In November 2023, the Sunriver Women’s Club awarded SVDP La Pine with a grant of $6,000 to provide 5-gallon propane vouchers to support our homeless community members in Southern Deschutes. The support comprises the most significant single grant given to our community-based organization for propane provisions and will go far to reduce freezing, hunger, and illness in our area.
At an elevation of over 4,000 ft La Pine quickly drops below-freezing temperatures as early as September. With a large and dispersed homeless community living in the vast forests in prefabricated and old homes, RV’s, tents, cars, and shanty structures people in and around the community are at significant risk of freezing as the winter months approach. According to Portland-based Street Roots Organization, “Within Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, and Wheeler counties, 17 people died while homeless during the first half of this year.” While the exact cause is unknown, the cold certainly contributed to much cruelty in these deaths. Through SVDP La Pine’s propane voucher program, our team annually provides life-sustaining propane provisions to over 1,200 families and individuals in need in La Pine and Deschutes County.
On behalf of the community and SVDP La Pine, we give generous thanks to Sunriver Women’s Club for this grant and their confidence in our work!