More March 24, 2014

Windermere Foundation 25th Anniversary Charity Challenge

Last week we announced the start of the Windermere Foundation 25th Anniversary Charity Challenge and we couldn’t be more excited by the results! Almost 19,000 people have voted to help determine which five organizations will each win a $25,000 donation from the Windermere Foundation.

Leading up to the Charity Challenge, we asked Windermere offices to suggest non-profit organizations to compete in the Charity Challenge and received more than 150 nominations! Choosing the finalists was no easy task, but we feel confident that the non-profits we selected most closely align with the Windermere Foundation and its mission to support low-income and homeless families. The following information will help familiarize you with the organizations that are competing in the Charity Challenge. Remember, you can cast one vote every day until the Charity Challenge ends on April 4, 2014.

Windermere Foundation Charity Challenge Finalists:

WESTERN WASHINGTON

Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH)

Since 1989, KITH has helped homeless and at-risk families in East King County, by providing transitional and permanent housing, case management, and support services that are designed to help them move out of homelessness.

 

Hand in Hand

Hand in Hand provides a safe place for children to stay, giving case workers the time needed to find the best-fitting foster home for each child so that they do not have to move from family to family.

 

 

Boys and Girls Club of North Kitsap/South Puget Sound

The Boys & Girls Club provides afterschool and athletics programs to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.

 

YouthCare

For 40 years, YouthCare has helped to build confidence and self-sufficiency for homeless youth in Seattle through programs that provide outreach, basic services, emergency shelter, housing, counseling, education, and employment training.

 

Northwest Harvest (Western Washington)

Northwest Harvest is a hunger relief agency whose mission is to provide nutritious food to hungry people in a manner that respects their dignity, while fighting to eliminate hunger. All funds donated to NW Harvest will go to the three-square backpack program; ensuring children have the food they need throughout the weekend.

 

OREGON & SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON

Corvallis Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis provides afterschool and athletics programs to help school age youth reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.

 

Friends of the Children of Portland

Friends of the Children provide Portland’s most vulnerable children with intensive and long-term mentors. Mentors are full-time, paid professionals that take a preventive, early intervention approach that breaks the cycle of poverty and abuse by helping children in need overcome the many obstacles in their lives.

 

SideWalk of Thurston County

SideWalk is a volunteer operated organization on a mission to end homelessness. Through partnerships with local shelters and transitional housing programs in the area, they help place and screen applicants, with an eye on finding permanent solutions for as many people as possible.

 

Seashore Family Literacy Center

Seashore Family Literacy promotes education, community, health—and life literacy—through numerous programs, including youth and adult tutoring, parenting classes, after-school activities, summer camps, a clothing bank, free meals and more. All programs are free and Seashore operates almost entirely with volunteer efforts.

 

Family YMCA of Marion & Polk Counties

Strengthening community is their cause, with a focus on programs for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.

 

 

EASTERN WASHINGTON, IDAHO, & MONTANA

Family Promise of Greater Helena (Montana)

Family Promise® of Greater Helena provides support and resources to children and their families in a homeless situation until the family can regain sustainable independence. Families have a place to stay, home cooked meals, transportation, and an advocate to help them get back on their feet.

 

St. Vincent DePaul Transitional Housing (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

St. Vincent de Paul’s Transitional Housing Program provides both housing and supportive services to homeless individuals and families. Case managers work with the residents to help them move toward a long-term goal of self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.

 

Family Promise of Spokane

Family Promise works with homeless families to tailor individualized plans to help them take the necessary steps toward lasting independence. Guest families are hosted at congregations in Spokane’s network, where they are provided with meals, hospitality, and overnight accommodations for one week on a rotating basis.

 

Wenatchee Valley YMCA

The Wenatchee Valley YMCA provides programs and services for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children

 

 

Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee Housing Services (Tri-Cities)

BFCAC provides housing services to low-income and homeless families in Benton and Franklin Counties. Most programs are aimed to assist clients with their road to self-sufficiency.

 

CALIFORNIA & HAWAII

Boys and Girls Clubs of Maui (Hawaii)

The Boys & Girls Club of Maui provides afterschool and athletics programs to help school age youth reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.

 

The Boys & Girls Club of El Sobrante (California)

The Boys & Girls Club of El Sobrante provides afterschool and athletics programs to help school age youth reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.

 

The Community Resource Center in Encinitas (California)

CRC is dedicated to helping women and children, individuals, and families live safe, self-sufficient lives by providing critical assistance in the areas of domestic violence services, food programs, and emergency and transitional housing assistance.

 

Riverside School of the Arts (California)

The Riverside School of Arts in the Cesar Chavez Community Center teaches kids music, dancing and art. A combination of grants and partnerships help fund the program, with mostly volunteer instructors and donated materials.

 

ARIZONA, UTAH, & NEVADA

Yavapai Casa for Kids (Arizona)

For over a decade, Yavapai CASA for Kids has helped provide for local children in foster care and support the work of CASA volunteers by offering special projects, activities and funding for the needs of children in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt.

 

South Davis Community Hospital (Salt Lake City, Utah)

This specialty hospital offers expertise in complex pediatric and adult respiratory therapy services.

 

 

YMCA of Southern Nevada

The YMCA of Southern Nevada is committed to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility in Southern Nevada. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.

 

Please vote for your favorite non-profit organizations! And remember, you can vote once a day, every day until the contest closes at 5pm on April 4, 2014.

 

VOTE HERE!

 

(Originally posted on the Windermere Foundation Blog)