The Charities

The Center Foundation has cared for the physical and mental health and safety of young athletes in Central Oregon since the year 2000. Our nonprofit organization works to increase awareness about the importance of concussion testing and the devastating effects of Second Impact Syndrome; educate parents, coaches, athletes, and the public about the signs and symptoms of a concussion; implement concussion awareness and injury management in Central Oregon schools; and return athletes to competition only if and when it is safe to do so.

Through our Sports Medicine Program, we hire and place certified athletic trainers in eight area high schools. Each year, our athletic trainers care for more than 7000 high school athletes, cover more than 1600 high school athletic events, treat 1500 injuries, and manage 300 concussions. We deliver on-site medical care for injury prevention and rehabilitation in local high schools five days a week.

Through our Train Your Brain program, we reach nearly 2000 third graders every year and teach the importance of helmet safety and protecting our brains. Thanks to our community partners, we also distribute 1000 free helmets annually through this program.

Finally, protecting young athletes from the long and short-term effects of a concussion begin long before they have one. We have conducted over 15,000 ImPACT baseline tests and have treated more than 2000 concussions since 2000. We have established the gold standard of concussion protocols in the schools that we serve. These protocols involve concussion recognition and education, and baseline and post-injury neurocognitive testing. In order to ensure that no aspect of a student’s recovery is ignored, our protocols include both return to play and return to learn criteria.

To learn more about The Center Foundation and our programs and services or to donate to our organization, visit www.centerfoundation.org