MISSION

Birch Community Services, Inc. is an Oregon nonprofit corporation. Its mission is to provide encouragement and support for families in need, without discrimination, through the provision of food and necessities.

Birch Community Services, Inc., being unable to serve all of the needy families and individuals referred to it, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to determine those individuals and families it will serve. Accordingly, a family or individual's participation is subject to being terminated at any time for any reason.

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE

PAY MONTHLY DUES

Each family pays a service fee of $50.00 per month. Service fees are due by the 15^th day of the month and will be late if not received on or before the last day of the month. This fee pays not for product, but a portion of the overhead costs such as warehouse rent, maintenance and gas, etc. A drop box is available at the front desk, or you can mail your payment. Please be prompt with your service fee ... we do NOT want to be collection agents!

Late notices are issued if the service fee is not received by the last day of the month. After two late notices the fee must be paid by the 10th of the month or participation will not be allowed. After three notices participation rights will be terminated. Contact us if there are special circumstances regarding a late payment.

SIGN A GOAL STATEMENT

Each family has a signed participation form and goal statement on file. A representative of each family completes a Participation Update Form once a year to specify goals accomplished.

COMMIT TO A SHOPPING DAY

Participants choose a shopping day and commit to coming on that day. Families must come at least approximately 75% of the time (or 3 out of 4 weeks a month). If you don't attend for 30 days and have not notified us you will be removed from the program. The reasoning is simple:

• Our participants are limited and there is a waiting list. If you are listed as a participant and do not come regularly, you are taking away another family's opportunity.
• Families who do not come regularly might not pay fees regularly. Fees pay rent and utilities.
• We distribute items based on the number of families that will come on an open day. If you do not come consistently, product that could go to families may go to waste.
• Since BCSI is all about good stewardship, car pooling and combining trips, etc., are great ways to help cut the cost of traveling & gas. (See our Ride Share board in the front office.) We figured the average vehicle gets about 15 miles per gallon, so a 15 mile round trip to BCSI would cost between $9 and $10. EEK! We hope you get better gas mileage than that, but if you don't and you'd like to join in on the "2X Shopper" program, here's the deal:
  • If you live 15 miles from BCSI or more, you may shop every other week.
  • To allow adequate shopping time, Monday and Wednesday "2X shoppers" should arrive no later than 5:15 p.m. and Friday "2X shoppers" should arrive no later than 3:45 p.m.
  • Each time you come, you will check in as a "2X shopper", and have two checks marked in your check-in box.
  • You will shop once, put the items in your vehicle (except frozen), then go around again as if you hadn't shopped already.
  • Service fee will remain the same for the month.
  • Your helping requirements still remain the same for the month.
  • If you choose to help on the same day, this could mean up to a four-hour-or-more stay at the warehouse. A big concern here is the children's waiting area. We are not equipped to handle large quantities of kids, especially not for long blocks of time. You can help in this area by doing the following:
    • If you know you'll be at the warehouse a long period of time, have a friend or relative watch your kids for you at home (at no cost!).
    • Contact Tammy Whitlock to help in the children's area.
  • We need you to choose an 'either/or' in order to keep a balance. In other words, if you want to be a 2X shopper, you need to be consistent in that pattern, just as when you are a 1X shopper you should come each week. Of course, special situations are given grace (sickness, broken cars, etc.).
  • You can give this a try if you're uncertain how it will work for you. If you find it's not profitable in the long run, you can change back to being a 1X shopper.
  • This will take some planning and stewardship! You'll need to plan meals ahead and be organized in order to avoid a lot of extra Safeway trips during your "off" week. Those extra trips to the grocery store are what will kill your budget.
  • We realize you just don't know what you miss on your "off" week, which is the 'con' of this idea.
  • If you'd like to participate, contact Kim at Kim Ikehara , or call her at 503.251.5431.

If you are occasionally unable to shop on your chosen day (doctor's appointments, school functions, etc.) you may shop on another open day that week. Friday can be made up on Monday. It is not necessary to call us, just come in. If it is a consistent problem, you may change your pickup day, just let us know.

There's been a bit of confusion lately about 'make-up' shops. If you miss a week because of vacation, illness, etc., you may do one additional shop the following week only, but NOT two shops on the same day. For example, you may come in on Monday and Friday of the following week. Please let the front desk know you are doing a 'make-up' shop when you check in. Remember, consistency is the key here - consistent, weekly shopping keeps food in your fridge, and helps us keep a balance of distribution. If you have questions, please contact the front desk at 503.251.5431.

WRITE THANK YOU NOTES

A grateful heart is a critical part of our program. You convey your appreciation to our wonderful providers by writing one or two thank you notes a month. Leave them at the front desk; we mail them for you. They are always thrilled to hear from you about how they affect your lives!

HELP AFTER THREE MONTHS

During your first three months on the program helping is not required but it is welcomed! After three months helping two hours per month is required. After three years this increases to four hours a month. We ask that you work a full two hour shift every time. A variety of help is needed; there is a place for you! For more information see the Helper/Volunteer Guidelines.

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LEAVING THE PROGRAM?

While we are sad to see you go, we look forward to families being able to leave our program because the Lord blesses them and goals are met. If you no longer need this program, please inform us in writing. Let us know when and why you are leaving. When we have this written information we will remove you in good standing, eligible to return.

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SHOPPING IN THE WAREHOUSE

WAREHOUSE HOURS

General shopping begins at about 1:15 after the helpers for the day shop first as their bonus.

See the "Holiday Closure list, or check the website to see what holidays BCSI is closed.

PARKING

Parking can be an issue on some days. Note the designated BCSI parking areas (see parking diagram). Note: We will not be responsible for damage to autos or theft of articles while drivers are in the warehouse.

CHECKING IN

When you arrive at the warehouse, you will:

• Write your name on a piece of paper at the front desk and hand it to the front desk person.
• Take one of the following from the front desk person:
• o A number (you will wait to be called when a shopping cart becomes available), or
• o A time to be finished in the warehouse. Shopping time is limited to 45 minutes.
• Check children who need supervision into the children's waiting area. (See "CHILDREN" below.)

SHOPPING PROCEDURES

After the helpers finish shopping (generally about 1:15 p.m.) general shoppers are called by number. Sixty shoppers are allowed in the distribution area at one time, and only one representative per family. This is efficient for several reasons:

• It prevents crowding and anxiety, allows the maximum number of families to shop at once and reduces waiting time.
• It prevents doubling up on the limits, which can happen unintentionally with two family people shopping.

Please help keep the warehouse clean! If a box is empty, toss it with the other empties. If you spill something, clean it up. The helpers are participant families just like you.

LOADING

To load your goods in your car when you are finished, you may either:

• Roll the cart out to your car, or
• Bring your car to the loading zone. Pull your cart to the roll-up door then back your vehicle straight in to the roll-up door. Our charming loaders can help you if you wish.
• Return the cart inside the warehouse.

DISTRIBUTION LIMITS

Special Note: The items in the BCSI warehouse are for participant families only. Please take what your family can use, not neighbors, extended family, etc. This includes clothing, boots, 'Needs' and 'Haves' board, and anything else in the warehouse. (Keep in mind that other families can be referred to our program if they have need of it.)

What we do to distribute the blessing equally to all participants

• Post item limits based on the number of participant families and the quantity of the item received.
• Stock shelves throughout the entire open time. (You don't need to be first for the best!)
• Reserve special items received in limited supply for helpers.

What you can do to distribute the blessing equally to all participants

• Read limit signs.
• With unlimited items, take only what your own family can use. Choose items thoughtfully.
• Produce may especially be in limited supply, so take enough for one meal if provisions are short.
• Ask when you see an abundance of something; it's likely that you may take some to share with others.

If we feel that someone is intentionally trying to break the guidelines, or sneak something by us, we will bring it to their attention. After three notifications, your participation rights will be terminated.

CHILDREN

Only one child under five years old is allowed in the distribution area. Ideally, you would be able to leave your children at home or with a friend. The children's waiting room is available if this is not possible. If your kids are waiting for you, shop quickly. To maintain a peaceful atmosphere for waiting participants and front desk workers, we ask that kids are quiet and well behaved. There is an overseer in the waiting room to ensure that children stay in the children's area, but we accept no responsibility for your children. Those bringing children consistently will be asked to help as an overseer. Read "Your kids, and what to do with them".

Parents' Responsibility:

• Stay with children until they are called to shop. (QUICK trips upstairs okay.)
• Sign children in, give them a name tag, and mark the time you leave the Kids' area.
• You may take ONE young child into the warehouse with you, as long as that child is in a Snugli or backpack,
• OR the child is under 5 years old and is strapped into the child seat of the shopping cart. NO standing in the shopping carts will be allowed!
• The "riding" child is well-behaved and not a distraction to other shoppers.
• The child is not eating while riding in the shopping cart.
• Take children to the bathroom if necessary.

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Ways Birch Community Services Participants Bless Each Other

The "Needs and Haves" Board

If you have an item you don't use, or if you need something, feel free to indicate it on the board and DATE it (and remove it when it is gone or the need filled.) Please, nothing for sale. This is your chance to bless and be blessed. These items are for participant families only.

Clothing Exchange Department

Participants age 13 and up can shop in this area located upstairs. We welcome items and clothing that are clean and of good quality. There are some items we don't accept; see the guidelines for this at the front desk. Mark your bag or box of donations with your name and phone number. The clothing exchange department is for participant families only.

REFERRING NEW FAMILIES

We add families by referral or our invitation. After you have participated in the program yourself for four months you may refer another family in need. There is a referral form for this purpose. You may submit one referral every two months. A referral does not guarantee addition to the waiting list; the level of need is determined by the Review Committee (under the supervision of the Board of Directors) in its sole discretion. The Review Committee reviews applications and admits families as there is room. The Review Committee also reserves the right to replace a family or individual whose need is not as great as another's. (It is your responsibility to keep us abreast of any changes in your family or need status.)

PRAYER

SUGGESTIONS

This is a Christ-centered organization, and we desire to run it the way He would have it run. We are not perfect, though, and we are open to suggestions that could help things run more efficiently. Let us know if you have any ideas!

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