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Kristi GiffordSummer Internship 2014

Clackamas Service CenterSocial Services

Internship Agreement

The overall goal of the internship is to develop a working relationship with key stakeholders in order to create a functional, sustainable harvest program in partnership with the OSU NWREC (North Willamette Research and Extension Center) farm. My key responsibility is to help subdue the fear and concerns that researchers at NWREC may have in regards to working with the CSC on this program. I will be doing so by:•Establishing a relationship with NWREC staff, potential volunteers, and GREEN Corps staff.•Developing yield estimates.•Creating a calendar of anticipated events and harvesting.•Creating a list and then obtaining the physical resources needed to complete the pick-ups and harvestings.•Developing a distribution plan.•Scheduling appropriate volunteers and transportation for events.

What I would like to personally gain from this internship is real world experience working in a socially conscious setting. I am really interested in seeing this project through from start to finish so that I can practice using my skills during all stages of the internship process.Here are my personal goals in regards to the internship at the CSC:•Learn how to pass off the responsibility of this project in a professional manner. •Practice leadership skills as well as learn new skills.•Learn how to manage a volunteer staff as opposed to a paid staff.•Practice measuring impact of the project both physically and intrinsically. ** note: I would like to have some component of observing and working with GREEN Corps because I am interested in creating and being part of some sort of social enterprise in the future. The mission of GREEN Corps is something I am really passionate about and I would love to gain experience in the type of work GREEN Corps is doing.

What I need from Andy Catts: •Help building initial connections between NWREC, Green Corps, and myself. •Mentor-like supervision with regular check-in meetings initiated by myself.In regards to gaining college credit:•Ability to approve an internship agreement set up by student.•Ability to fill out two supervisor reviews (one after the first five weeks, the other at the end of the experience), paperwork provided by student.•Ability to (hopefully) write a letter of recommendation at the end of the experience.

Journal Reflections

Week 1-2 of Internship

The first two weeks of my internship were filled with excitement and intimidation. The former due to my tendencies to seek out challenging opportunities, and the ladder due to the ambiguous nature of the tasks I knew I had to accomplish by the end of the summer. I was not sure exactly what I had gotten myself into as far as work load, all I knew was that I would be picking up berries and produce from a large research farm (NWREC) in Aurora, OR, and I would be coordinating volunteers to help me accomplish any harvesting jobs. The idea was that by forming this internship I would add value to the Clackamas Service Center because I would build relationships with key partner organization and I would be meeting a social need by coordinating the procurement of produce, which would otherwise be composted, from the key partner organizations.

My accomplishments during these first two weeks of internship included gathering resources and volunteers in order to harvest over 500 pounds of rhubarb from NWREC. The harvesting was a two-day event and it rained like it was the end of a drought. The volunteers and I spent hours in the rain and mud harvesting rhubarb, which, to a normal person might sound like one of the most miserable weekends ever. I had a blast!

I remember that the researchers at NWREC were nervous to have volunteers come onto their farm and harvest, so part of my job was to make sure the people I brought with me to volunteer were not stomping on other farms and produce while we were there. Well, this was a little more difficult task than I had anticipated. I had hoped that since the people I was bringing with me were all adults that they would know to only walk where I was leading them... and for the most part they did. But there was one person who was curious about what it might feel like to lie down in the golden wheat field next to the rhubarb beds. For a moment I was sure that I might get into trouble because this was one of the few specific tasks I was hired for, keeping people from disturbing other fields.

Yet, there was something about the situation that seemed to reach out to me in an ethereal way. I knew from my few prior years of work experience that the situation at hand called for some emotional sensitivity. The person who was lying in the golden wheat fields was experiencing a moment of peace in a time of his life where I knew these moments were far and few between. I can’t be sure why, but I decided to join the man in the field even though I knew there might be some sort of consequence for my actions. The young man and I enjoyed a brief moment of peace lying there in that wheat field during the short moment where the clouds broke apart and the blue sky peaked through. I did end up telling the man that we weren’t actually supposed to disturb other fields.

I learned this lesson that day: even if I might get into trouble for a certain action, having emotional sensitivity toward the people I am leading is more

important. The young man later complimented me for being a very caring volunteer manager. I never got into any trouble for disturbing the wheat field that day… I guess it was well worth it to break the rule a little so that one person could enjoy a moment of peace in a time of his life where there was nothing but chaos. I am glad that my selfishness for not wanting to get into any trouble did not get in the way of a person’s well being.

Week 3-4 of Internship

The next couple of weeks of my internship were a great growth opportunity for me. I spent a lot of my working hours creating an organizational system that would allow the Clackamas Service Center (CSC) to most efficiently access and process the berries coming from NWREC. Some of my working time was also spent helping out at the Green Corps Fresh Start Program, an extension of the Clackamas County Juvenile Department. Green Corps Fresh Start (GCF) is a program that is supported by NWREC and the CSC and I was involved in volunteering with the youth of that program and in the steering meetings.

GCF is a social enterprise that helps youth who have come into contact with the police get a fresh start by providing job experience. I enjoyed being part of GCF because I discovered I had a passion for working with youth. Before this I hadn’t spent much time with youth and I was afraid to be a youth leader in any capacity because I thought that I might not do a good job leading them. I have since realized that I have the capacity to lead and I need to work on developing my leadership skills.

Creating organizational systems was a lot of fun for me because I got to be in charge of the process. I had a few guidelines such as having to get 500 pounds of berries processed per week, and having to coordinate volunteers to pick up the produce, but other than this I was allowed to do what ever I had to in order to get the job done. I learned that there are a lot of details that need to be taken onto consideration when trying to coordinate volunteers and resources.

Week 5-6 of Internship

These next couple of weeks at my internship were really what made my job phenomenal, and the reason why is complicated. Put simply, I realized my passion for working with homeless youth and I have been inspired to discover more about homelessness. Part of my internship included working with clients and volunteers, which were often homeless people… it happened that there were a few young, homeless girls who were clients at the CSC who I ended up bonding with throughout the summer. The memory of meeting the girls, Karina, Maddy, and Brea, is one of my all-time favorite memories.

It was an early afternoon during a weekday and grade school had just gotten out for the summer. I had gone to pick up berries the previous day and had decided that I

would process the berries into fruit leather the next day. I found myself in the kitchen pushing berries through a food processor when my mentor asked me if I recognized myself out in the crowd (he asked this because he knew that as a little kid I came to the CSC to eat). Feeling a little confused I did a double take of the room. I noticed that there was a little girl out in the crowd who was sitting alone in a chair. My mentor then said that he wished he could help her, but it would be weird because he is male and that looks weird when middle-aged men try to help out little girls. I then looked at him, and knowing that I am a young female, said, “Well, I can help.” Feeling a little nervous I went out into the eating area where the little girl was and quickly noticed there were two more little girls… I asked some questions and discovered who their mom was. After getting the mom’s permission to have the girls help me make fruit leather I asked the girls if they wanted to help. They were beyond excited to help me!

Since that day I spent at least one day a week doing activities with the girls and this made my summer absolutely amazing! I found out that I could have an impact on the lives of other, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to me to help.

Week 7-8 of Internship

The last few weeks of my internship were stressful. Much of my time was spent at the CSC processing berries into fruit leather and other useable food items. During this time of my internship I also had to put together a report document in order for the CSC to get paid by NWREC.

During this time I also coordinated a canning class for GCF youth where we used barriers gleaned from NWREC. We had Kelly Streit, an instructor of food and nutrition at the OSU Extension Family and Community Health Department at Clackamas County.

I also participated in the NWREC open house, where I gave away free organic, locally grown berries from NWREC. I also gave people information on the CSC and NWREC’s relationship.

I helped a GCF youth with an internship at the CSC. I helped to coordinate activities for the intern and helped create a schedule for him. One of last tasks I had to complete was the task of training a successor. The job I had working with partner organizations was a job that my boss wanted to continue after I had left.

Gleaning Project ReportSeptember 10, 2014

The NWREC/CSC gleaning project for the summer of the year 2014 proved to be a successful endeavor. We yielded approximately 2,000 pounds of blackberries, both Black Diamond and Marion berry. We were also able to harvest approximately 230 pounds of rhubarb at the beginning of the summer, which we used as an ingredient in some of the hot meals we served. We were able to create fruit leather and sauces with the berries that we received and we were also able to coordinate a jam/jelly making class for the Green Corps Fresh Start (GCF) youth using NWREC berries. Berries were also used in smoothies made by GCF.

While it is easy to measure the impact of the project in terms of numbers, I find it much more powerful to measure the impact of this project in qualitative terms. The impact this project has had on the lives of the people involved with the Clackamas Service Center has been extraordinary. Since the beginning of the project we have had the resource to provide healthy, wholesome food options for clients at the CSC. Most importantly, we have been able to engage the youth of the CSC in projects involving the food we received from NWREC. It is clear to us that this gleaning project has changed the lives of several young women by providing the resource and platform in order to have intentional conversations and relationship building opportunities with some of the young members of the Clackamas Service Center community.

We would like to continue to build and maintain a relationship with NWREC because of the impact this partnership has on our community. If this relationship continues next year we will have the resources to meet the relational and mentoring needs for our children and youth (usually children of CSC clients) by providing workshops and classes on food safety and food preparation.

Photos

The volunteers and I after the second day of harvesting rhubarb.

The GCF youth at the high school graduation party for one of the young men.

The girls and I after we served dinner at the CSC.

The GCF youth intern and I processing Marionberries into fruit leather.

CSC Press Interviews

The public relations manager at the CSC, Dan Knolls, wrote two articles on my internship. The following interviews were published on the Clackamas Service Center Facebook page.

July 8 th , 2014,

Clackamas Service Center Partners with NWREC to Provide Fresh Produce

Building relationships with businesses, corporations and community members is important for a non-profit. Developing these connections helps the Clackamas Service Center provide fresh fruits, vegetables and services to homeless individuals.

Kristi Gifford is a junior at Warner Pacific College majoring in Social Entrepreneurship. She is interning at the Center and building a relationship with the North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC). Kristi recently collected four 5-gallon buckets of blackberries that Kristi and Nutrition and Health Specialist Debra Mason plan to turn into fruit rollups and serve at the Center.

The NWREC supplies Marionberries, tomatoes, peppers and squash. Kristi will visit NWREC several times a week over the next couple of months to gather fresh fruits and vegetables. Homeless individuals will benefit from the bounty of locally grown produce.

“This is an awesome experience and it works well with my personality,” said Kristi. “I am learning a great deal about communications, leadership and flexibility.”

August 20 th 2014,

Kristi Gifford received food from the CSC at an early age.

Kristi Gifford has a very special connection to the Clackamas Service Center. When she was 8 years old, Kristi and her mom received food from the Center.

CSC was called the Kendall Center at the time. Her mom was involved in a gleaner program where she paid $10.00 a week and volunteered at the Center to receive a box of food.

“It is a good memory,” said Kristi. “It was always fun and when you can help someone get something done that really speaks to me.”

At that time her mom was working two jobs and her dad was also working. It was a struggle to pay the mortgage each month and the food provided by CSC really helped.

“Even though we had a home, the biggest fear of our family was losing the house. That is why I appreciate security and structure so much now because the house was always a maybe,” said Kristi. “We needed food because all the money was going toward late payments on the house.”

Kristi recently completed an internship at the Center while pursuing a degree in Social Entrepreneurship at Warner Pacific College. She developed a relationship with the North Willamette Research and Extension Center to provide fresh fruit and vegetables at the Center.

Her most precious memory of the summer is helping three young girls at the Center. She asked them to help her create fruit leathers from Marionberries she received from the Extension Center. It began one day when she noticed the girls waiting for a food box - a memory she was well acquainted with.

"Andy asked me, 'What's the one thing that made a difference in your life?' - and it was someone that cared, someone that invited me in. So I invited the girls to help me with my internship project. Since then they have been helping and I love it! That is my favorite memory of the whole summer - meeting those three girls and getting to help them,” said Kristi. “I left and got in my car and cried and thought if I can help young people like that I would die happy.”

Kristi said being at the Clackamas Service Center confirmed her passion and solidified her choice to major in Social Entrepreneurship.

“It opened my eyes a lot,” said Kristi. “I really want to help people. Working with the homeless and learning from Andy has really prepared me for the future.”

Email Communication/Coordination

Informational Interview: November 20 th , 2014

Scott Erickson [email protected]

Scott Erickson is a speaker who engages in the visually creative process as he speaks. Scott writes, “What interests me most about visual art is the story that unfolds during the creative process.  Art is connected to the stories and lives of people transpiring in the world around us.  I try to show this in my visual work attempting to depict the tangled web of emotions, stories, and experiences that we all share.  This happens in the studio, yes, but I also try to share this experience by bringing the making of art into public places.”

I was interested in interviewing Scoot because he came to speak during a Warner chapel and I was very inspired by what he was doing. I’ve been a creative person al of my life and I have never seen a person be successful with it. I am interested in possibly pursuing a career in the creative field combined with business and sociology. My interview has little to do with the internship I held this summer, but it is relevant because my desired career path is evolving.

After my interview with Scott I felt more relaxed about life. He seemed to be very secure in life because he has followed his curiosities and said ‘yes’ to the places he has been invited into. I am inspired to follow my curiosity to combine art, business, and sociology. I have been able to stay in contact with Scott and he is now part of my professional network.

Following is the interview:

K: How did you make this job happen, because it seems like you are pioneering an industry and I have never seen anyone do something quite like what you are doing?

S: I didn’t make it happen, this sort of job isn’t available on a normal day. I feel like God invited me into this industry. If the conversation is open… you have to look at things as if God were inviting you into them. Where is your invitation from God?

K: Scott, how were you able to support yourself as a cull-time creative person?

S: It was difficult, and I had a hard time at first. I started as a high school art teacher, so that helped me for a while. I had a lot of supportive people in my life, which made it easier to do what I do. Not every person wants to pay for visually creative pieces…

you know. It took a while before I started making money at doing what I do, but it was worth it because now I am doing what I am passionate about.

K: What has been the hardest part?

S: I don’t know if I would call this the hardest part, but it is always difficult to put myself into places and to ask people for help. I’ve found that this is the only way that I can be successful in a developing industry.

K: If I wanted to get into this business, creative entrepreneurship, what would you recommend?

S: Build your network and connections. And get invited into it… by that I mean follow what you are curious about and passionate about. If people ask you for something say yes. Life isn’t much of a thing to be accomplished, as it is a gift to be received.

K: Can I keep you as a contact for the future? I love what you do and I might be able to share my experience with you in the future.

S: Absolutely. I’m not really sure where my work is taking me and it has been difficult. Your business experience might come in handy someday.

Informational Interview: September 29 th , 2014

Kristin Kinnie, MSWSite Coordinator/Homeless LiaisonNorth Clackamas Family Support Center (503) 353-5663in district x33782www.nclack.k12.or.us/familysupport

Kristin Kinnie is the Site Coordinator and Homeless Liason for the North Clackamas School district. I chose to have an interview with Kristin because she works with homeless youth everyday. I have a passion for working with homeless youth and I though Kristi would be an awesome connection to have.

I feel like my interview with Kristi was more to find out about the industry and nuances of working with homeless youth. The interview was successful and I learned a lot about what it means to work with homeless youth. I will continue to pursue this type of work in my future.

Following is the interview I had with Kristi Kinnie:

KG: How do you find out if a student is homeless? What do you do?

KK: My main goal is keeping kids in school - Mckinney vento act, unfunded mandate for school, seeking educational success. Network with the shelter, district provides transportation........”When you don’t have a home school is home.” We meet quick needs, not a lot of follow up.

KG: Statistics for the nclack school district (ages of homeless youth, how many are being “helped” and is that by choice)?

KK: Over 300 kids in the school that are homeless. Approximately 340 identified and enrolled in school... kids in ged program do not count in this number....There is a lot more kids impacted than there are actually counted. Homeless definition is broad.

KG: Are there laws to employing/job training unaccompanied youth?

KK: Job training is important, there aren’t any laws .... Training in the program.... build community opportunities. Employment skill building opportunities. .... 16-21.

Runaways... police are required to return home. The only way a person gets in trouble is if you hide them. Nobody is in trouble for housing a runaway unless you hide them. If you hide its a problem.

KG: What are the most popular housing units in the SE area? Do they do it well (people satisfied) How is this measured?

KK: Springwater is the only housing option for the housing (off of Putnam area). No emergency shelter for youth. Clackamas county is extremely short on homeless resources for all people. If they dont want the group housing they wont be successful. can only serve 7.

KG:Is there a need that the youth have that might be overlooked by other organizations?

KK: No emergency place to go. Capacity for housing is inadequate. We have the host home program, which the Inn home runs.... which is case management support.

We could use a day center....Mentoring youth/Mentoring program has worked for the youth for a couple years but it is frustrating to not be able to meet outside of the community. We need it for older kids (big brother big sisters stops at 14). When you feel that the school system is failing.... its necessary to have people that aren’t school oriented.

Go pick up street roots this week.

Talk to boys and girls aid society shelter, because they have emergency housing and transitional housing. Washington county.

Steering team. ...

Some kids want nothing to do with a family. They don’t understand it could actually be a good thing. Sometimes family is all negative.

Rebecca is a springwater.

October 16, 2014

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter to wholeheartedly endorse and recommend Kristi Gifford for whatever position you have available that requires a hard working, intelligent, critical-thinking, fully capable employee who will impress you at every turn. If you are reading this, it means that I have been unable to employ Kristi myself (due to extremely unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances) and vastly regret my inability to do so.

Since the day that Kristi came to the Clackamas Service Center, looking to put in some volunteer hours, I have been extremely impressed with her dedication to getting things done, attention to detail, delivering assignments before the deadline and going the extra mile to see a job done well. Her quality of work, even as a volunteer, was very helpful, thoughtful and timely.

Shortly into her stay with us as a volunteer, I knew Kristi was someone that I wanted on our team. When she announced to me her intention to take a leadership intern position in southern Oregon for the summer, I knew I had to find a way to keep her with us! Due to some unexpected funds, I was able to hire her as our intern for a summer, and I’ve not made a better staffing choice. She is dedicated and went above and beyond my expectations to make the program a success.

Over the course of her internship, Kristi did much more than just take direction. We are a growing organization with a small staff, and I am unwilling to just give our interns “busy work.” Kristi took on a whole new project from start to finish, and throughout I found her to have excellent project management, leadership and communications skills. She successfully established new relationships with key donors, arranged and led pickup, delivery and sorting/storage of the new donations, and set the program up for success in the next growing season, all with minimal management oversight.

Beyond her work ethic, Kristi is coachable and committed to self-improvement. I find her to have wisdom and composure beyond her years, humble

PO Box 2620 Clackamas, OR 97015 | Phone: (503)771-7914 | Fax: (503)771-8606 | cscoregon.org

enough to listen to criticism, wise enough to apply it, and generous enough to continue sharing it with others. There is no one I have been happier to recommend for hire. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Andrew CattsDirector of Operations, Clackamas Service [email protected]

Final Internship Reflection

November 29th, 2014

As I look back on the internship I had this summer I can honestly say that it was one of the greatest growing experiences of my life. I spent my days managing relationships with partner organizations, leading juvenile youth, creating organizational systems, and serving dinner to the hungry. Many of my days included processing the many berries we received into fruit leather, which we dispersed into food boxes for clients at the service center.

Coordinating events with partner organizations proved to be one of the most challenging growth opportunities for me. I learned that even when people work for a business he is not necessarily a professional. I experienced some coordination difficulties when people from other organizations would not email me back in a timely matter, or when they were not clear about their needs in the email.

I experienced some frustration when I had to put together a report for NWREC. When I went into the internship I was not aware that I was going to have to put together an itemized list of expenses and time spent, so this was a challenge. I had to change my document three times before it was accepted because my document was not detailed enough. I felt as though I was trying to live up to expectations that I was not aware were on me, but I think this was a great learning experience.

Much of my growth opportunities occurred when I stopped attempting to control everything that happened. I realized that I could not control when other partner organizations would reply, or if youth would show up to do the work they had committed to. I learned that in order to make room for the inevitability of losing time I should anticipate it and budget time for it. A good rule of thumb I learned was to always schedule half an hour of time between tasks.

Another significant lesson I learned during my time at the CSC was that I need to set boundaries. While I love to help people and I don’t often mind to go out of my way, people will take advantage of me. My mentor at the CSC had a boundary of never giving clients at the CSC rides. He mentioned that if he were to give clients rides then people would start expecting him to give them rides. Setting boundaries like this helps in avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

My greatest memory of the summer took place when I met the young girls at the CSC. This memory combined with the work I did at the Clackamas County Juvenile Department helped solidify my passion to see people succeed in life. I am especially enthusiastic about seeing young people achieve their goals.

This internship also helped me to discover that I do not necessarily want to work for non-profit organizations in the future. Working for this non-profit was very rewarding. Yet it proved to be very difficult because the board had no desire to change the systems that were holding us back. There are a lot of administrative changed that need to happen at the CSC in order for them to be successful in the

future, but people are not willing to spend the time or money to make the organization better. The most difficult part of this process is that many people are involved and all want to see changes made, so it is difficult to please anyone involved.

Non-profit organizations are necessary to the development of societies. However, I learned that people like to take advantage of these organizations and they underestimate the work required to make them run well. I am very passionate about the work that many non-profits do, but I do not want to get stuck working in an organization that is hesitant to make necessary changes.

Overall, my internship was extremely successful. I learned many new skills and I advanced my business experience. I built lasting work relationships and successful mentor relationships. I also gained some friends that I am very grateful to have in my life. I gained very valuable knowledge about entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, economics, and management through experiential learning, My internship was successful and I would recommend this type of internship to students in the future.