As a result of their Legacy 25 Campus Campaign that raised more than $8 million, the nonprofit organization Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC) welcomed the community to tour their new youth workforce campus, located in Redmond. The first of its kind in the region, the campus is set up to provide more than 200 youth per year with a centralized location to support them in their professional and personal development; the same role campuses play for those attending colleges and universities, only now it’s available to those choosing professional training and certification during and after high school.
The benefits of this campus show up in spades. A centralized location will support more efficient travel, equipment usage, and staffing responsibilities. The campus also provides space for youth job skills training, educational activities, and will allow for expanded services provided through partnerships with local organizations. In addition, the campus provides early education and childcare services, natural resources certifications, trade certifications, driver’s education prep, and a career center, along with laundry facilities, recreational space, a kitchen and cafeteria, personal/break spaces, and access to resources like mental health support and housing referrals.
The ribbon, along with a log and a 2×4, was cut to officially open the new campus on September 30, 2026; the ribbon with a large pair of scissors, and the log and 2×4 with a chainsaw. The opening ceremony had a set of guest speakers, including HOC’s executive director Laura Handy, many current and former HOC board members, construction partners, and two names known from Oregon politics: Oregon State Senator Anthony Broadman and Former Oregon State Senator Tim Knopp.
HOC has been helping Oregon youth find their way in life for 26 years, mostly operating out of small locations across the tri-county area, supported by the generosity of many local organizations who were willing to lend their space. In 2020, HOC leadership asked their youth what they would need out of a new facility, and things started to come to life when the land the facility has since been built upon was sold to HOC by the Opportunity Foundation of Central Oregon.
On September 30, 2025, the first construction broke ground, and exactly one year later, HOC cut the ribbon (and wood) to celebrate the official grand opening.
The project was made possible through a staggering amount of community effort and support, from businesses big and small giving what they can, to receiving additional state funding to support the construction of renewable energy on campus.
Handy welcomed the community to the facility and gave a message to the youth of HOC; one that inspires hard work, self-confidence, and reminds them that no matter where they go or what they achieve, they will always have a home base with HOC, here in Redmond.
