(A rendering of Heart of Oregon Corps’ future central youth workforce campus. Click here for the virtual tour | Rendering courtesy of Heart of Oregon Corps)
On October 21, Heart of Oregon Corps kicked off a major fourth-quarter sprint to raise the final $1.67 million needed to build Central Oregon’s first Youth Workforce Development Campus in Redmond.
The organization’s leadership, staff and board will invest more than 400 hours in a campaign through December 31 that includes four major phone banks, bi-weekly community emails, texts, and in-person meetings that the group hopes will help it reach its $7.3 million goal — enabling it to open the campus on time and without debt in fall 2026.
The State of Oregon estimates that one in eight youth ages 16-24 are currently disengaged from school and work — but not at Heart of Oregon Corps. The nonprofit, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, trains rural and underserved youth across Central Oregon in careers that solve our region’s greatest challenges including construction, childcare, wildfire risk reduction and public lands conservation.
“I can’t express how important this campus is to generations of Oregonians,” said State Senator Anthony Broadman. “Youth having access to job training in Central Oregon, especially youth who were born here and want to stay here, is key to fueling the region’s workforce so that our communities can thrive.”
Since 2000, Heart of Oregon has hired and trained 5,000 youth across Central Oregon. The trouble is that demand for its services has outpaced the organization’s network of aging, borrowed facilities. Heart of Oregon is building a campus where youth can learn, gain certifications, and prepare to transition to thriving careers that change health and social outcomes for a lifetime — for young people and Central Oregon communities.
“Odds are, you know someone who is struggling to afford housing or can’t find childcare. You hike, bike, and paddle our beloved natural lands. And you’ve seen wildfires bear down on our communities,” said Laura Handy, executive director of Heart of Oregon. “Heart of Oregon youth are building affordable housing. They’re providing childcare. They are out in the forest maintaining trails and clearing wildfire fuels. This new campus will support youth for generations to come in serving our Central Oregon communities in the ways we need them most.”
Learn more about the central campus at hoccampus.org and watch Terry’s story to understand the impact Heart of Oregon has on the youth it serves.
About Heart of Oregon Corps:
Heart of Oregon Corps is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and young adults through employment, job training, education, and service to Central Oregon communities. With the goal of career readiness, Heart of Oregon hires and trains 225 youth ages 16-24 annually in the fields of conservation, construction, and childcare. Accredited by the Corps Center for Excellence, Heart of Oregon is committed to training tomorrow’s workforce today and is accepting youth applications now!
