Heather Quaas-Annsa:

New Philanthropy Director Pursues Creative Funding Strategies

Jan. 26, 2022

Heather M. Quaas-Annsa, the new Director of Philanthropy for CSS, has hit the ground running in that important position with many ideas to expand the financial base of the organization.


The increase in the number of clients served during the past year and the hiring of new employees to accommodate the expansion means CSS will be finding creative ways to establish strong and stable funding—which is nothing new for this community-based nonprofit.


Heather M. Quaas-Annsa comes to CSS with a wealth of experience in nonprofit board development, grant writing, planned giving, stewardship, event planning, and major gift fundraising. She has an extensive track record of successfully managing for profit-based as well as nonprofit organizations, most recently as Executive Director of Peace Harbor Medical Center Foundation in Florence.


“I love what CSS is all about,” says Heather. “I feel very fortunate to have an  opportunity to be a part of this amazing program.

“This organization does so much more than just provide a place for someone to sleep. We help our residents work through the issues that caused them to become homeless in the first place– things like food insecurity, trauma, addiction, medical or dental issues, and joblessness.


“By addressing these underlying issues and creating a safe, welcoming peer-support network within our Safe Spot Communities, residents can finally focus on the future. This can mean improved health, long-term employment, and stable housing opportunities are no longer just dreams, but real possibilities!”


“These opportunities can really make a huge difference in people’s lives that will create real and lasting change.”


Heather will be building on the work of previous development staff members including Kristin Fay de Buhr, Tara Hubbird, Annie Herz, and Pujita Mayeda, who have created a strong financial foundation for CSS. She will be leading the CSS Development Team in seeking out additional funding sources, including grants, and expanding the donor base.


Heather’s professional background outside of the nonprofit world includes work as a paralegal and county court clerk, debt collection manager, and call center supervisor.

She’s a frequent volunteer and constant advocate for a variety of community organizations including the United Way of Lane County and Parenting Now. She has also served in several capacities for the Bethel School District, including the Budget Committee and the Superintendent Search Committee. She is currently president of the Bethel Education Foundation Board of Directors.


Heather resides in Springfield with her husband, Craig, their three kids, and a plethora of pets and plants.

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If you are a member of the media who is seeking information or would like to request an interview, contact community@cssoregon.org.


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A Driver’s License Can Alter Lives

January 22, 2025
Soon after Mark moved into the Skinner Safe Spot Community in 2022 he got a CSS staff job on the maintenance crew. He worked 10–12 hours a week, and his primary responsibility was cleaning up Huts when clients moved out, preparing them for the next occupants. He didn’t have a driver’s license. He had one “many years ago” in California before he became homeless, but then he didn’t have a vehicle and he let his license lapse. He had never had a license in Oregon, where he moved in 2014. So for the maintenance job, he says, “I would commute by way of my bicycle. I carried all the cleaning products and brooms and mops and whatever I needed on my bicycle.” Things went well, and when the maintenance crew was reorganized about six months later, he was offered a new position, at 30 hours a week, in which he would be the primary maintenance person for three communities. It required he drive a CSS vehicle, so the offer was contingent on him having a driver’s license. “My supervisor at the time told me that CSS

Breaking The Cycle: Fostering Financial Literacy

January 21, 2025
A CSS Yurt on a rainy cold December afternoon in West Eugene may not be a place you would expect to find two Eugene area bank branch managers enrolling new depositors. Even more remarkable is the effort and journey that brought them there. The story begins earlier this year when Downtown Eugene KeyBank Branch Manager Michelle Khanthanhot reached out to Blake Burrell, CSS Director of Community Impact. What ensued is a focused grassroots effort by Michelle and another KeyBank Eugene Branch Manager Jose Contreras to educate the CSS community about financial health and planning. “For KeyBank it is important that we are involved in our community,” says Michelle. “Blake and I connected and it has just kind of evolved in the last 6 months.”

Grants That Create Pathways to Stability, Creativity, and Community

January 20, 2025
Community Supported Shelters is thrilled to share news of the incredible support we received from our community partners in 2024. These grants have allowed us to expand our programs, enhance our services, and make a meaningful difference for the individuals we serve. Here are the highlights:

Family Reunites and Forges a New Beginning

January 14, 2025
Robert hadn’t seen his brother Dan in 17 years. “I’ve been looking for him. I hadn’t had any luck and, honestly, I didn’t think he was still around.” But when Robert moved from one CSS community to the Micro-Mission Community in mid-September, he saw a face he knew. “Oh my God, it’s my long lost brother,” he said. And they gave each other a big bear hug. Dan, 56, has been in CSS Safe Spots for two years and Robert, 59, about a year. Eugene natives, they have both dealt with many difficult challenges. But, thanks to CSS, they have been reunited in a safe place and will help each other build more stable lives. “It was meant to be,” Dan says.

CSS Leadership Team Advocates for Alternative Shelter Models at National Conference in Washington, D.C.

November 1, 2024
This past summer, the leadership team at Community Supported Shelters took a powerful step forward in advocating for alternative shelter solutions by attending the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) conference in Washington, D.C. The team joined thousands of advocates, policymakers, and service providers nationwide to share best practices, exchange ideas, and drive critical discussions on addressing homelessness with innovative, community-centered approaches.

Access Center Expands Services

October 31, 2024
The last time Shaggy (given name Steve) got a haircut was right before he moved into the CSS Lot 9 Community about two years ago. His hair was long and he’d been sleeping under the Harlow Street Bridge between Eugene and Springfield and he wanted to make sure he didn’t bring any lice or other parasites into the community. He shaved it all off.

HIV Alliance Brings Testing and Education to CSS Communities

October 30, 2024
Since August, residents of the 14 CSS Communities in Eugene have seen a white van and new faces arrive on site during Tuesday group meetings. HIV Alliance is a Eugene-based nonprofit focused on supporting people with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases—and actively promoting prevention through testing and education.

Empowering Voices: Homeless Not Voteless

October 29, 2024
In partnership with The League of Women Voters of Lane County (LWVLC), CSS is making significant strides in expanding voter registration outreach to unhoused individuals in our community. Historically, unhoused individuals have faced numerous barriers to voter registration and participation including lack of a permanent address, identification issues, lack of information on candidates and issues, and limited access to information about the voting process.

Art Partnership Celebrates Community

July 23, 2024
On Friday, August 2, 2024, art created by CSS community members and staff will be featured on Eugene’s First Friday Art Walk in an exhibition titled “Community is Key” at the Oregon Supported Living Programs Arts and Culture Center (110 East 11th Avenue, Eugene). The exhibition, which opened on the First Friday Art Walk on July 5, is the culmination of a partnership between CSS and OSLP that began almost magically on a rainy day last Fall.

Director's Letter: Shared Leadership

July 22, 2024
We are delighted to bring you the Summer edition of our shelter program's newsletter. A special welcome to our new friends from the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference in D.C. For those receiving our newsletter for the first time, our mission is to support the unhoused in rebuilding their lives through intentional community. We seek to provide not only a safe haven for those experiencing homelessness but also a nurturing community that fosters growth, dignity, and hope.
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