CBEL - Doubling Down & Gathering Steam

Written by Tim Buckley, May 2024

“Mountain West Investment’s commitment back in 2019 was to fund CBEL for four years and then diminish its annual contribution, as it has done with many other community-enhancing projects,” said Jim Seymour, CBEL’s Director.

But all that changed at the end of 2023, as Larry and Jason Tokarski launched the Mountain West Center for Community Excellence, which grew out of Mountain West’s philanthropic efforts.  At the same time, Tokarski also looked at CBEL’s accomplishments and considered what is yet to be done.  The goal of the CBEL model is to build community resilience that strengthens families and supports world class education. Doing so throughout the two cities, he believes, will have a cumulative effect on the entire Mid-Willamette Valley population. Like the old JFK saying goes: “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

“Salem and Keizer are great places to live and raise a family for most of us, but not everyone,” Tokarski said. “My hope is that every family gets the support they need to protect and nurture their children. Professional services are important but are more effective when families also receive the voluntary support of family members, friends, and neighbors. That is why I believe it is wise to break the job down to one neighborhood at a time. This allows grassroots neighborhood leaders to step up to the plate by voluntarily serving on a Neighborhood Family Council (NFC).”

In 2020 there was one NFC. By the middle of 2023 there were three: Hallman-Northgate, Kennedy, and Highland. The goal, in order to float everybody’s boat, is to have 16 NFC’s running concurrently. CBEL’s Executive Committee established plans for this year that include adding another NFC (Cummings) by mid-year, and four more by the end of 2024.

Ramping up the pace of the CBEL project will take additional funding and more staffing to support NFC growth and activities. CBEL director Seymour, who had planned to reduce his role has instead agreed to oversee the project for another few years.

Keizer Mayor Cathy Clark has been a strong advocate for CBEL’s community resilience work. She has attended several NFC events, including Fun Fridays and holiday festivals. Here’s what she said when notified about CBEL’s choice for its next NFC:

"I am so excited at the prospect of a new Cummings Neighborhood Family Council. The Cummings neighborhood has a strong community culture of support, including our elementary school, along with vibrant and involved families, a neighborhood association, and many business partners. Together, we can build resiliency, relationships and resources for success for our entire neighborhood."

CBEL’s Executive Committee also decided this year to align with Curandi, a local nonprofit whose mission parallels ours but whose strengths in unique areas will help nourish the resiliency effort in a couple of important ways:

• It will act as the new fiscal agent for CBEL, which will allow us to receive other funding, including private donations, foundation support and grants

• Curandi is anchored in research, and it will be increasingly important that CBEL’s progress being experienced throughout the city be reflected in data.

  • Data collected at the neighborhood level will be able to document the growth of “resilience” – whether that is in the rise in volunteerism, the increase in hope, the growth in housing security, or closing the achievement gap in elementary schools.

  • At the same time, in conjunction with other community partners, Curandi will be able to help quantify resilience on a citywide basis – whether that is in showing how CBEL’s work contributes to a desired reduction of homelessness, a reduction in violence and property crime, or increases in the community’s health and sense of wellbeing.

As CBEL continues to grow, we invite participation at the grassroots or “grass tops” levels in the community. Being involved where the two meet is educational and fun. The net effect of that participation is a growth in personal connection and satisfaction, and renewed hope for our future together.