Friday, April 18, 2025, Umatilla-Morrow Head Start, Inc. (UMHS) hosted the inaugural Breakfast of Champions event honoring four extraordinary leaders with the Heart of a Champion Award whose work has made a lasting impact on bringing awareness to the prevention of child abuse and ensuring efforts that prioritize the health, safety, and welfare of children across Eastern Oregon. April is Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month.
Organized by UMHS Family and Community Engagement Director, Sheila Neal and her team who oversees the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program, Child Care Resource & Referral, and Home Visiting Teams, she remarked, “Bringing everyone together in our communities from our partners, advocates, and supporters like AWS to honor our four inaugural recipients with the UMHS Heart of a Champion Award underscores the tireless work these deserving champions do in putting children first across Eastern Oregon communities.”
The event held in Pendleton recognized four individuals who have gone above and beyond in advocating for policies and programs that center children’s well-being. From health equity to safety initiatives, each honoree has shown unwavering dedication to creating environments and communities where children can thrive.
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Jenni Galloway, Umatilla County CARE Supervisor overseeing a team that serves communities including Hermiston and Pendleton
Lidwinner Machado, Umatilla and Morrow County District Manager of the Oregon Department of Human Services
The Honorable Eva J. Temple who is Judge of the Sixth District Circuit Court
The Honorable Robert W. Collins who is Judge of the Sixth District Circuit Court
Each of the Heart of a Champion Award honoree highlighted the collective impact of community partners working together, including the integral services UMHS provides through its Head Start early childhood program, which plays a critical role in protecting and supporting young lives. A central message of the event was the importance of continuing this important calling to ensure our children’s welfare and protection are our top priorities. Together with today’s honorees, we reaffirm our belief that every child deserves to grow up safe, healthy, and supported.
About UMHS, Inc.
Founded in 1985 and reaching nearly 5,000 children and families with services in eight counties and over 14 locations, Umatilla-Morrow Head Start, Inc. is a trusted nonprofit empowering families and communities. UMHS is dedicated to providing comprehensive early childhood education, nutrition, and family support services to ensure every child and family has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive together in strong, supportive communities across Eastern Oregon.
Core to UMHS services is providing direct critical development in children’s learning and growth with essential wraparound services in children’s whole health, education, and safety for our region’s youngest community members, children ages birth to five through our Early Head Start and Head Start programs, Home Visiting Programs, CASA, and WIC. As conversations around funding and policy continue regarding Early Head Start and Head Start programs, events like the UMHS’ Breakfast of Champions underscores the vital need to continue making children our number one priority and we believe investing in early childhood programs is investing in our future.
For more information or inquiries, marketing@umchs.org
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