What
does Wilsonville Community Sharing do, exactly?
Wilsonville Community Sharing creates a network
of state, county, community and private agencies which already
provide services. Our specialists then screen needy applicants
and direct them to appropriate agencies. Occasionally, Community
Sharing provides direct service to a client: specialists make
phone calls, complete paperwork or personally request assistance
from another agency.
Our specialists are of the philosophy that need
does not incur in isolation: someone who needs rental assistance
is probably also behind in utility bills and may need food or
seasonal clothing. There is little point in solving any problem
with cash assistance if the problem will likely present itself
again in a month. Our specialists work to address this cluster
of needs and point clients toward existing programs or resources
so that they can advocate for themselves.
We keep busy! In 2007, 1952 households representing 7680 people
were served by the food bank, and 2314 individuals either called
for information about programs or required direct intervention.
If
other agencies already provide services, why do we need Wilsonville
Community Sharing?
One of the criticisms often leveled at government
agencies is that “you people don’t talk to each other.”
WCS specialists have years of experience in working with various
agencies and know what services are currently being provided,
where it is offered and the procedures and requirements for assistance.
When WCS discovers duplication, it alerts agencies so that they
can choose to refocus their resources, which results in savings
to the tax payer and more help for others in need.
Specialists also carefully screen clients to determine
that their needs and circumstances are legitimate. Close associations
with service providers allows WCS to know if potential clients
are utilizing other services and not reporting duplication of
efforts. Tax payers thus have relative security that tax dollars
are being spent as intended.
By focusing on the Wilsonville area, specialists
also have the opportunity to determine a variety of needs quickly
and efficiently and to customize solutions to problems since many
of us also live in the area and are quite familiar with community
resources and volunteers. Our residents don’t have to vie
with other communities for our attention, as is true on a county
or state level.
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What
is the profile of the “typical” person or family in
need?
Our client base has changed dramatically in the
past few years. Today’s needy include highly educated professionals
in need of job retraining, two-income intact families who have
little or no health insurance or other benefits, a growing local
homeless population, and the chronically mentally ill who can
neither pay for medications nor see specialists who have overseen
their care in the past.
We’ve learned no one is immune; economic
disaster may be just an illness or accident away. When that happens
to a member of the community, Wilsonville Community Sharing is
there to help.
Are
you a faith-based organization?
While the board and pool of volunteers of WCS are comprised of
people of various faiths, we are a secular organization. Wilsonville
Community Sharing accepts public monies from the City of Wilsonville,
a public entity. Should clients prefer a faith-based model, WCS
can direct them to one of the local churches, and then offer support
in whatever way the client and church find most helpful. We are
here to serve every resident who has a legitimate need.
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Who
monitors your activities and expenditures?
As a tax-exempt non-profit, we file taxes and must
have our accounts audited regularly. In addition, we make quarterly
reports to the City of Wilsonville and appear at budget meetings
to answer questions. The WCS Food Bank is overseen by the Oregon
Food Bank.
Our monthly meetings include a report of all monies
spent for the month, the number of clients served and the type
of services provided. Large expenditures must be put to a vote
of the board for approval.
The public is welcome to attend monthly meetings.
Please call 503-682-6939 for the date and time of the next meeting.
Meetings are held at the Meridian United Church of Christ (also
known as Frog Pond Church), which is also the location of WCS
offices and WCS Food Bank.
Why
is such a large part of your budget administrative?
A network of resources actually provides the client
with service. Our budget allows us to pay only modest fees or
expenses for clients. Our specialists must interview each client,
screen their needs and then connect them with the appropriate
agencies or with the services of a trusted volunteer. Our greatest
asset is therefore the experience and the professional training
of our specialists. Their salary, pay roll taxes and limited benefits
form the lion’s share of the expenditures in our budget.
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What
is your privacy policy?
As trained social service providers, our specialists
are bound by the same rules of confidentiality that are a part
of the helping professions. This means that your personal information
will never be shared beyond Wilsonville Community Sharing without
your written permission and that WCS conversations with you are
confidential. (Note exceptions at the end of this section.) You
will also be asked to supply a release of information if we need
to talk confidentially with other agencies about you in order
to get assistance for you. This release can be revoked by you
at any time.
Wilsonville Community Sharing is required to report
numbers of families and individuals served in our programs as
part of our accountability agreement with the City of Wilsonville
and the corporations who provide grant monies. These statistics
are provided without use of anyone’s identity information.
As social service providers, our specialists are
also bound by law to report suspicions of physical, sexual, emotional
or psychological child or elder abuse, client unlawful activities,
or suspected domestic violence. Wilsonville Community Sharing
must report such suspicions to the proper authorities who then
conduct an evaluation.
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