Three Rivers Foundation awards funds to over 70 Lane County nonprofits

Makenzie Elliott, Register-Guard
·1 min read
Cascades Raptor Center veterinarian Ulrike Streicher and volunteer Carlina Otterstedt attend to an injured bird at the center in December 2021.
Cascades Raptor Center veterinarian Ulrike Streicher and volunteer Carlina Otterstedt attend to an injured bird at the center in December 2021.

The Three Rivers Foundation awarded $1.1 million in funding to 117 organizations in Oregon, including 72 Lane County nonprofits.

The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians established the foundation in 2011 as the charitable arm of its Three Rivers Casino Resort. It supports ideas, collaborative approaches and grassroots efforts for causes like education, health and public safety, according to a news release from the foundation.

“It makes my heart feel good,” said Doug Barrett, Tribal Council member. “It feels good getting to see what these organizations are doing with the money, whether it be the food banks, helping the youth through their struggles, whatever the money goes, it is pretty awesome.”

The foundation received an increase in applications this year and granted 62 nonprofits first-time grant funding, foundation officials said.

The Cascades Raptor Center was one of the 72 Lane County nonprofits to receive funding. It received $10,000 to expand its educational programming.

"Now we will be able to serve more communities, rural communities who don't have the means to rent buses or make it to the raptor center for education," said Jennifer Monegan, senior development officer for the Cascades Raptor Center.

The Children's Repertory Of Oregon Workshops and Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County also received funding. Children's Repertory Of Oregon Workshops received $21,000 and plans to use it to support its main stage musical, "The SpongeBob Musical," officials said. Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County plans to use the $25,000 it received to fund its outside healthy habitat for kids and teens to use in the cold and rainy weather, officials said.

Makenzie Elliott covers breaking news and public safety for The Register-Guard. Reach her at MElliott@gannett.com. Find her on Twitter at @makenzielliott.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Three Rivers Foundation awards funds to over 70 Lane County nonprofits