Community Outreach Through Radical Empowerment

COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH RADICAL EMPOWERMENT (CORE) IS DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING, EMPOWERING AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN LANE COUNTY SURVIVING THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS OR OTHER ADVERSITIES.

WHEN CORE BEGAN THIS WORK IN 2017, OUR CO-FOUNDERS STARTED OFF DOING VOLUNTEER OUTREACH ON FOOT, SERVING BETWEEN 250 AND 500 YOUNG PEOPLE ANNUALLY BY PROVIDING ONE-ON-ONE ENGAGEMENT DISTRIBUTING LEFTOVER FOOD FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS. WE HAVE SINCE BUILT UP OUR INTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDING, RESULTING IN A CURRENT REACH OF MORE THAN 2,500 YOUNG PEOPLE EACH YEAR. IN 2022, WE PROVIDED INDIVIDUALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT TO 32 PARTICIPANTS, PERMANENTLY HOUSING 13 OF THEM. CORE CONTINUES TO DISTRIBUTE RECORD NUMBERS OF DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES EACH MONTH, INCLUDING ASSISTANCE TO YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH AS DOCUMENT RECOVERY, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION, CONNECTION TO INSURANCE, HYGIENE PRODUCTS, AND EMERGENCY FOOD. GOALS AND SUCCESSES ARE DETERMINED BY EACH YOUNG PERSON AND OFTEN INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS:TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSINGREUNITING WITH A FAMILY MEMBERBEGINNING TO SEE A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORTREDUCTION IN DRUG USEFEELING MORE CONFIDENT/OVERCOMING PERSONAL BARRIERSUNDERSTANDING OF SYSTEMS RESOURCE NAVIGATION AND HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR ONESELFOBTAINMENT OF GED OR DIPLOMA; ENROLLMENT IN COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOL, TRADE SCHOOL, ETC.LEARNING TO BUDGET, OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT, OR TAKING A FINANCE CLASSRECOVERY OF PERSONAL DOCUMENTS EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDENROLLING IN PUBLIC BENEFITSEMPLOYMENT SUPPORT AND RESUME BUILDINGIN NOVEMBER 2022, CORE COMPLETED THE PURCHASE OF A PERMANENT BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATION TO CALL HOME. WE RECENTLY OPENED THE DOORS TO OUR LONG-AWAITED ADVOCACY CENTER FOR AT-RISK YOUNG PEOPLE, A 3,100 SQUARE FOOT, ADA-ACCESSIBLE, MULTI-ZONED, CRAFTSMAN HOME IN DOWNTOWN EUGENE. THE NEW HEADQUARTERS AND DROP-IN ADVOCACY CENTER HAS ALLOWED FOR MUCH-NEEDED SERVICE EXPANSION AND SPACE FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS BURSTING AT ITS SEAMS. THE ADVOCACY CENTER WILL BE A SAFE SPACE FOR 16 TO 29-YEAR-OLDS TO ACCESS FREE LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS THEY HAD A PART IN HELPING DESIGN, A COMMUNITY GARDEN, RESUME AND JOB SUPPORT, HARM REDUCTION SUPPLIES, BASIC NEEDS, AND ONE-ON-ONE CASE MANAGEMENT. IT WILL ALSO NOW SERVE AS OUR MAIN HEADQUARTERS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMMING, STREET FEED, HARM REDUCTION DISTRIBUTION, AND STREET OUTREACH.