Business Giving

Donations

The Coquille Tribal Community Fund gave a $2,500 grant to Triangle Food Box for delivery truck support and an additional $3,500 for food to supplement food boxes for seniors and children.

The Engineering & Technology Industry Council awarded $156,915 in grants toward Lane County efforts to build highly skilled engineering and technology students in grades kindergarten through 12 and postsecondary education. The grants were given to the University of Oregon Educational Policy Improvement Center and the South Lane School District.

Oregon Community Credit Union employees and KOOL 99.1 FM radio together raised more than $50,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. In addition, the credit union made a donation of $2,500.

Albertsons, in support of National Hunger Awareness Day, made a donation of $15,000 to the FOOD for Lane County food bank.

Farmers Insurance Group has given $400 to SCAR/Jasper Mountain's SAFE Center in support of the birthday party and assistance program run by its agent, Barbara Sullivan.

The Walk With Me Eugene Marathon donated $2,000 to FOOD for Lane County and $2,000 to ShelterCare.

SELCO Community Credit Union donated $250 to The Willamette Animal Guild of Eugene to be used to establish a permanent, affordable spay and neuter clinic serving Lane County.

The Allstate Foundation awarded $500 to the West Emerald Valley Little League to recognize the volunteer efforts of Allstate agent Kimberly Ruhl.

The Oregon Country Fair Endowment Fund gave $9,500 to support youth-oriented nonprofit groups in the fair's home communities of Veneta, Elmira and Fern Ridge. Veneta Elementary School received $2,500; Elmira Elementary School received $2,000; Camp Wilani received $2,300 and the country fair's Culture Jam Scholarships received $1,500.

The Vista Hermosa Foundation, based in Prescott, Wash., gave $50,000 to India Partners, an international,faith-based relief and development agency, located in Eugene, to help build a housing and job training facility for disabled students in India.

Junior League of Eugene gave $12,500 to A Caring Place, a foster family respite center. It also contributed $5,310 for Foster Family Association activities.

Juan Young Trust gave $8,000 to Assistance League of Eugene for its Children's Dental Center project.

The Oregon Community Foundation gave $673,214 to the following nonprofit groups: $20,000 to ARC of Lane County; $30,000 to Child Advocacy Center of Lane County; $41,000 to Community Health Centers of Lane County; $10,000 to Lane County Food Coalition; $10,750 to Lord Leebrick Theatre Co.; $52,500 to Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation; $13,000 to Volunteers in Medicine Clinic; $7,500 to School Garden Project of Lane County; $17,000 to Whiteaker Community Council; $29,050 to Willamette Repertory Theatre.

The Silva Endowment sub-fund of The Arts Foundation of Western Oregon Fund gave $22,000 to Eugene Ballet Co.; $25,896 to Eugene Concert Choir; $24,000 to Eugene Symphony Association; $24,000 to Oregon Bach Festival; $22,896 to Oregon Mozart players; $20,000 to John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts and $24,000 to Willamette Repertory Theatre.

The Nils and Jewel Hult Endowment sub-fund of The Arts Foundation of Western Oregon Fund gave $80,000 to Eugene Symphony Association; $40,000 to Hult Center for the Performing Arts; $54,000 to Oregon Bach Festival; $10,000 to Oregon Mozart Players; $15,000 to John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts.

Springfield-based PacificSource Health Plans gave $44,100 to the following Lane County nonprofit groups through its charitable foundation and the Healthy Communities Giving Program: $12,600 to The Child Center; $10,000 to Volunteers in Medicine Clinic; $7,500 to Prevention and Recovery Northwest; $5,000 to Eugene Hearing and Speech Center; $1,500 to Committed Partners for Youth; $1,500 to the Relief Nursery; $1,250 to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital; $1,500 to the American Heart Association; $1,000 to ARC of Lane County; $750 to SCAR/Jasper Mountain; $500 to the Lane County Senior Companion Program; $500 to the Pearl Buck Center; $250 to Partners to Improve End of Life Care; $250 to the Special Olympics.

Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundationgave $20,000 to ShelterCare to help start a Homelessness Prevention Program for families with children.

First Book Eugene/Springfield, a national nonprofit group that provides books for low-income children, received the following donations: $11,500 from Arlie & Co.; $1,000 from Allison & Thom Mayne Trust; $10,000 from Faye & Lucille Stewart Foundation; $1,000 from J.E. Dunn Northwest; $1,000 from Key Bank; $1,000 from Roaring Rapids Pizza; $1,500 from Umpqua Bank; $2,000 from Borders Group; $2,000 from Crow Farm; Promotional DVD valued at $5,000 from Mike Dilley Producers Studio and duplication of 1,000 DVDs, valued at more than $1,000, from Logic General.

The William Swindells Sr. Memorial Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation gave $50,000 to the Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation's Campaign for RiverBend to install advanced medical technology at the Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.