Illinois Valley Family Coalition

10/08/2025

10/07/2025

The 2025 Community Connections Expo is almost here! Join us on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 11 AM – 2 PM at Lorna Byrne Middle School in Cave Junction for a day of introductions, connections, and aha moments. This free, family-friendly event brings together neighbors, nonprofits, agencies, and local organizations to celebrate the resources and resilience of the Illinois Valley and beyond.

Event Highlights:

🤝 Meet local nonprofits, agencies, and community partners
🚨 Explore the Emergency Preparedness Fair, sponsored by I.V. Wellness Resources — first 50 survey participants receive a stocked “go bag”
📻 See the Illinois Valley Amateur Radio Club’s Mobile Communication HUB on display outside
🍴 Enjoy free lunch for the first 100 attendees from C & L Antojitos Mexicanos
🥕 Be one of the first 100 visitors who gather info from 3 or more booths and receive $20 Crunch Bucks to spend at the Josephine County Farm Collective booth for fresh, locally grown food
✨ Family friendly · Free to attend

https://ivcdo.org/rsvp-now-for-the-2025-community-connections-expo/

10/02/2025

GOT MILK? 🥛 We do - again!
Starting tomorrow (Fri, Oct 3) at 9:00 AM, swing by the IV Family Coalition, 535 E River St, Cave Junction for milk. First come, first served. Please share with neighbors!

¡Mañana hay leche a partir de las 9:00 AM! 🥛
Pasa por IV Family Coalition, 535 E River St, Cave Junction. Ayuda a correr la voz - hasta agotar existencias.

09/26/2025

GOT MILK?? The IV Family Coalition does! We received over one hundred gallons of milk and we need to get rid of it today. Please help us spread the word. Located at 535 E River St Cave Junction.

09/18/2025

So… what does the Illinois Valley Family Coalition actually do?
We get this question a lot and it’s a good one! Folks sometimes confuse us with the Oregon Department of Human Services or other agencies in our building, but here’s the truth: we’re a local, private nonprofit. Our mission is simple but big- we help people in need.

Think of us as a kind of “one-stop shop” for support in the Illinois Valley. We host partner agencies and provide our own wraparound services, meeting people where they’re at and helping with everything from food and clothing to ID replacement, Medicaid supports, hygiene items, and more. Needs in our community vary widely, and so do the ways we step in to help.

Here’s a snapshot of what we do:

👥 A home for services
We host Healthy U, Josephine County Public Health (WIC), Oregon DHS Self-Sufficiency, Butterfly Wellness (licensed clinical social worker), Four Way Community Foundation, Art & Science Kids, All Around Kids Preschool, and more- all right here in our 11,000-square-foot building on River Street next to the high school.

🛟 Emergency & self-sufficiency support
Food, hygiene, clothing vouchers, bus tokens, help navigating services- you name it, we’re here to walk alongside our neighbors.

💻 Computer & tech access
Free computer lab, including one set up for secure telehealth and online appointments like Social Security, doctor visits, or court dates.

🧼 Showers & laundry
Laundry vouchers for Rogue Cleaners in Grants Pass, and limited shower vouchers at the KOA campground. Not ideal since we lost our partnership with Dutch Laundry, but better than nothing and we’re grateful to our partners for making it possible.

🪪 ID & document help
Lost everything? We’ll help you rebuild your paperwork—birth certificates, IDs, and more- and cover costs for eligible community members.

🏠 Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN)
Through OHA and AllCare, we help folks access Medicaid supports like A/Cs, heaters, air filters, rental & utility help, nutrition support, and even small home fixes tied to health needs.

🧴 Hygiene closet
Stocked with essentials like toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, feminine hygiene, socks, caps, diapers, and nail clippers. We even have blankets for kids that Project Linus of Josephine County Oregon made and donated to us.

🚌 Bus tokens
Helping people get to necessary appointments in Grants Pass through our partnership with JCT.

🥫 Emergency food pantry
Open weekdays 9–5, with fridge, freezer, and shelves stocked so people don’t have to go without when other, bigger local pantries are closed. Thanks to Josephine County Food Bank, Roundhouse Foundation, and generous local donors.

In short: we keep the lights on, the doors open, and the support flowing for anyone in the Valley who needs a hand.

💙 Thanks to everyone who partners with us, donates, and volunteers- you make this possible.

📍 How to find us:
Our IVFC staff offices are to the left when you enter the front doors; ODHS is to the right. We also have a new building directory up front, and if in doubt, just ask- our building staff are always happy to point you in the right direction.

💻 Want to support our work?
Visit IVFC.org and click “Donate,” call 541-592-6139, or visit our office at 535 E River St, Cave Junction to learn more.

09/15/2025

Join hosts Carol McBride (Magic Forest Farm) and Aaron Howard (East Fork Farm) for a day of learning, sharing, and inspiration to help build fire-resilient rural communities.

We’ll tour a prescribed burn site, share wildfire stories (how living in a fire landscape feels and how we cope), and learn practical ways to live safely with fire in the places we love. Wildfire isn’t going away, but we can be ready and resilient. 🏡🔥

📅 When: Sunday, September 21, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM (PDT)
📍 Where: Address & directions provided upon registration
👉 RSVP: 🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fire-resiliency-learning-circle-takilma-tickets-1608352137539?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

🧰 What to bring: Water bottle, sun protection, sturdy shoes, and outdoor-appropriate clothing for uneven ground

🍽️ Lunch: Generously provided by Magic Forest Farm 🥗🌾

🤝 Support: Programming funded by Southern Oregon Research & Extension Center - Oregon State University (SOREC) and Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN)

❓ Questions or accommodations: Email Diane Choplin at diane.choplin@oregonstate.edu

Let’s learn together and keep our community safe.

09/11/2025

🌞💡 Big News from IVFC!

The Illinois Valley Family Coalition, in partnership with the Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM), is applying for a Community Renewable Energy Grant.

👉The project would bring solar panels + battery backup power to our Family Resource Center here in Cave Junction.

Why this matters:
• Keeps food pantry fridges and freezers running during outages🥦🥛
• Provides safe drinking water from our well 🚰
• Keeps the lights on and communications working 📞
• Creates a safe place to charge phones and medical devices🔌
• Supports our community during wildfires, storms, or extreme heat 🔥❄️☀️

This effort will make the Illinois Valley stronger, safer, and more resilient.

💬 We want to hear from you!
• How would backup power at IVFC make a difference for you, your family, or our community during outages or emergencies?
• Do you have a story about when power went out and access to food, water, or a safe place would have helped?
• Do you have any questions or ideas about how the Family Resource Center can best serve as a community resilience hub?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below or send us a private message. Your input will be included as part of our application to show how this project reflects the needs and voices of the Illinois Valley community.

Your voice helps shape the future of resilience in the Illinois Valley. 🌄

09/10/2025

🌟 Community Partnership Spotlight 🌟

The Illinois Valley Family Coalition is grateful for our ongoing partnership with OREM (Office of Resilience & Emergency Management)!

Through their support, OREM has:

✅ Awarded a grant that allowed us to bring on a Program Director to help build a stronger Resiliency Hub for our community.

✅ Currently partnering with us on the ODOE CREP (Community Renewable Energy Grant Program), which could bring solar power and battery storage to our coalition- helping us stay powered and connected during emergencies.

✅ Provided a pallet of drinking water and several boxes of MREs to distribute during future emergencies.

Together, we’re strengthening our community’s ability to prepare for and respond to disasters- making sure the Illinois Valley is more resilient and supported when it matters most. 💙

09/05/2025

Dear Community,

Due to funding freezes and budget cuts, IVFC and other local Food Pantries aren't receiving as much as we have in the past. If you are able to give, please do; it would be greatly appreciated. Of course, all food must be before expiration dates and be safe to eat. If donating a large quantity of goods, please call in advance so we can be prepared to receive it.

Monetary donations are also welcome and can be given through Give Butter, on our website: https://givebutter.com/IVFC

Illinois Valley Family Coalition
535 East River Street, Cave Junction
Phone: (541)592-6139 Email: info@ivfc.org

08/21/2025

This week, the Illinois Valley Family Coalition joined forces with our amazing local partners IV CERT- Illinois Valley Community Emergency Response Team, Illinois Valley Fire Resiliency Oversight Group, and the Illinois Valley Fire District for the Red Cross Shelter Fundamentals Training in Medford!

We learned the ins and outs of what it takes to set up and run a safe, welcoming emergency shelter in times of need. Working side by side with other community organizations reminded us of the incredible strength and resilience of the Illinois Valley. 💛 Together, we’re better prepared to support our community- whatever challenges may come our way.