At United Way of Central Oregon, we fight for the health, education, financial stability, and resilience of every person in our Central Oregon community.
We’re more than fundraisers. We’re changemakers.
Since 1953, United Way of Central Oregon has been strengthening communities in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties, as well as the lands of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and investing locally in our community’s most needed programs and services while simultaneously strengthening our community.
We leverage more than dollars.
Yes, we are a local fundraiser and a local funder.
The money we raise stays here and serves this community. We partner with local nonprofits that address homelessness, child abuse, basic needs, and more through strategically invested grant funding.
We are also a convener, bringing together community leaders, government, other funders, nonprofits, and stakeholders, to collaborate and coordinate our efforts to effectively address our most complicated social issues. We are leading a Central Oregon-wide collective action effort to address the impacts of childhood trauma, and to build resilience.
We work to improve lives and foster a healthier Central Oregon in 4 main ways.
United Way of Central Oregon fights for the health, education, financial stability, and resilience of every person in our Central Oregon community.
These four areas are irretrievably bound to the success of every child, every individual, every family, every community, and every economy. They are interconnected and, when strategically addressed, conspire to create communities where all people thrive.
We are convening around imbalances and building a map forward, so that when today’s kids are tomorrow’s adults, they can thrive. We are moving upstream to address the root cause of issues that are immediate today, so that they don’t exist tomorrow.
We are investing in future solutions to the challenges that we have historically addressed through funding, such as basic needs, safety net, and prevention. While we will continue to address issues that are happening right now, we are simultaneously moving upstream to address the root causes of issues that are immediate today, so that they don’t exist tomorrow. Funding the immediate is necessary, but not sufficient.
Building on our 69-year tradition and assuming a strong role in convening and collaborating with our Central Oregon community allows us to address these root causes of critical issues affecting our community. We remain focused on our community’s human and social service needs to improve lives and create measurable, sustained change in our community.
Every year, we launch a community campaign to raise funds used to address the most pertinent, unmet needs of individuals and families in our Central Oregon community. This campaign includes not only companies and corporate leaders, but also employees from businesses and nonprofits all over our region, and from community members.
for our COVID-19 Partner agencies.
for the TRACEs initiative.
to other organizations that donors care about and designated their gifts to.
Our vision is that children are nurtured by informed parents/caregivers and have access to quality developmental and educational services which prepare them for success in school and in life. Last year we provided support towards this goal for nearly 2,200 individuals.
Our vision is that individuals and families can meet life’s basic needs (food, shelter, and healthcare) and gain economic stability through education, job training, permanent housing and basic supportive services. We support programs for people living in poverty and other vulnerable populations and last year provided assistance to over 9,800 individuals and families.
Our vision is that all people have access to quality, affordable healthcare and have the opportunity to maximize their physical, mental and emotional health and well-being to lead independent, productive lives. Last year we provided support to over 32,000 individuals.
We envision a region where: every individual has the strength, connections, and support needed to thrive; where leaders, organizations, and communities actively build systems that help build resilience; where strength is built and results in high levels of health and well-being and low levels of chronic health conditions; where all children achieve their highest level of education success and graduate on time; and where all adults are financially stable and contributing participants in their community. Last year our resilience building initiatives touched over 30,000 individuals.
It’s a credo. A mission. A goal. A constant reminder that when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all. We build the strength of our neighborhoods. We bolster the health of our communities. And we change the lives of those who walk by us every day.
