Welcome to the New Cascades West Website!

We’re excited to share our new website and new domain with you. It’s still the same Cascades West, now with a fresh new online home.

Financial Coaching & Education

Explore financial coaching and education programs offering guidance, counseling, and resources to help individuals make informed financial, benefits, and insurance decisions.

Our Community Partners: Together, our partnerships strengthen our ability to connect individuals and families with guidance, resources, and informed decision-making around finances, benefits, and insurance.

Oregon State Credit Union partnered with Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments
Build greater financial stability with free one-on-one coaching focused on budgeting, debt reduction, credit, and future goals.
Access free Medicare counseling and education to better understand your options and make informed coverage decisions.
Get support with day-to-day money management through trusted services like bill pay assistance and representative payee support.
$tand By Me Oregon

We provide free one-on-one financial coaching and tools to help individuals and families build financial stability.

OCWCOG with generous support from Benton County is pleased to introduce $tand By Me – Oregon ($BM), a financial empowerment program that through coaching and toolkits helps provide financial stability to individuals and families.

A replication of $tand By Me ($BM) – Delaware, which was launched in 2011, $BM – Oregon uses coaches embedded in local partner organizations to help participants reduce their debt, raise their credit scores, and reach their personal financial goals.

Participants of the program receive free personal one-on-one financial coaching to help achieve financial health and wellness.

Coaching Goals

  • Learn to budget
  • Pay bills on time
  • Manage spending
  • Understand debt and how to reduce debt
  • Improve your credit score and learn how it affects your life
  • Purchase your first car
  • Plan for college
  • Prepare for a career
  • Set goals to achieve the dream of homeownership
  • Invest in retirement

Community Partners

  • Samaritan Social Accountability Funds – Joint Grant with Casa Latinos Unidos (2023-2025)
  • The Ford Family Foundation – Lincoln County Latinx Outreach (2024-2026)
  • Benton Community Foundation -Benton County Latinx Outreach (2024)
  • Pacific Power – Linn, Benton outreach (2024-2025)
  • Central Willamette Credit Union -Linn, Benton workshop sponsor (2024)
  • The Oregon Community Foundation (2022-2024)
  • Benton County (2021-2025)

Oregon State Credit Union is bringing Banzai, a premium online financial literacy program, to educators and students in your area for free.

Money Management Program

We provide free assistance with personal money management tasks through specially trained volunteers.

Services offered through the Money Management Program include Bill Pay Service for individuals who remain in control of their personal finances but need assistance to maintain financial stability, and Representative Payee Service for individuals who receive federal benefits, such as Social Security or Veterans Affairs, and are unable to manage their personal finances on their own.

Service are personalized, confidential, and safe. All services are offered free of charge to eligible individuals.

OCWCOG’s Money Management Program provides free assistance with personal money management tasks through specially trained volunteers. Service is personalized, confidential, and safe. All services are offered free of charge to eligible individuals.

Program Goals

  • Promote independent living and self sufficiency
  • Preserve dignity
  • Prevent homelessness
  • Protect against financial abuse and fraud
  • Improve financial futures

Program Safeguards

  • Community volunteers are screened, trained, and supervised.
  • Strict client confidentiality is maintained.
  • Client accounts are monitored to ensure appropriate use of their funds.
  • Client’s funds are protected from loss due to mistakes or misuse by volunteers and staff.

Eligibility

  • Adults with disabilities, or seniors aged 60 and over.
  • Live in a program service area (call to confirm).
  • Limited income and assets (typically based on the number of people in the household).

Make a Difference as a Money Management Volunteer

Program staff matches volunteers to clients based on the preferences; volunteers typically spend two-to-four hours per month assisting the client. Volunteers and clients agree on the dates, times, and frequency of their meetings.

Volunteers support the program and clients in the following ways:

  • Bill pay – Volunteers provide one-on-one assistance to individuals who remain in control of their finances, but need on-going help to keep on track. Budgeting, organizing financial papers, paying bills, banking, and help filling out forms, etc.
  • Representative Payee – The program becomes the Organizational Representative Payee and manages Federal benefits, such as Social Security, Social Security Disability, Veterans, or Railroad Retirement on behalf of individuals no longer able to manage their own personal finances. Each client is paired with a volunteer who assists with organizing financial papers, banking and help filling out forms, etc.
  • Office Aides – Volunteers help Money Management Program Regional Coordinators program operations, including processing client and volunteer paperwork, and data entry.
  • Monitor – Volunteers examine client bank statements looking for red flags and needed support documentation.
  • Team Leaders – Volunteers support staff and other volunteers in satellite program offices providing various levels of assistance, as needed.
Senior Health Insurance Benefit Assistance Program

We provide free Medicare counseling and advocacy to help individuals make informed healthcare coverage decisions.

The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program, administered by OCWCOG on behalf of the State of Oregon, educates and advocates for the residents in our Region about Medicare. SHIBA counselors provide one-on-one counseling and monthly Medicare classes throughout Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties.

Upcoming Free SHIBA Medicare Classes

This class is designed for anyone who will be eligible for Medicare within a few months or is new to Medicare. Current beneficiaries who would like a better understanding of their benefits and options will also find this course valuable. Spouses and family members are encouraged to attend to gain knowledge about Medicare and the options available for their loved ones!

Due to limited class size, advanced registration is required for all classes. Register today by calling (541) 812-0849 or (541) 574-2684.

Get help finding the right financial support.

Reach out to ask about one-on-one coaching, bill pay and representative payee services, Medicare counseling, and other financial support resources.
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