ShelterCare cares for a portion of our population that is in a state of flux, including families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and adults who have a mental illness or a brain injury.  The organization tries to provide the right help at the right time - assistance with basic needs, support for building independent living skills, emergency shelter, transitional housing, and long-term supported housing. Without ShelterCare, there would be a larger population of homeless people in our community.

Right now ShelterCare is raising funds to transform their historic timber warehouse at 499 W. 4th into a hub of services for families, clients, volunteers and staff.  The facility will offer the benefits of having a variety of specialists co-located under one roof, spaces for group and private sessions, a large space for trainings and community meetings, and a warehouse to store and offer furnishing and supplies for the housing units that they manage and that they are helping people move into.

4. Bags of Love

Bags of Love is an all-volunteer organization serving children in crisis – children removed from unsafe situations and children who are becoming homeless.  Whatever the reason, children in these situations frequently leave with nothing to call their own.  They are often afraid, disoriented, and desperate for comfort. This is where a “Bag of Love” can help.  Over the last five years, Bag of Love volunteers have collected, assembled and provided 5000 bags filled with age-appropriate necessities and comfort items to the agencies who support children in these situations. Check out their long list of various ways you can help Bags of Love fulfill their mission.

5. CrossFit Kin

CrossFit Kin is a local gym that is taking the success of CrossFit to working poor families, providing fitness and nutrition classes at little or no cost to lower-income families who would not otherwise be able to afford them.  Founded by a chiropractor and a professional trainer, CrossFit Kin plans to build at team of like-minded fitness professionals who want to put their talents to use for the mission of stemming childhood obesity, and bringing all the benefits of fitness and health to this population in need.  To learn more, contact them or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

6. Disciples of Dirt

7. Earthlinks (Denver, Colorado)

EarthLinks is an innovative, urban nonprofit  that connects adults experiencing homelessness in Denver, Colorado to a supportive community, and to the earth and her bounty.  Their workshop program provides micro-employment to up to 50 people at a time in urban gardening and Earth-friendly craft production.  Participants work weekly in the program and meet with staff social workers to set and work toward achieving personal goals.  A modest hourly stipend is received for their work, but the impacts of this program are often felt at a much deeper level.  By providing a space for those who are marginalized to join in community, learn new skills, contribute to the whole and build self-esteem through meaningful work, new connections are forged and opportunities are created for personal transformation.  As one participant stated” I’m no longer just a homeless person.  I’m a beekeeper.”

Someone should start a group like this in Eugene!!!  To find out more about this innovative non-profit visit their website or their online store where they sell items made by their participants such as cards, bowls and bookmarks adorned with pressed flowers, dog coats made from reclaimed fabrics, urban honey and handmade beeswax soap, lip balm, bat boxes and gourd bird houses!

8. Sponsors

The mission of Sponsors, Inc. is to assist men and women from Lane County released from Oregon state correctional facilities and the Lane County jail in making a successful reentry into our community.  Sponsors is based on the belief that “People can and do change, and that a strategic intervention at the appropriate time can serve as a catalyst in that change.”

Clients in Sponsors Transitional Housing programs come directly from prison or jail to Sponsors, where they will reside for 3-4 months on average. In their first few days “out” clients get much needed assistance in obtaining such basic necessities as ID cards, bus passes, and work clothes. They attend employment workshops, practice interviewing, locate “felony friendly” employers and build resumes in the  Reentry Resource Center. Clients receive 1:1 support, positive role modeling and learn healthy recreational activities through the  Mentorship Program.  Sponsors has served over 4000 clients since 1988  and in that time 70-75% have completed the program successfully.

9. Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center

Kutsinhira has been teaching children and adults in Eugene the music of Zimbabwe for over 20 years.  They sponsor Zimbabwean teachers to travel to the US to teach ancient as well as more contemporary culture and music of Zimbabwe. This polyphonic music is taught by ear, using no written music.   Kutsinhira hosts concerts at Eugene community events, hires out for parties, and sells CDs of lively, upbeat marimba music – proceeds of which go 50% to  the local organization and 50% to specific community development and education projects they support in Zimbabwe. The group is hoping to build their membership and find a new and improved location for their school in the near future.

10. Wellsprings Friends School

Wellsprings is an alternative high school founded in 1994 as a refuge for those who might otherwise fall through the cracks. They provide alternative learning approaches, supportive community, and a culture of individual affirmation to up to 60 students from a variety of backgrounds in grades 9 – 12.   Students who are referred to the school by their home district can attend free of charge, while students who come to Wellsprings on their own pay tuition or rely on school-provided financial aid when needed.  The school’s accreditation report noted that Wellsprings instructors are “extremely effective in developing meaningful relationships with their students, while maintaining high academic rigor and making instruction relevant to their students”.  Though not a religious school, Wellsprings’ holistic educational environment embodies the Quaker principles of community, equality and integrity on which it was founded.   They are hoping to increase their visibility to families and students who might thrive in this environment.

11. Science Factory

The Science Factory is a hands-on children’s museum with science focused exhibits, an exploration dome, enrichment classes and summer camps.  They’ve been a Eugene institution in Alton Baker Park for over 50 years and are an active partner with area school districts, offering a destination for educational field trips and also outreach programs at little or no cost to the schools.  One of their most popular programs is Girls’ Science Adventures, where Science Factory educators take girls ages 10-12 to visit the UO and participate in activities with women in graduate science programs. They plan to use their Marketing Booster Award to update the logo on their passenger van and increase their visibility around town.

12. Science Works – Ashland, OR

We had an unusual confluence this year of two pairs of nominees of the same type that we wanted to award.  ScienceWorks is a hands-on children’s science museum located in Ashland, OR.   Similar to their brethren at the Science Factory in Eugene, they host field trips, summer camps and special events to introduce the children of Southern Oregon and Northern California to the wonders of science.  ScienceWorks has nearly 100 interactive exhibits in 10,000 square feet of space and in September they kicked off a $1.5 million capital campaign.  To date they’ve raised $1.2 million that will go towards buying  and upgrading their building, converting unused space to exhibit space and create a new learning lab and tinkering studio. They too plan to use their Marketing Booster Award to add logo graphics to their van to harness the amazing visibility of vehicle graphics.

The Grand Prize Winner this year is GOATS!

This lucky non-profit will receive a half-day of professional photography from the awesome  Imagine Photographics team, plus concepting, design, printing and installation of a full  vehicle wrap from our Imagine Fleet Graphics division!  That’s some serious visibility and awareness building!

GOATS is the fun acronym for the Greater Oakridge Area Trail Stewards.  Sometimes working collaboratively with the Disciples of Dirt who won a Marketing Booster Award this year, GOATS is a volunteer organization that builds and maintains non-motorized trails used by mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians. They actively promote responsible trail use and assist land managers with trail management issues.   And they also sponsor events designed to encourage people of all ages to try out mountain biking, and to bring together experienced riders.

GOATS has a trailer in which they store their tools.  When their volunteers are working on a trail, this tool trailer is parked at the trailhead or the roadside where it can be seen by anyone coming to enjoy nearby trails.  A photo is worth a thousand words; and here are a few garnered mostly from the GOATS Facebook page.

The custom professional photography and the photographic trailer wrap they will get from Imagine Group will explain at a glance what GOATS does and what kind of fun camaraderie can be had in doing that important work, thus attracting new volunteers and supporters for the organization’s hands-on methods of encouraging sustainable recreation and sustainable tourism.  Congratulations GOATS!

Thank you again for your interest in and support of non-profits throughout the year.  We hope this Giveway, and reading through this list above, inspires you to go volunteer a few hours of your time, or make a donation to a worthy non-profit!

We will be closed between Dec. 25th and Jan. 1st to allow our whole team to relax and spend time with family.  May your holiday season be filled with joy, family and good food.   We look forward to helping you with your graphics and photography needs in 2014.  Happy New Year!