During the COVID-19 pandemic, the center continues to provide essential services, such as groceries and meals, to low-income and homeless people

Its a marathon, not a sprint, is the way Debra Mason of the Clackamas Service Center describes its response to COVID-19.

Mason is the executive director of CSC, a resource for low-income and homeless folks in Clackamas and Multnomah counties. CSC is an island of support in the middle of the busy, commercial corridor of Southeast 82nd Avenue, providing essential services, including a clothing room, shower facilities, mail services and a food market, to its members.

CSCs food market is one of its most heavily utilized resources. Members can come in once a week to the market, which is housed in the centers basement, and take as many groceries as they need. On any given market day, CSC can serve 80 to 90 households. The market is a lifeline to many unhoused or low-income community members. But the space is small. Shoppers and volunteers are all in close quarters, and maintaining 6 feet of buffer space is nearly impossible.

We realized we needed to change things drastically if we were going to keep serving the community, Mason said.

Like many organizations, CSC is in the process of trouble-shooting new procedures and making substantial adjustments in order to continue serving the community. In the short amount of time it has had to adapt to the new normal, it has already found small successes.

To limit human-to-human contact, CSCs food market has gone 100% mobile. It now have a fleet of vans making deliveries across Clackamas and Multnomah counties, bringing food boxes to about 40 families a day. It takes orders via email or phone and has pulled together a team of translators to field incoming calls for boxes in Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Russian, Ukrainian and Cantonese. And these boxes include not only food but also personal hygiene items that are on short supply, such as diapers and toilet paper.

While many of its services are in limbo for the moment, it has managed to keep a number of important programs in place.

Were still doing our food service, but everything is to go, Mason said.

CSC typically offers community lunches and dinners throughout the week, and it has kept this service running to ensure its members still have access to a fresh meal during the pandemic. In fact, it is able to serve about 60 people a day keeping at a 6-foot distance of one another which is not far from its normal capacity.

Plus, every member who comes for a meal also walks away with a couple of bottles of water and a bag of groceries.

This way, we know were at least getting food into the hands of people who need it, Mason said.

COVID-19: Blanchet Houses meal program for homeless running short on supplies

Additionally, CSC continues to work with Outside In, which provides a mobile medical unit and needle exchange facility at CSCs location, a secluded lot anchored by an old wooden building, formerly a church.

We cant have everyone on our property at the moment because were so scaled back and dont have the workforce to manage everyone safely, Mason said. So Outside In is stationed just outside its property.

In true CSC style, were making it work! she said.

CSC is not new to making such adjustments. In 2017, the organization was devastated by a fire that gutted its building. CSC was forced to vacate its main building for 14 months, but it continued to serve the community. The staff rebounded quickly and set up temporary trailers, tents and food trucks with which to keep services going.

PREVIOUSLY: From the ashes, a revitalized Clackamas Service Center (from 2018)

But that doesnt mean that life is proceeding as normal for its members.

Mason said the fears shes hearing about from members are the same as those of everyone else. Mainly, people are worried about their health and safety and are concerned about what the future will look like. But the many closures throughout the city have also taken a toll.

Everyone's been affected, said Daniel Hoffman, 55, who has used the services at CSC for the past six years. People dont care about each other.

Nicole Siri, who visited CSC to pick up her mail and grab a boxed lunch and bag of groceries, explained the impact the pandemic has had on her life: I tried to get clothes for my son, but all thrift stores are closed. I cant afford to go to Walmart. Even the libraries and WorkSource (centers) are closed.

COVID-19: Hygiene needs increase as homeless resources shrink

With most public and private services on hiatus, CSC has proved to be a lifeline for many community members who otherwise would not have access to necessities.

Yet even in continuing its food services, CSC is still not able to provide the wrap-around support that its members need. Many folks who visited CSC for lunch were also hoping to pick up some clothes from the clothing closet, only to find that that service has been suspended for the time being. The weathers turned cold in the past week, and members hoped to find socks and pants. But in order to keep staff, volunteers, and members safe and compliant with social distancing protocols, CSC had no choice but to cut back on certain services.

While scaling back has been necessary, CSC has worked to mitigate the impact of suspended services. It has been partnering with grassroots organizations in the community to make sure people experiencing homelessness can still access basic necessities.

We know that not everyone who lives near us comes for meals, Mason said. So the organization is supplying meals to more remote populations in the 31 camps of unhoused people it has mapped across the community. To do this, CSC partnered with PDX Saints, a street ministry service that makes regular food drops at different camps. CSC hopes to provide the food so that PDX Saints can make the drops.

While CSC has plenty of food to distribute, it has encountered a problem: a lack of masks.

I have to keep my staff and volunteers safe, Mason said.

So a local leather company is providing the solution. CSC recently received a donation of 20 masks from Langlitz Leathers.

I decided to make these masks last week after hearing about the shortages throughout the community, said Bennie Goodson of Langlitz Leathers.

While the masks are not N95, the type of masks worn by health care professionals that filter airborne particles, they still provide a level of security against contagion and prevent the wearer from touching their face.

Were donating our time and money to this because we want to decrease the demand and make sure that N95 masks go into the right hands, Goodson said.

Other local retailers are also offering their support in the form of mask production, including Last US Bag Co., Ship John, Wesco and Good Art HLYWD.

Mason shared one of the positive outcomes of the social-distancing protocols: Chatting with people over the phone has been really good.

Since theyre now taking orders for food boxes over the phone, CSC staff and volunteers have had the opportunity to connect with people in a new and intimate way. Theyve even introduced a mental health crisis line they share with members who call in to place orders. Additionally, they are working with volunteers who are now stuck at home to create a support group service, where volunteers call just to have a chat with members who may be feeling lonely.

Just a call to say hello and check in, Mason said. That could go a long way in helping people with isolation.

Overall, Mason is focusing on longevity; as she said, this pandemic is a marathon and not a sprint. She is worried about staff and volunteer burnout, so she is shortening hours and emphasizing time off as needed. Much of her volunteer base is over 60 and have been instructed to stay home.

But for now, Mason said, theyre managing. The center is receiving financial support from the county, and many individual donors have also stepped up.

I want people to know that were here and continuing to serve, she said, but added that things are changing quickly these days, so check back in a couple of weeks. Well need all the help we can get.

The rest is here:
Making it work: Clackamas Service Center adapts, remains a lifeline to those in need - Street Roots News