funds will assist local nonprofits in providing emergency food and shelter

United Way in Central Oregon (UWCO) announces $162,000 in grants to seventeen nonprofits providing critical emergency food and shelter services in Deschutes County.  These grants are created from funds delegated to the UWCO from Deschutes County’s Video Lottery Fund and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).

Responding to the acute and rising need for housing stabilization and emergency shelter services in the region, this year the EFSP Board prioritized a greater portion of available funds to organizations working to address and prevent houselessness. In recent years, the number of people experiencing homelessness went up 17% annually, and experts working in the sector anticipate that the rate has increased. These grant dollars will help ensure local organizations in Deschutes County can keep operations running to address this critical need.

Nicky Merrit, Executive Director at Central Oregon Villages commented: “We are honored to be a recipient of these funds. Partnering with the United Way to address the rising need for safe shelter for our unhoused neighbors means a great deal to us. We know the need is great for those living with shelter and food insecurity as well as the demands on service providers to help stand in the gap.”

In all, seventeen nonprofits providing emergency food and shelter services in Deschutes County received small grants ranging from $4,500 to $15,000. Grants were made in the following categories:

Shelter & Rent/Mortgage Assistance

Bethlehem Inn ($9,000)

Central Oregon Villages ($15,000)

J Bar J Youth Services ($14,000)

Saving Grace ($14,000),

Shepherds House ($14,000)

The Salvation Army ($14,000).

St. Vincent de Paul – Bend ($15,000)

St. Vincent de Paul – Redmond ($15,000)

Meals & Food Boxes

Central Oregon Veterans Outreach ($5,000)

Council on Aging of Central Oregon ($6,000)

Family Kitchen ($6,000)

Jericho Road ($5,900)

La Pine Community Kitchen ($5,000)

Nativity Lutheran Church ($6,500)

St. Vincent de Paul – La Pine ($6,000)

The Giving Plate ($4,500)

Clothing

Assistance League of Bend ($5,000)

For more than a decade, UWCO has convened an EFSP Board, annually, to establish funding priorities, reviews grant applications, and collectively determine how to award funds in Deschutes County. The EFSP Board includes representatives from its Board of Directors, Deschutes County, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, homeless service providers, faith community leaders, senior services, and healthcare.

“United Way has for many years played a role in bringing multiple perspectives to the table to make tough decisions. This process is no different. The need for emergency housing and food services in Deschutes County is great, and the local EFSP Board brings knowledge rooted in the community into the decision-making process. I am glad the United Way can be a conduit in investing these resources locally,” said Eli Ashley, UWCO Board Member and Chair of the EFSP Board.

About United Way of Central Oregon:

United Way of Central Oregon (UWCO) works to bring people together to build a better community. The organization has had a presence in the region for more than 70 years and built a legacy around promoting personal philanthropy, service to community, and addressing critical human service needs through fundraising, grantmaking, and incubating new programs. Partnering with community members, leaders, and volunteers, we identify and elevate known needs in the region and then mobilize resources – time, talent, knowledge, and financial support – to make an impact. Each year we make grants to a network of Community Impact Partners that support UWCO in our efforts to improve outcomes for children, families, and seniors. UWCO is working to ensure all community members are cared for by directing efforts and resources to where they will have the greatest impact, especially for individuals identified as being part of our community’s most vulnerable and marginalized groups. Learn more and donate at: unitedwaycentraloregon.org or call 541-389-6507.

Regional Grants Will Help Community Members Thrive  

 United Way of Central Oregon (UWCO) announces $225,000 in Community Impact investments to twenty-two nonprofits serving Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Each year, UWCO makes investments in a network of non-profit partners working to advance a set of shared priorities. This year, UWCO identified positive mental health and well-being, culturally specific services, and housing stability as the 2022 Community Impact priorities in response to current community needs.  

UWCO works, in part, through a network of non-profit and community-based programs called Community Impact Partners. In partnership with this network, UWCO is able to positively impact the lives of nearly 1 in 4 Central Oregonians across the tri-county region and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.  

This year’s UWCO Community Impact Partners and investments are:  

Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Oregon ($5,000)  
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend ($10,000)  
Clear Alliance-Crook County ($5,500) 
DAWNS House ($10,000) 
Diversability, Inc ($5,000) 
Every Child Central Oregon ($14,000) 
Family Access Network ($18,500) 
Friends of the Children – Central Oregon ($12,000)  
Furnish Hope ($5,000)  
Habitat for Humanity of La Pine Sunriver ($7,500)  
Heart of Oregon Corps ($18,500)  
J Bar J Youth Services ($12,000)  
Jefferson County Faith Based Network – LINC Program ($6,000) 
The Latino Community Association ($15,000) 
NeighborImpact Housing & Homeless Services ($10,000) 
Papalaxsimisha ($18,000) 
Prineville Senior Center ($5,000) 
Redemption House Ministries ($5,000)  
The 1017 Project-Crook County ($4,500)  
Thrive Central Oregon ($10,000) 
Volunteers in Medicine – Clinic of the Cascades ($8,000)  
Warm Springs Community Action Team ($20,000) 

The work of UWCO is funded by community philanthropy.  Investments in Community Impact Partners are made possible by the generosity of UWCO’s individual donors, workplace campaigns, and business and corporate sponsorships. We always welcome new donors, businesses, and foundations to join our mission of bringing people together to improve lives for better, more resilient, and equitable communities.    

Lisa Hurley, Board Member and Chair of UWCO’s Community Impact Committee shared: “Central Oregon is fortunate to have so many incredible nonprofits supporting our community. I’m honored that United Way of Central Oregon and our donors get to be a part of investing in these nonprofits and the impact they make in advancing positive mental health and wellbeing, culturally specific services, and housing stability for the people who benefit from their work. I’m proud of United Way’s continued focus on diversity and equity in our grantmaking and am excited to see how it impacts the lives of our friends and neighbors in Central Oregon.”        

We are proud to expand our partnership to five first-time recipients of United Way Community Impact Partner funds:  

• Clear Alliance promotes community health and safety by providing substance abuse and impaired driving education. UWCO’s investment is supporting their work in Crook County. 

• Furnish Hope partners to transform empty houses into furnished homes for families in need across the region. 
• Papalaxsimisha is a multigenerational program that creates community among Indigenous youth and families from cradle to grave using culturally based teaching.  
• Prineville Senior Center provides quality meals, recreation, and social services to foster independence and positive lifestyles for older residents and those with a disability in Crook County.    
• The 1017 Project provides sustainable, high-quality beef to Crook County food banks.  

At United Way of Central Oregon, we know that bringing together diverse individuals and viewpoints creates opportunities for a better life for all and we are committed to using our position to affect systemic, community-wide change in the areas of implicit and systemic racism.  We believe that Black History should be celebrated all year but February, designated as Black History Month, provides a special opportunity to spotlight challenges and achievements that we all benefit from knowing.  We encourage you to learn more and share with others. Below you will find suggested events in Central Oregon celebrating Black History Month.

The Father’s Group Film Series

A night out at the movies – A movie each weekend for Black History Month

Featuring the films I Am Not Your Negro, Hidden Figures, Whose Streets? and Red Tails.

Beginning February 4^th 6:00-9:00pm at Open Space located at 220 NE Lafayette St.

Tickets:  $10

The Father’s Group Film Series

Central Oregon Community College –  Celebrating Black Stories

The Campus Color Line

Virtual Lecture and Discussion with Dr. Eddie Cole

Feb. 17^th     4:00pm

Free and open to the public, registration required

Journey of the Drum – Celebration of the Griot

Feb. 23^rd   12:00-1:30pm

Coats Campus Center – Wille Hall

Free and open to the public

COCC Black History Month

Nancy R. Chandler Lecture Series of the COCC Foundation

Examining Inequalities in Central Oregon – Virtual Panel Discussion

Feb. 22^nd   5:30-6:30pm

Free and open to the public

COCC Season of Nonviolence

Chandler Lecture Series

Check out these movies and book recommendations:

Movies

13^th, a Netflix documentary

The Long Walk Home, political drama inspired by Montgomery bus boycott

Marshall, true story drama about Thurgood Marshall, the 1^st African American Supreme Court Justice

Books

How to be Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva

Happy Lunar New Year to all that celebrate this date which is intended to usher in a year of good fortune and prosperity.  Approximately 2 billion people across the world celebrate this holiday.  Lunar New Year is sometime referred to as Chinese New Year because it’s origins are in China, influenced by the Chinese lunisolar calendar.  From there it spread throughout east and southeast Asia.  Feb 1, 2022 marks the end of the year of the ox and ushers in the year of the tiger.

The Green Path Ahead: Indigenous Teachings for the Next Economy

About Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke is a rural development economist and author working on issues of sustainable development, renewable energy, and food systems. She lives and works on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota, and is a two-time vice-presidential candidate with Ralph Nader for the Green Party.

As Executive Director of Honor the Earth, she works nationally and internationally on the issues of climate change, renewable energy, and environmental justice alongside Indigenous communities. In her own community, she is the founder of the White Earth Land Recovery Project, one of the largest reservation-based non-profit organizations in the country. She is also the co-founder (along with the Indigo Girls) of Honor the Earth, a grassroots environmental organization focused on Indigenous issues and environmental justice.

COCC Season of Nonviolence

Inspired by the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez, and Chief Wilma Mankiller, the annual Season for Nonviolence honors these leaders’ visions for an empowered, nonviolent world. Colleges and universities throughout the country celebrate the Season of Nonviolence by bringing together community partners to educate and empower communities on how to use non-violent methods to create a more peaceful world.  

Central Oregon Community College has been hosting programming to honor the Season of Nonviolence since 2008. The programming is co-presented by The Nancy R. Chandler Lecture Series and the College’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

United Way of Central Oregon Executive Director, Ken Wilhelm sets retirement date after 30+ years of service

Bend, OR– December 9, 2021–After 37 years of service for the United Way, with the last 33 as the Executive Director for the United Way of Central Oregon, Ken Wilhelm, has announced his retirement date of July 15, 2022.

Ken has been a pillar in the non-profit landscape in Central Oregon, connecting non-profits with needed resources and financial support. Most recently, he oversaw the organization’s expansion from the Greater Bend area to Tri-County, supporting all of Central Oregon. He’s led the effort to develop a collaborative initiative to address childhood trauma and build resilience: TRACEs. Ken built additional fundraising models for the United Way of Central Oregon, including leadership and planned giving programs and the corporate cornerstone program. During his time as Executive Director, he’s led the United Way as it raised approximately $30M in community fundraising. From the 2-1-1 program to Tax Aid, VITA and Thrive have all benefited from Ken’s guidance and mentoring.

Board Chair, Susan Collins, noted Wilhelm’s efforts in developing innovative community partnerships to help improve the lives of so many in Central Oregon. “Ken’s commitment to harnessing the collective energy of our volunteers, donors, service providers, and public officials over the past 3 decades has yielded immeasurable improvements in the well-being of those in our community. We are grateful for his unwavering passion for this organization, for his work to advance philanthropic giving, and for the work, he’s done to mentor and launch new nonprofits in Central Oregon.”

“Ken has been a connection between so many organizations and non-profits in Central Oregon, gently pushing us all to do better – together – for our fellow community members. His effectiveness over the years has, in large part, been due to an unparalleled level of trust he has gained from leaders, policymakers, and everyday Central Oregonians who continually seek Ken’s guidance when it comes to answering that age-old question, “How can we help?”  The region we call home is a significantly better place, due to Ken’s leadership and service. His expertise, humility, and sincere kindness will be truly missed,” stated Dan Stevens, Executive Vice President, PacificSource.

“I feel so lucky to have been of service in Central Oregon. The folks I’ve met along the way have made my career fulfilling. The varied work I’ve been able to do here has been such a thrill, from early work developing workplace campaigns to ongoing non-profit incubation and launching to the latest collective action work with the Central Oregon Health Council and so many others around TRACEs. I am privileged to have worked alongside so many amazing people, and I hope that my work has made a small difference in the lives of our Central Oregon neighbors,” stated Wilhelm.

A subcommittee of the Board will guide the search for a new Executive Director over the coming months.

El director ejecutivo de United Way of Central Oregon, Ken Wilhelm, establece la fecha de jubilación después de más de 30 años de servicio

Después de 37 años de servicio para United Way, con los últimos 33 años como Director Ejecutivo de United Way de Oregón Central, Ken Wilhelm, ha anunciado que su fecha de retiro será el 15 de julio de 2022.

Ken ha sido un pilar en el panorama de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro en el centro de Oregón, conectando a las organizaciones sin fines de lucro con los recursos y el apoyo financiero necesarios. Más recientemente, supervisó la expansión de la organización desde el área metropolitana de Bend hasta los tres condados, apoyando a todo el centro de Oregón. Ha dirigido el esfuerzo para desarrollar una iniciativa de colaboración para abordar el trauma infantil y desarrollar la resiliencia: TRACEs. Ken construyó modelos adicionales de recaudación de fondos para United Way de Central Oregon, incluidos los programas de liderazgo, donaciones planificadas y el programa corporativo de base (corporate cornerstone program). Durante su tiempo como Director Ejecutivo, lideró United Way en la recaudación de fondos de la comunidad de aproximadamente $30 millones. Desde el programa 2-1-1 hasta Tax Aid, VITA y Thrive se han beneficiado de la orientación y tutoría de Ken.

La presidenta de la mesa directiva, Susan Collins, destacó los esfuerzos de Wilhelm para desarrollar asociaciones comunitarias innovadoras para ayudar a mejorar la vida de tantas personas en el centro de Oregón. “El compromiso de Ken de aprovechar la energía colectiva de nuestros voluntarios, donantes, proveedores de servicios y funcionarios públicos durante las últimas 3 décadas ha producido mejoras inconmensurables en el bienestar de los miembros de nuestra comunidad. Estamos agradecidos por su firme pasión por esta organización, por su trabajo para promover las donaciones filantrópicas y por el trabajo que ha realizado para guiar y lanzar nuevas organizaciones sin fines de lucro en el centro de Oregón.”

“Ken ha sido una conexión entre tantas organizaciones y organizaciones sin fines de lucro en el centro de Oregón, empujándonos suavemente a todos a hacerlo mejor – juntos – para nuestros vecinos. Su eficacia a lo largo de los años se ha debido, en gran parte, a un nivel incomparable de confianza que se ha ganado de los líderes, los políticos y los habitantes cotidianos del centro de Oregón que buscan continuamente el consejo de Ken cuando se trata de responder a esa antigua pregunta: “¿Cómo puedo ayudar?” La región que consideramos nuestro hogar es un lugar significativamente mejor debido al liderazgo y el servicio de Ken. Realmente extrañaremos su experiencia, humildad y amabilidad sincera”, afirmó Dan Stevens, vicepresidente ejecutivo de PacificSource.

“Me siento muy afortunado de haber podido servir al pueblo del centro de Oregón. La gente que he conocido sobre el camino ha hecho que mi carrera sea satisfactoria. El variado trabajo que he podido hacer aquí ha sido muy emocionante, desde el trabajo inicial desarrollando campañas en el lugar de trabajo hasta la incubación y el lanzamiento  continua de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro hasta el último trabajo de acción colectiva con el Consejo de Salud de Oregón Central y tantas organizaciones más relacionado al proyecto TRACES.  Me siento privilegiado de haber trabajado junto a tantas personas increíbles y espero que mi trabajo haya marcado una pequeña diferencia en las vidas de nuestros vecinos de Oregón Central,” afirmó Wilhelm.

Un subcomité de la mesa directiva guiará la búsqueda de un nuevo director ejecutivo a lo largo de los próximos meses.