Out of Bend, Bound for Africa

by KIM COOPER FINDLING

FROM BEND LIVING

'Chris Earwicker was never a cheerleader in high school or since, but that’s how she thinks of herself. As the director of Bend nonprofit, The Cause, she raises money to support a number of grassroots organizations (including the mentoring program, After School Buddies in Bend) doing charity work all over the globe. “We partner with individuals—they bring us worthy causes,” she explained. “We evaluate the need and decide what to focus our efforts on.”

Beneficiaries vary from the homeless of Central Oregon to the orphaned children of Uganda. Last October, The Cause, along with photographer Seth Brown, sponsored an event at Summers Flooring and Design, which raised more than $5,000 for the Osanidde Village orphanage school on Busi Island in Lake Victoria, Uganda. That money enabled them to hire seven teachers, said Earwicker. Currently, the school is held entirely outdoors. Earwicker’s goal in 2008 is to raise money to assist with the building of a school with bathrooms, a kitchen and housing for the teachers.

The Cause is a non-denominational Christian-based organization, but Earwicker stressed that their approach is holistic. “We help people in every area,” she said. “We are committed to community transformation, to engaging people, releasing their abilities and passions to the world.”
For more information go to www.thecause.org.'