(Photo courtesy of BottleDrop)
The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), which operates the BottleDrop network, announced yesterday that it has donated $65,000 through its BottleDrop Fund to three nonprofits operating in Central Oregon: Central Oregon Environmental Center, Public Land Stewards and South Santiam Watershed Council.
The recipient organizations plan to use funds in the following ways:
- Central Oregon Environmental Center, a nonprofit based in Bend that is embedding sustainability into daily life through advocacy, home energy assessments, waste prevention and reduction, and youth education, received $25,000 to support their Youth Education Program in rural and Spanish-speaking communities in the Central Oregon region.
- Public Land Stewards, a volunteer-run nonprofit based in Bend that is keeping public lands accessible and protected for all users, received $15,000 to support their cleanups on public lands, which increases the health of the forest, improves visitor experiences and reduces wildfire risks.
“Public Land Stewards is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to keeping public lands accessible and protected for all users. Annually, our efforts contribute over 3,000 hours of community service and remove over 450,000 pounds of trash including vehicles and hazardous debris due to misuse,” said Brent Baker and Jeremy Evans, founders of Public Land Stewards. “We focus on organizing volunteer clean-up efforts and educational events to preserve and protect Central Oregon’s public lands. Through collaboration with local organizations and businesses, as well as federal agencies, we engage and empower community members to protect local ecosystems on National Forest and Bureau of Land Management managed lands.”
- South Santiam Watershed Council, a nonprofit based in Sweet Home that is promoting and assisting with voluntary, nonregulatory conservation efforts to improve the quality of the South Santiam Watershed, received $25,000 to support their environmental education programs in rural and semi-rural schools in Eastern Linn County.
“The South Santiam Watershed Council is pleased and humbled to receive this award from the BottleDrop Fund via the Oregon Community Foundation,” said Shannon Richardson, executive director at South Santiam Watershed Council. “While our roots are in habitat conservation and restoration, we know that the long-term health of the watershed relies on helping future generations build and sustain their own relationships with lands and waters. As a small, rural community-serving organization, we are deeply appreciative of this support, which will allow us to provide no-cost experiential outdoor education opportunities to K-12 students in eastern Linn County.”
“Standing for organizations like these reflect OBRC’s commitment to promoting environmental responsibility and action in communities throughout the state,” said Devon Morales, vice president of external affairs at OBRC. “We are thrilled to support these nonprofits in Central Oregon who are fostering the next generation of environmental stewards.”
The BottleDrop Fund, created in partnership with Oregon Community Foundation, supports nonprofit organizations in Oregon that are operating in the spirit of the Bottle Bill through annual grantmaking. The Fund’s priorities include litter and waste reduction, environmental conservation, environmental education, recycling, public-private partnerships that work to solve a community problem in Oregon, and skill-building and job training for low-income residents.
About BottleDrop and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative:
The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative is the industry steward of Oregon’s nationally recognized beverage container redemption system and the operator of the BottleDrop network. On behalf of the beverage industry, OBRC helps Oregonians conveniently redeem and recycle more than 2 billion containers every year, dramatically reducing litter in Oregon’s special places and boosting the state’s recycling outcomes.
About Oregon Community Foundation:
Since 1973, Oregon Community Foundation has worked to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. We partner with donors, volunteers and nonprofits to strengthen communities in every county in Oregon. OCF distributed more than $220 million in grants and scholarships in 2024. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds that support causes important to them.