Month: December 2025

Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The holidays are a time filled with joy, gifts, and celebration for many — but for some, the season can bring loneliness, stress, or uncertainty. That’s why one Central Oregon business decided to do what they could to make sure every child feels remembered this Christmas.

Summer’s Flooring in Bend not only joined the Central Oregon Toy Drive this year, but matched every donation received at their location.

Now, their overflowing toy box continues to grow — thanks to a $500 Pay It Forward award from Dutch Bros, Mid-Oregon Credit Union, and KTVZ News. The money will help bring even more presents to children throughout the community this holiday season.

For owner Michael Summers, giving back has always been part of what makes the holidays special — a lesson passed down through his own family’s story.

He recalled how, when his father was a child, the fire department once brought his family a bundle of Christmas toys because they were struggling financially. 

“My grandpa said, ‘You can keep one toy,’” Summers said. “And the rest of them were taken to another family that was worse off than them.”

It’s one of his favorite Christmas memories. That simple act of generosity is something Summers still carries with him.

“There’s always been this neat connection with little kids needing to know that they’re not forgotten and that they’re loved,” he said. 

“We’re trying to bring some joy and some magic back into the hearts of kids who don’t have that. We’re going to go out and get a bunch more toys — it’s going to be very fun,” Summers said of how the money will be spent.

Mid-Oregon Credit Union’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations Kyle Frick said spotlighting these stories reminds us all how much good happens every day.

“There’s always lots of news — and a lot of it’s not good news,” Frick said. “So this is our chance to identify people doing great things in the community that we can help support. These gifts are really going to make a real difference to some of those kids.”

The Central Oregon Toy Drive runs through Dec. 23. You can view drop-off locations and information on the organizations helping expand the reach of your gift — click here for the link.

If you know someone who deserves recognition for helping others, you can nominate them for Pay It Forward — we may award them $500, helping keep the spirit of giving alive. 

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KTVZ

(Update: Video Added)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Mountain View Community Development said Tuesday it’s learned it will receive a $3 million grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank through the competitive Affordable Housing Program for its planned permanent supportive housing village near Redmond Airport. 

The project, which was sponsored by First Interstate Bank, comprises a village of 75 homes the organization plans to build on Deschutes County land north of Oasis Village. 

The 400- to 600-square-foot homes will be occupied by formerly homeless people with a disability.  In addition to the homes, Mountain View Community Village will have a community center that houses on-site services and case management. A garden and dog park are also planned. The total project is expected to exceed $20 million. 

“The vision for this village came about when we saw people in Safe Parking, and now microshelters, who were on waiting lists for housing for years. They were doing everything we asked of them, but there simply weren’t enough homes,” said Executive Director Rick Russell. “This project will triple the number of permanent supportive housing units in Central Oregon.” 

 The nonprofit has also applied for a grant from Oregon Housing & Community Services, and said it will be seeking other sources of funding, as well. Once built, residents of the village will pay one-third of their income as rent. 

This grant doesn’t fill a gap left by a loss of State Shelter Program funds, Russell said.

“The nature of grants is that they are for specific projects, so we cannot use them for other programs. For us, that means our Safe Parking & Microshelters Program is still looking to make up $237,500 in losses. The county has stepped in to help, and so have generous donors, but we have a long way to go.” 

The competitive AHP encourages collaboration between FHLB Des Moines member financial institutions and housing organizations to create affordable housing opportunities for families in need.

“Our members are essential partners in advancing affordable housing throughout the FHLB Des Moines district.” said Kris Williams, President and CEO, FHLB Des Moines. “We’re not just financing homes – we’re building stronger, more resilient communities for the people who live and work in them. This is a shared commitment and a shared impact we’re proud to advance.” 

Each year, FHLB Des Moines returns 10 percent of its net income annually to assist with housing needs throughout its district, consisting of 13 states and three U.S. Pacific territories. In 2025, 54 AHP applications were approved for a total of $102.4 million.

 Since inception of the competitive AHP in 1990, FHLB Des Moines and its members have helped facilitate approximately $935 million in funding to benefit more than 97,000 families through new construction and rehabilitation of owner-occupied or rental housing. 

For more information, visit http://mvcdoregon.org. 

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