Family Access Network updates partnership efforts
In 2017, the Family Access Network gratefully received a $15,000 3-year grant at $5,000 a year from Deschutes Brewery, which will be used to support 150 disadvantaged children and family members in Deschutes County. FAN advocates efficiently connect children and their families to essential needs such as nutritious food, warm clothing, healthcare, housing assistance, and much more.
Employee-owned Deschutes Brewery has been in Bend since 1988. Aside from brewing exceptional beer, one of their core values is to “build a healthier society.” For each barrel of beer they sell, Deschutes Brewery donates $1 to charitable organizations. In 2015, they gave over $850,000 in cash and in-kind donations to various nonprofits in regions where Deschutes Brewery beer is sold.
Additionally, FAN is thrilled to announce its recent partnership with Pine Mountain Sports, through their annual Community Ambassador program. Deschutes Brewery, also a partner of Pine Mountain Sports, will be contributing $5,000 to kick off the initiative.
Pine Mountain Sports is an outdoor sporting goods store located on Bend’s Westside, known for their selection and quality of mountain bikes. They began their Community Ambassador program in 2016, which is made up of local businesses and individuals who collectively choose to support one local charity throughout the year.
Through last year’s initiative, they raised nearly $35,000 for Volunteers in Medicine. Pine Mountain Sports started the program because they believed that “a small group of concerned citizens can truly make a difference when they take action together.”
On Saturday, June 30 th , Deschutes Brewery will host an all-day 30 th birthday bash in Drake Park, celebrating three decades of beer and community in Central Oregon. Several community organizations who have partnered with Deschutes Brewery over the years will be present at the event, Pine Mountain Sports and FAN included. The event is open to the public, and includes raffles, live music, beer, and fun for the whole family.
“We’re really excited about Deschutes Brewery and Pine Mountain Sport’s immense generosity to FAN, and are lucky to have such community-focused companies right here in Bend,” said Julie Lyche, FAN executive director.
FAN began in January 1993 and currently employs 25 advocates in 52 public schools (K-12) and early childhood sites in Deschutes and Crook counties. FAN improves lives by ensuring that children have access to basic-need services, paving the way towards a brighter future for our region’s most vulnerable individuals.
To learn more about the Family Access Network, please visit www.familyaccessnetwork.org or call (541) 693-5675.
The Family Access Network is committed to building a healthy community by alleviating the suffering of children in need. In the 2016/17 school year, FAN advocates improved the lives of nearly 9,000 individuals in Central Oregon.
