(Local nonprofit First Story, alongside partners such as Hayden Homes, NeighborImpact, and regional leaders, worked together to build and raise the walls of a new home for a Bend family in May of 2026 | Photo courtesy of First Story)
Nonprofit First Story will turn over the keys to a new Hayden Home for a local Bend family during a Home Dedication and Key Ceremony at 9:30am sharp on August 19. The celebration brings together industry partners and regional leaders championing solutions to the housing affordability challenges facing Central Oregon. Members of the community and media are invited to attend and learn more.
Partnerships between First Story, NeighborImpact, and industry leaders such as homebuilder Hayden Homes and building materials supplier PARR Lumber make this unique pathway to homeownership possible without government subsidies. United by a commitment to community stewardship, the like-minded organizations and a generous network of individual donors work together to create new opportunities for families to achieve homeownership.
“Our organizations exist to help build stronger communities,” said Sonia Capece, HomeSource director at NeighborImpact. “And it is our hope that this First Story Home Dedication will inspire others to realize what is possible when we collaborate so that they, too, can develop partnerships that benefit our communities long term.”
In support of First Story’s mission to empower families to build financial stability and break the cycles of generational poverty, First Story families purchase their home with a special zero-down, zero-interest, 30-year mortgage. The low-cost loan helps free up resources for education, enriching activities for children and avoiding debt. Families also complete homebuyer education with partners like NeighborImpact, which provides guidance on understanding home loans, credit scores, the purchase process, and fair housing rights.
As high building costs drive up home prices across the region, homebuilding partner Hayden Homes and others provide in-kind gifts of expertise, labor, and materials. These local collaborations fill needs at all stages of preparing a family for homeownership and enable construction of homes with the same market value and curb appeal as any other home on the block in the Hayden Homes communities where First Story homes are located.
“We are grateful to partners who see the value in contributing in-kind gifts that, together, allow us to build affordable homeownership opportunities for local families,” said Claire Duncan, executive director of First Story. “Everyone has their area of expertise, whether that be homeowner education, building materials, or knowledgeable construction crews—it takes everyone working in sync to sustain healthy communities where families can thrive.”
To date, First Story has helped 129 families become homeowners. Of those families:
- 100% earn less than 80% of area median income
- 100% are first-time homebuyers
- 80% are the first in their families ever to own a home
- 23% identify as minority households
- 25% are families with members with disabilities
About First Story:
First Story’s mission is to address the affordable housing crisis in the Northwest. First Story uses an integrated approach to affordable housing by giving individuals a hand up to homeownership while encouraging inclusivity.
First Story collaborates with builder Hayden Homes and Simplicity by Hayden Homes and in-kind partners to construct or fully refurbish homes. The homes are then sold to individuals and families earning 80 percent of area median income or below through First Story’s innovative loan program, which provides loans at zero-down, zero-percent interest for 30 years. First Story’s Fresh Start homes are originally built new by Hayden Homes and provided to one or more previous First Story families. As those families move forward and upward, the homes are sold back to First Story to be fully refurbished and provided to a new family, ensuring this critical housing opportunity stays in the community for years to come.
First Story is an equal-opportunity, fair-housing lender. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We promote and back a positive advertising and marketing plan where everyone can access housing without being stopped due to their race, skin color, religion, gender, physical or mental challenges, family situation, or where they come from. The first eligible applicant will be selected. First Story is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Bend, Oregon, serving OR, WA, ID, and MT. Tax ID: 91-1755886. First Story is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program; more information is available at 360-725-0377 or ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#.
