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Together: Canby Center News September 2025
- The Canby Center
- Aug 27
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 28
This summer, The Canby Center had the joy of giving away 274 brand-new backpacks to children in our school district. Every backpack—and every set of supplies tucked inside—had been lovingly purchased by neighbors and collected by local churches and businesses.
The distribution event was hosted at the Canby Police Department as part of their annual Grill and Chill summer event. City leaders, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and many others rolled up their sleeves to serve. Police Captain Jose Gonzales and his team kept the grill busy, offering hot dogs to anyone who wanted one. Canby Music assembled a band to play crowd-favorite classics. Pass it On gave away free sports gear—cleats, clothing, and more—while fresh donuts sizzled nearby. Even local principals joined in, handing backpacks and school supplies directly to students.
Everywhere I looked, I saw something extraordinary: hundreds of people from across the socioeconomic spectrum gathered together in joy. This was more than an event. It was a picture of community.
That’s the wealth of we.
When we talk about poverty, it’s easy to think in terms of dollars and cents. But time and again, we see that poverty is not solved by cash alone. In fact, our nation’s social safety net - while well-intentioned - is sagging under the weight of cash-centric solutions that too often leave people isolated.
Money can provide short-term relief, but it cannot provide long-term belonging.
The real antidote to poverty is relationship. When communities engage their challenges together, families don’t just survive—they thrive. A hot meal shared with dignity, a backpack handed to a child with a smile, a volunteer who learns someone’s name and story—these are seeds of transformation.
True community is marked by:
Respect, compassion, and love for your neighbor
Generosity expressed in countless forms
Every person contributing their gifts
Fun and joy woven in
Socio-economic walls lowered
Relationships built across divides
Community cannot be bought. It must be lived—shoulder to shoulder, neighbor to neighbor.
None of us can do it all in isolation, but together we can face even the hardest problems and come out stronger.
I can’t change the whole world, but I can care for the neighbors on my street. I can’t shield my organization from every pitfall, but I can strengthen my team—and together, that team may just change the world.
Thank you, volunteers and Canby Police Department for your support!
The Canby Center is delighted to welcome Whitney Govert as our Incoming Director of Development.
Whitney brings an impressive track record of growing organizations and leading teams. She feels called to serve others through meaningful, mission-driven work. Whitney stood out of more than 100 applicants for her experience, passion, and team fit. We are excited to see our Development team strengthened through her leadership.
"In her first month on the job,” says Director of Development Steve Nelson, “Whitney has brought an injection of energy to our team; I'm grateful to pass this role to someone so eager and sincere and we're excited for what the Lord will do through her!”
At the same time, we celebrate the milestone service of our Director of Development, Steve Nelson, who has faithfully served The Canby Center for the past seven years.
Thanks to a special three-year grant from the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Steve was hired in 2018 as our first Development Manager. He cultivated donor relationships, expanded support from funding organizations, and helped prepare for the largest undertaking in our history—our $10 million Capital Campaign. In 2021, Steve was promoted to Director of Development. This fall, Steve is embracing semi-retirement in a part-time role with The Canby Center following a short sabbatical.
“Steve is amazing,” shares Executive Director Ray Keen. “From day one, his willingness to learn, lead, and cultivate generosity has borne remarkable fruit. A rest is well-deserved.”
Together, Steve’s legacy and Whitney’s fresh leadership mark an exciting new chapter as The Canby Center continues to fulfill our mission: In God's love, we renew dignity and inspire learning for youth and families.
For 1 in 10 families in Canby living below the poverty line, tough choices between housing, clothing, and basic comforts often mean going without fresh, nutritious food. That’s why our flagship program, Thriving Together, offers members a hand up—not a handout—through a scheduled weekly shop time at our food distribution, Harvest Share.
Families commit to volunteering with us for an hour each month and attend a free finance class within six months of joining. “In this way,” explains Christina Ramirez, Assistant Director of Programs, “our families are contributing, not just receiving."
We believe everyone has something they can give.
Over the years, Harvest Share has adapted to meet community needs:
2020 – Drive-through boxes: At the height of the pandemic, safety meant pre-packed boxes, delivered car-side. “I was grateful,” recalls Joanne, a Thriving Together member, “though some items in my boxes weren’t what I would pick out for myself. But you know, I discovered foods I ended up liking! From the beginning, Harvest Share has been about growing.”
2021 – Return to 'shopping' style: Indoor shopping resumed, prioritizing the dignity of choice as families select foods that best fit their needs.
2023 – Partnership with St. Patrick’s Church: With construction underway at The Canby Center, Mike and Gretchen McCallum and the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank team opened their doors. On September 19, 2023, our first Harvest Share at St. Patrick's took place.
Some Harvest Share snap shots, from 2020 to 2025.
In nearly two years since our first Harvest Share at St. Patrick's, over 1.3 million pounds of food have been distributed from local farms, businesses, and regional food networks. “Now that we shop in groups at St. Pats, we’ve become sort of a family,” Joanne shares.
"We know each other, we tease and we pray for one another. I like feeling connected."
“The spirit isn’t ‘gimme, gimme,’” Joanne explains. “I’ve seen people take less so others could have more. That’s community.”
Looking ahead, The Canby Center’s expanded facility will again transform Harvest Share.
With room for 72 pallets of dry goods, 48 refrigerated, and 18 frozen, families will 'shop' with dignity and connection like never before! See our progress:
“Harvest Share is a whole community effort,” Christina affirms. “Volunteers, members, partners—all supported by donors. The consistency is what makes the difference for families.”
The growth and connection Joanne describes are only possible because of the generosity of our generous supports. Thank you, donors!
Together We Give
This summer, we celebrated the grand opening of Grocery Outlet in Canby, led by owner-operators Cesilia Garcia and Francisco Sanchez. At their ribbon-cutting ceremony, Cesilia and Francisco presented The Canby Center with a $1,000 gift to support our work. Thank you!
We are thrilled to be partnering with Grocery Outlet; this financial gift helps cover the cost of operating our food distribution programs. “Knowing there is a network of support from local businesses to neighbors lending a hand—gives hope," says Christina Ramirez, Assistant Programs Director for The Canby Center.
Partnerships like this show the heart of our community.
"Even when families face financial or personal hardships, together we’re helping put fresh, nutritious food on the table,” says Christina.
"We are honored to support, and to keep supporting, The Canby Center and we hope to keep helping and make a difference in everyone’s lives!" Thank you, Cesilia and Francisco, for your generosity and vision. Your store looks fabulous, and your commitment to Canby families shines even brighter.
You can join the generosity by making a gift today; every dollar helps!
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