Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What does Willamette Valley First Responder Chaplains do?
A: WVFRC provides highly trained, culturally competent First Responder Chaplains to Public Safety agencies, to serve their personnel, along with utilizing Community Resource Chaplains to provide compassionate care to members of the public who are experiencing or have experienced a crisis event.
Q: What is a First Responder Chaplain?
A: A First Responder Chaplain (FRC) is a person who is Ecclesiastically endorsed and licensed by a local church, and has the endorsement from a Public Safety Agency, who is highly trained and credentialed in Public Safety specific chaplaincy components with the International Conference of Police Chaplains (ICPC) and/or the Federation of Fire Chaplains (FFC), and is trained to Advanced standards in Critical Incident Stress Management and Crisis Intervention – along with additional components – with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). FRC’s typically have service background in military, fire, medical, lawenforcement, corrections, dispatch service etc., who serves First Responders by way of assisting with and addressing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of the individual, and their families. FRC’s also serve members of the public who have encountered crisis through life changing events.
Q: What is a Community Resource Chaplain?
A: A Community Resource Chaplain (CRC) is a person who is Ecclesiastically endorsed and licensed by a local church and is trained in Pastoral Care and Crisis Response & Intervention. CRC’s serve members of the public who have encountered crisis through life changing events. The service of CRC’s is critical in the provision of compassionate care to our neighbors, oftentimes resulting in years of relational service.
Q: Why are Chaplains licensed by the church?
A: In order to ensure confidentiality when serving First Responders and/or the public, we need to have and maintain Clergy Penitent Privileges, hence being a licensed minister.
Q: Do you only serve people of faith?
A: No, not at all. Our role as Chaplains is to serve as Crisis Response Specialists to all people of all faiths or no faith. We do not evangelize or proselytize in the course of our services, nor do we raise the conversation of faith to anyone. Our Chaplains ask this question when meeting people in the course crisis intervention and/ordelivering death notifications: “Do you have friends or family close by, or are you a part of a social community, or faith community? Is there someone you would be more comfortable with who we can call on your behalf?”We will connect people to their people of choice. Our Chaplains are here to serve all people, providing comfort and practical support.
Q: Where does your funding come from?
A: We are fully dependent on donations from individuals, churches, corporations, and Grants. WVFRC does not require agencies pay for Chaplaincy service and support, as most public safety agencies have a limited budget, thus we do not want cost to prohibit the agency from engaging our chaplaincy support and services. Some agencies do choose to make financial contributions to WVFRC, and we humbly accept their gift. Without the Grants we have received from the Scharpf Foundation we would not have the operational capability we currently have.
Individual: 30.2%
Churches: 4.5%
Corporate: 3.7%
Agencies: 11.7%
Grants: 48.6%
Fundraisers: 1.3%
Q: How much do you raise each month from individual donors?
A: We currently raise between $9,000 and $11,000 per month in regular individual donations
Q: Can I donate to a specific Chaplain?
A: WVFRC is not an umbrella organization, therefore we do not maintain individual accounts for Chaplains. All Chaplains are required to raise support to help WVFRC fund their salaries and operational expenses. As we serve our mission as one family, we all pour into the same pale for which we are all able to draw from.
Q: Which churches are partnered with WVFRC?
A: Our partners are: North Albany Community Church, Oakville Presbyterian Church, Suburban Christian Church, First Baptist Church Corvallis, Valley Christian Center, Albany Evangelical Church, Brownsville First Baptist Church, and Fairview Mennonite Church. We are always hoping to build relationships with our community churches.
Q: Which businesses are partnered with WVFRC?
A: We have Active911 as our full main corporate sponsor, along with Summit Cleaning & Restoration, with service assistance (discounted services) from Alyrica and OfficeCraft.
Q: Which agencies do you serve?
A: We currently serve in Linn, Benton, Marion, and Lane counties, serving: Albany Police Department, Albany Fire Department, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Tangent Fire District, Corvallis Police Department, Corvallis Fire Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Philomath Fire & Rescue, Coburg Fire District, Turner Fire District, Turner Police Department, Jefferson Fire District, Stayton Fire District, Stayton Police Department, Aumsville Police Department, Gervais Police Department, Marion County Fire District, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office, Oregon State Police, Linn County Medical Examiner’s Office, Corvallis Regional Communications Center (CRCC), Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC), METCOM, Benton County Search & Rescue (BCSAR), Mary’s Peak Search & Rescue(MPSAR), Corvallis Mountain Rescue (CMRU), and Oregon Department of Transport (ODOT).
Our service to First Responders includes: Patrol Officers/Deputies, Corrections Officers/Deputies (adult and youth), Parole & Probation Officers, Dispatchers, Search & Rescue Volunteers (and paid personnel), Firefighters, Paramedics/EMT’s, Emergency Department & Critical Care Doctors/Nurses, Medical Examiners, District Attorney’s and District Attorney staff, ODOT Incident Responders and staff.
Q: What other developments are you working on?
A: We plan to have two Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 RVs to operate as Mobile Resource Vehicles (MRV) equipped to provide on-scene support. A team of two chaplains will provide hot and cold food and drinks, facilitate a place for First Responders and community members involved within the critical incident to take cover from weather, along with being a place for First Responders to converse privately with members of the public, use a bathroom etc. The MRV will be optimized on Search & Rescue missions, house/commercial fires, fatal/critical incidents, and incidents involving lengthy investigations.
By mid-2028 we want to establish a Wellness Center in the City of Albany/Linn County area, where we will have in-house licensed – culturally competent – Mental Health Professionals, a certified health & nutritionist, a licensed personal trainer, a licensed nurse practitioner – with focus on pain management and medication management. We will establish homogeneous group support for addictions, grief, and healing and recovery workshops such as art therapy etc. applicable office space, conference/training room for hosting trainings, kitchen for hosting dinners (holiday get-togethers etc.), space for storing the MRV etc. The Wellness Center will also be a location which any agency can use for matters such as an Officer Involved Shooting, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing etc. and for a rest-stop/sub-station.
Q: How can I give/donate to WVFRC?
A: Donations can be made on our website at www.wvfrc.org, where the donor can set up a one-time donation or recurring donation, or we receive checks (payable to “WVFRC”) at our mailbox located at: 922 NW Circle Blvd suite 160-159, Corvallis, Oregon 97330. OR… you can simply stop by our office in-person at: 4505 Marion Street SE suite A, Albany, Oregon 97322 and meet our Office Manager Hannah, and office cat Finny!
Q: What other donations does WVFRC accept?
A: We accept donations of vehicles, property, houses, retirement funds/estates etc.
Q: What other needs does WVFRC have?
A: We accept donations for new soft toys, toy cars/truck/tractors, coloring books/crayons/pens, blankets/quilts, bottled water, sport drinks (Body Armor, Gatorade, Liquid IV), granola bars/protein bars, snacks (individual packets of jerky, nuts, trail mix etc.), Mountain House Meals (individual packets), sachets of coffee/cocoa/tea/sugar, disposable cups with lids, plastic plates/bowls/silverware, and Technu sprays/lotions, sunscreen spray, bug repellent spray etc.
Q: How can we reach you?
A: You can reach us by email at: info@WVFRC.org, call our office at: 541-603-6512 (text capable), see our website at: WVFRC.org and find us on Facebook at: WVFRC. You can mail to or stop by our office at: 4505 Marion Street SE suite A, Albany, Oregon 97322. You are always welcome to visit with us and see our facilities and learn more about the work we are doing, and how we are using the donations.