OUR MISSION
Community Compassion Outreach's mission is to assist local individuals and families in preventing, surviving, and exiting homelessness and poverty. This program provides recovery coaches, peer support professionals, and culturally sensitive assistance which includes meals, housing assistance, motel nights, transportation, wraparound services, and referrals to partner agencies who provide coordination of care. Funding will also be used to facilitate a new child/family program with free transportation in our new 12-passenger van.
Community Compassion Outreach's mission is to assist local individuals and families in preventing, surviving, and exiting homelessness and poverty. This program provides recovery coaches, peer support professionals, and culturally sensitive assistance which includes meals, housing assistance, motel nights, transportation, wraparound services, and referrals to partner agencies who provide coordination of care. Funding will also be used to facilitate a new child/family program with free transportation in our new 12-passenger van.
CCO Board of Directors
Daniel Morgenstern, Board President - January 13, 2024 - Current
We are pleased to welcome back Daniel on the Board and for him taking the position as President!
Key to success was my personal management of personnel including employees, harmonious relationships with the Union of International Association of Machinists, 40+ independent sales representative firms, suppliers, and all levels of customers. Managed hundreds of national trade shows and sales meetings. Served on the National Electrical Code Board. Other accomplishments include several patents, engineering numerous new and improved products, all financial management, senior management and operation of computer systems. Accomplished in operating all current software programs. Strong marketing and merchandizing skills. Created and maintained a merchandizing system that gave us market leadership in the industry.
We are pleased to welcome back Daniel on the Board and for him taking the position as President!
Key to success was my personal management of personnel including employees, harmonious relationships with the Union of International Association of Machinists, 40+ independent sales representative firms, suppliers, and all levels of customers. Managed hundreds of national trade shows and sales meetings. Served on the National Electrical Code Board. Other accomplishments include several patents, engineering numerous new and improved products, all financial management, senior management and operation of computer systems. Accomplished in operating all current software programs. Strong marketing and merchandizing skills. Created and maintained a merchandizing system that gave us market leadership in the industry.
- Principal Flute Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra 1974 - 1975
- K - 12 Music Educator, Board of Cooperative Service (BOCES) Fairport NY 1970 - 1972
Johnie Ragsdale, Board Treasurer - 3/29/2018 - Current
Johnie Ragsdale, operates the Ragsdale & Associates PC offices with husband John W. Ragsdale, Clinical Psychologist Specialist, located on North Main Avenue. Johnie is compassionate for people less fortunate than us, and she has been serving the Durango and La Plata County communities for decades.
She has served her community in various roles: Classroom volunteer - PTA President, Girl Scout Leader - Youth Mission Trip Leader to Apache Reservation - Youth Mission Trip Leader to Navajo Reservation - Youth Mission Trip Leader to Juarez - Mexico Youth and Adult Mission Trip Leader to New Orleans - Two mission trips to Mozambique - Africa assisting women in micro loan development, women's issues/relationships - Kitchen Volunteer at Manna Soup Kitchen.
Johnie holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology at the San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California.
Keikea Cavaliero, Board Director - 3/21/2024 - Current
We are proud to welcome a Young Professional of Durango (YPOD) to our Board of Directors. Kea holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government, Emphasis in Global Development and Minor in English, and Peace Corps Prep Certification. Kea is on the board of YPOD. She has provided assistance to our Executive Director since she joined CCO's Board.
Kea was a student leader with the National Geographic Student Expeditions in Fiji. She managed crisis communications with strategic and level-headed approaches, collaborated with 14 team members to meet daily challenging projects and trained team members in ways to exceed manual labor expectations. Her spirit of help and kindness precedes her! She currently works as program assistant at the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County in Durango, Colorado, preparing and facilitating activities centered on citizenship for 20-40 youth of our region.
Kea has already contributed to CCO by bringing volunteers from YPOD to our food-sharing program Coffee & Conversations, and she helped raise donations in the form of hygiene kits, clothing and food for CCO's clients and peers who are challenged by substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health issues. She assisted us in designing social media ads to recruit more volunteers to our Compassion Center. It is apparent by Kea's actions that she is passionate about helping the indigents we serve who are unhoused and unsheltered in La Plata County and the City of Durango. We are very fortunate that Kea came on board when Linda Morris had to resign due to personal reasons in March.
Linda Morris, Board Director - 6/19/2023 - 3/21/2024
Linda is a retired teacher. She volunteers on Saturdays when we share meals for the unhoused and food-insecure. A long-time resident of Durango, Linda is compassionate toward the marginalized populations in our community. She knits and crochets hats, gloves, blankets and other items for other nonprofit groups, including quilts, for fundraisers. Linda donates time in our kitchen with CCO’s Recovery Support Services Team’s Safe Talks in Recovery. We appreciate her commitment to our work for people experiencing homelessness.
Johnie Ragsdale, operates the Ragsdale & Associates PC offices with husband John W. Ragsdale, Clinical Psychologist Specialist, located on North Main Avenue. Johnie is compassionate for people less fortunate than us, and she has been serving the Durango and La Plata County communities for decades.
She has served her community in various roles: Classroom volunteer - PTA President, Girl Scout Leader - Youth Mission Trip Leader to Apache Reservation - Youth Mission Trip Leader to Navajo Reservation - Youth Mission Trip Leader to Juarez - Mexico Youth and Adult Mission Trip Leader to New Orleans - Two mission trips to Mozambique - Africa assisting women in micro loan development, women's issues/relationships - Kitchen Volunteer at Manna Soup Kitchen.
Johnie holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology at the San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California.
Keikea Cavaliero, Board Director - 3/21/2024 - Current
We are proud to welcome a Young Professional of Durango (YPOD) to our Board of Directors. Kea holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government, Emphasis in Global Development and Minor in English, and Peace Corps Prep Certification. Kea is on the board of YPOD. She has provided assistance to our Executive Director since she joined CCO's Board.
Kea was a student leader with the National Geographic Student Expeditions in Fiji. She managed crisis communications with strategic and level-headed approaches, collaborated with 14 team members to meet daily challenging projects and trained team members in ways to exceed manual labor expectations. Her spirit of help and kindness precedes her! She currently works as program assistant at the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County in Durango, Colorado, preparing and facilitating activities centered on citizenship for 20-40 youth of our region.
Kea has already contributed to CCO by bringing volunteers from YPOD to our food-sharing program Coffee & Conversations, and she helped raise donations in the form of hygiene kits, clothing and food for CCO's clients and peers who are challenged by substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health issues. She assisted us in designing social media ads to recruit more volunteers to our Compassion Center. It is apparent by Kea's actions that she is passionate about helping the indigents we serve who are unhoused and unsheltered in La Plata County and the City of Durango. We are very fortunate that Kea came on board when Linda Morris had to resign due to personal reasons in March.
Linda Morris, Board Director - 6/19/2023 - 3/21/2024
Linda is a retired teacher. She volunteers on Saturdays when we share meals for the unhoused and food-insecure. A long-time resident of Durango, Linda is compassionate toward the marginalized populations in our community. She knits and crochets hats, gloves, blankets and other items for other nonprofit groups, including quilts, for fundraisers. Linda donates time in our kitchen with CCO’s Recovery Support Services Team’s Safe Talks in Recovery. We appreciate her commitment to our work for people experiencing homelessness.
JOIN OUR BOARD!
Cultural Sensitivity Advisory Group (CSAG)
Cultural Sensitivity Advisory Group (CSAG) is comprised of people from our local community who understand the impact on their families and friends who experience homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues. Their voices informs and guides the positive direction where CCO's Board of Directors and its leadership will take toward achieving inclusion, diversity and equity within our programs and activities. We appreciate the Group's valuable insights that help us create culturally appropriate services for the people who come to us for a variety of client services that meets our Mission.
- Joann Thomas is Navajo; mother of a homeless son age 40 suffering from SUD/AUD. She offers insight into the struggle parents experience when their significant other battles mental health issues that occurs with addiction.
- Timothy Sargent was homeless for decades, has transitioned to Espero Permanent Supportive Housing with his dog; he managed a small section of Purple Cliffs and was homeless by choice until his recent birthday.
- Kimberly J. Bernard celebrated four (4) years in recovery on June 26, 2022. She has attends RESST Program Safe Talks in Recovery regularly and is a great story of the trauma experienced in her childhood and into her adolescent years. Her lived experiences in homelessness has only strengthened her resolve to improve herself and to help her peers. Kimberly has a sweet soul willing to help anyone she meets with basic needs and by sharing her story of substance abuse and the victory she enjoys today in recovery.
- Virginia Perkins is a participant in our Safe Talks in Recovery group meetings held in our facility on Tuesdays and Fridays. Virginia is unhoused and has been working on her struggles with a counselor. A former pre-school teacher, she has strong desire to help her peers.
- Gregory Begaye recently joined CCO in training as a peer support professional. His lived experience in homelessness and substance use disorders with criminal justice history brings to our organization great cultural insight as a member of the Navajo (Dine') Tribe. Young and enthusiastic, Greg brings experiences in working with family members with co-occurring mental health disorders.
- Martin Leeper has been unhoused and living in his truck for a few years after he lost his dad. He provides assistance to his fellow unhoused neighbors with extra food he gets and he tries to help whenever he can by volunteering with local grass roots organizations. Martin recently became a part-time driver with CCO to provide our clients with transportation within La Plata County by reservations. On Safe Talks in Recovery days (Tuesdays and Fridays), our van will pickup people at Manna Resource Center. Martin encourages his peers to join our events whenever he meets an unhoused person because he has benefits by being a participant with our events.
Downloads and Reports:
Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws Amended 12/1 2021
IRS Determination Letter
Conflict of Interest Policy
Form 990_-_cco-_2023.pdf
CCO became a nonprofit on March 29, 2018. The IRS determination letter dated August 21, 2018, recognizes Community Compassion Outreach (CCO) as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Our tax year ends December 31st. Form 990-N was filed by Frederick Zink & Associates.
(NOTE: CCO started as a church program in January 2017 and has evolved into a more effective organization since our nonprofit status was determined).
To obtain additional information, please contact Us here.
Articles of Incorporation
Bylaws Amended 12/1 2021
IRS Determination Letter
Conflict of Interest Policy
Form 990_-_cco-_2023.pdf
CCO became a nonprofit on March 29, 2018. The IRS determination letter dated August 21, 2018, recognizes Community Compassion Outreach (CCO) as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Our tax year ends December 31st. Form 990-N was filed by Frederick Zink & Associates.
(NOTE: CCO started as a church program in January 2017 and has evolved into a more effective organization since our nonprofit status was determined).
To obtain additional information, please contact Us here.