(TILLAMOOK & MANZANITA, OR) — Local residents are invited to take part in upcoming community listening circles in Tillamook and Manzanita, hosted by The Peaceful Presence Project. These interactive gatherings are designed to explore how rural communities can better support people navigating serious illness, end-of-life experiences, and grief.
Over the past two years, The Peaceful Presence Project—a nonprofit rooted in community-based care—has trained more than 100 individuals across rural Oregon in palliative care practices, grief literacy, and end-of-life doula support. Now, the organization is expanding its reach by building a statewide Public Health Palliative Care Network, with support from the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation and the Roundhouse Foundation.
This model reframes how we approach illness and loss—recognizing that care doesn’t belong only in hospitals and clinics. Public health palliative care empowers neighbors, volunteers, and local organizations to play a central role in supporting one another through life’s most vulnerable moments.
Two listening circles on the North Coast will provide space for community members to share local insights, explore creative ideas, and help shape what a stronger, more connected care network could look like across Oregon.
TILLAMOOK LISTENING CIRCLE
📅 Wednesday, May 14
🕤 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Tillamook Library, 1716 3rd Street, Tillamook
MANZANITA LISTENING CIRCLE
📅 Thursday, May 15
🕤 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Pine Grove Community House, 225 Laneda Avenue, Manzanita
Hosted by Pine Grove Community House
Participants will explore:
🔹 Strengths and community-led initiatives already in place
🔹 Opportunities to improve local support for those facing illness and loss
🔹 Skills and training needed to build a more resilient care network
These events are open to anyone with a heart for care—whether you’re a healthcare provider, neighbor, volunteer, or simply someone who wants to make a difference.
Register at: http://bit.ly/n-coast
Together, we can imagine—and build—a future where communities truly care for communities.
