Windermere has always put our communities first, and after a year like 2020, more families and charity organizations are in need of support than ever before. Every year, ten Eastside Windermere offices join together to distribute funds from the Windermere Foundation to assist local families and organizations in need. In 2020, the Eastside Windermere Foundation was able to donate $265,000 to 26 local charitable organizations.
Funds for the Windermere Foundation come from a portion of the proceeds of every home sale a Windermere broker completes, as well as additional donations raised by brokers and employees. Read on below to find out more about each of the organizations the Eastside Windermere Foundation helped support this year.
This nonprofit seeks to provide shelter, safety and an opportunity for women to break out of cycles of poverty and abuse. Not only does Acres of Diamonds provide women and their children a safe place to stay, it also provides counseling services to help children heal from trauma and help their mothers rewrite their own stories.
A donation of $35 provides a night of safety for a mother and her children. With the Windermere Foundation’s grant, Acres of Diamonds can continue to provide support for women seeking transitional housing, overcoming substance abuse and rebuilding their lives.
Learn more at: https://www.acresofdiamonds.org/
The Assistance League of the Eastside is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that puts caring and commitment into action. Their community-based, philanthropic programs make a positive difference in the lives of children and adults touched by hardship or violence.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help support some the Assistance League’s programs, such as Operation School Bell, which provides new school clothes to students in need.
Learn more at: https://www.aleastside.org/
Since 1989, Attain Housing has provided transitional housing, case management, and support services to help families with children move forward from homelessness to stability. This organization focuses on providing families in need with rental assistance and transitional housing, as well as practical case management.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help Attain Housing provide stable housing for families, support community supper services and offer hope to those in need.
Learn more at: https://www.attainhousing.org/
Many students depend on free or reduced meals through their schools to avoid going hungry during the week. Backpack Meals for Kids is a completely volunteer-run organization that provides free, easy-to-make meals each Friday, so kids have food to eat over the weekend. The organization also provides free backpacks to children who need them when they join the program.
With the Windermere Foundation’s grant, Backpack Meals for Kids can continue to feed students in need, particularly by providing free meals at local community centers while kids are out of school during the pandemic.
Learn more at: https://backpackmeals.org/
Bellevue LifeSpring aims to support students in all aspects of their lives. Their mission is to foster stability and self-sufficiency for Bellevue’s children and their families through programs that provide food, clothing, education and emergency assistance.
By addressing a child’s basic needs, Bellevue LifeSpring helps students focus on their education and break the cycle of poverty. The Windermere Foundation’s grant will go toward supporting services like Breaktime-Mealtime, Clothes-4-Kids, Thrift Culture, Grads on Track and Emergency Assistance.
Learn more at: https://www.bellevuelifespring.org/
This organization runs-after school, sports and recreational programs for kids and teens. The Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue can be found throughout the city providing positive, safe places where local youth can have fun, make friends and learn. Their goal is to inspire and enable young people, especially those who need it most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
This grant will support Project Learn, Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue’s after school and summer camp programs at three low-income housing Clubhouses.
Learn more: http://www.bgcbellevue.org/
Since 2012, BEST has strived to prevent and report instances of human trafficking. The organization provides awareness, consultation, and training to employers and businesses in a variety of sectors, including hospitality, information technology, oil and gas and tourism.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will hep support BEST’s continued efforts in eradicating this issue, including continuing programs to help raise awareness among employees and businesses, providing training on how to spot and address instances of human trafficking and placing survivors into safe jobs.
Learn more at: https://www.bestalliance.org/
Eastside Academy is a nonprofit, alternative high school, with a mission of inspiring change in the lives of at-risk youth through high school education, counseling, recovery, housing and life skills programs in a supportive environment. This academy takes into account the unique struggles of at-risk students, and provides them the support they need to get into recovery, find stability and ultimately succeed in their lives.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help the school continue operations, particularly as they’ve recently welcomed students back to campus with extensive safety regulations due to COVID-19.
Learn more at: http://www.eastsideacademy.org/
Eastside Baby Corner is a nonprofit that helps children have what they need to grow, play, learn and thrive. They do this by providing essential care, safety and health goods for children who are living in poverty or experiencing homelessness or family disruption. From birth through age 12, children can receive shoes, diapers, formula, blankets, coats and more from Eastside Baby Corner. The organization also provides for expectant and post-partum mothers, supplying maternity wear, personal care goods and mother-infant support items.
With the Windermere Foundation’s support, Eastside Baby Corner will be able to continue donating much-needed items to children and new mothers in need.
Learn more at: https://babycorner.org/
Farms for Life is a Seattle-area nonprofit working to support local farmers, reduce on-farm waste and increase access to healthy produce for underserved communities. The organization aims to reduce barriers to healthy food by purchasing surplus produce directly from small local farmers. The surplus produce provides increased financial security for local farmers and reduces on-farm food waste, and the produce is then donated to local community agencies to be distributed to clients in need of access to fresh food.
The Windermere Foundation’s support will help Farms for Life continue operations during the pandemic, and continue serving those in need.
Learn more at: https://www.farmsforlife.org/
Financial Beginnings is a nonprofit that teaches individuals how to play an active role in their financial well-being. Developing this knowledge increases available life opportunities such as homeownership, higher education and secure retirement.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help support financial literacy programs for youth and young adults, to help them see finances as a tool to achieve their dreams.
Learn more at: https://www.financialbeginnings.org/
Since 1951, Friends of Youth has been helping young people in challenging circumstances get their lives back on track. The organization operates the only overnight youth shelters on the Eastside, and offers youth development initiatives, in-home family support for young parents, parent education, youth and family counseling, substance abuse counseling, therapeutic foster care, residential treatment and transitional housing for homeless young people and teen mothers.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help this nonprofit continue their expansive services that have impacted over 6,500 children and their families.
Learn more at: https://www.friendsofyouth.org/default.aspx
This nonprofit organization is working to end poverty in their community. Each year, Hopelink helps more than 64,000 people through programs that provide stability and the skills and knowledge needed to exit poverty.
The Windermere Foundation’s support will help Hopelink continue to offer services including food assistance, housing, employment services, transportation, energy assistance, financial assistance, adult education and more.
Learn more at: https://www.hopelink.org/
Imagine Housing is a nonprofit dedicated to developing affordable housing, building welcoming communities and fostering vibrant futures. The nonprofit has developed permanent affordable rental homes in East King County. Their apartments provide individuals and families a place to live near their jobs, good schools, transportation and health services.
With the Windermere Foundation’s grant, Imagine Housing will continue to support their local community with resources for employment, healthcare, education, substance abuse or mental health counseling, legal assistance and help with basic needs such as food and clothing.
Learn more at: https://imaginehousing.org/
Issaquah Community Services is a nonprofit dedicated to keeping families in their own homes. The organization helps pay rent and utilities for residents of the Issaquah School District who find themselves in a financial emergency. This assistance has prevented many families and individuals from becoming homeless.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help ICS continue to assist families in need, especially as the pandemic has put many families in a more vulnerable situation.
Learn more at: https://www.issaquahcommunityservices.org/
The Issaquah Schools Foundation, in partnership with the Issaquah School District, provides resources to help all students achieve the promise of their potential. The organization is dedicated to providing exceptional opportunities district-wide that ignite learning, improve educational outcomes and prepare all students to be confident, competent and engaged citizens.
With support from the Windermere Foundation, the Issaquah Schools Foundation can continue to provide academic support, college and career readiness programs, professional development for teachers, basic needs for students including food and emotional support, and more.
Learn more at: https://isfdn.org/
The Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank is committed to providing quality food, clothing and other items to those in need. The organization has a special emphasis on healthy foods and works hard to get fresh, local produce into the homes of their customers.
The Windermere Foundation’s support will help families continue to receive fresh, healthy foods from the Food Bank.
Learn more at: https://www.issaquahfoodbank.org/
Kindering is a nonprofit that embraces children of diverse abilities and their families by providing the finest education and therapies to nurture hope, courage, and the skills to soar. The organization focuses on losing the gap between children of different abilities as they prepare for school.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will support Kindering’s mission by providing funding for pediatric therapies and supports, early learning and school readiness, family education and support and virtual services.
Learn more at: https://kindering.org/
LifeWire is a nonprofit on a mission to end domestic violence and create a world where every person lives in a safe environment, free from oppression and with the opportunity to thrive. LifeWire helps those who have been impacted by domestic violence to build safer, healthier homes by offering support, resources, and professional services including survivor advocacy, mental health therapy, legal advocacy, shelter and housing.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will support LifeWire’s mission by helping to fund programs that support survivors, paths to safer housing for those in need and education to help young adults form healthy relationships.
Learn more at: https://www.lifewire.org
Mamma’s Hands is a nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk families, particularly women and children, find stable housing and break away from patterns of abuse. The organization also provides safe housing and recovery services through their House of Hope, where women and children can access aftercare and begin the transition to a stable living situation.
With the Windermere Foundation’s grant, Mamma’s Hands will continue to offer support through their Phone Home program and the House of Hope.
Learn more here: https://mammashands.org/
Pantry Packs is a nonprofit that aims to make sure no student goes hungry over the weekend. In partnership with Lake Washington Schools Foundation, Pantry Packs preps and delivers snacks and meals to students at over 43 schools in the Lake Washington School District to ensure no one goes hungry when they’re not at school.
With the Windermere Foundation’s grant, Pantry Packs can continue to supply students with much-needed snacks and supplies, even while schools are closed during the pandemic.
Learn more at: https://www.lwsf.org/pantrypacks.html
This crucial nonprofit seeks to intervene in the lives of children in the foster care system through camps and mentoring programs in order to improve life outcomes and to transform communities. Through RFK, foster children can break out of cycles of abuse and neglect, and experience a lifechanging program through Royal Family Kids Camp.
With the Windermere Foundation’s support, RFK will continue to change lives through their weeklong summer camp for kids, and continue offering supportive mentoring services for children in foster care.
Learn more at: https://rfk.org/
The Ruby Room F-Factor is a nonprofit that strives to build self-confidence in at-risk children and youth. The organization utilizes fashion as a tool to build confidence and promote inclusion among foster children, homeless youth and teens in financial need.
The Windermere Foundation’s support will help to continue two signature programs, Fashion Workshops and the Ruby Room dress program.
Learn more at: https://www.f-factor.org/home
Snoqualmie Valley Shelter Services’ mission is to help people reclaim their lives. This nonprofit provides life-changing services to those experiencing homelessness by working with their communities to provide emergency shelter, social services, and connections to permanent housing.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will go towards supporting the work of the Snoqualmie Valley Winter Shelter and the Resource Center.
Learn more at: http://www.svshelterservices.org/
Treehouse is a local nonprofit dedicated to closing the achievement gap between youth in foster care and their peers. By providing students with the academic and other essential support that all kids need to succeed, they can become more self-determined and invested in their education.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help Treehouse provide children with essentials like clothing, school supplies, and extracurricular activities, while also helping them prepare for the transition to adulthood.
Learn more at: https://www.treehouseforkids.org/
Youth Eastside Services is a comprehensive nonprofit that provides mental health counseling, substance use with co-occurring disorder counseling and treatment, early childhood behavioral health services, psychiatric services, school-based services and education and prevention programs for children and youth, ages birth to 22, and their families in East King County, regardless of the ability to pay for services.
The Windermere Foundation’s grant will help YES continue their multitude of services for those who need them.
Learn more at: https://www.youtheastsideservices.org/
