Foundry Village

06/16/2026

Evans Place OG: Meet Lee, the old guard, we want to brag about her. Originally from Cave Junction she relocated to Grants Pass after her room mating situation fell apart. At about the same moment those roommates all went in different directions, Lee became sick with severe pneumonia and didn’t have the time to find and vet new roommates. At 64 her earnings were drained and she was on the streets. Eventually Lee found security for herself at a homeless shelter where she stayed for the next 4 months. Lee’s great attitude, social skills and cooperation led to her invitation to stay at Foundry village, a transitional housing facility where she lived for the next year. September 6th, 2023, Evans place held its grand opening, and Lee was one of the five residents to move in, and she has been there ever since.

Those of us in the know attribute a huge part of the success at Evans Place to Lee’s personality and the culture she helped build. She is the first one to tease and joke or gently call out someone’s BS. Her personality has brought a light atmosphere that has been a large part of Evans’ place’s success. Oh yeah, she spent most of her life in retail and office management. She’s got some mad skills in the world of flower arranging.

06/05/2026

Gardens, Gardens and Gardens,

Community in action! Huge shoutouts are in order

At Foundry Village: Our participants worked up a serious sweat rebuilding and improving their garden area, and they deserve a massive pat on the back for this momentous group effort! Beginning May 7th, the Rogue Gardeners of Josephine County stepped in to guide residents through the basics of gardening. Not only did they share their time and talent, but they also generously donated bins, quality soil, and plants.

Together, they installed raised beds and a long, accessible bed designed specifically for our hand full of disabled / wheelchair-bound residents—complete with cost-effective rubber matting to easily bridge the gravel. Even better? The club has stayed active with us, recently returning to install watering systems. No more hand-watering! This garden has truly become a beautiful place of pride and healing. Thank you, Rogue Gardeners! We can’t wait to have you back.

Our permanent-stay, 6-bedroom home for low-income seniors Evan’s Place also got a garden thanks to local high school construction interns! This project was a fantastic hands-on learning experience for the students. They built forms and practiced laying, screeding, and bull-floating concrete to create 36 unique, flat-poured concrete "boards" for the raised beds. Talk about getting plenty of practice! These were installed in what was once a swimming pool.

Thank you to everyone who poured their heart (and hard work) into making our spaces bloom!

05/30/2026

“Foundry Residents Learn Fire Safety: Hands-On Training with Firefighter Mike” May 6th at foundry, our residents are learning how to identify, extinguish, and prepare for a fire. Firefighter Mike has generously volunteered his time to give them firsthand experience on the dynamics of fires, ensuring that they can respond effectively in an emergency situation. Participants learn about different types of fires and proper extinguisher use. This comprehensive training is crucial for maintaining safety standards and protecting personnel.

03/28/2026

Great stuff going on at Hillcrest, looking forward to more workforce affordable units in Grants Pass. Not to mention these units create potential units for select Foundry participants that qualify

02/28/2026

Bragging about David

JOY---Spring is about to be sprung in the valley, for me it already has. I changed my front landscaping last summer to a rock garden kinda thing to be more fireproof. And LUCKY me because of the hardwood charcoal fertilizer I make and used in the plantings and the pots Morel mushrooms are popping up. Searching and hunting for tasty morels --wahoo. Normally the indication of spring in my garden is the asparagus bed popping, ( hopefully soon--- photo of asparagus bed in waiting).

This brings us to the important part of the post—saying THANK YOU to David James. He and whichever of the many groups he’s involved with (can’t keep track) have been instrumental in creating a vegetable garden at Foundry Village. The garden is thriving as are the participants. Being outside, having purpose, gardening, getting your hands dirty, giving the excess away to the food pantries and friends are all very healing activities. What David and the others are doing to help those at Foundry find their inner gardener is like spring itself--- an indication of new growth and purpose. Which is soon followed by a new warm productive season of their lives.

It takes these kinds of resources and efforts to help those that have fallen down a well climb out of that well. Thank you to David and all those community members who have provided time, talent or treasure to help the people at Foundry leave the winter of their lives behind and transition into the next season of their lives.

Foundry, Evan’s house and soon Hillcrest Veterans Village continue to need your help to help those in need. Consider joining all those community members who have stepped up to contribute by making a donation this season. To make a donation to Mid Rogue go to --- https://www.zeffy.com/.../support-mid-rogue-foundation

11/03/2025

10/31/2025

10/26
Foundry Village which has been operated by Mid Rogue Foundation for the past 15 months is entering a new chapter! Foundry Village has long served as a safe and supportive place for people transitioning out of homelessness. As we continue to grow and adapt to meet the needs of our community, we’re proud to announce that Foundry Village is shifting to become a clean and sober transitional housing facility — a place where residents trying to get clean or stay clean can focus on rebuilding their lives in a healthy, stable, and supportive environment.

This change reflects our deep commitment to providing housing that not only offers a roof, but also fosters personal growth, accountability, and long-term success. Residents receive case management and support services that encourage recovery, employment, and reintegration into the community — all in a setting that promotes safety, respect, and mutual encouragement.

Because I’m lazy, no photos of individuals were taken for this post. Because finding willing Foundry participants willing to be on display and sign a waiver releases felt like a lot of work, and I got chores to do.

We’re grateful for the ongoing support of our partners, donors, and volunteers who make this work possible. Together, we’re helping individuals turn the page toward a brighter future — one filled with hope, purpose, and stability. Foundry Village is more than housing — it’s a foundation for a new beginning.

Please consider making a donation to Foundry. It’s revenues (participant fees, and fees for services ) don’t always cover its operating expenses.

Make a donation at https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/support-foundry-village

10/19/2025

Post #10 Ohh!!! that’s what concrete is like

Mid Rogue has both the joy and responsibility to be partnering with the Construction Training Program at Gladiola High School. That program is a student internship (the students get paid in stead of working at Burger King) to build and learn as they build. The students get to experience various construction trades and skills. Mid Rogue will have them building at the Hillcrest Veterans Village Site.

This last week the students got to pour two concrete slabs. One for a shed at the high school and a shed at Foundry Village. Concrete is a great experience for students, working the wet end of a concrete truck and what it dumps on you (hurry up its hardening) is very stressful for a newbie. There were a lot of loud stern directions (yelling) to get it in the forms then screeded (flattened), then bull floated (semi smoothed out), then finally steel troweled.

Once the slabs set up then the students were able to take those super deeps breathes of satisfaction, learning that one can overcome the stressors of concrete and the unknown. They did a great job and the next task is building the shed walls, roof and then painting.

The frog came from under a wood stack, but the picture allows for a segue to highlight the tool belt. Tools-----The training program is partnering with Rogue Workforce Partners for the funding (internship money and hand tools for the students ) and to do the back-end administration of payroll etc. Without them us volunteers would not be able to pull off this program. Our Tax dollars at work.

Mid Rogue is partnering with the construction training program at Gladiola, working to get the students up at the Hillcrest Veterans Village to experience large concrete jobs and other parts of this size of a project.

02/27/2024

Hi Friends,
Wants some yard art----We are starting up a Fundraiser for a Hillcrest Veterans Village housing project and will be having an on-line auction of locally made yard art. Auction start date April 25. See photos. We also want YOUR help making yard art. It can be made of anything--glass, rock, desire, dirt, willpower, plastic, drift wood, anger / happiness sky's the limit. Let me now if you want to help --if you need ideas go to Pinterest.