Page 8 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - February 2024

8
Volunteers fill pantries,

meet needs for teens

Oakville Food Bank,
Teen Student Program
make life a little easier

By Bobbie Bush
On March 5, I arrived at
the Oakville Food Bank and
Teen Program in the Oakville
Community Center at 111 E. Oak
St.
The Food Bank provides
needed food and necessities to
everyone who enters the door.
The day I visited, volunteers Dedicated volunteers at the Oakville Food Bank and Teen Program help
unloaded food and other things off unload and prepare food and personal items for local families and youth.
pallets using their cart to get the
heavy boxes up the old ramp to the 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; produce is available or apartment complexes. The
Community Center Building. every other Friday from 2-3:30 volunteers have also taken
The Oakville Food Bank was p.m. the surplus of offerings out to
relocated in 2020. The building To access food and other homeless encampments.
was allocated to house the food resources, it is not necessary Another service provided at
bank in April of that year, and by to provide verification of your the Oakville Food Bank is the
May, the first opening of the food address; all you need to do is Teen Student Program. Teens
bank for distribution occurred. indicate need. can request certain items such as
Don Secena was able to secure The Food Bank serves 75-100 toiletries, socks, sanitizing wipes,
a $7,500 check to support the Tribe Chairman Dustin Klatush customers each month. Clientele laundry detergent, dish soap and
efforts. brought a $5,000 donation changes each week as a family’s other items. The resources are
Because the food bank to support the distribution of needs change. available as needed throughout
administration did not use all of community resources to folks in When an abundance of produce the year. At Christmas time, teens
those funds, another request to the need. is available and there is too much are shopped for individually
tribe was not made until recently. The hours of availability are the to store, volunteers distribute the according to their requests or
Just a few weeks ago, Chehalis second Friday of each month from bounty to low-income housing needs.

Valuable resources power up financial future

CTLF is paving the way to
financial empowerment through
education, coaching and fair PRESENTATIONS
lending. We have partnered with DATE TOPIC
Twin Star Credit Union to provide
information, tools and resources March 26 Tax Talk: Navigating Your Finances
on topics throughout 2024. April 23 Money Talk: Knowing the Lingo
For those who wish to start
or grow a small business, we are May 28 Journey Dollars: Making Every Travel Penny Count
offering an educational program June 25 Tuition Talks: Navigating the Costs of Higher Learning
(Indianpreneurship) as well as SIGN UP
launching a variety of online July 23 Homefront Chronicles: Your Guide to Buying/Building
educational opportunities for Aug. 27 Smart Start: Back-to-School Budgeting Tips
business owners. All CTLF presentations will Sept. 24 Home Haven: Navigating the Joys and Challenges of
The Empowered Auto Buyer run from 6-7 p.m. and will be Homeownership
Program provides insight to the available live at Talking Cedar
car buying process so consumers or via Zoom at no cost. Oct. 22 Festive Finances: Navigating Holiday Spending Wisely
can avoid being taken advantage For more information and Nov. 26 Listeners Lounge: Gratitude Guide to General Resources
of while seeking safe and reliable to sign up for workshops,
transportation. contact Administrative
Thinking of buying a home? Assistant Raygen Shiver at
CTLF can now assist with the rshiver@chehalistribe.org
home loan process. Watch for or 360-709-1643.
upcoming workshops to become
homeowner ready.