Saving Lives one Meeting at a Time, CHD Opens New La Grande Outreach Center
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – The Center for Human Development (CHD) is expanding its mission in La Grande with the opening of a new Outreach Center. Located at 2206 Jefferson Ave, the center will not only serve as a distribution point for Naloxone and Narcan kits, but as a hub for connecting with people who need help. As described by CHD employees Lisa Whipple and Geroge Thompson, the center will assist in initial contact for individuals with low barrier needs and services and, if necessary, assist them in finding more extensive and specialized care providers. “What I’m really excited about is the ability to reach people where they are. The peer movement has made it more applicable to be able to do that,” Whipple noted.
The Center officially opened its doors at 4:00 p.m., August 31 to a crowd of supporters. Roughly 40-50 people, ranging from community partners to local residents, came to tour the new facility. In addition, roughly 180 Naloxone kits, equating to approximately 360 doses of Narcan, were distributed to the community.
Some of the specific services being hosted at the new center include Home in a Bag (the distribution of camping and outdoor supplies for houseless individuals), Twelve Step meetings, home STD testing kits, organizing hygiene assistance (laundry services, showers, etc.) with other community partners as well as peer mentoring opportunities.
With the successful ribbon cutting and open house behind them, both CHD staff and community members seem excited for what the new center can bring, both in terms of helping people and cooperating with local businesses. Whipple in particular noted the laid back and non-clinical nature of CHD services, and in turn the new center, as being able to connect to people who may not trust or otherwise may be unable to access more mainstream resources, commenting “We see these people on a frequent basis and we get to understand.”
Again, the center is located at 2206 Jefferson Ave, La Grande.
