COHA Mission statement:
We provide education to the community, advocacy and support for our homeless neighbors and support to the agencies that serve them by strengthening community partnerships and providing a trusted clearinghouse for information and collaborative action.

COHA has been incorporated recently but the organizing members have already been doing this work. Now that we are incorporated, we are beginning to recruit additional board members and sponsors.

COHA is an alliance of faith-based organizations, businesses, and individuals. The organizers and board members include members of UUFCO, Westside Church, and Bend Church.

COHA organizes annual community wide forums to further the understanding and support of our unhoused neighbors. The forums include and are promoted by faith-based organizations, community organizations and service agencies that serve the homeless. The organizers of COHA organized the CO Homelessness Forum presented February 2025 and the success of that event inspired the formation of COHA. You can view the recording the of 2025 Forum Here.

Central Oregon Homelessness Alliance Response Team (COHART) provides a clearing house where service organizations can locate resources outside of their normal area of service. This helps the organizations coordinate their efforts, and increases the likelihood that clients will get the help they need.

COHA is an alliance of several churches, other organizations, and individuals that fund out-of-the-ordinary requirements identified by service providers who serve the homeless population.

The main beneficiaries of COHA will be the CO houseless population. They will benefit:
● Indirectly by the community becoming more understanding and cooperative in developing solutions
● Indirectly by services being coordinated to allow service providers to be more efficient and effective
● Directly by COHA providing funds for short-term needs that are not normally provided by other service organizations

Board Members:
Melissa Blackett – President
Barbara Belzer – Vice President
Ginny McKee – Secretary
Lynd Wieman – Treasurer
Chuck Hemingway – Board Member

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon, Bend Church Open Door Ministries, Westside Church, and Mountain View Community Development.