The public is invited to come and make a difference at KIDS Center’s Healing Hearts event, Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at the Riverhouse Convention Center. Paired with a free lunch, this short program offers an inspiring look at how children and families are served by KIDS Center, the community-built Children’s Advocacy Center serving six counties in Central Oregon. At Healing Hearts, guests can help support healing for local families. Guests also learn how to raise awareness and better protect the children in their lives.
To reserve a seat at Healing Hearts—or make a donation—visit https://www.kidscenter.org.
Now in its 17th year, Healing Hearts is held every April to align with Child Abuse Prevention Month. Healing Hearts is a key fundraiser for KIDS Center, drawing 500-600 community members and raising $200k to support critical services for children and families impacted by abuse. Thanks to our sponsors, every dollar raised at Healing Hearts
helps fund no-cost child abuse evaluations, family advocacy, and therapy for hundreds of local children and families each year.
John Carroll, Chief Meterologist for NewsChannel 21 will provide the welcome to this year’s program, which will focus on KIDS Center's medical evaluation team. Four highly-trained medical examiners will share how they promote healing for young victims and support the work of child abuse investigators. The medical evaluation team
is highly skilled and brings more than 45 years of combined experience. Through their work, the team plays a critical role in advancing justice for children who have experienced abuse.
This year’s Healing Hearts will encourage every adult present to help end abuse by getting trained in child safety. Rachel Visser, KIDS Center’s Prevention Education Manager, will highlight free trainings offered by KIDS Center. These trainings are offered throughout Central Oregon.
“More than 17,000 adults have taken a child safety training from KIDS Center, but the goal is to train every adult how to spot and prevent abuse,” Says Visser.
This year’s Healing Hearts is presented by Brooks Resources, Steele Associates Architects, and Tennant Developments and supported by media sponsor NewsChannel 21 and venue sponsor Riverhouse on the Deschutes.
