Urged on by the Linn County Health Department and the Albany Police Department, Compassion in Action (CIA) was founded by Curtis and Joy Miller to meet basic needs of Linn County homeless or impoverished men, women, children and infants through Daily Living Kits. These kits include such things as hygiene items, disposable diapers and household cleaning items, and more than 300 are delivered monthly to a network of long-established community service organizations whose clients compose our target population.
CIA began distributing kits in October 2007 and became a nonprofit charitable organization in March 2009. CIA is the only provider of Daily Living Kits in Linn County. Curtis functions as Executive Director; Joy purchases items and assembles kits with volunteer help.
Kit items are stored in the Miller garage. The Albany Church women's ministries meet there once a month to assemble kits for distribution to such places as Albany Partnership for Housing, Christ Walk of Lebanon, Sweet Home Emergency Ministries and Linn County Department of Human Services.
Collection bins have been set out at the Albany Church, as well as the Sweet Home Baptist Church and the Albany Police Department. Church members are encouraged to donate toiletries and diapers, and some have even donated valuable collections to be sold and the proceeds used to purchase kit items.
In 2007, CIA distributed 40 kits monthly; it is projected that in the coming year CIA will distributed 350 kits monthly.
Joy Miller and Louise Warren add diapers to a kit
Pastor Jim Osborne and Curtis Miller in the Miller garage
