Best Nonprofit

The Humane Society of Central Oregon is one of the longest-running nonprofits in Central Oregon. Since 1961, it has served local animals and people, providing company as well as thrifted items at its secondhand store, where profits go toward the efforts and operations of the animal shelter.

“We are incredibly honored and humbled to win best of for nonprofit as well as thrift store,” says Lynne Ouchida, community outreach manager. “This community is passionate about all animals; those that we live with as well as those that live within our environment, and we are here to support the needs of the people and the animals in our community.”

With the advent of COVID-19, the human-animal bond came to the forefront, as people have chosen to take advantage of the shelter and adopt animals during the pandemic.

Sabrina Lusser, executive director, says, “We feel that we’re so well supported because of our long-standing history in the community and we try and adapt to whatever’s happening at the time to try and help.”

When the virus first made its appearance, the Humane Society chose not to put its animals into foster homes, but rather, continue making efforts for its adoptions throughout the pandemic. It was able to find homes for all of the animals, despite the little bit of worry around going outside the norm.

“We’re one of the shelters that did not put our animals into foster [when the virus started]; we decided that permanent placement in their forever homes was the ideal, and so we tried it and it worked perfectly,” says Ouchida.