An Evening That Could Change a Child's Life: Sustainers Happy Hour, March 11
Family Building Blocks is my favorite local nonprofit — and on March 11th, they're hosting a free evening at the Salem Convention Center with wine, appetizers, and stories from local families that will remind you why community matters. Here's why you should be there.
Salem Keizer Living · Local Events · Community · March 2026
There are a lot of events on the calendar this March. Most of them are a good time. This one is something more than that.
On Wednesday, March 11th, Family Building Blocks is hosting the Sustainers Happy Hour at the Salem Convention Center — a free community evening with wine, appetizers, and stories from local families that will remind you exactly why community organizations like this one matter. More than 650 people are expected. Admission is free. And the impact of showing up is very real.
I've been involved with Family Building Blocks for a while now, and I can tell you honestly: this is my favorite local nonprofit in Salem. Not because it has the flashiest events or the biggest marketing budget — but because of what it quietly, consistently does for the most vulnerable children in our community. I wrote about their Gala of Trees last year, and I'm just as glad to share this one. Come hear the stories and see for yourself.
📋 Event Details
What: Sustainers Happy Hour — a free community celebration of Family Building Blocks' mission
When: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | Doors open 5:00 PM · Program begins 5:45 PM
Where: Salem Convention Center, 200 Commercial St SE, Salem, OR
Admission: Free
What's included: Wine, appetizers, inspiring family stories, and information on monthly giving and volunteerism
RSVP: Reserve your seat here — it's free
What Is the Sustainers Happy Hour?
The Sustainers Happy Hour is Family Building Blocks' signature community event — an evening designed not as a gala or a fundraising dinner, but as an genuine gathering. There's no ticket price, no auction, no pressure. Just over 650 community members coming together at the Salem Convention Center to share a glass of wine, enjoy appetizers, and hear directly from local families whose lives have been touched by FBB's work.
The centerpiece of the evening is the program, which begins at 5:45 PM and features real stories from real Salem-area families. These aren't polished testimonials written by a marketing team — they're personal accounts of what it looks like when a family in crisis gets the right support at the right time. In past years, guests have described the stories as the most powerful part of the evening. It's hard to leave unmoved.
The event also introduces guests to the concept of becoming a Stepping Stone Sustainer — a monthly donor who helps ensure that FBB can serve families year-round, not just when a big donation comes in. Monthly giving is the backbone of sustainable nonprofit work, and this evening is designed to make that case in the most human way possible: by showing you exactly who your support reaches.
Seating note While the event is free, seating at a 650-person event fills up. Reserve your seat in advance to guarantee your spot — don't assume you can just walk in the night of.
Who Is Family Building Blocks?
If you've lived in Salem or Keizer for any length of time, you may have heard the name. But a lot of people don't fully understand what Family Building Blocks actually does — and when they find out, it tends to stick with them.
Family Building Blocks is the Relief Nursery serving Marion and Polk counties. Their mission — "Keeping Children Safe and Families Together" — is simple on the surface and profound in practice. They work to prevent child abuse and neglect by partnering with families with children from prenatal to age five who face the greatest need for support. Every service they provide is free of charge, trauma-informed, and designed to meet each family where they are — culturally, linguistically, and practically.
They are, as they put it themselves, the only organization of their kind in this community. There is no other local organization providing this level of intensive, specialized prevention services at no cost to the families who need them most. That's not a marketing claim. It's a gap they're filling that would otherwise go unfilled.
The Numbers Behind the Mission
It's one thing to describe what an organization does. It's another to look at the numbers behind the work. Here's what Family Building Blocks accomplished in 2024:
1,500+ Children served800+ Families served99% Children remaining safely with their families400+ Community volunteers
That 99% figure is worth pausing on. Historically, 99% of children enrolled in FBB's prevention programs remain living safely with their family — avoiding foster care, avoiding the devastating cycle of abuse and neglect. That outcome doesn't happen by accident. It happens because of intensive, consistent, voluntary support that meets families with dignity rather than judgment.
The families FBB serves face real, compounding challenges. According to their most recent data, 87% are at or below the poverty level, 69% identify as Latino or Hispanic, 41% include an unemployed parent, and 28% are single-parent households. These are families doing their best in genuinely hard circumstances — and FBB shows up for them.
"Family Building Blocks helped me with feelings of isolation and gave me confidence in my parenting." — Jeannie, FBB family
"I was a single mom and I wasn't ready or prepared. Family Building Blocks was my biggest supporter after my baby was born." — Ariana, FBB family
"I am constantly judged about my parenting by my appearance. Family Building Blocks didn't judge me and I was able to trust them." — Pedro, FBB family
These voices are why the Sustainers Happy Hour exists — and why hearing them in person, in a room full of community members who care, is a different experience than reading them on a screen.
What Happens at the Event
The evening is relaxed and welcoming by design. Doors open at 5:00 PM, giving you time to arrive, find a seat, pour a glass of wine, and connect with other community members before the program begins at 5:45 PM. The Salem Convention Center at 200 Commercial St SE is an easy downtown location with parking accessible nearby.
The program itself features family stories, an introduction to the Stepping Stone Sustainers monthly giving program, and information on volunteer opportunities. There's no high-pressure ask, no auctioneer, no uncomfortable moment where you feel like you walked into a trap. FBB has built this event around genuine connection — and it shows in the way the evening feels from start to finish.
If you've never attended before, bring a friend. It's a much better first experience shared with someone, and it naturally creates the kind of conversation afterward that tends to turn into action.
How to Get Involved Beyond the Event
Attending the Sustainers Happy Hour is a great first step. But for those who want to do more, Family Building Blocks offers several meaningful ways to stay involved:
💚 Monthly Giving Become a Stepping Stone Sustainer. Even a small recurring gift has an outsized impact when it's consistent and reliable.🙌 Volunteer Join 400+ community volunteers in roles ranging from classroom assistant to special events support. Tours are held the third Wednesday of each month.📦 Wish List FBB maintains an Amazon Wish List of specific items families and classrooms need. It's a simple, tangible way to contribute.🤝 Sponsor Businesses can support FBB events through sponsorship opportunities that put your brand alongside one of Salem's most respected nonprofits.
For those interested in volunteering, the first step is attending one of FBB's monthly "Sharing the Dream" community tours — held the third Wednesday of each month at Chelsea's Place (2425 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem) from 11:00 AM to noon. It's worth your hour. Learn more and sign up on their volunteer page.
Why This Matters to Me — And Why I Think It Should Matter to You
I got involved with Family Building Blocks because I believe that the strength of a community is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members. Salem and Keizer are places I'm proud to call home — not just because of the great neighborhoods, the local businesses, or the natural beauty of the Mid-Willamette Valley, but because of the people here who show up for each other.
FBB is one of the most concrete expressions of that I've seen. The staff is exceptional, the model works — that 99% figure doesn't lie — and the community support is what makes it all possible. When 650 people show up on a Tuesday evening to hear family stories and learn how they can help, that's Salem at its best.
If you're new to the area and still figuring out where you fit in this community, attending an event like this is one of the fastest ways to feel genuinely connected. And if you've been here for years and have been meaning to get more involved — this is an easy, zero-pressure way to start. You might be surprised at what you hear. I've never left one of these events without feeling like I live in a place worth caring about.
Full disclosure: I serve on the Board of Directors for Family Building Blocks. I'm sharing this event because I believe deeply in the work this organization does — and because I think once you hear what they're doing for children and families right here in Marion and Polk counties, you will too.
Join Us on March 11th
Free admission. Wine and appetizers. Stories that will stay with you.
Doors open at 5:00 PM · Program at 5:45 PM · Salem Convention Center
Can't make it to the event but still want to support the work? You can donate directly to Family Building Blocks or explore volunteer opportunities on their website. Every bit matters.
And if you're exploring what it means to put down roots in Salem and Keizer — to really become part of the community here — take a look at our guide to the best neighborhoods in Salem and Keizer. Organizations like Family Building Blocks are a big part of what makes this place worth choosing.
Thinking About Making Salem or Keizer Home?
The people and organizations in this community are part of what makes it special. Salem Keizer Living is powered by Sparks Property Group — your local real estate team. Whether you're curious about the market or ready to make a move, we'd love to help you find your place here.