Douglas County
Request: $50,000
Our Mission: “Greater Douglas United Way…Uniting people to meet human needs in our community.”
We have followed the traditional United Way partner agencies model in the past. The COAD program has allowed us to increase our mission in the community with direct service. In the past we have also worked with organizations who have responded to natural disasters and community disasters in our community as a fiscal sponsor.
The COAD program allows us to go out to the community with training in First Aid, CPR, in addition to the State of Oregon program, Be2Weeks Ready, which was released in 2024. This provides much needed training to our communities in disaster preparedness. It is important to have more people prepared to face a natural disaster should it arrive. There have been 17 large declared disasters in Douglas County alone over the past 50 years. While that may not seem to be a lot, we are seeing an increase in mud/rock slides, flooding, annual wildfires and with the predicted super El Nino this year we are making a concerted effort to have people prepared to survive if they are not able to get to a grocery store, have no power or water, and are not able to get emergency services due to an increased need.
The budget for our program is $157,500.00 this will provide the opportunity for us to continue our COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster) program. This program provides vital First Aid, CPR, and Be2Weeks Ready training in our community at no cost to the attendee. To sustain this high impact program, $40,000 will cover program wages, with $10,000 providing essential training materials and supplies. If partially funded, we would prioritize the wage portion of the request which would enable us to continue the program. It is valuable to have an employee who is trained and ready to teach the classes. Joel King our COAD Coordinator is a Red Cross certified First Aid and CPR trainer, and he is a Fireman and Paramedic by trade. His training in disaster preparedness is invaluable. Any additional funding will allow us to provide more trainings and purchase additional supplies to have ready should the need arise. Employing Joel has assisted in renewing the temporarily dormant program in Douglas County.
We revitalized the program in Douglas County, in September of 2025. Through Joel’s connections he has been working hand in hand with Umpqua Community College. Additionally, reaching private sector businesses in the community providing classes for management and staff. By delivering free First Aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness education, COAD equips individuals with life-saving skills before professional first responders arrive, transforming community members from passive victims into proactive responders. Emergencies affect everyone, but not everyone experiences them the same way. COAD intentionally tailors its approach to accommodate diverse lived experiences across the community. Traditional First Aid and CPR certifications often carry significant out-of-pocket costs, creating barriers for low-income residents. By offering completely free courses, training materials, and take-home resources, COAD removes financial hurdles entirely.
Over the past year Joel has developed this program which has providing 17 First Aid/CPR classes with 150 people attending. Participants have the option to receive their certification card at these classes. One class was provided for teens. He has also provided the professional level classes to Douglas Public Health Network and a nursing home in Reedsport. He has held three Be2Weeks Ready classes one to train additional instructors.
Joel assisted in the planning and implementation of a Disaster Preparedness Fair in September 2026. There were 42 vendors, a fire truck, ambulance and the Shaky Grounds Café, a simulator guiding you how to address potential disasters after an earthquake. There were approximately 500 attendees at the fair
