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Wednesday April 30, 2025 | Volume 150, Issue 18 www.polkio.com

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Remodeling FamJam packs in the pre-school festivities underway on new adult shelter in Monmouth By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

By LANCE MASTERSON For The Itemizer-Observer

A transitional shelter for adults who are homeless will open soon in Monmouth. Remodeling of the former English Language & Culture Institute building is underway, with the first of 20 adult residents expected to move into the shelter in June, said Chaplain Matt Smucker, of Church at the Park. The Monmouth Adult Shelter is across the street from the Western Oregon University stadium and parking lot. “The outside of the property will be very similar to what is there now,” Smucker said. “It’s not like we’re tearing down all the walls and replacing them. The skeleton of the building will basically be what it is and what it has been.” It’s the building’s interior that requires most of the attention. “We’re doing a lot of work on the inside to get it up to code,” Smucker said. “Installing sprinklers is one of the big projects that the crew is working on, because it will be a 24-7 residence. And then, you know, other various fire and code things that are needed by the city.” Installing new flooring and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system are on the list. As are adding showers to residents’ bathrooms while also ensuring the shelter meets ADA requirements and is wheelchair accessible. “We originally hoped to open in April, but got delayed a little bit (after) the construction crew got in and discovered the building needed a bit more work,” Smucker said. An open house for the public is June 10. According to DJ Vincent, founding pastor of Church at the Park, the Salem-based organization is leasing the building from Dieter Weiner, of iHomes realty. “The property was formerly an international school and has been converted into 10 bedrooms with offices and a common kitchen space,” Vincent said via email. “Up to 20 beds will be available for a combination of couples and singles.” Each bedroom will be double occupancy. Eligibility is limited to those with local connections. “Vulnerable adults with ties to Polk County are eligible to stay here,” Vincent said. Many more beds are needed to meet the current need. As of October, Polk County Family & Community Outreach was working with 142 individuals who were homeless. This number See SHELTER PAGE A3

When activities include Spiderman taking selfies with wide-eyed youth, fire fighters encouraging kindergartners to crawl through an obstacle course while keeping their firefighting helmet atop their head and prizes are handed out for carnival games of skill, it must mean FamJam has returned to the Polk County fairgrounds. And those are just the events in the parking lot families pass by as they go inside to the main event on April 26. For about 10 years now the Polk County Fairgrounds have packed in education and family program providers within the region to help parents of pre- to kindergarten age students sign up. “It’s a real, family fun event that is geared at talking to families and kids ages under the age of five,” explained Abby Warren, Polk County Community and Education Supervisor. “That also includes things like kindergarten registration, several service providers that serve families with young children. So it’s a real combination of resource connection, kindergarten registration and a lot of fun.” At the front entrance, families are given bags that each organization hands out “swag” to the kids while on the sly informing the parents of what services are available. The bags are usually filled by the time families make the circuit of the dozens of vendor tables set up. Warren said historically, FamJam attracts about 800 people, between adults and kids.

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

SW Polk Firefighter/EMTI Cade Rosenbum leads Angela James, 7, through an obstacle course during the annual FamJam at the Polk County Fairgrounds April 26. For more photos from the event, see page A8. Among the regulars, like Polk County Family Community Outreach Department, Northwest Human Services, representatives from the Central and Dallas School District as well as the community schools, Warren said the new partnership this year to FamJam was Small Town Pediatrics. “It is actually the first pediatric practice in Polk County, actually stationed inside our resource center building,” Warren said. “They helped us recruit some providers that really serve people that are prenatal and early postpartum. So they’ve expanded the range this year to

include families that are expecting children, which is kind of a new, cool feature.” She said one measure of judgement staff use to determine how successful a FamJam is going is by the number of kids running around with popcorn, treats and a big smile on their face. “We also anecdotally hear from the schools they get to connect with lots of families, as well as other community partners that are here,” Warren said. “What we’re seeing it’s tending to do what we hope it does which is getting people signed up.”

She added if any parents with children were unable to make it to the big FamJam event, each of their schools hold similar, smaller opportunities for registering and getting connected. “And over the summer, we do several smaller scale pop ups that are geared toward connection and family fun,” Warren said. For more information, go to the Mid Valley Parenting Page on the Polk County Family Community Outreach Department website, https://sites.google.com/co.polk.or.us/ polk-county-family-community-o/ fco-programs.

Nonprofit Bambinos ready to hit the road with new BamBus By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

Most organizations host a ribbon cutting to a new location where the community can access their services. On April 25, Bambinos held a ribbon cutting unveiling their new BamBus that will take their services on the road. Executive Director, Glenda Dunaway, describes Bambinos as a prayerful nonprofit ministry that aims to reduce the stress in families with young children in our region. They supply essential baby supplies, safety equipment, connections to community partnerships and “passionate support to those in need.” They changed their mission statement because they’re expanding their services beyond Polk County. The BamBus will help to provide those expanding services. Bambinos has seen an increase of babies assisted in 2024 from 37 per month to 115 per month so far in 2025. Their expenditures to meet those needs have increased from between $2,000 to $3,000 a month last year to $5,000 a month this year. Dunaway cannot account for the increase in need Bambinos is meeting.

IN THIS ISSUE Voices Corrections Obituaries Puzzle Solutions Social Public Records Classifieds Puzzles

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PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

Unveiling the new BamBus April 25, Bambinos Executive Director Glenda Dunaway cuts the ribbon, held by founder Beth Jones (left) and former director Heather Seals. “Projections are pretty stiff, but they’re all things that are absolutely necessary to keep this ministry going with now a building and a bus,” Dunaway said.

Diapers, wipes and formula are atop their supplies those most provide. Dunaway said they draw in families providing these supplies then offer a pathway to other

services, from education to other services. Dunaway said several years ago, their original vision she and See BABBUS PAGE A2

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