Local Aid in the news

The trickle-down effect of the recession on Local Aid

The Tri-County News

JUNCTION CITY, Oregon (December 17, 2009) -- by Vera Westbrook

Having established its own form of economic interdependence within the community of Junction City, the Country Coach factory was not only responsible for the economic prosperity of for-profit businesses, but for the prosperity of nonprofit businesses as well.

In many ways, community members depended upon the company for goods and services to sustain themselves.

Local Aid of Junction City is one of those nonprofit businesses that benefited from the goodwill of Country Coach for years before the recession closed the JC plant that employed about 1,600 people at one time.

Local Aid operates a food pantry that provides necessities for the economically challenged. It also helps people with essentials like clothing, utilities, medication and bus tokens. This year, the organization even provided Christmas trees to help facilitate holiday cheer.

"Country Coach closing down has impacted us," said Susan Jones, director of Local Aid, who has worked for the organization for the last two and a half years. "Not only did they give us money and food, but they sent their own employees in their own truck to pick up food for us."

Once a week, Local Aid transports food from the Food for Lane County distribution center in Eugene to the Local Aid office on Sixth Avenue to help JC residents, and Country Coach helped with this task

"We were so fortunate for all the years they supported us," Jones said. "They did it for years and didn't charge us for it." Jones estimated that Country Coach had been diligently helping Local Aid for at least six years.

In October 2008, Country Coach called Jones and told her that it wouldn't be able to donate the truck and employees to pick up the food anymore. "The recession hit them hard, and it trickled down to us," Jones said. After renting a truck for about a year, Local Aid was finally able to purchase a vehicle. She also had to find delivery volunteers and drivers.

Despite recent hardships, Jones said, "I'm very thankful to Country Coach." Company employees participated avidly in fundraising to help the community through Local Aid.

During its last year of contributions, in December 2007, the company itself donated $5,000, and the employees donated more than $3,500, and that was the least amount they had ever donated. The company also had competitions between departments for food drives every Christmas. "It was a big deal," Jones said.

Aside from the thousands of pounds of food they collected, the company also collected thousands of pairs of socks during an employee sock drive. They even donated extra company turkeys that weren't picked up by employees over the holidays.

"That one company being affected by the recession put a big hole in our financial position," Jones said.

United Way now provides Local Aid with its only formal source of funding. No other city, state or federal agencies provide additional help. The organization thrives on extra funds donated by churches, local businesses, organizations and individuals. "[JC residents] are incredibly generous to take care of their own," she said.

She thanks the community for its generous food donations, but "right now priorities are money for utilities assistance." Many of her clients live in mobile homes and travel trailers which need electricity and propane, especially during inclement weather.

Jones is very diligent with the money donated to Local Aid. She spends it like she would spend her own money ─ very carefully. "I want to make sure the money is given to help the clients and is used for the purpose it is intended for," she said. She gives no money directly to clients.

Client necessity is verified with the agencies involved, and Jones pays the agencies directly. She works with Bi-Mart and Safeway for prescriptions along with local utility companies for water, electricity and gas. She even requests to see appointment cards when distributing bus tokens.

Because of the recession, the organization decided to limit its available programming and stick to a few key areas of assistance. "We decided to focus on things we do well like food, utilities and medication," she said. The agency doesn't provide all forms of assistance, but it acts as a valuable resource to help individuals find other outlets for help.

For assistance, information or to make donations, visit Local Aid at 265 W 6th in Junction City on Tuesday through Thursday from 9 - 1 p.m., or call 998-3992. The food pantry will begin evening hours in January on the third Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m.