A Civilian Conservation Corps, paid for by the U.S. Treasury, once put millions of unemployed citizens back to work during a dark Depression. Let’s put our hearts, minds, and resources into a rapid response to our current local crisis and, like the ‘mutual aid’ societies springing up all across the country, solve part of the problem ourselves.”

Co-founder Lori Bernstein

Fort Worden PDA

200 Battery Way
Port Townsend, WA 98368

Those who do learn from history are better prepared to repeat the parts that worked. 

A major part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famed “New Deal,” the Civilian Conservation Corps was a voluntary public work relief program that found employment for jobless, unmarried men as manual labor in various efforts to conserve and develop natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state, and local governments. The point was to get people working again during the Great Depression while tending communal assets for the good of all. 

Throughout its operation, the CCC, supposedly one of the most popular “New Deal” programs, reportedly employed some 3 million men, who were provided with shelter, clothing, food, and a wage of about $30 a month (equivalent to nearly $600 today), $25 of which had to be sent to their families.  

With today’s employment situation looking less-than-ideal, and the ongoing health crisis showing no signs of abating, some have asked if such a program worked once, why not again? 

No reason at all, said organizers of the Jefferson Community Conservation Corps. 

“A Civilian Conservation Corps, paid for by the
U.S. Treasury, once put millions of unemployed citizens back to work during a dark Depression,” said co-founder Lori Bernstein.

“Let’s put our hearts, minds, and resources into a rapid response to our current local crisis and, like the ‘mutual aid’ societies springing up all across the country, solve part of the problem ourselves,” she said. 

In partnership with the Fort Worden Foundation, the group’s inaugural fundraising effort is now underway, with the money raised set to pay for a temporary workforce for the Fort Worden Public Development Authority. The PDA, like so many others, reportedly suffered a loss of income and staff due to the closure of operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The historic facilities and grounds will need cleaning and maintenance to make the campus safe, comfortable, and attractive when reopened and thereafter to maintain that condition,” JCCC organizers said. “This partnership is an opportunity to develop a sustainable jobs program, raise awareness, and generate wide support.”

Originally designed as a military base to protect Puget Sound, Fort Worden has evolved into an iconic state park and lifelong learning center with accommodations, venues, restaurants and catering. 

The Fort Worden Public Development Authority is a public corporation created by the city of Port Townsend to co-manage, with Washington State Parks, the 95-acre campus located within the state park.

Its own history makes it the perfect initial partner for the new/old program. 

“The fort is a logical place to initiate the CCC project,” said Dave Robison, executive director of the Fort Worden Public Development Authority. 

“It harkens back to the public service that has always been at the core of Fort Worden’s military past. The fort has been a state park since 1973, and over the ensuing decades, different groups of volunteers have helped to maintain the fort’s grounds, trails and buildings, such as the Washington Conservation Corps, the Friends of Fort Worden or just individuals who love and want to help the fort.” 

Volunteers have been maintaining the grounds since late March, Robison said, when the park first closed. 

“We’ve greatly appreciated that help, and the PDA looks forward to this initiative helping us provide employment opportunities to staff who were laid off during our closure and to others in the community,” he explained. 

Many of the staff who were laid off have since moved on to other jobs, Robison added. 

“Those that haven’t found work elsewhere are encouraged to apply for these positions as are other people in the community,” he said. “The type of work anticipated under the CCC program would really be tailored to maintaining the campus grounds and buildings.” 

JCCC co-founder Matilda Henry said she was inspired to create the program in light of stories in the national press about the anniversary of the original Civilian Conservation Corps effort.

“We could do something like that here,” Henry remembered thinking. 

“We did not want to be a nonprofit,” she explained. “What we can do best is talk to our friends and associates and neighbors and do the fundraising part of it.”

It was an idea that struggled to start until, Henry said, they found the right nonprofit. 

“The fort stepped up and said we’ll do it with you,” she recalled.

Funds raised go directly to the fort, which will handle the vetting and selecting of applicants.

“The fort offers so many options for a diverse work crew to tackle,” Robison said. “Since COVID hit, the PDA has only been able to support a skeleton crew and there are many deferred maintenance projects stacking up. Summer is the perfect time to power wash and paint porches, decks and buildings, especially since many of the meeting spaces and other buildings are still closed due to COVID-19 measures and restrictions on gatherings. 

“Help could also be directed to help complete landscaping, the planting of native species, and trail building in the glamping area before the project is completed early next year,” he added. 

“How many people we can hire will be dependent on funding. The PDA reopened limited hospitality operations on Aug. 1, but we still have a very minimal crew to undertake general campus maintenance, upkeep and special projects.” 

Job descriptions would be posted in The Leader and at www.fortwordenfoundation.org, as well as some other job search platforms.

Partnering with JCCC, Robison said, was something of a lifeline. 

“These maintenance projects are part of our commitment to steward this historic campus,” he said. “Maintenance of historic buildings and extensive grounds is expensive and ongoing and difficult to sustain during this time in which we are facing an estimated loss of $4 million in revenue that our pre-COVID budget had anticipated for 2020. The prospect of this CCC program is so aspirational during such a difficult time.” 

It is also, he added, in keeping with the spirit of the program’s historic inspiration.

“It offered opportunities for people to work together on public service projects,  it provided them with jobs, new skills and a sense of purpose in a very dark period of our history,” Robison said. “Just imagine if this took off during this crisis and generated public and philanthropic support so the CCC could branch out and undertake other worthy projects in our community and provide unemployed folks a job and purpose during this challenging time.”

As of Tuesday, Aug. 4, a total of $5,350 of the JCCC’s $35,00 goal had been raised (via www.mightycause.com/story/Cr4hqf), with about three months left to go in the campaign. 

To learn more about the program search “Jefferson Community Conservation Corps” on Facebook.