BuildUp Oregon

✨MEET OUR PROGRAM OFFICERS: JAMAIQUE REILEY✨

Jamaique is excited to strengthen the community by helping child care providers not only create safe and enriching facilities, but also build their business. She reflects, “I love being able to honor and support the work of these local small business owners.”

As a mother and a long-term early child care professional, she knows first-hand how high-quality early care and education environments can nurture and promote growth in young children. She believes that “all children deserve access to the best early learning experience possible.”

Outside of work, Jamaique is often covered in glitter or paint from working on creative projects with her kids.

FROM BANK TO CHILD CARE CENTER

When Karen Messner, owner of Pequeñitos Child Care, heard that a U.S. Bank property on NE 42nd Ave was up for sale, she saw potential for something entirely new.

Support from BuildUp Oregon's Pre-Development and New Center grants turned this bank into a vibrant child care center. The project included build out of:

⭐ Classrooms for preschoolers
⭐ A kitchen for their meal program
⭐ Bathrooms and wash stations
⭐ Reception area, office, and storage room
⭐ A fenced outdoor area

What makes this space special are the ways it reimagined the property’s history: the bank’s old drive-through is now a bike path and the vault is now a staff break room.

If you’ve been searching for the “perfect” space, it might not look like a child care center yet. With the right vision and support, unexpected spaces can become places where children thrive.

Taking the leap from running a family child care to a child care center can be overwhelming. We’ve created a resource that outlines the six crucial areas to consider when expanding your child care business.

Explore the resource: https://bit.ly/422Jy7D

🌼MEET OUR PROGRAM OFFICERS: DESTINY MAGAÑA-PABLO🌼

Destiny is a proud Portlander. Her passion for BuildUp Oregon’s mission is rooted in her experience growing up as the eldest daughter in an immigrant household and working in early care and education.

“I’m proud to serve working families and young children by advancing policies, services, and infrastructure in Oregon’s early care and education system,” she reflects. ‍

Outside of work, Destiny enjoys gardening, making jewelry, learning embroidery, cooking, and spending quality time with friends and family.

From interest form to grant disbursement—who’s involved at BuildUp Oregon?

At our recent team retreat, we mapped out the full journey a provider takes, from interest to grant monitoring. To bring it to life, we used a simple activity: tossing a ball of yarn from person to person, each representing a different stage of the process.

The activity revealed a web of connection. As providers move through the process, they interact with multiple members of our team, each offering support along the way.

This web reflected to us just how hands-on our approach is. Behind every grant is a team working together to provide technical assistance, answer questions, and help providers move forward with confidence.

We know carrying out a child care project isn’t simple. We are honored to support you throughout the process.

MEET OUR PROGRAM OFFICERS: AUDREY DUFFY

Audrey is a creative problem solver, who thrives on tackling challenges and unlocking new possibilities for partners and providers. She’s been with BuildUp Oregon since its launch in 2023, and her expertise shines through. She enjoys contributing to a program that offers opportunities for providers to better serve their communities.

"While child care is an essential service, it is often underappreciated and overlooked. Funding opportunities like BuildUp Oregon are rare," she reflects. "I'm proud to be involved."

Outside of work, Audrey enjoys traveling, going to the ocean, exploring neighborhoods, snapping photos, or diving into DIY home projects.

Preschool for All Multnomah County is entering its biggest year yet. With over 7,000 free preschool seats available across the county for the 2026-2027 school year, every family (no matter their income) is now eligible to apply for free child care.

WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT AND GET INVOLVED:

✨ Share this news! And encourage families in your community to apply. Deadline is May 14. https://bit.ly/41UTe49

✨ If you want to become a PFA provider, there’s also still time to apply. Deadline is April 28, 2026. https://bit.ly/42wRz4P

What does Preschool for All Multnomah County's impact look like in action?

For providers like Pequeños Exploradores Spanish Immersion Daycare in Northeast Portland this has meant business stability and expansion with a PFA Facilities Fund grant.

For PFA parent Casey Helwig, this has meant being able to afford preschool for both of their children: "It really has been life changing. The daycare preschool bill would have been more than our mortgage."

Learn more about the positive impacts from Preschool for All in KGW8:

New director of Multnomah County's Preschool for All program aims to rebuild public trust Despite continued growth, Preschool for All was undeniably on the rocks last year. The program's new director wants to put it on better footing.

MEET OUR PROGRAM OFFICERS: LAURA ENKIRI

Laura’s commitment to early care and education is deeply rooted in her upbringing. Raised by a teacher and a home-based child care provider, she saw firsthand the impact of high-quality care environments.

“Early childhood is such a critical window for development, yet access to high-quality care is still inequal,” she reflects. “At BuildUp Oregon, I am motivated by the opportunity to help expand access, support educators, and contribute to systems that better serve children and families during these foundational years.”

Based in San Diego, Laura is happiest by the ocean. Her superpowers include making the perfect pan of brownies and making playlists.

Thinking about starting your own at-home child care business? Start here!

The first step is understanding:
✨ What type of program you want to run
✨ How many children you plan to serve
✨ What requirements come with each option

In Oregon, you can take a few different paths. We break it all down in our blog post – access it in comments!