30 Years of Opening Doors to Hope
Help
and Possibility

A Letter From Our Executive Director

The 2022-23 school year comes with an incredible milestone. FAN is celebrating our 30th year serving Central Oregon children in need! Much has changed since FAN opened our doors 30 years ago. Yet one thing remains the same: our unyielding commitment to the families we serve.

In all, FAN has assisted 176,341 individuals since inception. Right now, we know many families face rising costs even as they try to recover from setbacks they’ve suffered in the past two years. FAN’s services remain critical. And with 27 advocates now positioned to serve schools in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties, FAN is ready to help families across Central Oregon regain self-sufficiency.

As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we want you to know that our work wouldn’t have endured for three decades without the dedication and generosity of our amazing community partners and people like you. As we look forward to the next 30 years, we want to express immense gratitude to all of our community partners, donors, school staff, and volunteers.
With Gratitude,

Julie N. Lyche
FAN Executive Director

30 Years of Impact

176,341 reasons to celebrate!

To Learn More About Where We've Been, Scroll Below

FAN
Through the Years

1992

Founded

  • Local partners from schools, Deschutes County, youth serving agencies, and churches brainstormed a better way to serve children and families. They visited ‘access centers’ around the state and came up with the idea of the Family Access Network
1993

Federal School Funds (Title V) Received

  • The first FAN locations were housed at Terrebonne and Thompson elementary schools in Redmond and Bend, with a counselor and administrator doing the work
1994

First 2 Advocates Hired

  • In November, the first school-based Medicaid funding was received by the High Desert ESD and local school districts which resulted in the first two FAN advocate positions
1995

First Seven FAN School Sites Started With Medicaid (MAC) Funding

1997

FAN Expands to 12 School Sites in Deschutes County

1999

17 FAN School Sites Established in Deschutes County

2000

Spring

  • Two part-time early childhood FAN advocates were brought on board through a Safe Schools/ Healthy Students federal grant
2000

Fall

  • In the fall of the 2000-01 school year, all 34 public K-12 schools in Deschutes County are served by a FAN advocate
2005

Fall

  • In the fall of 2005, a board of directors was recruited to start the FAN Foundation. On December 30, 2005, the Family Access Network Foundation 501c3 status was officially approved
2010

Spring

  • Three full-time early childhood FAN advocates were hired and placed in early childhood sites in La Pine, Bend, and Redmond. Funds were received through a collaborative 5-year Deschutes County federal LAUNCH grant, to promote the wellness of young children birth – 8 years of age and their families
2015

Fall

  • At the start of the 2015-16 school year, FAN begins to serve families in the Crook County School District
2016

Fall

  • At the start of the 2016-17 school year, the early childhood FAN advocate positions were discontinued and all families with children under the age of five are encouraged to seek services through their local elementary school FAN advocate
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2020

February

  • The first FAN advocate is hired in the 509J school district, supporting the local middle and high school within Madras
2021

Fall

  • At the start of the 2021-22 school year, all Jefferson County School District (509J) schools have a FAN advocate, bringing the total to 30 FAN advocates in 66 school sites throughout Central Oregon
2022

Fall

  • FAN’s 30th year kicks off with 27 advocates in 65 school sites

FAN Advocates

Our legacy of commitment includes our FAN advocates, may of whom have been serving our communities for years – even decades.

We’re Charting A Course For The Next 30 Years!

Nora's Story

Nora was exhausted. She felt that she had nowhere to turn, and that no one understood her troubles. As a single mom, with two jobs, she was just barely making ends meet. She called the FAN advocate at her children’s school and told her story. The FAN advocate listened patiently and sympathized with her hardships. She asked Nora if she had food for her family. The answer was not enough. She asked if they had winter coats and boots. The answer was no.

The FAN advocate gave Nora some food resources to help supplement their food stamps. She then gave her coats, gloves, hats, socks, snow boots, and backpacks for her kids. Nora felt relief flood over her for the first time in months. Her children would not be cold or hungry this winter. Thanks to a helping hand from FAN, Nora felt able to provide for her kids again.

Aly's Story

Aly was on her own, trying very hard to be an adult at a young age. She was determined to graduate high school and attend college. But the constant worry of where she’d get her next meal and how she would even get to school without any transport or warm clothes to walk in made every day a challenge. She visited her FAN advocate who quickly went to work. She taught Aly how to check into a local food bank. Then she showed Aly her closet of donated clothing. Aly was floored. She found a pair of warm boots and other winter clothes. Later, Aly approached her FAN advocate with a big smile and said she was going to have the best winter break ever, thanks to FAN. Aly now has her high school diploma, a steady job, and is saving money to attend college.

William's Story

William suffered far too much trauma for an 8-year old. Neglected and starved by an absentee single mother, the courts eventually granted custody to his grandparents. Living on a fixed income, the grandparents worried about how they would provide for William. When they turned to William’s FAN advocate, their worries eased. The advocate helped them obtain health insurance, clothing, school supplies, food assistance, and a bed.

Yet William, by nature a spunky, resilient and kind little boy, had serious trust issues. Plus, years of malnutrition slowed his growth and made it hard for him to concentrate. With ongoing encouragement by his grandparents, teachers, and his FAN advocate, William slowly started to make friends. To boost William’s confidence and help him better focus, his FAN advocate got him a scholarship for piano lessons. His piano instructor says William is a very fast learner and his first recital was quite a success. Thanks to FAN William was given the opportunity to thrive.

Gwen's Story

Gwen came home one day to find that her husband had walked out on her. He took every item of value, leaving her desolate with four young children. His salary had paid the rent and his work hours allowed him to watch the kids during the day. Imagine her fear faced with possible eviction and no one to watch her children. Thankfully, someone referred her to FAN.

Her FAN advocate began quickly contacting local support services to help with rent, after school activities, and summer programming for the kids. Her advocate also secured grocery and gas cards plus hygiene products to free up funds until she could fully cover her rent.

Life has not been easy for this family, but things are looking brighter. Gwen is in counseling and the kids are attending school where their teachers watch out for them. Most importantly, the family knows they have an advocate they can always turn to in times of need.

Nora's Story

Nora was exhausted and felt she had nowhere to turn. As a single mom, with two jobs, she was barely making ends meet. She called the FAN advocate at her children’s school and told her story. The FAN advocate listened patiently and sympathized with her hardships. She asked Nora if she had food for her family. The answer was not enough. She asked if they had winter coats and boots. The answer was no. The FAN advocate gave Nora some food resources to help supplement their food stamps and gave her coats, gloves, hats, socks, snow boots, and backpacks for her kids. Nora felt relief flood over her for the first time in months. Her children would not be cold or hungry this winter. Thanks to a helping hand from FAN, Nora felt able to provide for her kids again.

William's Story

William suffered far too much trauma for an 8-year old. Neglected and starved by an absentee single mother, the courts eventually granted custody to his grandparents. Living on a fixed income, the grandparents worried about how they would provide for William. When they turned to William’s FAN advocate, their worries eased. The advocate helped them obtain health insurance, clothing, school supplies, food assistance, and a bed.

Yet William, by nature a spunky, resilient and kind little boy, had serious trust issues. With ongoing encouragement by his grandparents, teachers, and his FAN advocate, William slowly started to make friends. To boost William’s confidence and help him better focus, his FAN advocate got him a scholarship for piano lessons. His piano instructor says William is a very fast learner and his first recital was a success.

Aly's Story

Aly was on her own, trying very hard to be an adult at a young age. She was determined to graduate high school and attend college. But the constant worry of where she’d get her next meal and how she would even get to school without any transport or warm clothes to walk in made every day a challenge. She visited her FAN advocate who quickly went to work. She taught Aly how to check into a local food bank. Then she showed Aly her closet of donated clothing. Aly was floored. She found a pair of warm boots and other winter clothes. Later, Aly approached her FAN advocate with a big smile and said she was going to have the best winter break ever, thanks to FAN. Aly now has her high school diploma, a steady job, and is saving money to attend college.

Gwen's Story

Gwen came home one day to find that her husband had walked out on her. He took every item of value, leaving her desolate with four young children. His salary had paid the rent and his work hours allowed him to watch the kids during the day. Imagine her fear faced with possible eviction and no one to watch her children. Thankfully, someone referred her to FAN. Her advocate quickly contacted local support services to help with rent, after school activities, and summer programming for the kids. The advocate also secured grocery and gas cards plus hygiene products to free up funds until she could fully cover her rent. Life has not been easy for this family, but things are looking brighter.

FAN Advocates.
Here for Families. Here for Good.

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