Erik Tobiason named 2021 RBC WM-U.S. Volunteers of the Year
Bend, Oregon Financial Advisor Erik Tobiason has been selected as the 2021 RBC Wealth Management-U.S. Volunteers of the Year.
Making an impact in the fight against poverty
Erik was recognized for his work with the Bend Heroes Foundation and Bend2Baja2Build, two nonprofits he created that focus on helping veterans in Bend and impoverished families in Mexico, respectively.
Erik started the Bend Heroes Foundation nearly 13 years ago with his father, a Purple Heart veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, with the goal of supporting and giving back to local veterans. Over the last few years, Erik led the creation of a transitional community of 15 tiny homes for homeless veterans called the Central Oregon Veterans Village. Erik was involved with every step of the project, including fundraising, meeting with local and state politicians to draft a law making it easier to create emergency shelters, partnering with local youth organizations and recruiting volunteers to build the homes, and more.
Erik Tobiason at the Central Oregon Veterans Village, which he was heavily involved with during 2021, and which now houses homeless veterans in the Bend area.
The village opened to homeless veterans on Veterans Day 2021, and offers the residents access to case management resources through the Central Oregon Veterans Outreach. Read a news article about the village’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Our homeless veterans have terrible living conditions, so being able to give them hope has been amazing,” Erik said. “It was one of the best things I’ve ever done in my entire life.”
Bend2Baja2Build, meanwhile, was created nearly 10 years ago as a project for Erik and his family to travel to Mexico to build houses for families in need. In the years since, the trip has grown larger and involved more volunteers. In 2021, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Erik led a trip to Mexico to build five houses, even involving members of the local community in the project.
Whether he’s helping veterans in Bend or families in Mexico, Erik strives to make a difference in the fight against poverty and homelessness.
These may seem like impossible causes, but if each of us can take the time to do something, we can make the world a better place.
- Erik Tobiason