October 2023: Letter from the Director of Philanthropy

Oct. 12, 2023


The leaves outside are one of nature’s boldest expressions of change. See how the trees are filled with beautiful colors that were not there a month ago and begin to appreciate the greater meaning behind them. It’s a time to reflect on what’s been accomplished in the past year and what changes are still to come.


Like the seasons we experience throughout the year, everything in our organization has its cycles—building of huts, welcoming new clients, transitioning leaders—and all of that sustains us. However, most things in life have a way of showing us when it’s time to maintain the status quo and when it’s time to move on.


With a full heart, we’d like to formally announce that Karissa Moden has stepped down from their role as Director of Community Impact to focus on their family, including baby Remi who was welcomed into the world earlier this summer. The absence of our third Director has been both challenging and informative for Tabitha and me, though it’s given us an opportunity to reflect on how important shared leadership is for the entire organization. We’ll be interviewing candidates for this position later this month and hope to announce a new leader in mid-November.

This leads me to our next announcement—the creation of CSS’s shared mid-level management team. Please join me in celebrating the promotion of Pujita Mayeda to the role of Development Manager and Danyell Rejcek to the role of Community Manager. Pujita has been with CSS since nearly the beginning and Dani since our rapid expansion in 2020; their historical knowledge and fervent commitment to the organization have been immensely helpful as leadership has transitioned over the last year. These two amazing individuals will join Caiti Morrell (Personnel Manager), Dustin Foskett (Facilities Manager), and Mellinda Poor (Navigation Manager) to provide the on-the-ground, day-to-day direction of CSS.


In some ways, CSS is going back to its roots, including the re-engagement of clients as volunteers and the focus on hiring individuals from our Safe Spot Communities. In other ways, we’re continuing to branch out—engaging with the broader community in new and unique ways, partnering with outside organizations, and looking for chances to expand our reach outside of Lane County. We encourage you to follow us on social media as we frequently highlight our activities and outreach efforts there.


Seasons change, and some seasons come back around, but we’re never quite the same as we were the last time through. Saying goodbye to what we know brings new beginnings, uncertainty, joy, and excitement. Thank you for your continued support throughout all of our seasons.


With immense gratitude,


Heather Quaas-Annsa 
Director of Philanthropy

News & Events

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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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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
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.”
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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