Donor Spotlight: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

By Amanda Lang

Nature's Symphony

Breathtaking colors of our planet
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Sands of Time

Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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Faces of Humanity

Portraits of people from around the globe
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"Every little bit helps to provide housing to those in need."

Little by little, for ten months, St. Mary's Episcopal Church Congregation collected cans and bottles. And now, those small BottleDrop deposits have provided a big return: shelter for the unhoused. Recently, St. Mary's donated $3,000 to CSS and adopted their FOURTH Conestoga Hut!


After coming on a tour, Louise Fortuna, Communication and Program Coordinator at St. Mary's, said, "I have always found our visits to CSS sites to be inspiring. They have moved me from 'this is a good cause' to 'oh my goodness, this is amazing, how I can help more'!"


St. Mary’s has been a long-time supporter of CSS. They hosted our first ever Annual Celebration back in 2014. We’re beyond grateful for their decade of support!

News & Events

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A New Room To Help Build Community

April 19, 2026
“This is our home,” says Whitney, looking around the new 560-square foot Community Room at the CSS Roosevelt Safe Spot Community, where she lives in a Hut, “I think it really pepped up all of our moods.”

Partner Spotlight: Finding a Light at the End of the Tunnel with NAMI

April 18, 2026
“I’ve been in some bad moods, down and depressed or just sad or angry even. Out of curiosity, one day I decided to stop by NAMI, and I never had felt so much happiness and relief. Every time I go, I just feel lifted up. I feel like everything’s going to be OK. Yeah, I love NAMI a lot,” says Jennifer W., a CSS community

A New Chapter for Community Supported Shelters

April 17, 2026
As our organization continues to grow and evolve, we’re preparing for an important transition in the year ahead. In 2026, Community Supported Shelters will close our two Communities near the Eugene Mission. This change comes as the Mission expands its Life Skills Program, an investment in services that aligns with ou

Shoutouts & Gratitude: Spring 2026

April 16, 2026
In March, we had our big fundraising concert, featuring a music project by CSS clients, staff, and volunteers! We couldn't have done it without Jason Krueger (Shanty Town band manager and bass player), Truffle Jam, Wildish Theater, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Plank Town Brewing, Springfield Public Schools, and our many in-kin

USC research suggests unhoused people with pets have better shot at finding homes

April 14, 2026
Recent research by the University of Southern California shows that homeless people with pets get placed into permanent residences more than those without animals.

Eugene shelter residents trained as bike mechanics in new workforce program

April 5, 2026
A new workforce development program in Eugene is teaching people living in shelters how to become bicycle mechanics. People like Delanya Clarkson, who came into the program with no mechanical experience. She rides bikes, but has never had the chance to learn more about how they function.

Musicians in Shantytown have experience with homelessness. Their songs speak of compassion.

March 16, 2026
Jason Krueger has been in plenty of bands over the years: college bands in Eugene when he attended the University of Oregon, here-and-there jam sessions and Craigslist advertisement tryouts in Portland. His latest band, Shantytown, might be his most important yet.

Getting Back on Their Feet — Together

January 24, 2026
On a sunny January day, Dan, 58, and Robert, 60, worked together on the CSS Maintenance Crew doing restoration work at the Empire Pond Safe Spot Community. Another typical workday for both of them in some ways, but one that neither could have imagined just a year and a half ago. Dan and Robert are brothers who had not

Partner Spotlight: MECCA

January 23, 2026
The "starving artist" stereotype is well-known. Housed folks often struggle to make an income through art. That difficulty is magnified for unhoused artists, for whom many basic resources are out of reach: good-quality supplies, studio space, and art classes. For that reason, when CSS launched our new Arts Entrepreneur

Strength In Community

January 22, 2026
Right now is a scary time for many of the people we serve. Freezing weather brings real and immediate danger. Increased enforcement and the presence of ICE create fear and instability, particularly for immigrant community members. And harmful language and policies at the federal level continue to further criminalize ho
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