The thin walls of a 10 by 40 foot building shell don’t provide much protection from the frigid temperatures of a Central Oregon winter. Crystal Goodman, her seven children ages 2 to 14, and her mother found this out the hard way. Last winter the family struggled to stay warm within the walls of the structure that they had purchased with the intention of turning it into a tiny home. Because they lacked the means to finish the inside, the walls were without insulation or sheetrock.

“It felt like the building actually held the cold inside,” said Goodman. “We would pile on tons of blankets and talk about how we could not imagine the day when we would be warm again.”

Goodman and her mother had contacted anyone and everyone they could think of to ask for help insulating the building. If they were lucky enough to get a call back, they were told that they did not qualify for assistance. Discouraged, the family huddled together and braved through the winter season. This fall, as colder weather again approached, Goodman picked up on a rumor that a Family Access Network advocate was now available at both Prineville elementary schools. She reached out, not holding much hope that there was any help available and bracing for another rough winter. Goodman was surprised to receive a call back right away.

“Vanessa was on it immediately,” said Goodman. “I would never have guessed that someone could be that caring for a stranger. We cannot tell you how much we appreciate Vanessa.”

Vanessa Nolen is one of 25 FAN advocates serving at 50 public schools in Deschutes County, plus the two elementary schools in Prineville. Nolen divides her time between Crooked River Elementary and Barnes Butte Elementary schools, and she is one of the first to serve in this role in Crook County. FAN advocates are school employees and have strong relationships with both staff and families at the schools. Nolen previously worked as an educational assistant in both schools, and she enjoys working with children and their families, helping them to connect with resources and opportunities within the community.

“I want people to know that FAN isn’t a hand out — it’s a hand up,” said Nolen. “Our job is not to judge. Our job is not to figure out if someone deserves something. Our job is to lift the fallen, to restore the broken and to heal the hurting.”

Since 1993, FAN has worked to fulfill its mission of improving lives by ensuring that all children in Deschutes County (and now Prineville) have access to basic-need services such as food, shelter and health care. The nonprofit organization serves nearly 9,000 children and their family members each year. The highest unmet need for families who seek FAN assistance is housing, said Julie N. Lyche, who has served as the executive director of FAN for over a decade. Mental health services as well as food, clothing, utilities and heating are also high needs for families.

“I am constantly in awe of the amazing work of our FAN advocates and the support of nearly 100 partner agencies that are working together to support our local families,” said Lyche. “The FAN model is unique to Central Oregon and I am proud to be a part of the strong school and community work conducted each day to ensure our children attend school well rested, well fed, and ready to learn.”

Lyche feels that the greatest impact that FAN has on the community is embodied in the advocates themselves, who help families navigate the often confusing social service system. Advocates use their connections, knowledge and enthusiasm to go to bat for the families they serve.

“They are well connected to our community partners and have a vast knowledge of the services available to families,” said Lyche.

After hearing from Goodman this past fall, Nolen went to work on her network of community resources. Within days a team of volunteers from Calvary Baptist Church visited Goodman to take measurements and determine the materials that would be needed to finish the building. A few days later a work party from the church completed the installation of insulation, sheet rock and paneling of the interior walls.

“When they were done we all exchanged hugs and prayers,” said Goodman. “The Pastor looked around at all of us standing there and said that all they wanted was for us to know that we are loved. And we did, we felt it. I’d never met or seen any of those people before, and they didn’t know us. It was absolutely amazing that they came out and helped.”

It is all in a day’s work for Nolen, who considers it a blessing to be able to help people navigate a system that can be overwhelming. She recognizes and is grateful for the fact that in many cases it is the community members themselves who provide the means for helping their neighbors.

“We have wonderful neighboring partners that we get to work with and some caring and giving people here who just want to help and give back to the community,” said Nolen.

It is FAN advocates like Nolen that step up to help in times of need and even disaster. Jessica Gooding recalls feeling overwhelmed and defeated after a fire destroyed the trailer that her family often had called home for several months. They had moved to Prineville for her husband’s job and to get away from city life, but a change in direction left them scrambling. The trailer was not ideal, said Gooding, but at least it was a roof over their heads. The fire destroyed everything but the wedding photos that Gooding was able to grab after making sure that all the children were safe. The Red Cross immediately helped out, and right next to them was Nolen, offering friendship and support.

“She was just there,” said Gooding. “It was like ‘How are you doing? I’m here for you’ and she keeps an eye out for us still. We are partially back up on our feet now — it’s not an overnight thing — but she is there to make sure we don’t fall back down.”

Gooding credits Nolen and FAN with providing her children with replacement clothing and hygiene items, helping cover their hotel stay and making sure the family had food to eat. Gooding’s husband has since found new work and Nolen has helped them find housing, and Gooding is beyond grateful.

“If all the schools around here have someone like Vanessa, our community is truly blessed,” said Gooding. “She is a light. She is bubbly and beautiful inside and out. Our kids love her and she loves them, you can see that she goes out of her way to connect with every child she sees.”

Goodman echoes Gooding’s praise of FAN and Nolen and includes thanks for the efforts that went beyond making sure that the family has a warm place to live. Nolen also arranged for Goodman’s children to have adequate supplies and clothing for school, assistance with propane gas for heating and help with transportation when her son needed to travel to Bend once a week for medical treatment.

Nolen also helped the Goodman family qualify for housing and they are hoping to find a home soon. Meanwhile they are warm and snug in their newly insulated building.

“Vanessa is just wonderful at what she does,” said Goodman. “She was able to get help for us through places that had previously said they couldn’t help. She doesn’t take no for an answer and she made sure we were not left out in the cold. She even calls just to check in with us. We love her to death and I’m sure all the FAN advocates are all the same. It is really good to know that FAN is there. Last year was awful, but this year is awesome. We are warm.”