Church at the Park, 2410 Turner Road SE, Salem, OR (2026)

06/02/2026

Meet Jordan! Jordan is our new Workforce Development Program Manager.

We asked him to share a little about himself.

"I am a father of three Oregon DHS adopted kids, currently aged 15, 17, and 19, who have been with me 12+ years. They were a sibling set that needed a family, and it was the best and hardest thing I have done.

I have been working as a professor at Corban University for the last 16 years in part-time or full-time capacities, teaching Bible, theology, and ministry. However, my doctoral work specialized in strategic leadership with a focus on mentoring minority students.

I previously worked at Papua Hope Language Institute, where I built a team of educators and oversaw all programs in the school in Papua, Indonesia, where my family lived from 2020 to 2022. I built the curriculum for all major subjects, oversaw the staff, was dean of students, and enjoyed living the island life in Papua, especially during COVID lockdown.

I have a backstory with Church at the Park. In 2007, I was pastoring a church called Ecclesia and co-planted Church at the Park with DJ and his Emmaus church as a way of engaging our homeless neighbors.

I will be pioneering courses to prepare our Young Adults at the Young Adult Site to enter a certified culinary program that we are building with Chemeketa and community partners to train youth for jobs in food service. This training program will provide job training, pay, and experience to help C@P youth build careers in local restaurants and, hopefully, pursue their own dreams. This culinary program will also work into the C@P kitchen that is being constructed over at Catholic Community Services on Portland Road, and our hope is to provide meals for all the C@P sites through that kitchen. If this culinary training program proves successful, we would like to pursue other industries of workforce development.

I would want you to know that I am open to new friends and good ideas. So, if you want to be a new friend or have some good ideas you want to try downloading on me... I am down!"

05/30/2026

This week's Staff Shout Out goes to Gladys, our Data Specialist!

Here is what some of her team members shared—

Kelly, Health Systems Navigator:

"Gladys helps Navigation in 1 million unseen ways. She manages the waitlist. She helps us connect to HRSN services to keep people housed. She helps schedule intakes and is in connection with people in the community who want to connect to C@P services. As a staff member working in team with Gladys, I notice that she creates steadiness and reliable answers. She takes her time to do her job well and has been essential in connecting our participants to the resources that they need. I’m constantly grateful for Gladys’s gentle humor and willingness to take on new things as they rise as needs for a participants. Shot out to Gladys in 1 million ways. She’s truly an essential link in church at the park."

Kathryn, Data & Systems Manager:

"Gladys always has great ideas, a funny centering question, and snacks! She brings so much value to our team and to our organization. She is incredibly smart, diligent, and caring. There isn't a problem Gladys can't solve. She brings clarity and improvements to our processes and to our excel sheets. She is always ready to learn and even more willing to help others. We are so grateful for Gladys!"

Helena, Director of Business Operations:

"Gladys contributes an immense amount of intentionality and efficiency to our team that not only brings compassion and mindfulness but makes our million different processes connected and endlessly smoother. We are so thankful for who Gladys is and the unique lens she brings C@P, almost as thankful as I am for the incredible variety of snacks she always seems to have on hand at the office."

05/27/2026

As AAPI Heritage Month comes to a close, we’re honored to share the voices of four incredible members of our team—Danae, Rien, Krystal, and Zato. From journeys of adoption and belonging to traditions kept alive through cooking and connection to the land, their stories remind us that family, culture, and community are at the heart of who we are. Representation matters because when we see ourselves reflected in those around us, we know we belong. Thank you to our AAPI community, both at our sites and across our neighborhoods, for the richness you bring to our shared story. We’re grateful to learn from you, celebrate with you, and walk alongside you. 💙

05/25/2026

It is an observable fact that people living on the streets can accumulate a lot of stuff. The myth might be the story that gets told about the people who are carrying the stuff, that they are morally deficient or that it is some sort of character flaw that drives their behavior.

When we put people into situations and settings where there is not enough, people tend to hold on to whatever they can. When people have little to no control over their environment, they will often save things “just in case” as a way to exercise control and agency of their lives.

When people are constantly stuck in survival mode, saving or hoarding materials is a deeply wired psychological defense mechanism. “Hoarding,” according to a University of Michigan Psychologist, “is actually a totally normal and adaptive behavior that kicks in any time there is an uneven supply of resources.” People from all walks of life save and hoard different resources—food, toilet paper during the pandemic, etc—but for people with little to no access to resources, the stuff that they end up saving can look like junk.

Working with unsheltered people to manage their property is something that our shelter staff regularly focuses on. When people move into our shelters, it can take a long time to transition out of being in survival mode, of living in constant stress and uncertainty and often people want to hold on to as much as they can.

Once people begin to feel safe and they feel a greater sense of agency over their own lives, those behaviors decrease.

05/23/2026

Either from people in need of shelter or from curious community members, we get a lot of questions about the waitlist for our shelters and Safe Parking.

Each program maintains its own application pool. Applicants are considered using an internal prioritization process that assesses individual vulnerability and need, with the goal of equitably serving those waiting for shelter. All applications are reviewed using the same equity-focused approach.

Anyone can use this link to either apply for our programs or update an existing application. Family, friends, or community members can help someone fill out an application if someone needs assistance.

https://www.church-at-the-park.org/shelter

05/23/2026

Today we had the joy of joining students at Dallas Community High School as they honored Church at the Park as the 2026 recipient of their Community 101 Grant Award! 🎉 Through the Community 101 program, funded by the Oregon Community Foundation, students spent the year learning about philanthropy and childhood poverty in Polk and Marion Counties, reviewing nonprofit applications, and making a thoughtful decision about where to invest.

We are humbled that they chose to award a $7,000 grant to support Church at the Park’s rural Polk County outreach and benevolence work for neighbors experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness. These funds will help our Polk County team provide practical supplies and support that move families and individuals toward shelter, hospitality housing, and long‑term stability.

Huge thanks to the DCHS Community 101 students, their educators, and the Oregon Community Foundation for seeing our neighbors, believing in young people’s leadership, and partnering with us to care for families in Polk County.

05/22/2026

Meet Jordan. Jordan is our new Volunteer Coordinator!

Here’s a short profile of Jordan:

"I grew up in Salem, having been the third generation of my family to attend Parrish Middle School and North Salem High School before transferring to Central High. I come from a very culturally diverse family, and grew up exploring culture through food and music.

Before coming to C@P I worked for the Union Gospel Mission of Salem for 4 years serving as the Food Services Supervisor, a G.E.D. Tutor for adults with learning disabilities, and the Client Services Associate for Restoration House.

I'm looking forward to the exciting opportunity of really establishing this new role at C@P by pulling together the frameworks from all of the awesome staff members who have already been doing parts of this work, as well as learning from some of our community partners in how they've found success in their versions of this role. It's an opportunity to learn, create, and collaborate with others.

I see the Volunteer Coordinator position as a sort of nexus between all of the C@P sites, staff from all levels, volunteers, guests, community partners, and the wider community. A meeting place where ideas can become opportunities.

When I'm not working, I enjoy gaming, volunteering in my community, and lots of walking. I have a fairly diverse collection of video games (about 400 games on Steam), and am typically playing a couple different video games off and on throughout the week. I always have at least one volunteer activity going each month; whether that's tutoring, sorting donations at the foodbank, planting trees with Friends of Trees, cataloging files online for the National Archives, or helping my grandma set up movie night at our church.",

We’re excited for Jordan and his new role!

05/21/2026

From Alexandria, Manager of Navigation Services:

"I felt moved to take a moment to recognize the extraordinary women of our Coral House team. These four ladies lead daily with compassion, empathy, and love, creating a space that is safe, nurturing, and full of heart.

Jess, our chaplain, shows up in every space with humility, deep compassion, and genuine love. She brings community to Coral House through her presence and by thoughtfully planning daily activities, helping our house truly feel like home.

Melissa, our peer support, walks alongside our ladies with God at the center of her work, beautifully embodying our mission and values. She ensures our women feel seen, heard, and advocated for, especially in difficult moments. Her heart for those she serves shines through in all that she does.

Kelly, our case manager, works tirelessly to ensure our ladies have access to vital resources, including medical and mental health support. She brings s***k, laughter, and compassion into every space, lifting spirits while getting meaningful work done.

Jenn, our sanitation specialist, goes above and beyond to keep our home clean, organized, and welcoming. More than that, she is a listening ear and a steady companion, leading with empathy and providing a safe, supportive presence for every woman here.

These four women are strong, beautiful, and deeply empowering. I am truly honored to work alongside them and witness the love they pour into Coral House each day."

05/19/2026

Monica, Chaplain at the Young Adult Site, shared this update:

we’re currently at our max of 22 residents (plus a few beloved cats and dogs!) engaged in a growing, program-based community focused on structure, connection, and personal growth. We’re grateful to offer robust wrap-around support: GED and career readiness through Chemeketa, SNAP/STEP with ODHS, a 24/7 on-site food bank with Marion Polk Food Share, financial literacy with Financial Beginnings, banking support from KeyBank, and paid internship opportunities with Better Than Mama’s (Baraka Workforce Development) and MWVCAA. Together with weekly sessions from a HYB Counseling drug & alcohol counselor (often with treats from their food truck), an active MPFS community garden, weekly Community Circle over a shared meal, and consistent case management, chores, and deep cleans, young adults have multiple pathways to heal, stabilize, and grow.
We’re now leaning further into creativity and community-building with a new weekend Peer Support Specialist and structured arts, crafts, and hands-on group activities that support self-expression and shared experiences.

This brings me to YOU!

We would love a partnership and your support! Here are some ideas:

Craft supplies: a few little things that help make these activities possible (you can find our current list here).

Small Group service: dropping off a hot-and-ready weekend meal, coming as a group to volunteer in our community garden, or exploring other ways to support the needs of our young adults. ("Small Group" Caveat: We’ve found that drop-in or sporadic volunteer groups interacting directly with our young adults can sometimes be met with limited openness, as many have experienced trauma and come from unhoused backgrounds... so consistency and relationship-building over time tend to be especially meaningful in this space.)

Donations: Clothing, shoes, and hygiene item donations always welcome, C@P-wide!

I continue to be so encouraged by the ways our Salem-Keizer community shows up. Let me know if you’d like to come visit, chat more, or meet for coffee... I’d love to connect.

Email: [email protected]

Church at the Park

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