Evacuation Collaboration improves safety in Oak Creek Valley
You may not know that BCF is continually behind the scenes, working on various collaborative projects to support our region, like the new wildfire evacuation route in the Oak Creek Valley. Special thanks to the anonymous donors who worked closely with BCF’s team over the last 5 years to help make this road a reality for Oak Creek residents!
Read more about the Evacuation Collaboration in Oak Creek Valley.
Creating a Lasting Legacy
“I’m an optimist by nature and I’m gonna find a silver lining no matter what,” says Jake Moevao, Executive Director at SouthSide Youth Outreach. “This is a game-changing gift for our organization, and it will serve SSYO for generations to come.”
Read more about the Wilma E. Hull SouthSide Youth Outreach Designated Fund.
The Joy of Giving Now
The Jordans are longtime, active members of the Benton County community, Jim as a business owner in Philomath, and Cheryl as a retired professor from OSU. “Benton County is a wonderful place to live, and we would like our giving to continue that. I want to give back to the community that supported me over the years”, said Cheryl. As longstanding supporters of the work being done at BCF, the Jordans knew where to go to get the support they needed in making their philanthropic goals a reality.
Read more about the James S. & Cheryl L. Jordan Donor Advised Fund.
Bountiful Backyard
In 2014, a small group of friends came together to create Bountiful Backyard, a local non-profit focused on helping folks become more efficient, more resilient, and friendlier with the earth. Understanding that there was a lack of a major grocery store or farmer’s market in Philomath, their team created an ambitious plan.
Read more about Bountiful Backyard, the 2021 Community Grant Recipient.
Teaching our Kids the Value of Giving Back
“We want to be part of something bigger,” remarked Bryan, who graduated from the OSU College of Business program and created Brass Media in 2001 to help young adults understand the impact of their financial decisions. It was at OSU where Bryan and Annie met, married and went on to pursue career opportunities outside of Oregon.
Read more about the Simms Family Charitable Donor Advised Fund.
Making an impact in healthcare
“My grandma told me, ‘Education is the ladder,’” said Raven Waldron, a graduate student at Oregon State University’s College of Pharmacy. “That stuck with me, that she always wanted me to go to college.”
In the spring of 2018, Raven earned her bachelor’s in BioResource Research, with a focus on toxicology, and that fall began OSU’s doctoral program in pharmacy. “I was doing environmental research, on environmental toxins, and I was missing that human connection,” said Raven. “I was starting to look into other options where I could use that chemistry knowledge but have more interactions with people.”
Read more about how a Benton Community Foundation scholarship is supporting Raven’s studies.
New endowment for Jackson Street Youth Services
In 2018, the Rotary Club of Corvallis Morning announced that sadly it would be holding its final meeting. For more than thirty years, the club has supported community efforts across Benton County, and recently made their contributions using a Donor Advised Fund at BCF. As the club made plans to dissolve, they decided to convert their Donor Advised Fund into an endowed fund, designated to support Jackson Street Youth Services. This way, the club’s generous spirit will be preserved, and their hard work will continue to benefit local youth, year after year.
Read more about how endowments are supporting Jackson Street.
Corvallis schools receive $15,000 for Sources of Strength
In May 2018, the Benton Community Foundation presented $15,000 to Corvallis Public Schools for the purpose of starting a new youth wellness initiative. The “Sources of Strength” program will focus on preventing teen suicide by building positive support networks between teachers and students, and students and their peers. The gift was accompanied by an additional $10,000 from Larry and Barbara Mullins’ Mullins Charitable Fund.
Boy Scout Troop 170 honored as youth heroes
In August 2017, in the mountainous terrain of the Goat Rocks Wilderness in southwest Washington, eight Boy Scouts and two adult trip leaders were three days into a six-day, fifty-mile backpacking trip when Pat O’Malley, a parent leader on the trip, was injured, suffering a broken bone. The Scouts spent two days evacuating him, and in October were awarded the Holcomb Youth Hero Award for their efforts.
BCF announces ‘Homeless to Housing Community Initiative’
The Benton Community Foundation is pleased to announce the Homeless to Housing Community Initiative. With the help of local communities, BCF has provided more than $82,000 in funding this year to support the basic needs of people experiencing homelessness and the comprehensive services which help people move up and out of poverty. The goal of this initiative is to raise additional funding that will support the local continuum of care for those experiencing homelessness in Benton County.
Students partner with BCF to prevent teen suicide
On May 31, 2016, high school senior Seniu Maitland took his own life. Shaken by his death, four OSU students who are close to the Maitland family began raising money to establish a fund with the Benton Community Foundation, aiming to confront the problem of teen suicid, spread awareness among educators, dismantle the taboo of talking about teen suicide, and improve access to care.