A volunteer fair is encouraging older Oregonians to get involved in their communities and fight social isolation, which became pervasive during the pandemic.

The Community Volunteer Fair will take place in Medford June 23.

Cassie Rose, executive director of the Community Volunteer Network, which is hosting the event for folks age 55 and older, said they are hoping to draw people back into the volunteer space.

"Volunteer recruitment is a big need in our community," Rose explained. "Our community took a big hit after COVID, and we're trying to rebuild the volunteer database to get more people involved, and we're excited to feature over 20 programs."

Rose pointed out organizations in the region are able to provide services to people because of the work of volunteers.

United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has raised the alarm about loneliness as a public health crisis in the country. Murthy noted even before the pandemic, about half of U.S. adults reported measurable levels of loneliness. Rose emphasized volunteering is a solution for overcoming feelings of isolation.

"Lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day," Rose noted. "Getting involved in the community through volunteerism is a way to combat that."

The volunteer fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in downtown Medford. It is a free event, and only for people age 55 and older.


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A week after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeast, the North Carolina town of Boone is facing an uphill battle.

With many roads still impassable, widespread power outages and a "boil water" advisory in effect, the community is coming together to aid those most affected.

SOL Nation, a nonprofit focused on environmental and social justice, is helping with the recovery effort. Tiffany Fant, the organization's executive director, said the damage is twofold, with people in rural areas dealing with much of the impact.

"Within the city limits, the water's receded, the streets are OK; there are still some power outages but people are moving about," she said. "But then when you get further out into the county, there's still people stranded, roads blocked, some roads washed out."

Fant said SOL Nation is partnering with Cornerstone Summit Church to create a resilience hub. The church sanctuary has been converted into a donation center to receive and distribute resources. The group is also partnering with others in Charlotte to provide relief to other areas.

Fant explained SOL Nation's efforts focus not only on immediate relief but also long-term recovery. She added that it is training members who are closest to the community to continue these efforts after the immediate crisis has passed.

"No one is going to be able to rebuild and recover alone, in isolation," she said, "so it's going to take community to know who is unaccounted for, to know who's still stranded, to know who needs to get medical supplies, right? And that takes community. That takes knowing your neighbor."

She said anyone looking to help can visit SOL Nation's website at solnation.org, or the Cornerstone Summit Church website at cornerstonesummit.org.

Other relief efforts are also underway in Western North Carolina from local, state and federal partners. So far, the National Guard has performed more than 1,400 rescues.


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As Florida recovers from Hurricane Helene, the state's network of Community Health Centers continues to provide crucial care statewide.

Community Health Centers see patients despite their ability to pay. Although some facilities avoided significant damage, the storm's widespread impact is straining resources, staff and patients. Clinics from Sarasota to the Panhandle are focused on rebuilding and restoring services.

Despite the storm's size and power, said Gianna Van Winkle, director of emergency management programs for the Florida Association of Community Health Centers, the centers largely avoided catastrophic damage.

"No total losses or anything like that," she said, "but at the same time, there's power loss, there's staff and patient impacts that are going to affect the way that these health centers operate in these days and weeks ahead."

In hard-hit rural areas, where resources and infrastructure are often limited, health centers operate mobile units and partner with county officials to deliver care and supplies. They're also collecting relief supplies to support workers affected by the storm.

Health centers along the Gulf Coast, including in Sarasota, faced significant flooding. Christine Coviello, chief advancement and engagement officer for CenterPlace Health, said its facilities avoided structural damage, but had to close for a day because staff members were unable to reach the clinics.

"The storm surge is what really got us," Coviello said. "The wind and the rain was something we could handle a lot better - but this time, the storm surge really affected those low-lying areas."

Telehealth, mobile units and backup power systems allowed many facilities to remain operational or quickly return to service. However, despite these healthcare facilities coming out largely unscathed, many staff members are struggling to recover from personal losses, while still being called to serve their communities.

Social behavior experts said teens have fewer safe spaces to gather, with technology-driven isolation complicating matters. It is more pronounced in places with documented violence, but a Minnesota project could keep some of the issues at bay.

This month, the organization Nonviolent Peaceforce begins specialized programming at its community hub in North Minneapolis. FBI data show a downward trend in violent crime but North Minneapolis still sees the lingering effects of shootings and other incidents.

Odell Wilson, community peacebuilder for the group, said the dedicated space allows middle and high school students to participate in healing circles and more activities.

"Certain days, on a Saturday or a Thursday, we might have journals or painting to express yourself through the arts," Wilson explained.

He indicated they are planning to set up a music studio as another outlet for teens looking for social and emotional relief from any neighborhood tension. The youth programming space sits inside the gathering hub Nonviolent Peaceforce opened in North Minneapolis last year to foster meaningful conversations among community members.

Nonviolent Peaceforce offers training in de-escalation tactics around the world. It said it sometimes can be hard for youths in troubled areas to have such conversations with family members or school staff. Wilson and other organizers hope to convince teens living in those areas they are not alone.

"It's kind of having that second home to come and to vent to or come in to just be heard," Wilson added.

He emphasized they want teens to find their voice and identity if outside forces are preventing it from happening. Nonviolent Peaceforce received a $17,000 grant from the City of Minneapolis for the new programming.