Central Oregon Community College

COCC has been part of the fabric of Central Oregon since 1962.  Its mission to be a leader in adult, lifelong, post-secondary education for Central Oregon.  Current enrollment in the school is over 17,500 students, with an average age of 28.  The leadership of COCC understand that they are critical to helping our low-income neighbors gain the skills and education to pull them out of poverty.  COCC was a founding funder of Central Oregon 2-1-1, partners in our EITC/free tax preparation initiative and many other programs.  The Partnership joined with COCC to found the Work/Life Academy, a collaborative educational project designed to raise English Literacy and prepare students to pass the GED exam. The continuance of this program was subsequently assured through a $250,000 budget initiative by COCC.

Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC)

As the region’s administrator for federal workforce training dollars, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council is a vital partner in efforts to combat poverty. With offices in all of Central Oregon’s major communities, the agency has broad reach and immediate impact on changing the lives of low-income people. The agency also operates one of the region’s two major public transit system and administers an economic development program, both of which benefit low-income people by expanding access to employment. The Partnership has worked closely with COIC in all of its areas of service to low-income families, and a Partnership staff member currently serving on the COIC board. COIC by uniting the efforts of all of Central Oregon’s local government is an effective partner for encouraging total community involvement in the effort to reduce poverty throughout the tri-county area.

United Way of Deschutes County

The United Way of Deschutes County works to connect families and individuals with local agencies offering appropriate programs and services. It impacts one-in-three lives through programs that focus on our most urgent human social service needs: meeting basic needs of individuals and families, keeping children and families safe from violence and abuse, helping kids get a great start in life, and keeping youth on track for success.  In 2009, the United Way of Deschutes County and The Partnership co-founded CO 2-1-1, a regional telephone and web-based social service referral organization. The United Way and The Partnership also played a collaborative key role in founding the Volunteer Center in 2010.

Housing Works

Housing Works helps Central Oregonians find and maintain high quality housing and more. We provide access to well-maintained communities, homeownership opportunities and financial assistance.  Housing Work's initiatives include: Housing Assistance Family Self-Sufficiency Affordable Housing Home Ownership Career Enhancement. We work with Housing Works in a variety of ways including Project Connect, financial education and others.  The Partnership initiated a vouchering procedure allowing Housing Works to fill an access gap in housing assistance among place-bound La Pine residents. The Partnership also provided consulting assistance regarding negotiations on obtaining state assistance to fund Housing Work’s Putnam Pointe facility. In 2009, The Partnership and Housing works collaborated to host the CASA Farmworkers Conference, bringing national and statewide expertise to bear on the unique challenges facing Central Oregon farmworkers.

NeighborImpact

Neighbor Impact is the region's NeighborWorks and Community Development Corporation.  Their mission is move people out of poverty and to find ways for them to be financially stable. They do this in both short emergency help and longer term case assistance.  Their long list of programs include, but are certainly not limited to: emergency food coordination, Head Start, rental an/housing assistance, financial education, and weatherization.  The Partnership and NeighborImpact have partnered on an extensive array of regional service initiatives including: Financial Literacy, Warm Springs Weatherization, Earned Income Tax Credit programs, Project Connect, Homeless Leadership Coalition, One Night Shelter Count, The Regional 10-Year Strategy to End Homelessness, Volunteer Connect, and 2-1-1.

Department of Human Services (DHS)

As a state agency, DHS works with just about every population of the state.  They provide service for abuse, foster children, food  and cash assistance, disability services, mental health and others.  Recently, the need for DSH services have risen faster in our area (District 10) than any region in the state.  The efforts of DHS and The Partnership intersect in the creation of 2-1-1, regional capacity building grants through the Department of Labor, Work Life Academy, and a regional transportation system for low-income individuals to get to work. Staff throughout DHS brought real services, in real time, to Project Connect. DHS Region 10 and The Partnership are currently working to introduce and support a statewide initiative to designate DHS as a vital documents custodian for children exiting foster care.

Regional Banks

In 2009 The Partnership founded an in-house program currently known as Bank on Central Oregon (BOCO). BOCO is a financial collaborative made up of The Partnership and twelve regional banks whose mission is to help Central Oregon’s unbanked citizens open savings and/or bank accounts.

Regional Churches

In 2009, The Partnership helped begin the Prineville Faith Based Network, a network of 20 churches and organizations participating in social-service-based resource and referral activities. Current plans call for The Partnership to kick-start or participate similar networks across Central Oregon.