News

We’re funding Better Together’s School-Aged Child Initiative

September 3, 2020

We’re giving $100,000 help provide free or reduced full-day childcare in Bend! As part of our COVID-19 Recovery & Resilience efforts, we’re directing $100,000 to help alleviate the pressure felt by many families because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, that pressure is immense: 43% of the 8,000 K-5th grade children enrolled in Bend-La Pine School […]

August 7, 2020

We just awarded $160,000 from our COVID-19 Recovery & Resilience Fund to 26 local and regional nonprofits. Funds will support these agencies as they adapt in the age of COVID-19 to challenges in delivering services. Local and regional nonprofit agencies are facing new challenges brought about by COVID-19 in delivering essential services to our community’s […]

The City of Bend is allocating $2.6 million of Coronavirus Relief Funds & we’re distributing $500,000!

July 30, 2020

The City of Bend is releasing $2.6 million of state-directed Coronavirus Relief Funds (from Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding) to organizations that can support businesses, families and vulnerable populations. The City will rely on community partners to distribute most of the CARES Act funding that was intended to support local governments. […]

We’ve changed our name to United Way of Central Oregon!

July 21, 2020

What’s in a name? For us, the answer is: a lot. We recently changed our name from United Way of Deschutes County to United Way of Central Oregon. The change reflects the regional catchment area that we have been serving for several years. Our influence touches all of Central Oregon: Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson […]

We stand in solidarity with worldwide protests demanding racial justice & Black Lives Matter movement.

July 7, 2020

In response to the police brutality and racism that caused the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless other Black people and people of color, we want to make it clear that we stand in solidarity with the worldwide protests demanding racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement. Our work […]

COVID-19 Hit as Record Number of ALICE Families Were Priced Out of Survival

June 16, 2020

ALICE Report: A crisis in the making with an 87% increase in Oregon’s ALICE households over 10 years, fueled by high-priced basics and wages that aren’t keeping pace with growing costs. To read a copy of the report and find county-by-county and town-level data on the size and demographics of ALICE as well as the […]

We have distributed $135,000 for local COVID-19 Emergency Response!

May 21, 2020

That includes $23,000 for 3 additional Central Oregon nonprofit programs! Since the local Central Oregon COVID-19 Response Fund’s inception in March of this year, we have awarded $135,000 to 29 local and regional nonprofit programs that are meeting emergency needs and providing essential services for our community’s most vulnerable, deducting no administrative fees. Most recently, […]

We’re hiring a new role: TRACEs Movement Director!

May 13, 2020

This position will lead the movement to build resilience in Central Oregon! Recruitment has opened for the position of TRACEs Director. TRACEs is a region-wide partnership in Central Oregon tackling the root causes of major social concerns such as suicide, depression, chronic diseases, incarceration, lost productivity, low performance in schools, and more. We at United […]

The federal government has directed emergency funds to Deschutes County

May 8, 2020

These funds will assist local nonprofits in providing emergency food and shelter. We at United Way in Central Oregon have been tasked with developing a distribution plan for over $182,000 in federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds to nonprofits operating Deschutes County. These funds were made available through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal […]

Our new local COVID-19 Recovery & Resilience Fund addresses current & future needs

May 6, 2020

Local nonprofits are invited to apply for funds! Although the Central Oregon economy may seem poised for a staged re-opening, the crisis is far from over. In many ways, the fallout of COVID-19 will hit our most vulnerable even harder in weeks and months and even years to come. And, the challenges that our friends, […]