outside–east side of the building

From the inside of the office

It’s hard to tell what a new window looks like when a) you forgot to take a “before” photo (opps!) and b) the office is so small you can’t really take a good whole office picture.

That said, it’s pretty amazing what a small, cramped, dark office in our facility in The Dalles looks like now that it has a window–it’s a whole different space. Our Families First/New Parent Services director, Charlie Hill, has claimed it and is finally able to have a private office for himself–only three months after he started work at NDI!

When I think back to last year at this time, most of my co-workers in The Dalles had pretty miserable workspaces.  Then we moved, made nice upgrades and now everyone has a light, airy office space in a centralized location–the same as our office in Hood River.

I certainly can’t complain about facilities these days.  Now for the economy to truly pick up so I don’t have to complain about funding!

Home Visitor, Tami Swanson, reading a book with a young mother and her baby

I’ve  had the privilege of reading books that I own since I was a small child.  But many children do not have the access to books that I had.  They can go to the library if their parents take them, but they do not have books of their own.

Last week, I got an email from my co-worker, Julie Ryan who is our Healthy Start Program Manager.  She was excited to have received a $725 book grant from the First Book Advisory Board Hood River County, OR, #32.  Here’s what she told me,

“I know this is not cash for our program, but it really is a perk for the Hood River families we serve! This grant and the ability to purchase books for families helps with Parent/Child attachment and school readiness activities, while helping some families meet their personal goals of learning more English (we make sure to get bi-lingual books). A big bang for a few bucks!!”

We are very grateful to First Book, an amazing organization out of Washington DC, with local chapters, whose goal it is to distribute “one hundred million new books to kids in need.”

Here’s our annual family celebration and picnic in Wasco County. I love pictures of babies playing with books. They will be our readers of tomorrow!

In the past two weeks alone, one husband found used tires and changed them on our car in The Dalles and another husband built a partition in lieu of us buying a cubicle in Hood River.

If I were to keep a list of these “donations” of time, expertise and love (because, let’s face it, they are doing it because they love their partner), it would be pages long.

These are the unsung heroes of non-profit organizations everywhere.

A new partition, constructed by one co-worker’s husband from scrap wood he got from his workplace

New used tires for our Ford Taurus, purchased at a discount rate and put on by the husband of another co-worker

And last, but not least, my very own husband, who dressed up like a turkey for a Thanksgiving children’s fair I coordinated back in Chicago in 2002. I surely don’t know what I’d do without him!

Students in our Independent Living Program are learning how to recycle computers

Here’s an amazing partnership: teens in foster care are taught how to recycle computer equipment–learning a valuable job skill while contributing to society.  A few months ago, The Next Door’s Independent Living Program (ILP) partnered with Mid Columbia Council on Government’s StRUT (Students Recycling Used Technology) program.  Here’s what ILP Coordinator, Livia Colbert, told me about the experience so far:

We have been out to StRUT twice so far. The first time was a fairly full day during spring break and last week was the beginning of our every other Tuesday after school schedule. The kids have really enjoyed it. They are doing a combination of volunteering and learning activities.

For the volunteering component they have been in the warehouse taking apart computers and separating them into various parts to be recycled. The kids have gotten really into it and often keep track of how many computers they took apart or get really excited to share an interesting piece that they found inside their computer. I can already see the experience giving them many valuable employment skills such as working together, asking questions, following directions, and taking safety precautions. I think that this will be something many of our kids can put down on their first employment applications when they are ready to get jobs.

The second portion of our time at StRUT will be educational. Marty Willie [StRUT Program Director] has been wonderful about asking the kids what they are interested in and is planning a variety of activities for our group such as building computers, robotics, and programming. This will give our kids an introduction to technology skills that will help them in school, employment, and life.

I am really excited that we have gotten this opportunity!

I second that.

Making jam–a first for Rebecca

Here’s a fantastic story from our newest program, Mentor for Success, which matches caring adult role models with teenagers.  I’m so happy this program and its amazing volunteers have joined our ranks!

This was written by a mentor who is matched with a 17 year old girl, whom we’ll call Rebecca.

At our first meeting, my mentee ”Rebecca” held her head down and could not look at me. It took time for her to speak to me. She had bright turquoise blue hair, a cat ear headband, and was dressed in all sorts of colors. I appreciated her spirit and the obvious artistic side of her. I soon learned her life was filled with “nevers”  -  she had never eaten pizza in a restaurant, never gone to a play, never had done a lot of things that would be common for someone her age.

We’ve done lots of “firsts” together – gone out for pizza, taken art lessons, tried windsurfing, attended plays and outdoor movies, made jams & jellies and homemade Christmas cookies and cards and lots of crafts. She’s worked with me on community service projects and helped with fundraisers. A friend and I taught her to groom and ride my friend’s horse.

Rebecca did choose to leave high school, but has started in the GED program at CGCC. She now sees that she has options for her life and has to make important choices for herself, and her confidence to do that has grown. She wants to succeed.

Rebecca’s still somewhat shy, but is now eager to try new things. With each new adventure her confidence has grown.  She now talks with me about her life and future plans, and asks questions and offers suggestions freely. She has started calling me just to say hello, or to ask for some help with something.

On the way home after an event we attended recently, she said to me, “How did you like the play? Was it fun for you? And thank you for taking me because I had so much fun!” Wow! What a change for this girl. She left the car that night to go inside, happy, with her head up, with new interpersonal skills, and looking to the future. I felt happy too.