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Our Children Oregon is a voice and a force for all Oregon children so they can thrive. Prioritizing children, centering communities.

09/10/2026

October 22 is Lights On Afterschool Day in Oregon!

Lights On Afterschool is a national celebration of afterschool programs, and the kids, families, and communities they serve. Started in 2000 with events in 1,200 communities, this year more than 8,000 events will reach a million people across the country.

Afterschool programs keep kids safe after the school day ends, support working families, and give students a place to learn, make friends, and discover what they're good at.

Govenor Kotek and Secretary of State Read made it Lights On Afterschool! official in Oregon in late September.

With thirteen events and celebrations already planned around the state, from donut days to karaoke to community celebrations, join us in celebrating the programs and the people who make them happen. Find or plan an event, use the qr code here to learn more.

02/10/2026

Urgent - Please speak up by 10/13!

The Census Bureau proposed two changes on September 10.

The first proposal, on who gets counted: redefines “usual residence” to exclude people who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents. That includes undocumented people, asylum applicants, and people with visas like H-1B. The Bureau would use federal records from DHS, the State Department, and the IRS to determine who counts.

The second proposal, on what gets asked: bans questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation from the decennial short form. Race has been part of the census since the very first census count. The proposal cites the administration’s DEI executive order and recent Supreme Court decisions about a “colorblind” Constitution.

Census data drives over $2 trillion a year in federal funding for schools, child care, school lunch, Medicaid, and hospitals. An undercount means Oregon gets less for a decade. Without race data, we lose the ability to see which kids are being left behind.

This is being fast-tracked; the deadline to be heard is midnight on October 13.

Follow the qr code on the second image to access the link.

Then share this with three people who care about Oregon kids.

08/09/2026

Friends working in or adjacent to Oregon's families, children, and policy: Save the date for the 2026 Shoulder to Shoulder Conference.

S-to-S is a multi-disciplinary gathering for everyone working alongside children and families in the child welfare system such as resource parents, kinship caregivers, caseworkers, social workers, lawyers, judges, CASAs, medical professionals, educators, and more.

Over two days, we're coming together to build stronger partnerships, deepen practice, and strengthen the network of support for children connected to Child Welfare.

October 27–28, 2026

Agenda highlights include:

Model ICWA Courts

Adoptee Mentoring Society

VOICES: A BIPOC Adoptee Community Panel

De-escalation in the Living Room

This is a collaborative partnership of community agencies coming together to offer quality training and insight for everyone who shows up for children and families.

More details coming soon. Save the date, and share with your networks!

31/08/2026

Our friends at Clackamas County Children’s Commission have spaces open for infant and toddler home-based services! Whether you're are seeking home-based services, preschool, parenting support and education, or connections to resources, Clack Co. Kids Services has spaces available. Please reach out to them to learn more. (503) 675-4565.

22/07/2026

On July 16, the Department of Homeland Security posted a final public charge rule, effective September 18.

The rule removes the regulatory list of programs that can (or cannot) be considered in public charge determinations. And, it removes the definition of what counts as "receipt" of benefits. In essence, it removes the guardrails that kept decisions from being arbitrary.

The result is confusion, fear, and a massive impact for U.S. citizen children whose immigrant parents will logically be too afraid to enroll them in the benefits they're legally eligible for. This harm will fall mainly on children and families who need support.

16/07/2026

Just saying.

14/07/2026

Oregon's children need leaders who believe they deserve better.

We are seeking board members who share our commitment to an Oregon where every child can live their best lives. We're the state's only whole-child policy and advocacy organization. We steward Annie E. Casey's KIDS COUNT data, convene 140+ child and family-focused organizations, and advocate for policies that help children thrive.

Our board members are key partners in this work. We aim to make board service welcoming, accessible, and rooted in equity, collaboration, and joy.

We're looking for leaders with expertise in:
- Finance and fundraising
- Legal and governance
- Strategic planning
- Community organizing

We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latine, LGBTQIA+, and rural community members to apply.

5-10 hours/month. Hybrid meetings.

If you're passionate about Oregon's children, we'd be honored to speak with you!
Please share this with anybody you feel may be interested.
Contact [email protected] to connect with our team.

07/07/2026

"We have to stop behaving as if Oregon's children can only have one good thing — health, communities, climate, or education. That's a myth." Bridget Dazey, Executive Director, Our Children Oregon

Oregon is in many ways a place of extremes for children — 6th in the nation for children's health and excelling at keeping children insured, but 44th in the nation in education and 39th for children's mental health. 73% of Oregon's 4th graders are not reading at grade level.

The good news is we know how to solve problems for kids and youth. We've proven it with healthcare. Now we need to apply that same focus and investment to education, families and community, climate solutions, and economic wellbeing. Innovation looks means not doing something new, but doing what works everywhere it's needed. Oregon has the data, the advocacy, and the will. We just need to connect the dots and get to work.

To see more data, check out our website: ourchildrenoregon.org

Sources:
2025 Mental Health America - https://mhanational.org/the-state-of-mental-health-in-america/data-rankings/youth-ranking/
2026 Annie E. Casey KIDS COUNT data - https://ourchildrenoregon.org/publications/national-kids-count/

23/06/2026

Oregon ranks 6th in the nation for child health — 97% of our kids are insured. That amazing leadership for children is the result of years of collaborative dedication, investment, and advocacy.

But, Oregon ranks 44th in education; 73% of 4th graders can't read proficiently and 76% of 8th graders can't do math at grade level.

Oregon has shown that we know how to move the needle because we proved it with health care coverage. Now we need to do the same for reading, math, and youth mental health — where Oregon ranks 38th in the country.

Upstream solutions start with investment and here's what that can look like:

- Affordable, high-quality child care and early learning
- School-based mental health supports for every student
- Available tutoring and literacy coaching and interventions
- Paid family leave and economic supports that reduce family stress
- Culturally responsive teaching and curriculum

We can't wait for years from here, Oregon's children need support now. Contact your lawmakers and ask them to prioritize education.

Explore the full 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book (slide 3) and see how Oregon kids are faring in detail.

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+15032369754

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http://www.ourchildrenoregon.org/

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