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Gift helps homeless service Food store presents $5,000 to Interfaith Care Council By Tony Boom ASHLAND � A $5,000 donation will ease the strain on a social services center experiencing increased demand while awaiting a large operating grant. Ashland Community Food Store on Thursday presented the donation to the Interfaith Care Council of Ashland, 144 N. Second St. The center provides the homeless and other people in need with food, clothing, showers, laundry facilities, job-hunting help and referrals to shelters and counseling. "We�ve curtailed hard-dollar services, such as bus tokens and gas money, so the $5,000 is really a significant donation," said Sharon Schreiber, executive director of Community Emergency Resources and Vital Services, which oversees ICCA�s operations. The transportation assistance helps clients with job searches and getting to shelters. The city of Ashland has earmarked $28,000 of its federal Community Development Block Grant funds to ICCA. But submission of updated housing data is holding up the Department of Housing and Urban Development allocation, which is usually distributed during summer. "We are still working to compile the data," said Ashland planner Maria Harris. "We hope to get it resolved by the end of the year." Ashland submitted a consolidated five-year plan in May but was notified of the need for new data in August. The city of Medford received a similar notification on its plan. Ashland has to meet the same requirements as Portland or other large cities. Harris said it was not possible to predict when funds might be available. "We are in a tight place because we didn�t have money that routinely would be available for July through December," said Schreiber. Demand is also up this year, with more than 1,000 clients per month seeking assistance at the ICCA house. "We really wanted to find a way to give back to our community through a local agency that needed something special during the holidays," said Collen Hansen, ACFS general manager. The store�s board of directors unanimously approved the donation at its Tuesday meeting. ICCA functions much as a home for those who want to get warm this time of year and who need a base from which to deal with life�s necessities. The center dispenses up to 120 cups of coffee per day. It does not offer overnight shelter. "We serve 40 to 50 people per day this time of year. In the summer the number is more like 60 to 70," says Center Director Charlotte Dorsey. "In the winter we see more families." Blankets and sleeping bags are popular free items at the center, which also offers clothes for infants to adults. Bags of food and snacks are also available. Clients take 20 to 30 showers per day. Up to 30 loads of laundry are washed each day. Two computers, newspapers, resume service and telephones help those looking for jobs. The center also receives mail and phone messages, and provides stamps and envelopes. Thursday morning, Martin Foster was getting assistance to sign up for the Oregon Health Plan through ICCA. He had torn a hernia while working. Foster�s wife, Maureen, has obtained prescriptions for asthmatic bronchitis through the center. "It�s a home, not an office," she said. Debra Tolson, Medford, chose gifts for her four kids from a large collection left underneath a Christmas tree. She and her husband were recently laid off from packing jobs at Bear Creek Corp. "Instead of being frustrated with the spiritual and the physical, you can be comfortable with at least the physical (here)," said Aaron Rees, 20. Rees uses a sleeping bag he got at the center. He usually camps outside city limits. ICCA has 18 faith affiliates in Ashland including churches, synagogues and other groups. It was formed in 1989 to provide centralized services and to take the burden off individual organizations. It has only one paid staff member and relies on volunteers and donations to provide services. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.