By Molly Walker

Of the News-Register

Participants in this year’s Yamhill County homeless count tallied 815 people getting by with some form of makeshift shelter, up from 747 last year.

However, Lee Means, executive director of the Yamhill Community Action Partnership, thinks that may reflect more accurate and efficient counting and a different approach to compilation of data rather than an actual rise in numbers.

Of the 815 people counted by the volunteers, 382 were under the age of 18 – 47 percent, or almost half. Only 203 – 26 percent, or about one quarter – were in some type of emergency or transitional housing.

The crew counted 381 males and 433 females. Its tally included 58 children in the 0 to 5 age range, 203 in the 6 to 11 age range and 121 in the 12 to 17 age range.

Some 324 of those contacted by counters agreed to answer questions designed to get a better understanding on the characteristics and needs of the local population. Some 26.5 percent indicated that they had suffered a disability, 26 percent that they had fallen victim to domestic violence and 9 percent that they had served in the armed forces.

As reasons for their homeless status, they cited lack of rent money, unemployment, drug or alcohol addictions, evictions by friends, relatives or landlords, criminal histories, flights from domestic violence, poor rental histories and medical problems.

“We’re still seeing a huge issue,” Means said. “It’s not going away. There’s still a significant segment out there because we’re in the middle of a bad recession that doesn’t seem to be going away.”

Means becomes even more concerned when she reads about layoffs in both the public and private sector, and thinks about those serving abroad in the military who are now returning home. She noted that while National Guardsmen can typically return to their old jobs, that leaves others without employment.

Means said her agency was beginning to run out of funds supplied under President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provided low-income residents with weatherization money, serving to cut their utility bills, conserve energy, ease fossil fuel depletion and employ construction workers.

The program, she said, had been a big success, helping contractors provide jobs while helping low-income residents reduce their utility bills and strike a blow for energy conservation and environmental protection.

Means also noted there are only about 250 emergency or transitional shelter beds available countywide. That leaves a lot of homeless people looking at other options, including couch surfing, living in cars or erecting makeshift shelters in the cold.

And funding for such beds has been cut back badly in both state and federal budgets, she said.

YCAP itself operates three transitional shelters, and Means said the waiting list is up 119 percent from three years ago.

The agency ran a deficit of about $20,000 on its shelter program last year and is suffering a like fate so far this year. But Means said YCAP has decided to persevere.

“There are too many families who desperately need help to get on their feet again,” she said. “We don’t feel we can close shelters at this time.”

YCAP also houses families, not just individuals. It typically has 10 or 11 families in its shelters at any one time.

Means said the catch phrase in helping the homeless is “housing first.” Helping agencies need somewhere to place individuals, even those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, where other services can be included, she said.

Without such an option, she said, many end up on our streets, in our jails or in our hospital emergency rooms, which ends up costing us a great deal more in the long run.

“It’s a lot cheaper to house them,” Means said. “People don’t realize the cost of having this many homeless on the street. It’s phenomenal.”

More than 50 volunteers contributed more than 200 hours to complete the count. They identified people in shelters, schools and street locales.

To conduct the street portion of the count, volunteers checked known homeless camps, as well as bus stops, meal sites, laundromats and other places where the homeless are known to gather.

See story at NewsRegister.com

For this month’s Wednesday dinner series benefiting YCAP, Tina’s will partner with Momokawa for a Sake Dinner on April 18. For $65, diners will enjoy a 4-course menu expertly paired with sake brewed in Oregon and sake-based cocktails. Additionally, Tina’s employees will be volunteering their time through the year in support of YCAP’s programs that benefit the homeless and hungry in Yamhill County.

Momokawa Sake Dinner to Benefit YCAP
Wednesday April 18th 6:30 pm

Stand Up Appetizers:
Grilled Arancini with Spring Pea and Goat cheese
Tostones, Smoked Scallop Mousse, Pickled Mushroom Salad
Yucca Frites with Green Harissa Ketchup
Kafir Lime Sake-tini

First Course:
Herb Roasted Salmon, Grilled Chayote, Avocado, Frisee, Green Goddess Salad
Momokawa Pearl

Second Course:
Slow Roasted Pork Belly, Basil-Lime Risotto, Anise Scented Jus, Toasted
Coconut-Nori Gremolata
Momokawa Ruby

Third Course:
Espresso Spice Cake, Citrus Ganache, Mango Curd Ice Cream
Momokawa Nigori

The observance of the 20-year anniversary for Tina’s has inspired a new focus on the future of the restaurant. Tasked with preserving a sense of well-earned tradition while also continuing to elevate and modernize their cuisine, chefs David, Tina, and Abby have started the new year paying special attention to gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian menu options. Rather than looking back on a successful run of twenty years, Tina and David are embracing the challenge of continuing to evolve as the intersection of the bounty of the valley and the lucky people who enjoy it.

Thistle in McMinnville and Tina’s in Dundee are hosting YCAP benefit dinners this month. Please support each as they support YCAP!

THISTLE
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Grain and Grain & Heater Allen
$100 per person
RSVP: 503.472.9623
www.thistlerestaurant.com

TINA’s
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Momokawa Sake Dinner
$65 per person
RSVP: 503.538.8880
www.tinasdundee.com
Click here for menu.

One of wine country’s first fine dining restaurants, Tina’s in Dundee, is celebrating 20 years with dinners to benefit Yamhill Community Action Partnership. Beginning March 21st, Tina’s will begin a Wednesday dinner series, benefiting YCAP on the third Wednesday of each month. For $65, diners will enjoy a 4-course menu expertly paired with local wines, handcrafted beers, or spirits representing Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, Tina’s employees will be volunteering their time through the year in support of YCAP’s programs that benefit the homeless and hungry in Yamhill County.

Menu for March 21st with Ransom Spirits

Hors D’oeuvre
Crispy Squid, Basil, Sweet Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce
Grilled Flatbread with Asparagus, Pistachio-Mint Za’atar, Briar Rose Chevre Cream
Red Chile Tostada, Grilled Shrimp Ceviche, Pepita Guacamole

Rhubarb Whiskey Sour (Whippersnapper Whiskey)
Dundee 75 – Old Tom Gin/ Argyle Brut

1st Course
Frisee Salad, Red Wine Poached Brooks Plums, Trotter, Gastrique Vinaigrette

Ransom Pinot Noir Select 2009

2nd Course
Spice Crusted Short Ribs, Romesco Butter, Roasted Leek-Potato Puree, Parsley Salad

Ransom Cabernet Franc 2009

3rd Course
Spiced Honey Cake, Gewurztraminer-Almond Gelato

Grappa

Volunteers sought for homeless count

The News-Register staff

The Yamhill Community Action Partnership is seeking volunteers for a Community Street Team charged with surveying individuals at bus stops during the county’s 2012 Homeless Count, set to run the 24 hours from midnight Tuesday to midnight Wednesday, Jan. 24-25.

Prospective volunteers are asked to contact Megan Paterson at 503-687-1481 or americorps@yamhillcap.org. They will need to participate in a training session being offered at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Youth Outreach, 715 S. River Road, Newberg, and Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 18 and 19, at YCAP, 1317 N.E. Dustin Court, McMinnville. [ READ MORE ]

Ronni Lacroute, YCAP supporter and Food Bank namesake, has been named the 2011 Wine Person of the Year by Oregon Wine Press.

Our Energy Services Department is notifying potential energy assistance applicants of changes for application acceptance and availability of funds for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program in December. Please read more to learn out theses changes will affect your receipt of an application, response and receipt of energy assistance.

We’re looking for detailed-oriented people to help our Energy Services team review applicant files. For more information email Kraig Ludwig or call 503.883.4174. If you are interested in helping in the Food Bank our crew needs volunteers to help in the warehouse and with food sorting. Email Laura or call 503.687.1471. There is lots to do and your help is appreciated!

Didn’t you just love the Banner project? Pictures and stories are now available!

The following is a true story shared by one of our YCAP Food Bank staff members who has experienced the true spirit of Thanksgiving.

I just wanted to toss an very touching story your guys’ way of what happened Tuesday here at the YCAP Food Bank.

Just before closing down the warehouse, around 4:50 pm, our buzzer rang by the back door. When Karen opened it up she was greeted by a smiling little girl. She said she had a donation and, thinking she could just carry it in, Karen held out her arms to receive it. The little girl then said “no, we might need to open the big door.” Her parents then backed up the family van and opened up the back for us to find that it was jam packed full of bags of canned and dry food.

Our hero is 13 years old and has put together a canned food drive for the past 3 years now. She delivered a flyer to her surrounding neighbors asking to please help her double the people she fed last year of 150 people. This year she was going for 300+.

After she and her sister were done unloading all the food it was time to weigh it in. These two little girls brought in 562 lbs of food and $125 in donations! With the pounds of food and the money that will be used to purchase food through the food bank network ($1=4 lbs of food), she brought in over 1,060 lbs of food for our friends and neighbors in need. That translates into about 817 meals that will be dispersed throughout Yamhill County.

At the start of her food drive, when asked if she wanted to contact the News Register to tell her what she is doing, she respectfully declined saying “it’s not about me.”

This is a very touching story of how one person, a 13 year old girl, can make such a huge difference. Even though she didn’t want to advertise in the paper, I wanted to recognize her hard work and generosity. Her goal was to double the people fed and she quintupled (5x) that.