Among the racks of donated clothes at Helping Hands Resources, Laura Crofoot has tears in her eyes.  She’s talking about how the organization, dedicated to providing clothing, housewares, and other supplies to unhoused people, low-income families, and anyone else in need, tries to never turn people away empty handed.  She’s seen volunteers take the jacket off their back to make sure a client can stay warm. “Every day, someone says, ‘I love you,’” Crofoot said.  Helping Hands

The West Salem High School Education Foundation is looking for volunteers.  WSHSEF board members support the foundation’s work in fundraising, conducting meetings, and supporting the school’s booster clubs, which include Choir, Orchestra, Athletics, Academics, and the Grad Party. Each booster club also has volunteers who support fundraising and event planning.  The foundation is currently seeking applications for a board president and treasurer. The president is the organizat

Marion Polk Food Share’s mission is to bring people together to end hunger and its root causes. Especially when a crisis is on the horizon, like the uncertainty surrounding the distribution of SNAP benefits as the federal government shut down, which began on October 1, showed no signs of opening back up.  Vice-President of Programs Ian Dixon-McDonald said the food share saw a 19 percent uptick in traffic coming through the food banks during that stressful time, particularly t

It’s never too early to start thinking about the upcoming holiday season. There are fewer jollier ways to get in on the fun than participating in the Salem Dream Center’s Dream Maker Holiday event. Since it was founded in 2004, Dream Center Executive Director Craig Oviatt, his wife Renee, and the team at Salem Dream Center have worked tirelessly to help elevate the area’s struggling families. They oversee a variety of programs designed to improve people’s daily lives. They pr