The Children’s Museum Found Their Spot in Josephine County!

On Monday, September 16, Buffy Pollock of RV Times reported on Dutch Bros‘ largest donation in the company’s history – their headquarters building to the Children’s Museum, who has been looking to expand services to Josephine County over the past year. With only 24% of children having access to early learning programs in the region, this expansion to Josephine County will help meet a huge need.

“The building, valued at $2.7 million, will provide a means for the Oregon Center for Creative Learning, which operates the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon and an extensive preschool program in Jackson County, to expand into Josephine County.”

Hillary Brown, Dutch Bros head of philanthropy, noted “Southern Oregon is a resource desert, and Josephine County in particular has a tremendous need. Finding good preschool programs with space, and finding good opportunities for families, is so difficult here. … This was a way for us to support the community in a really meaningful way.”

The Children’s Museum originated in the 1990s as “Kids Time” and then evolved into what it is today, located on Main St in the former and historical Carnegie Library, thanks to the help of the City of Medford. At the helm is Sunny Spicer who began in 2002 and has brought the organization into the impact it has today. With expansions planned in Medford and now into Josephine County, Spicer continues to promoted the vision for early learning access to the children of Rogue Valley. It offers a preschool program on-site and in satellite locations, The Ivy School, along with an experiential experience museum for children of all ages.

SOREDI’s Board of Directors toured the facility last year to learn about and experience the great things happening at the Children’s Museum. There Sunny spoke of their plan to expand into Josephine County and hoped to find a location soon. Way to go, Dutch Bros!

To read the full article,

Dutch Bros donates HQ for childrens’ museum, preschool | Local&State | rv-times.com