Standing With Bend in a Time of Need

As the Bend community comes together to heal after the October 15, 2026 shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, your support can help meet community needs and honor the memory of a teacher who was lost in this tragedy.

Updated October 29, 2026

Nonprofits Serving the Bend Community Receive $100,000 in Grants Following Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting 

Oregon Community Foundation's Rapid Response Fund supports eight organizations focused on students, families and the broader community.

In the two weeks since the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, Oregonians have responded with an outpouring of generosity, compassion and a commitment to help the Bend community heal.
 
Oregon Community Foundation has awarded $100,000 in a first round of grants from its Rapid Response Fund to eight organizations supporting students, families and others affected by the tragedy.
  
Grant recipients include: 

• Bend-La Pine Education Foundation — $5,000 
• Better Together Central Oregon — $15,000 
• Central Oregon Disability Support Network — $20,000 
• High Desert Education Service District — $10,000 
• Lines for Life Central Oregon YouthLine — $10,000 
• Silver Rail Elementary PTO — $5,000 
• The BEAM — $20,000 
• The Open Arts Center — $15,000 

Total awarded: $100,000 

Mountain View High School. Image courtesy of Bend Police Department.

The grants are supported by donations from individuals, businesses and foundations from across Oregon and beyond. Contributors included major gifts from the Portland Thorns, Portland Trail Blazers, the Starbucks Foundation and the Les Schwab Foundation, as well as hundreds of donors who gave contributions starting at $25.
 
Together, those donors demonstrated that every contribution matters. Their generosity reflects a broader commitment to standing with Bend and helping families, students and educators recover from an unimaginable loss.
 
“Oregon Community Foundation serves communities in every corner of our state, but this tragedy hit especially close to home,” said Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation. “Our Bend office is just a few miles from Silver Rail Elementary School, and many of our staff, volunteers and partners have personal connections to the families affected. We have seen neighbors helping neighbors, businesses stepping up and people from across Oregon giving what they can to support this community. That's what makes Oregon special. In moments of heartbreak, we come together.”

The Rapid Response Fund supports urgent community needs that require a coordinated charitable response. Following the shooting, OCF worked with local leaders and nonprofit partners to identify where funding could have the greatest impact.
 
The trusted nonprofit organizations in this initial round of grants have a proven track record of serving Central Oregon residents and will continue supporting recovery efforts in the months ahead. As many have already, donors can also choose to support them directly through individual donations.
 
“These grants represent more than financial support,” Mensah said. “They are a reminder to families, students and educators that people across Oregon care deeply about this community and want to help. From gifts of $25 to major contributions from businesses and foundations, every donation became part of something larger than itself.” 

Separately, the family of Megan Lambert established a fund at Oregon Community Foundation to honor the special education teacher's life and legacy. The Megan Lambert Memorial Fund will support causes that reflect Megan's values and interests, including education, mental health, services for children with special needs and Oregon schools.

Updated October 23, 2026

All of us at Oregon Community Foundation are heartbroken by the tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary School, especially our team members and community partners in Bend. Our thoughts are with the students, families, educators, and first responders affected by this violence.

Our team in Bend is part of this community and is in close touch with friends, colleagues and nonprofits. Our first priority is to listen and work thoughtfully with our partners about how to navigate next steps.
 
We will make resources available through Oregon Community Foundation's Rapid Response Fund to help meet immediate community needs as they emerge. The focus on our initial outreach is to organizations directly supporting students, teachers and families affected by the tragedy, as well as people with disabilities and access to mental health services.

FAQs

How can nonprofits serving Deschutes County in the aftermath of the Silver Rail Elementary Shooting share their financial needs with Oregon Community Foundation and other Oregon funders? 

Nonprofits can share a funding need by filling out a form through the Oregon Disaster Funders Network, which comprises more than 40 funders. Submit a Needs Request Form. 

What is the difference between the Megan Lambert Memorial Fund and The Rapid Response Fund?

The Megan Lambert Memorial Fund was set up by the Lambert family to honor their daughter, a special education teacher who died in the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School. Anyone can contribute to the Megan Lambert Memorial Fund.

The fund will support causes that reflect Megan's values and interests, including education, mental health, services for children with special needs and Oregon schools. The fund may also support youth volleyball programs in Central Oregon.

The Rapid Response Fund of Oregon Community Foundation supports communities facing urgent needs that require a coordinated response. Following the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, OCF team members in Bend are identifying needs and reaching out to Central Oregon nonprofits that:

• Directly support students, teachers and families affected by the shooting
• Work with people with disabilities
• Offer access to mental health services.

In addition, Central Oregon nonprofits can share funding needs to be considered for support from the Rapid Response Fund via the Oregon Disaster Funders Network.

How are the Megan Lambert Family Fund and Rapid Response Fund different from other fundraisers?

The funds established at Oregon Community Foundation offer a tax-deductible way to support the Bend community while directing charitable dollars to organizations working in areas of greatest need.

The Megan Lambert Family Fund will support causes that reflect Megan’s values and interests.

The OCF Rapid Response Fund will support Bend-area nonprofit organizations, with donations directed where they can have the greatest impact on the community’s recovery and well-being.

OCF has staff who live and work in Central Oregon and understand the community and its nonprofit organizations. This local knowledge helps us direct donations to organizations that are trusted, respected and well positioned to make a difference.

Both funds offer donors a tax-deductible way to contribute to the community’s response. Fundraising from online platforms like GoFundMe may have different tax implications depending on how they are organized and who receives the donations. Donors should consult with professional advisors such as accountants to confirm specifics about the tax implications of their donations.

What fees does OCF charge? 

The fees depend on how you give.

Online credit card donations: OCF uses GoFundMe Pro to securely process online donations to the Rapid Response Fund. A small percentage of each online gift covers the transaction fees GoFundMe charges OCF

Other ways to donate

Gifts by check: Gifts by check: Donors can avoid online transaction fees by mailing a check directly to the fund. Mail to Oregon Community Foundation, 1221 SW Yamhill St. Suite 100, Portland, OR 97205. Include a memo with the fund name. 

Gifts by wire transfer, ACH or stock: Gifts by wire transfer, ACH or stock: OCF does not charge fees to receive these gifts. However, your bank, brokerage firm, or other financial institution may charge wire transfer or stock transfer fees. 

Learn how to make gifts by wire transfer or ACH.

Learn how to make gifts of stock.

Gifts from an existing Donor Advised Fund: Donors can contribute to either the Megan Lambert Memorial Fund or the OCF Rapid Response Fund through their existing Donor Advised Fund without an additional transaction fee. Contact your Donor Relations Officer for assistance.  

Administrative Fees

OCF charges annual administrative fees to holders of Donor Advised Funds, including the Megan Lambert Memorial Fund. These fees support the administration of the fund and are paid by the fund holder, not by people who donate to the fund. They are separate from any transaction fees associated with online credit card donations.

The OCF Rapid Response Fund is not a Donor Advised Fund and is not subject to annual DAF administrative fees.
 
What is Oregon Community Foundation?

Since 1973, Oregon Community Foundation has worked to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. Each year, OCF distributes more than $200 million in grants and scholarships statewide in partnership with donors and volunteers. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds to support causes important to them. To learn more, visit oregoncf.org.