Volunteer Spotlight: Crystal, Supporting Access

By Jennifer Yeh

Meet Crystal, one of our newest CSS volunteers. Crystal has quickly become a welcoming presence at our Access Center, generously donating her time once a week to support staff and clients with a smile. 


Crystal not only brings a positive attitude but also the lived experience of being homeless herself on and off the streets of Eugene for eight years. “A lot of resources helped, and I remember CSS was very warm and welcoming and didn’t make me feel like I was unwelcome or a hassle. That is super important when you are out there and have lost hope.” 


Now Crystal is housed and stable, supporting others on their journey at our Access Center. “I love how the Access Center has been opened up to people on the waitlist. It is such a beautiful thing. It is life-changing to get a shower.” She enjoys seeing people happy and revived after getting a shower and some clean clothes. It reminds her how the small things are important. 


Crystal recently completed peer support specialist training and loved it! She now has a new goal and is working toward becoming a Peer Support Specialist working with the unhoused while balancing a new grandchild, work, and volunteering. 

You Gotta Nourish to Flourish

All donations to the new Community Supported Shelters Nourish Fund will be directed toward nourishing the lives of unhoused individuals through open art studio classes, music lessons, peer-led support groups, employment prep, and more. 

Donate to Nourish Fund

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The Future: A New Building For CSS!

July 26, 2025
Because of your support, we’re growing into something bigger—two new spaces designed to better serve our unhoused neighbors. Community Supported Shelters is in the middle of an exciting transformation. After over a decade at our Grant Street location, we’ve purchased a new building that will allow us to bring our in

The Present: CSS to Make a Big Move

July 25, 2025
“Everyone will have desks,” declares Blake Burrell, CSS Director of Community Impact, anticipating the move of most of the CSS staff and programs from 1160 Grant Street to 2870 West 10th Place, a former Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles facility. The move will take place between now and the end of 2025.

The Past: A History of Heart at 1160 Grant

July 24, 2025
Erik de Buhr fell in love with the building at 1160 Grant long before there was a Community Supported Shelters. He was involved with a group that built things out of salvaged materials (Resurrected Refuse Action Team), including huts that would turn out to be precursors to the CSS Conestoga Huts. “I’d been eyeballing t

CSS is Now Operating the Nightingale Safe Spot

July 23, 2025
In partnership with the Nightingale Board of Directors and the City of Eugene, CSS is ensuring the Nightingale Safe Spot continues to operate in South Eugene. In the month of July, CSS officially began to operate the Nightingale Safe Spot Community in South Eugene. As the organization moves its home to our new building

Donor Spotlight: Eugene REALTORS® YPN

July 22, 2025
The Eugene REALTORS® Young Professionals Network had their yearly ‘Sip of Summer’ event to raise money for Community Supported Shelters. A good time was had by all with games, a raffle, BBQ, and great networking at Alton Baker Park. This was their 5th fundraiser for CSS, and they raised $3,300 this year to Adopt-a-Hut.

Volunteer Spotlight: UO Duck Corps

July 21, 2025
This summer, we've been collaborating with UO Duck Corps, who have been giving Hut exteriors some good scrubbing. Dustin (the staff member taking the selfie), says, "It's so encouraging to see a younger generation work against stereotypes about the unhoused and have such an interest in helping their community."

Lowe’s Hometowns grant will fund vital upgrades to CSS’s Access Center

June 24, 2025
Community Supported Shelters (CSS) has been proudly selected as a 2025 Lowe’s Hometowns project, one of only 100 community-nominated, large-scale renovations nationwide. This recognition is part of Lowe’s five-year, $100 million commitment to revitalizing the spaces that serve as the heartbeat of hometowns across Ameri

As Eugene's unhoused numbers rise, Blake Burrell helps struggling people dream

June 15, 2025
In the warmth of a late-spring day, in front of the Community Supported Shelters office on Grant Street, Blake Burrell strikes up a conversation with a familiar face. He gives a warm hug and kind words before unlocking the front door to the social service office. The office is full of resources like clothing, surviv
I didn't want to participate in the 5K. Too early on a Saturday morning, and besides, I don't love c

The first-ever Team CSS runs at the Eugene Marathon

April 30, 2025
I didn't want to participate in the 5K. Too early on a Saturday morning, and besides, I don't love crowds. Then I learned that CSS wasn't only buying tickets for staff to participate, but we were also buying up to 10 tickets for our clients to join the first-ever Team CSS for the 5K run at the Eugene Marathon.

Workforce Development: Creating Paths to Employment

April 15, 2025
In a September 2023 interview, Sabrina, who had been in a CSS Hut for about two years, said, “It's been well over 10 years since I've had a job, because my drug habit has caused me to be homeless.”
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