CDDC Tap Talk with 500 Women Scientists

February 12, 2023 – Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center Executive Director Allison Hobgood and Street Outreach Response Team Coordinator Maddie Bean joined the Corvallis Chapter of 500 Women Scientists (@500WomenScientists_Corvallis) for a Tap Talk night at Common Fields in Corvallis.

Image description: Allison Hobgood and Maddie Bean sit on stage under a Common Fields banner surrounded by natural wood structure and warm glowing lights.

With an audience of community members, CDDC volunteers and supporters, Hobgood and Bean discussed the current needs in Benton County amoung communities experiencing poverty and housing instability. Hobgood shared statistics demonstrating the disproportionate representation of black, indigenous, people of color and people self-identifying with disabilities within the unhosed community.

Bean described the practice of the Street Outreach Reponse Team and integration with other CDDC programs such as basic needs navigation and connections to social service providers in the area. Citing the typical but often under-appreciated barriers of living in poverty, such as lacking access to reliable devices to manage schedules, Bean shared about ways to support individuals with reminders for community meals and where to access resources like food, clothing, and healthcare.

Image description: Diners at Common Fields talk, eat and drink while listening to Hobgood and Bean talk about the work of CDDC. There are warm lights strung under awnings and small fire pits on the tables.

CDDC meets the needs of its commuity, including accessing mail (which CDDC helped people do nearly 2,000 times in 2022), chargig devices, accessing transportation to get to important appointments or reaching support netwoks out of the area.

Hobgood shared the story of a guest at CDDC who had asked to use the phone to contact his mother in California, whom he hadn’t spoken to in a while. Through this call and others, the guest was able to arrange transportation to his mother’s location and make a plan to stay with her. At the end of the year, Hobgood and the team at CDDC received photos of the man reconnected with his mother and decorating for the holidays.

Image description: Home Share Oregon representative Judy Smith stands by a table with flyers and signs describing the Home Share Oregon organization.

At the end of the evening, two integral members of the CDDC team added their thoughts to the night’s discussion. Hezekiah Franklin talked about the need for accurate representation and self-representation of those experiencing poverty and housing instability within the greater local community.

Image description: Hezekiah Franklin stands on stage with Hobgood and Bean, under the Common Fields banner. The stage is lit with warm light and surrounded by signs.

Former executive director and current Board Chair, Aleita Hass-Holcombe also shared some stories from the stage to close out the night.

Image description: Hezekiah Aleita Hass-Holcombe sits with Hobgood and Bean, under the Common Fields banner. The stage is lit with warm light and surrounded by signs.

Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center is grateful to 500 Women Scientists Corvallis and Common Fields for hosting this evening talk, and to Common Fields for hosting the Dine Out, which supported a donation to CDDC from food and drink sales for the day.

Find out more about CDDC on our website at CorvallisDDC.org, including ways to get help, give help and be part of this vital community work.