Vote for $50,000 for Cornelius Library

The Cornelius Library is a finalist for a $50,000 prize and national publicity that could very well get us more funding. The top vote getter automatically receives $10,000 and becomes 1 of 5 finalists for the big prize.

Voting takes about 2 minutes and we really need all our friends to vote once, but you can vote once per day.

You can help us without even opening your wallet!

     VOTE now at: https://encore.givkwik.com.

If you sort alphabetically, we are the 5th option!

About the program

Our intergenerational program will be mutually beneficial to both senior and youth participants. Seniors will gain the social and intellectual stimulation needed for a happy and healthy life, and youth will get support and encouragement to succeed in school and be better prepared for college and career choices.

Youth in our community are facing a crisis that impairs their ability to make positive changes in their lives. Many lack the support and resources necessary for success in school and therefore in their future. Our programs will help them break free from this cycle of poverty.

Seniors will be assigned a volunteer role matching their interests and skills. Volunteers assist with most library tasks, doing everything from shelving to serving cookies. The programs intentionally designed to impact seniors and youth include:

• STEM Instructor: Supervise and assist students learning about science, technology, engineering and math through hands-on activities, experiments, and other resources.
• Arts and Crafts Instructor: Supervise and assist students, encourage creativity and teach techniques in painting, drawing, ceramics, or needlework.
• Math/Reading/Spanish Tutor: Provide assistance in homework for grades K-6 and/or 7-12 skill levels.
• Book Club Instructor: Facilitate a fun and engaging discussion for a book on selected themes, Oregon Battle of the Books titles and book-to-film titles. 
• Work-readiness Instructor: Foster work-readiness, empowering students to build a resume and practice interviews.
• College-readiness Instructor: Foster college-readiness by guiding students through the SATs and college application process.

Why this is special

Our approach is unique because we can offer these programs for free to everyone and in both Spanish and English.  

Other organizations like the YMCA or a Parks and Recreation District have to charge users – they may have a sliding scale, but they don’t open their doors every day for anyone to walk-in. We do. Everyone is welcome and safe in our library and learning center. We also offer a huge variety of educational, technological, social, cultural, and recreational programs with friendly (bilingual) staff to guide them through it. We are a new library model, an essential resource to transforming communities, opening minds and promoting diversity and inclusion.

The challenge of educating and supporting our youth is extreme. Barriers in our community include transportation, finance, language, culture and even citizenship. Our library is in the center of our small town, within walking distance for most, located in close proximity to community partners including senior housing, an elementary school, a low/no cost health clinic, a Latino Cultural Center, and the prominent new St. Alexander Church. We are literally the hub of the community. We also take our programs and information about libraries out to schools, learning centers, parks and festivals. We require no membership or ID and never charge any fees. We always have a Spanish speaker on shift and trained in serving our diverse population with care and respect.

Addressing underserved youth is a significant part of our mission. This program will help us move ahead with an expansion that specifically connects seniors and youth through opportunities for interaction and engagement. Every program we offer will help create compassion between generations, make participants feel cared for and strengthen our entire community.

About the Cornelius Community

The community we serve is the town and rural areas surrounding Cornelius, Oregon (15,000 people). We are the second most diverse town in Oregon with Hispanics accounting for over 50% of our population. Our roots are deep, many current families trace their ancestors back to 1893 when the town was settled. 

Although we are in the same county as the headquarters of Nike and Intel, our town is categorized by Oregon as "severely distressed." Of 30 cities in the Portland metropolitan area, Cornelius ranks lowest in employment (13%), educational attainment (20% without high school graduation) and income ($17,484 per capita). Many of our families work multiple jobs and lack time and finances to access essential resources that can help improve their lives.

Because our town is small and relatively poor, we do not have a youth, community or teen center. We do not have a parks and recreation program. We do not have a school district or high school; but instead are split between two neighboring towns.

Despite the many challenges our community faces, we have a feisty and proud community. Locals have worked very hard over many years to design and fund our new library to be a $5.9 M cornerstone of a new downtown center. We are expanding from 3,000 to 14,000 sf with study and meeting rooms, a teen center, a children’s learning center, a 5,000 sf courtyard and more. Our operational budget is doubling and we are adding staff to provide a variety of high quality programs to every age.

Please support us by casting your VOTE now!