Deschutes United Way receives $20,000 grant

Imagine a Central Oregon where everyone thrives, even in the face of adversity. United Way of Deschutes County is focused on just that by leading TRACES (Trauma, Resilience, and Adverse Childhood Experiences) – a community-wide initiative to dramatically improve health and well-being in Central Oregon by building resilience and by addressing childhood trauma and toxic stress, problems that lie at the root of many of our region’s most complex health and social issues.

Oregon Community Foundation has awarded United Way a $20,000 grant to support the TRACES initiative.

TRACES focuses on building resilience in individuals, families, and our community. The initiative will help individuals and families better overcome adverse situations and achieve positive outcomes, leading to better health, greater educational attainment, and improved work and financial success.

TRACES will also focus on policy, legislation, and organizational practices to remove barriers that impede community resilience building, as well as build coalitions and networks to better coordinate services provided, data collected, policies advocated for.

Promoting trauma-informed care and educating service providers about childhood trauma is also a key focus of TRACES, along with promoting community awareness and strengthening community members’ skills so individuals can understand how past trauma affects them and they can be more resilient.

As the backbone organization leading the TRACES initiative, United Way of Deschutes County is guiding vision and strategy, supporting aligned activities, promoting shared measurement, building public will, advancing policy and mobilizing funding, as well as providing financial management for the project.

TRACES partner organizations include Boys and Girls Clubs, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Central Oregon Health Council, Early Learning Hub, Family Resource Center, Friends of the Children, KIDS Center, Mosaic Medical, MountainStar Relief Nursery, PacificSource Health Plans, and more.

United Way of Deschutes County helps build stronger individuals, families, and communities by connecting caring people to improve lives and foster a healthier community. Over the past 15 years (2016 data), United Way of Deschutes County has raised and allocated over $ 15 million for effective and efficient local social service programs.

United Way is now assuming a stronger role in convening and collaborating with the community to start addressing the root causes of some of the biggest issues affecting our region and to create systemic and lasting change. To learn more, visit www.deschutesunitedway.org or call 541.389.6507.