‘Bend Survival Guide’: Resident creates collection of resources to help those in need

(Update: Adding video, details of effort)

Brochure, website point the way to assistance on issues ranging from homelessness to addiction, shelter and more

BEND, Ore, (KTVZ) -- Katie Jalo noticed that Bend has a lot of resources for those in need. While that's a good thing, finding those resources wasn't as easy. That's why she created the Bend Survival Guide. It's a compact list of all available resources for community members struggling with different types of hardships.

It lists services for medical help, food security, veterans, addiction, and more.

Jalo says she's noticed people experiencing hardship now more than ever.

"I know that a lot of people have trouble living here, even if they're not homeless, even if they have a job, a roof over their head or both," she told NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday. "The cost of living has gotten really extreme, so I know there are more and more homeless people all the time, and more people that need more services than maybe they used to. I think part of that is the pandemic. Part of that is just the popularity of this area."

A former member of AmeriCorps and now working for a nonprofit, Jalo has a passion for helping others. It took a month to put the survival guide together, working on it in her spare time. She also wants to have it translated into Spanish.

It's a list that can be downloaded or printed out. Jalo says she plans to print out the brochures and place them in areas around the community. Places like the Free Little Library -- that way, all community members can go and pick one up.

"I just hope enough people can get access to it," she said. "If there are people who need, it who maybe just moved here and don't know where to go for help, or if they've been here for a while and never needed to figure out this kind of stuff before. I hope that they're able to find it useful," she said.

The survival guide also has a website and they will soon be taking donations.