Oregon Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Santiam Accepts FamilyCare Health’s Community Challenge

PORTLAND, OR & LEBANON, OR – The Oregon Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Santiam have accepted FamilyCare Health’s community challenge to match recent donations.

“Both organizations have accepted the challenge,” said Jeff Heatherington, president of FamilyCare Health. “Over the next six to eight weeks the Oregon Food Bank is working to double the FamilyCare Health donation of $150,000 and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Santiam is asking for their communities to double the $300,000 gift.”

FamilyCare Health recently donated $2 million dollars to 14 Portland-based community organizations totaling 17 community programs equaling $1.6m. In addition, they contributed to four community groups in Lebanon, Oregon totaling $400,000.

“We are pleased that our contribution of $2 million is benefiting programs that serve some of our most disadvantaged Oregonians. We intentionally selected groups who extend themselves deep into the community assisting with food, shelter, distance learning, elder care, mental health and access via internet,” said Rob Richardson, M.D., board chair of FamilyCare Health,

“We must do what we can now to help,” he added.

“These are essential dollars going toward helping with the immediate needs we have today. The coronavirus epidemic has presented all of us with unique challenges that will continue for some time. Our recovery from this pandemic depends on the strength of the many community organizations that are serving our most vulnerable population” said Richardson.

When asked about the range of donations, Jeff Heatherington, president of FamilyCare Health said, “The donations are from $10,000 to $300,000. They include several food banks, schools, mental health programs, minority student programs and community and emergency daycare.” He noted that the board was unanimous in its support.

Heatherington continued, “The major portion of our donations were given to smaller, some not well-known organizations that are providing needed services in their communities.” This includes Latino Network, Muslim Educational Trust, Native American Youth & Family Center, Slavic Community Center, Asian Health Services, Urban League of Portland, Kairos, NARA Clinic, Lifeworks, Self Enhancement inc., Gladstone Schools, The Lebanon Soup Kitchen, BeUndivided, Lebanon Community School District, Meals on Wheels, Portland Back Pack.

“Our call to action is for all of us to lend a helping dollar to these organizations or others that you choose,” Heatherington said.

Richardson stated, “For 35 years, FamilyCare Health served over one million Oregonians on the Oregon Health Plan until January 2018. Since that time we shifted our Mission to ‘Building Healthy Communities’ through both FamilyCare Health and our foundation. To date we have donated over $10 million dollars to organizations in the state to improve the health of its citizens.”

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Santiam, or to make a donation visit http://www.bgcgreatersantiam.org. For more information about the work of Oregon Food Bank or donating, visit https://www.oregonfoodbank.org.