PORTLAND, Ore. — OnPoint Community Credit Union has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to 59 nonprofit organizations across Oregon and Southwest Washington through its bi-annual Community Grants & Giving program.
The funding supports programs focused on education, foster youth, food security, housing stability, workforce development and summer camp access for underserved children.
One of the local recipients is Salem Angels, which received $5,000 to support mentorship and relationship-building programs for foster youth and families experiencing foster care in Marion and Polk counties.
The funding comes as Oregon continues to face significant foster care challenges. Nearly 6,800 children experienced foster care statewide last year, including nearly 570 in Marion and Polk counties. Marion County has also seen a 72% decrease in the number of available general foster homes since 2012.
Salem Angels works to help address those challenges by providing personalized care packages, resources for foster families and mentorship opportunities for youth. The organization also focuses on building supportive relationships that help children in foster care develop confidence, stability and a stronger sense of community.
“Investing in the well-being of our communities is central to who we are,” said Rob Stuart, president and chief executive officer of OnPoint Community Credit Union. “These organizations are doing critical work to create opportunity, stability and connection for people across our region, and we’re proud to help support their missions.”
Other grant recipients include SMART Reading, which received $20,000 to support literacy programming and book distribution for children in Title I schools in Marion, Polk and other counties across Oregon. The money will help recruit and train volunteers, expand access to diverse books and strengthen family literacy engagement.
Dream for Life Outreach received $15,000 to expand community meal and outreach programs serving people facing food insecurity in Southwest Washington. Willamalane Park Foundation received funding to provide scholarships for children in Springfield to attend summer camp, and BendNEXT received $3,500 to support leadership development scholarships for emerging leaders in Central Oregon.
OnPoint’s Community Grants & Giving program awards grants twice a year to nonprofit organizations whose work aligns with the credit union’s core impact values, including education, financial wellness, housing stability, food security and youth development.
In addition to its grant program, OnPoint supports communities through event sponsorships, employee volunteerism, financial education initiatives and nonprofit partnerships across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
OnPoint was founded by schoolteachers in 1932. In 2025, the credit union donated more than $4 million to more than 350 nonprofit organizations throughout the region.
