How Can You Help?

The Good Neighbor Center relies on donations of food, money and time. Call the center and volunteer to prepare a dinner, donate extra food or serve as an overnight host. We have no food budget as all of our meals are donated at the center, saving the GNC thousands of dollars each year. Many stores and organizations bring us extra food and we obtain some from the Oregon Food Bank, but your donations of meals are critical to the operation of the center. Being an overnight host requires an 8-hour stay at the shelter from 10 pm until 6 am. We need hosts to be on sight in case of an emergency.

These gifts of time and money are needed to continue our mission to help get people back on their feet.

How Do We Operate Financially?

The Good Neighbor Center depends on donations for almost 50% of its budget. Through fundraisers, appeal letters, and the newletters, we receive individual donations. In 1999-2000 two fundraisers netted over $50,000. Other revenue was received from church collections, special event donations and gifts from businesses and service clubs. The other 50+% of our budget comes from cities which generously include us in their budget, FEMA money, ESG (county) funds and EHA (state) funds. Washington County owns the building and leases the building to the Good Neighbor Center for $1.00 a year. Our largest expenditure is for staff. We employ 5 full time employees who run the shelter 7 days a week, 24 hours a day year around.