(Photo courtesy of MountainStar Family Relief Nursery)
How MountainStar Supports Vulnerable Children in Central Oregon
In Central Oregon, families dealing with overwhelming stress often struggle to provide safe, stable environments for their children. Issues like poverty, mental and physical health, domestic violence, and housing instability are connected to increased risks of child abuse and neglect.
MountainStar Family Relief Nursery (MountainStar) exists to help break this cycle — keeping kids safe and helping parents be successful. Through its therapeutic services, MountainStar creates pathways for families to build safer, healthier lives for their children. Providing these services costs $10,000 per year for each child and their family, but the impact is priceless.
Meet Liam, a three-year-old boy, who found stability through MountainStar during a time of crisis. Liam’s mother was a single parent struggling with financial difficulties and mental health challenges. After losing her job and home, Mom and Liam found themselves living in temporary shelters. This instability was taking a toll on Liam — he became anxious, withdrawn, and began showing developmental delays.
MountainStar welcomed Liam into its Therapeutic Early Childhood Program (TECP), designed for children experiencing high levels of trauma or stress. In the TECP classroom, Liam received consistent care and attention from staff trained in trauma-informed approaches. This supported Liam’s social and emotional development — the groundwork for a healthy start in life.
MountainStar’s impact extended beyond Liam. It also provided mom with the support she needed to rebuild her life. Through home visits, MountainStar staff helped her secure housing and find mental health resources. Mom also received parenting education to help strengthen her relationship with Liam and reduce stressors at home.
MountainStar’s two-generation approach not only keeps children safe but also helps parents succeed, setting a new, positive path for the entire family.
After a year in MountainStar’s care, Liam made remarkable progress. His anxiety lessened, and he began to reach developmental milestones that once seemed out of reach. Mom also found stability, with steady housing and renewed confidence in her parenting, enabling her to provide Liam with the safe and supportive home he needed.
Liam’s story is just one example of the life-changing impact MountainStar has on children and families in our community. Each child enrolled in MountainStar’s program receives 300 hours of direct support to prevent abuse and break multi-generational cycles of trauma.
Some families served by MountainStar are able to keep their children safe with a little extra support, while for others, MountainStar may be the last step before foster care. MountainStar tailors its services to meet the unique needs of each family, offering critical intervention when it’s most needed. Providing $10,000 per year for each child not only protects their well-being but is also a wise investment for our community. Without this intervention, the cost of a child entering foster care rises to $51,456, and if the child enters the Juvenile Justice System, that figure jumps to $165,704 per year. From an investment standpoint, the choice is clear — but more importantly, we are safeguarding children from a life of instability and providing them with the support they need to thrive.
Join MountainStar’s Partners for Kids program and make a difference!
