Mission: Building Healthy Families strengthens families through proven family education and support programs and helps create family environments that assure children’s school readiness, success, and life skills.
Non-discrimination policy: Building Healthy Families does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. Follow this link to read our full policy.
Timeline:
1999 Building Healthy Families is established as an outcome of a community planning survey conducted by the Wallowa County Commission on Children and Families. The survey indicated a strong need for parent education and children/family engagement opportunities.
2002 Building Healthy Families receives a large, multi-year grant from The Ford Family Foundation under their “Enhancing the Skills of Parents Initiative”. This provided increased FTE allowing BHF to secure an additional grant from The Oregon Community Foundation to bring evidence-based parent education to Wallowa County.
2002-2003 BHF is awarded the contract for Healthy Start, a referral and home visiting program for first-time parents. A Healthy Start home visitor was hired and the first BHF Advisory Board was formed.
2004 BHF is awarded 501(c)(3) status and begins to increase its funder/donor base.
2006-2007 Under new leadership, BHF developed a mission, vision, sustainability plan and organizational plan. The Board of Directors was expanded and the first Parent Education Coordinator was hired.
2008-2009 BHF begins developing and launching school-based programs such as After-School Exploration Program and Tutoring/Mentoring Program. Building Healthy Families hosts its first annual Kidfest.
2010 BHF becomes one of 6 Oregon Parent Education Collaborative (OPEC) Hubs. This included expansions into Baker County to provide parent education classes and workshops. BHF also expands its Healthy Start program to include Baker County. Additionally, BHF becomes the home for Wallowa County Prevention and the Wallowa County Alternative Education Program.
2011 BHF receives a large Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant allowing school-based programs to expand to all 3 school districts in Wallowa County. A Home Visit Coordinator was hired as program services expanded.
2012 Building Healthy Families is awarded a grant contract with The Department of Human Services District #13 to provide Family Support and Connections Home Visiting Services to Wallowa, Baker and Union Counties. BHF establishes an Early Learning Center.
2013-2015 Under new leadership, Building Healthy Families continues to expand programs to include:
- Increased parent/child education and engagement opportunities
- Books Bridging Generations
- Girls on the Run
- Darkness to Light
- Youth Entrepreneurship Program
- GED Program
- EOCCO Health-Based Program
- Reach Out and Read
- Girls Circle/Boys Council
2015 Through continued OPEC Hub funding, BHF expands parent education services in Malheur County and also home visiting services are expanded through Healthy Families of Oregon to serve Malheur County families. Early Head Start and Wallowa County CASA are now contracted with Building Healthy Families.
2016 BHF receives a start-up fund grant to become a USDA Summer Lunch site serving a daily summer lunch in Enterprise, Wallowa and Joseph.
2017 The first Medical Partnership Coordinator is hired allowing a dramatic increase in our Health-Based programs. Mini Mountaineers is launched. The Safe Sitter program, a babysitter training program for youth 6-8th grade, is launched in Wallowa, Baker and Malheur Counties.
2018 With the closing of the Wallowa County Health Department, BHF begins providing services such as Car Seat fitting/education, the Diaper Bank and bike helmet and life jacket fittings and distribution. Along with the closing of the County Library, their services also move to BHF. Kindergarten readiness activities in the daycares are offered through BHF.
2019 Building Healthy Families becomes a Harvest Share site. A CASA Closet is developed to provide foster parents and those in need with children’s clothing, shoes, safe sleep bedding, blankets, jackets, etc.