BottleDrop engages Emergency Fund to support cooling centers across Oregon

CLACKAMAS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative. which operates the BottleDrop network, engaged its Emergency Fund this week to contribute $10,000 in support of cooling centers and shelters across Oregon, as they provide critical services for individuals and families seeking refuge from current severe summer heat. 

The OBRC Emergency Fund helps support nonprofits during times of crisis. The fund has previously been engaged to support communities devastated by wildfires, Oregon Food Bank at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oregon Historical Society after it was severely vandalized, warming shelters during last winter’s severe cold weather, and to support Portland-based Mercy Corps’ humanitarian efforts in and around Ukraine.  

Oregonians wishing to donate containers to support the Emergency Fund can bring their bottles and cans to any BottleDrop Redemption Center and let staff know they’d like to donate their containers to the effort. 

BottleDrop account holders can donate online by logging into their accounts, searching for the nonprofit they wish to support, and clicking the “Donate Now” button. Users will enter how much of their available balance they wish to donate and then the funds will go directly to the nonprofit’s BottleDrop Give account. 

This week, BottleDrop’s Emergency Fund is donating $1,000 each to the following nonprofits operating cooling centers and shelters in communities across Oregon: 
 

• Chehalem Cultural Center (Newberg, Yamhill County) 
• CityTeam International (Portland, Multnomah County) 
• Friends of the Milwaukie Center (Milwaukie, Clackamas County) 
• The Gate Youth Association (Independence, Polk County)  
• Josephine Community Library Foundation (Grants Pass, Josephine County) 

• Klamath Falls Gospel Mission (Klamath Falls, Klamath County) 
• New Avenues for Youth (Portland, Multnomah County) 
• Northwest Human Services (Salem, Marion County) 
• Roseburg Senior Center (Roseburg, Douglas County) 
• Shepherd’s House Ministries (Bend, Deschutes County) 
   

“The prolonged extreme heat we’re experiencing right now poses a serious threat to vulnerable Oregonians in communities across the state,” said Eric Chambers, the external relations director at OBRC. “We are very happy to be able to provide this financial support for nonprofits operating cooling shelters, and we are grateful for the employees and volunteers of these organizations, who are providing critical – often lifesaving – services, when they are needed the most.” 

About OBRC 
The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) is the industry steward of Oregon’s nationally recognized beverage container redemption system and operator of the BottleDrop network. Headquartered in Clackamas, Ore., OBRC is a statewide, not-for-profit cooperative, formed by the beverage industry to serve as the operational steward of Oregon’s Bottle Bill. OBRC helps keep Oregon beautiful by providing outstanding services to partners, distributors, retailers and the public for the recovery, reuse, and recycling of beverage containers. Through OBRC’s BottleDrop Redemption Centers and container pickup service for more than 2,000 retail partners, the co-op recycles nearly two billion beverage containers annually, protecting the Oregon we love, supporting the causes we cherish, and inspiring innovation beyond our borders – all without a single penny of state funding. To learn more, visit BottleDropCenters.com or OBRC.com.