the OCP blog
What in the World has OCP been Doing in 2020?
By Sam Nickels, exec. director, OCP For this article, I gleaned data from a couple of our grant proposals. Although data is considered boring by some, I love data and I love how it helps us to measure the effectiveness of our work at OCP. The info below is both...
Vaccinations finally come to OCP!
By Sam Nickels, OCP exec. director On February 16th, 15 OCP staff and about 12 regular volunteers, many in high-risk categories, received our first COVID vaccination shots. Despite fears and trepidation, everyone took the shot. Afterwards, we were elated and joking...
Community Partner Spotlight: The Suitcase Clinic
By Annie Pangle, case manager At OCP we are blessed to work closely with local nonprofit partners that help us care for our community members. This month we are highlighting the work of The Suitcase Clinic. The Suitcase Clinic is part of the JMU IHHS program and...
Housing Program Update – 2/23/2021
“Without homes, everything else falls apart.” ― Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted (Pulitzer Prize winner) Having been born into homelessness, I acutely understand a reality of Desmond’s quote. It’s one of the reasons I stepped into the new role of Housing Program...
Volunteer of the Month re-cap: Kevin “Spider” Waters
By Leons Kabongo, Engagement Specialist and Volunteer Coordinator In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. - Albert Einstein - Two and a half years ago, we had the opportunity to introduce you to our featured volunteer of the month Mr. Kevin Waters. Since...
Board announces partial health benefits and modest increase in pay for OCP Staff
The board is excited to announce that for the first time OCP is in position to offer partial health benefits to its employees. Even though we are still not financially ready to offer full benefits this is certainly a step in the right direction. We are...
Heart of Gold and Determination of Steel
Heart of Gold and Determination of Steel Roger Thompson’s Journey from Homelessness to Headstrong HARRISONBURG, Va.— Homelessness is something that can happen to anyone. Without the right resources, it is extremely hard to escape. Roger Thompson, 63, fell victim to...
OCP’s interim statement on racism
Here I share the interim statement on racism that the Board of OCP approved at its last meeting: “As a direct impact of the national and global focus on police violence and anti-Black racism, Our Community Place is working internally to learn how we can operate...
OCP prepares to ramp up new “Homelessness to Housing” program
There is one thing that our growing cadre of case managers has learned this year, it’s how hard it is to get people who are chronically homeless into permanent housing. Over the last 3 months, with intensive work, and with hiring a new “housing specialist” to identify...
Thank You!!
Here’s a few of the many individuals, organizations and foundations that have kept OCP running strong over the last couple months. Thanks to our monthly donors for providing us a steady stream of monthly cash flow! Thanks to those who contributed special gifts of...
When families have lost track of loved ones: What it’s like when OCP helps families to reconnect.
by Sam Nickles Over the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of talking with family members of two older gentlemen that we work with intensively. One is in jail, but we manage his disability income and savings, pay his bills, and make a weekly deposit at the jail...
There was a simple, yet beautiful gathering at Godwin Hall last evening to remember Kurt. We laughed and cried at the stories his family and friends shared. There is so much more to a life than what what society thinks should be the norm for others. Kurt struggled...