United Way of Central Oregon

06/05/2026

We’re hiring at UWCO! 🏡
Looking for a HRSN Housing Stability Coordinator in Central Oregon to help coordinate rent + utility assistance and support housing stability for Medicaid members.
Work alongside a dedicated team making a real difference in our community 💙

Learn more:
https://www.unitedwaycentraloregon.org/about/team-board/jobs/

Apply here:
https://unitedwayofthecolumbiawillamette.applytojob.com/apply/ybnCK6gaF9/HRSN-Housing-Stability-Coordinator

05/15/2026

We are excited to announce, we are now accepting applications for $50,000 in Emergency Food & Shelter Grants available to nonprofits serving families and individuals in Deschutes County!

A volunteer Emergency Food & Shelter (EFS) Board—made up of local experts, community stakeholders, and industry representatives—determines funding priorities and awards. Grants will provide gift cards or vouchers for essential needs—such as food, gas, transportation, propane, diapers, period or incontinence products, and the like—to help offset the rising costs of basic needs, housing, utility, and transportation for financially vulnerable community members.

According to our Regional Executive Director Diana Fischetti, the grants will be distributed amongst local 501c3 nonprofits, faith-based, and governmental agencies, and are funded with continued support from Deschutes County. “Organizations with existing programs providing these essential services to community members in Deschutes County are encouraged to apply,” Fischetti said.

In past years, funds available through UWCO’s Emergency Food & Shelter grantmaking included federal funding available to agencies in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties. In 2024, UWCO distributed $300,000 in federal and county funds throughout Central Oregon, but those federal funds have been paused since 2025.

“This year’s grants, by necessity, are focused on short-term support to address critical basic needs for our community members in crisis,” Fischetti said. “Too many families are living one car repair, one missed paycheck, or one medical bill away from losing everything. With housing instability, transportation barriers, and basic-needs gaps rising across -Central Oregon, we are working alongside our partners to stabilize families and bridge the gaps before a crisis becomes a catastrophe.”

Applications, along with specific eligibility requirements, are available on our website:
https://www.unitedwaycentraloregon.org/deschutes-county-federal-emergency-food-shelter-program-efsp-eligibility-application/

05/03/2026

While in Washington, DC this week, our United Way of Central Oregon & United Way of the Columbia-Willamette team shared with our Senators and Representatives the needs of our local communities. Were so pleased to gift a copy of Brian Goldstone 's book "There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America," to each elected official to bring the stories to life of our ALICE neighbors and those who are pushed into homelessness. If you have not read this book, it is a prize-winning depiction of ALICE and working homeless families and a book we consider a must-read.

05/02/2026

While our United Way team was on Capitol Hill this week, we met with Congressman Cliff Bentz’s (OR-2) office to highlight the realities facing Central Oregon families — from housing affordability to rising family homelessness to disaster response. Our ALICE Tool shows how many working households still can’t afford the basics. We found synergy around the importance of education, rural access to resources, improving educational outcomes, addressing housing affordability, and disaster preparedness and response across Central and Eastern Oregon. We’re fully committed to bringing data, stories, and solutions to every table where decisions are made. We also enjoyed meeting Hailey, the office dog, who was fully committed to getting as many pets as possible.

For more information about ALICE:
https://unitedforalice.org/introducing-ALICE-mobile/Oregon

05/01/2026

Last week, our team joined 350+ United Way staff from across the country in Washington, D.C. for a powerful week of connection, strategy, and advocacy. Together with our team at United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, we showed up to represent the voices of Central Oregon families—not just in conversation, but in action.

From high-level policy discussions to walking the halls of Capitol Hill, we met with our Senators and Representatives to share the real stories, challenges, and strengths of our community. Every conversation was rooted in one goal: bringing more resources, opportunities, and support back home to Central Oregon.

This work doesn’t happen alone. It takes a team—local and national—coming together to create lasting change.

04/24/2026

We’re excited to share that we’re growing! As part of the expansion of our housing stabilization services in Central Oregon, we are hiring for two new positions:

HRSN Housing Stability Manager
https://unitedwayofthecolumbiawillamette.applytojob.com/apply/oSz3cMkibl/HRSN-Housing-Stability-Manager

HRSN Housing Stability Coordinator
https://unitedwayofthecolumbiawillamette.applytojob.com/apply/ybnCK6gaF9/HRSN-Housing-Stability-Coordinator

These roles are an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in our community by supporting housing stability and strengthening local systems of care.

If you, or someone you know, are passionate about this work, we encourage you to apply or share this opportunity with your network!

Apply to HRSN Housing Stability Coordinator at UNITED WAY OF THE COLUMBIA-WILLAMETTE in Bend, OR.

03/06/2026

🌈❄️ United Way of Central Oregon is proud to sponsor Winter PrideFest!

We’re honored to support OUTCentralOregon and their incredible Winter PrideFest, a weekend celebrating community, inclusion, and pride across Central Oregon.

✨ Join the celebration March 5–8! Events include:

⛷️ Ski OUT on the Mountain at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort (Friday)

💖 Pink Party – A free DJ-driven dance celebration (Friday)

🎤 Q***r Comedy Night at Tower Theatre (Friday)

🌈 Ski the Mountain with Pride + Pride Run (Saturday)

🎶 Dance Party at the Lodge (Saturday)

❄️ Snow Ball: The White Party – the festival’s grand finale dance party (Saturday night)

🎲 Not’Cho Grandma’s Bingo at Silver Moon Brewing (Sunday morning & afternoon)

Winter PrideFest brings together the LGBTQ+ community and allies for a joyful weekend of performances, outdoor fun, and celebration across Central Oregon.

We’re proud to stand alongside organizations and community members who are working to ensure everyone feels welcome and valued here.

🏳️‍🌈 Learn more and see the full schedule:
https://www.winterpridefestcentraloregon.com/winterprideevents

01/28/2026

A huge thank you to our community and our dedicated partner banks for helping us unlock vital funding through our recent United Way CARES Collection Drive.

To everyone who dropped off items or gave online, thank you. You’ve helped us start this year with hope and stability for so many. 🏔️❤️

We are so grateful to have partners like Idaho First Bank (Bend), Washington Trust Bank (Bend), Washington Federal Bank, OnPoint Community Credit Union, and First Interstate Bank for standing with us.

01/23/2026

We’ve just tallied the final numbers from Central Oregon Gives, and thanks to your incredible generosity—plus a $5,000 prize for winning the Basic Needs category—we raised nearly $100,000!

This isn't just a number; it’s a reflection of the love and support this community has for one another. We want to extend a huge thank you to our donors and the entire Central Oregon community for making this possible.

We are so grateful to First Interstate Bank for sponsoring the competition and providing these impactful awards. And thanks to The Source Weekly and Lay It Out Events for hosting Central Oregon Gives!

This community proves time and again that we are stronger together. 💙

01/10/2026

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻, 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 $𝟵𝟰,𝟵𝟱𝟳 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Whether you gave $5 or $500, you proved that when we unite, our collective kindness is an unstoppable force for good.

To every donor, partner, and volunteer who moved us toward this goal: Thank you for showing up for Central Oregon. We couldn’t have done this without you! 🤝🏔️