Who We Are

Silverton Together, Inc. is guided by the Board of Directors and it's programs and events are carried out by Staff.

Silverton Together began in April, 1993 as a group trained by a statewide program called Oregon Together designed to help communities assess their own risk factors for adolescent problem behavior and to develop prevention strategies to address those risk factors.

In March, 1995 Silverton Together was designated the Community Progress Team for the Silverton area by the Marion County Children & Families Commission, a "community progress team" being defined as "a group of local citizens who take ownership of a geographic area and champion efforts in their community to strengthen and support families."

As Silverton Together has evolved, we have broadened our vision to encompass a total community approach to well being. We recognize that we are all "Silverton Together," that Silverton can be a place where all generations, from infant to seniors, feel they belong, and where all can receive the help and support they need.

What Does Silverton Together Do?

Information Sharing

Three times each year, we distribute between 3,500 to 3,700 copies of our community Events Calendar and Resource Guide. The quality of this publication improves with each edition as we gain experience. The Calendar/Resource Guides are distributed to all elementary school students in the Silver Falls District and are also distributed to local businesses, the Silver Falls Library, the Chamber of Commerce, and a variety of agencies, churches, and other schools for a total of 43 sites. You can download your copy from the Happenings side bar [not currently available] on the Home page of our web site.

We also publish and distribute a variety of resource guides including the Silverton Resource Guide (also available for download), Youth Links, Domestic Violence Assistance Guide, and the Silverton Area Donation Guide (downloadable from the Community Events section). As we update other guides, you can find them here on our web page.

Prevention Education

Part of our vision encompasses fostering appropriate adolescent behaviors in our community and reducing the risk factors that lead to substance abuse, truancy, delinquency, violence, school drop-out, and teen pregnancy. Watch for future forums on Marijuana and our youth.

Family Events - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Free

Each April, we sponsor a Celebration of Cultures event, most recently held in conjunction with Silverton's First Friday. Community members are invited to share their heritage with music, traditional clothing, art, and food. Our goal is to raise awareness of the diversity that lies not only within our own community but the global community as well, and to celebrate that diversity. Partners include the Silverton Art Association, Silverton Hospital, "Hands are Not for Hurting," the Silver Falls School District, the Silverton Merchants Association, local civic and service clubs, the City of Silverton and many others. Approximately 1,000 members of the community attend this event each year.

June brings Free Fish Day, a collaboration with the Izaak Walton League, Silverton Kiwanis Club, the Silverton Lions Club, and the City of Silverton. Buses bring participants to the Silverton Reservoir where free fishing equipment, bait, food and beverages are provided to community children and their families to enjoy a date of recreation "together."

In August we sponsor an annual "Celebrate Families" Community Picnic at the Coolidge-McClaine Park in Silverton. Participants enjoy music, food, games, crafts and other entertainment. Our partners include the Silverton Kiwanis who serve the picnic dinner, the Silverton Senior Center who run the Bingo game, the Salem/Keizer Community Band who provide the music, and the Silver Falls YMCA who provide free swimming at the Municipal Pool for children and families. Various other groups participate each year by hosting team games and craft tables.

The annual Holiday Festival Celebrating Families, in partnership with the Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce, is held in December. Over 1,000 community members utilize 21 craft tables to make holiday gifts, have their picture taken with Santa and vote on 25-30 decorated trees which are donated to needy families. Additional undecorated trees are also made available. Gift bags are handed out to children. Over eighty volunteers and sixty businesses and organizations collaborate on the Holiday Festival Celebration of Families each year by donating their time and money, making this event a huge success and a lot of fun for the entire community.

Community Connection Program

This program includes our:

Newsletter
Events Calendar
Services Coordinating Committee
Silverton Area Opportunity Guide

Our office is often a clearing house for volunteer opportunities for our projects/events and for projects of other groups in Silverton.

The Community Connection Program is a community outreach program that advances Silverton Together's mission of personal, family and community wellness by supporting individuals and families and assisting them in gaining access to needed services and connection with community resources.

The Community Connection Program is a part of Silverton Together's Strategic Plan, the goals of which are to reduce specific risk factors identified as priorities for our community:

• Family Management Problems
• Early and Persistent Anti-Social Behavior
• Alienation, Rebelliousness, and Lack of Social Bonding, while increasing protective factors in the community.

This program furthers all four of the main goals identified by Silverton Together's Strategic Planning Committee:

• Families will have the tools, skills, and support to successfully raise their children.
• Children and youth will be in a safe and nurturing environment.
• Community members will be aware of and have access to resources, services, activities, and events in the greater Silverton area.
• Silverton Together will celebrate all families by demonstrating a commitment to diversity and cross-cultural understanding.  

Parenting Program

Why seek out training for your job as parent? Because it's the most important work you'll ever do! Our core beliefs about parenting include:

• There are many positive ways to parent 
• Parents are their child's most important teacher 
• Parents are the experts on their own children 
• Parenting is the most challenging and important job there is 
• Coming to a parenting class is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family 

Our Parenting Program offers a continuum of curricula that are either evidence-based or research-based, for families with children 0-17. We offer "tech support" for parents... because children don't come with instructions.