Foundation Update – Fall 2025

Building Roots, Expanding Reach, and Inspiring Independence
Since our last update in February, the Blanche Fischer Foundation (BFF) has continued to grow—steadily, purposefully, and with renewed light. What began as a year of rebuilding our internal foundation has blossomed into a season of connection, clarity, and reawakened purpose.

Strengthening the Foundation
This fall marks a defining chapter in BFF’s story—the successful completion of a long-term lease for the Foundation’s Cedar Creek Quarry property. This milestone secures not only a stable and sustainable source of revenue for years to come but also a deeper sense of rootedness—an anchor from which new branches of service can grow.

We’ve also reimagined and relaunched our Individual Giving Program, ensuring that Oregonians with permanent physical disabilities can access direct support with ease and dignity. With clear eligibility criteria, accessible applications, and simple instructions, the process now reflects our belief that help should be as empowering as the people who seek it.

BFF was also proud to sponsor a statewide Limb Loss Awareness event, a reflection of our ongoing commitment to visibility, connection, and community within Oregon’s diverse disability network.

Reestablishing Our Place in Oregon’s Disability Fabric
The latter half of 2025 has been about rekindling relationships and rediscovering our place within Oregon’s statewide and national disability fabric. Like threads rejoining a larger tapestry, BFF has reconnected with Oregon’s Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and reengaged with national partners through APRIL (the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living), an organization that champions disability access and inclusion across the country.

Closer to home, we’ve renewed connections with leaders from the Disability Awareness Resource Team (DART), Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection, and Independent Living Resources, and joyfully reestablished ties with Kirt Toombs, Executive Director of the Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living (EOCIL) and a former BFF board member. These partnerships strengthen the living network of our mission—where listening leads to understanding, and understanding leads to change.

Through these conversations, we’ve also heard growing concerns from small nonprofits whose voices are at risk of being silenced by shifts in state and federal funding priorities. The Foundation is now exploring how to help these organizations build sustainable capacity—so their impact can continue to shine brightly in communities across Oregon.

Looking Ahead
With our roots deepening and our reach expanding, BFF now turns its gaze toward the horizon. In 2026, we will launch the Independence Fund for Oregonians—a bold, visionary effort to grow our endowment to $10 million by 2030. This fund will ensure that Blanche Fischer’s legacy of independence and inclusion continues to thrive, empowering generations to come.

​“This year has been about listening, rebuilding trust, and showing up across Oregon to better understand the evolving needs of people with permanent physical disabilities. From reconnecting with partners like ILR, DART, EOCIL, and the Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection to hearing how funding shifts are impacting small nonprofits, the Foundation is rediscovering its purpose through the people we serve.

As we prepare to launch the Independence Fund for Oregonians, my hope is that we continue to grow not just in resources, but in relationships and compassion—building a future where every Oregonian has the support to live with dignity, access, and independence.”
— Kelsey Heinonen, Board President

​As 2025 draws to a close, our hearts are filled with gratitude—for our board, partners, and every individual who believes in this mission. Together, we’re not only strengthening a foundation; we’re cultivating a movement of empowerment, access, and opportunity for every Oregonian with a permanent physical disability.

Each November 7th, we pause to celebrate our founder, Blanche Fischer, whose vision still blooms within every act of independence and inclusion we support. This year, we are honoring her with yellow silk roses at her place of rest—a gesture of gratitude and remembrance for the optimism and grace that continue to light BFF’s path.

Stay Connected
Follow the Blanche Fischer Foundation on Facebook and Instagram for updates, stories, and announcements as we prepare to launch the Independence Fund for Oregonians in 2026.