Mid Oregon Credit Union’s Spring 2026 fundraiser launched on Monday, April 6 to benefit SMART Reading™. Mid Oregon members and the community are invited to donate online or at any one of Mid Oregon’s branches. One hundred percent of the funds stay in the community where they are collected and are used to support the SMART Reading programs in those local schools.
“Since 2024, our Mid Oregon members and staff have raised more than $9,600 for SMART,” said, Kyle Frick, SVP Marketing and Community Relations. “We are proud to support this amazing program that provides children reading, literacy, and learning skills that improve their achievement in school and life!”
SMART’s role is to provide children with two proven ingredients for literacy success: one-on-one reading time and access to books. In their One-to-One SMART program, volunteers model the joy of reading and/or support the child’s efforts to read independently during shared reading experiences. Students also choose two books per month to keep and read with their families to help continue their learning.
“Reading is a critical skill for kids, enabling them to succeed in school and beyond. Right now, over 60% of Oregon third graders are not reading on grade level.” said Jennifer Zardinejad, Central and Northeast Area Director of SMART Reading. “This is a huge concern for our whole community because third grade is the pivotal year when kids are expected to transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”
Online donations can be made at: https://www.midoregon.com/community/smart-reading-fundraiser.shtml
On April 18, Mid Oregon and Republic Services will also be sponsoring four free shred events at the Bend-Old Mill and Madras Mid Oregon branches from 9-11 a.m. and at the Prineville and Redmond branches from 12-2 p.m. Members and the community can shred a maximum of three bags or boxes of household documents. No commercial shredding will be accepted. Donations to support SMART Reading will also be accepted at these events.
Photo: Mid Oregon Branch Manager, Lara Eckstine, volunteers as a reading buddy with the One-to-One SMART program in Sisters, OR.
Mid Oregon Credit Union is a member-owned, full‑service financial cooperative serving Central Oregon since 1957. With more than 52,000 members and over $850 million in assets, Mid Oregon focuses on building relationships that strengthen people and communities. Beginning in 2026 the field of membership for Mid Oregon expanded to encompass 24 Oregon Counties. The credit union has been recognized as a Top Workplace in Oregon and Southwest Washington for four consecutive years, including 2025, and ranked the #1 credit union in Oregon by Forbes in 2023, 2024, and 2025. It also received the Bend Bulletin’s Best of the Best Community Choice Award in the credit union category for 2023–2025. To learn more about services and branch locations in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, and Sisters, visit midoregon.com.
SMART Reading is a children’s literacy nonprofit that serves kids in Oregon’s highest need schools with two ingredients critical for literacy and learning success: one-on-one reading time and access to books. SMART Reading mobilizes volunteers to read with PreK through third-grade children, building confidence, literacy skills and a love of reading. SMART Reading provides a meaningful way for Oregonians to make a direct impact in their communities. Since 1992, SMART Reading has steadily grown to become Oregon’s largest volunteer literacy program. Kids in the program receive 14 new books throughout the school year to keep and read with their families. To learn more, donate, or volunteer, visit smartreading.org or call 877-598-4633
Republic Services operates one of the largest waste and recycling facilities in Central Oregon. Offering both residential and commercial services, they partner with The Environmental Center to provide tools to Rethink Waste. Deschutes Recycling accepts electronics, yard waste, bulk items, tires, and secure document destruction, as well as many other materials traditionally accepted in curbside recycling carts. Deschutes Compost offers premium compost for pick up or delivery. To learn more about Republic Services visit www.republicservices.com/municipality/central-oregon.
