Partners in Giving

Make the greatest impact by donating to the United Good Neighbors General Fund! Our team of community experts will ensure your gift fills gaps in basic human needs and crisis prevention for those who need it most in Jefferson County.

Jefferson Community Foundation seeks funding to launch the new Jefferson County Housing Solutions Network. Your donation will fuel efforts to: support local housing projects with the resources, ideas and relationships needed for success; identify and share housing solutions that are working in other rural communities; and develop network-wide strategies for addressing recurring obstacles to housing projects in Jefferson County.

United Good Neighbors/Critical Needs

Support innovative after-school programs for under-served youth in Brinnon and Quilcene. Programs are designed to foster positive youth development, skill building, and community engagement. Activities include physical education, experiential learning projects, healthy snacks, community service, and group-building activities. Physical education consists of non-competitive activities that promote social-emotional growth. Experiential learning projects are student driven, use 4-H curriculum and focus on science, healthy living, and citizenship. Programs are free of cost to all students. Since 1902, 4-H has worked to empower youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. (Brinnon & Quilcene)

Ensure that in-need children from Salish Coast Elementary and Blue Heron Middle Schools have healthy kid-friendly food during the weekends from Oct. through June. The food not only nourishes low income children, but helps relieve the stress that comes with hunger. Each child takes home a full backpack of food every Thursday packed by volunteer members of the Kiwanis of PT, the Elks, and various other community members. The identification of the students is managed by the school counselors in confidence.(Port Townsend)

Sponsor young adults with disabilities to attend a three-day camp with an educational/life skill focus such as cooking, photography, gardening, career exploration and literacy. Students with disabilities lose their federal entitlement to special education when they turn 21 and are thrown into an underfunded and uncoordinated system in which few services are available. Camp Beausite has a new program to provide educational, social and therapeutic services to help bridge this gap and assist students in successfully transitioning into the "real world." Eight, three-day camps will be held with 15-20 participants for young adults aged 18-30 diagnosed with various disabilities.(All County)

Ensure that in-need children from Chimacum Schools have healthy, kid-friendly food throughout the year. In a community where over 60% of the students qualify for a free or reduced lunch program, Chimacum Backpacks for Kids provides kid-friendly, shelf-stable bags of weekend meals to support children who are most at risk for weekend hunger. More than 80 students per week are served during the school year. The new Summer Bag program will cover the time when the school safety net of breakfast and lunch is not available.(Chimacum)

Safeguard the legal rights of low income residents with free, high quality legal assistance. The Clallam-Jefferson County Pro Bono Lawyers helps people facing complex legal issues such as loss of housing or health care, foreclosure, collections, custody issues, domestic violence or sexual assault among others. In addition, the organization builds awareness of legal aid services and advocates for clients to receive timely legal service that is on par with services provided to people who can afford to pay for an attorney. CJCPBL partners with Dove House, Healthy Families, First Step, Jumping Mouse, Olympic Medical Center, Clallam County Prosecutors Office, OlyCap, Olympic Area on Aging, Habitat for Humanity, Peninsula Housing Authority, Forks Human Rights Group, Veterans Groups, Food Banks, the local tribes, Lutheran Community Services, social workers, and other social service providers like DSHS. (All county)

Provide high quality educational, experiential learning to local high school youth in boat building, voyaging, marine science and soft skills for the workplace. Programs are free, accredited, open to all teens and includes a high level of youth-adult mentor relationship building. The shop in Port Hadlock offers a safe gathering space, education center and community hall. The Community Boat Project began as a partnership with Jefferson County 4-H with the intention of helping youth create connections to the real world with a special focus on the maritime trades and the restoration and stewardship of Puget Sound.(East Jefferson)

Support the planting of school gardens at the Chimacum schools so children can grow life-long habits of good nutrition. The K-8 garden program will teach students about nutrition, healthy food choices, and food systems, while encouraging openness to new foods and providing a wonderful living laboratory for developing academic & life skills. Funds will help build the garden infrastructure and fund a Garden Coordinator. (Chimacum)

Provide screenings for children from birth to 3 years of age for developmental delays and provide interventions to ensure fewer children require special education services when they reach school age. Children who qualify receive services they need in their homes from teachers, occupational/physical therapists and speech therapists. The brain is strengthened by positive early experiences, involving stable relationships with caring and responsive adults, safe and supportive environments and appropriate nutrition. These interventions provide the foundation necessary across all developmental domains in health, cognitive and language/communication skills. (West County)

Our Shelter is a place where healing begins. Wrap-around services for the whole family provide safety planning, 100% of basic needs, childcare, transportation, housing advocacy, and connections to community resources. Each guest is matched with an advocate who provides individualized emotional and practical support. The house shelters 5-6 families (and approved pets) year-round, 24 hours-a-day. We promote community, positive relationships, problem solving, skills building, and planning for long-term health and stability. (All County)

Ensure that the elderly, disabled and limited income residents in Jefferson County are able to get to their medical and other essential appointments in an efficient, timely and accurate manner. Last year ECHHO volunteers provided 1235 free rides and ride requests continue to increase. Donations will enable the hiring of a full-time dispatcher/volunteer coordinator that also maintains the complex database that makes it possible. (All County)

Give foster children the opportunity to have new shoes twice a year through the Kicks for Kids program. Young people who are removed from their families often don't have adequate shoes. Shoe shopping at the Quimper Mercantile provides a normal, everyday experience for children, eases the financial burdens for the foster family and supports a community-owned retailer. Jefferson County has 30 foster kids living in six homes. This is a small start to reach our larger goal of cultivating new foster families to ensure that all Jefferson County kids can stay in their community of support. (All County)

Help repair five South Jefferson County homes for low-income, senior and disabled residents. The repairs correct critical health and safety issues, extend the life of the home by at least five years and allow the residents to remain safely in their homes. The work performed by volunteers and contractors for electrical and other highly skilled work includes replacing roofs, upgrading outdated and dangerous electrical systems, installing energy-efficient heating systems, repairing foundations and replacing rotted siding. (Brinnon and Quilcene)

Provide health care and guidance to those who face barriers due to mental health problems, inability to navigate health care systems, fear of medical providers and financial barriers. JC Mash operates a clinic on Tuesday evenings offering foot care from a nurse, acupuncture by a licensed practitioner and medical care and counseling from a doctor. (All County)

Grow the Jefferson County Farmers Market Association (JCFM) food assistance programs--Gimme5, Fresh Bucks and VegRx, which foster greater community health and food security for Jefferson County residents with low incomes. Donations ensure the increase of food assistance to match growing demand, the provision of cooking demonstrations at farmers markets and access to a four-week cooking series focused on using bulk staple foods and local produce, cooking for a family and making multiple meals in one cooking session. (All County)

Ensure that immigrants in Jefferson County know their rights and are able to assess options, connect with legal help. Programs and services will include a hotline, offering the Know Your Rights program in South County, offering community education programs about immigration issues, activating the Rapid Response Team when necessary and training and mentoring of Accredited Representatives. (All county)

Ensure single adult homeless women and men have a temporary place to sleep and obtain meals, showers, clean clothing, hygiene items and social services all year. Volunteers shop, prepare meals, cook, serve meals and monitor the shelter overnight. They include nurses, teachers, social workers, pastors, construction workers, formerly homeless individuals and ordinary citizens who also help with guidance on applying for employment, seeking other income sources and searching for permanent housing. Priority is given for military veterans, seniors and persons with disabilities. (East Jefferson)

Support pilot projects to address the social causes of poor health. These programs will provide healthy food to hungry patients, offer transitional housing for medically complex homeless patients, and decrease social isolation by developing a fund for an inter-generational senior daytime health and child care program. Funds will also be used to support the Community Health Improvement Plan. CHIP promotes healthy eating, active living, chronic disease management, mental health services and chemical dependency, access to care, and immunizations through community committees, collaborations, and actions. (East Jefferson)

Provide a safe, structured environment for teens every day after school. The Center offers a quiet place to do homework with the help of professional staff and volunteers, as well as play games, use computers and do arts and crafts. Special events include movie nights, snacks, excursions and concerts. Programming also includes visits by staff from the Community Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center and the Jefferson County Health Department. Close contact is maintained with Chimacum School District by drop-in visits from counselors and staff. We are a 4-H program and can therefore provide our kids with access to the benefits and programs of the local 4-H organization. (Chimacum, Port Hadlock)

Promote the self-confidence of low-income women as they work toward personal goals by interviewing for jobs and applying to schools. Funds will be used to purchase undergarments, leggings, socks and camisoles. New Image generally provides donated clothing and accessories but these items must be purchased new for hygienic reasons. Women are referred to New Image by local social services agencies. (All County)

House families who are experiencing homelessness at the Haines Street Cottages, the only safe and habitable place in Jefferson County for families to live temporarily. During the time that families are resident, they receive support from a case manager who can provide guidance and practical help with substance abuse, mental health, gaining employment and obtaining permanent housing. By providing the cottages, families can stay together, stabilize and focus on the next steps to becoming thriving members of the community. (All County)

Help empower people with developmental disabilities to live happy, meaningful lives and to find their niche in society and participate in community life. Olympic Neighbors provides housing and community inclusion services for people with developmental disabilities in east Jefferson County. Services focus on providing support to live independently outside of their family home to: access employment, educational and volunteer opportunities; to develop hobbies and talents; to build relationships; to explore spiritual and cultural events; and to be connected to the community in which they live. Funds will be used to offset the costs of providing 24-hour care 365 days a year to 6 individuals and for community integration activities that unite people with and without disabilities. SPECIAL INCENTIVE: Each donor to ON will be entered in a drawing to win a basket of 10 handcrafted glycerin soaps valued at $50. (East Jefferson County)

Ensure access to public restrooms and prepare for a seismic event with appropriate ecological toilet systems. Funds will be used for key parts of the PHLUSH agenda which includes: installing restroom locator signs in 40 locations in Port Townsend; updating the Public Toilet Advocacy Toolkit with new technologies and case histories; assisting emergency management officials with the Disaster Sanitation Planning Guide and Technical Resource List; and, in collaboration with educators, developing and testing new materials on twin bucket emergency toilets. (All County)

Support the integration of composting and decomposition education in the curriculum in the Salish Coast Elementary and Port Townsend High school garden programs and help reduce district landfill waste by as much as 50%. Funds will purchase and install a commercial grade composting system and develop curriculum. Students will participate in waste audits where they assess the effectiveness of our waste reduction program and work with the garden and food service staff to continually assess and improve the composting waste reduction. (Port Townsend)

Empower intellectually disabled individuals by providing health, fitness, and leadership opportunities not offered elsewhere. Funding ensures approximately 110 children and adults from Jefferson County can participate in sports programming over the course of four seasons by funding transportation, facilities rental for swimming/aquatics and bowling, equipment and uniforms. A dozen volunteers assist three primary coaches in providing programming to the athletes who engage in Swimming/Aquatics (Spring), Bocce (Summer), Bowling (Fall) and Basketball (Winter). SOWA programs enables individuals with intellectual disabilities to connect with the broader community, to meet other people who share interest in sports, improve their health and wellness, and to socialize with peers to develop new friendships, experience inclusion and make an impact on the development of their community. (All County)

Help individuals and families pay essential living costs in emergency situations. For the past 12 years the volunteers of St. Vincent de Paul have offered immediate, confidential financial support, encouragement and resources. Funds will be used to help pay for rent, emergency shelter, utilities, medical expenses, repairs, insurance, gas and other basic needs. In addition, vouchers for food, clothing, prescriptions, transportation, gas, laundry and other necessities will be provided. (East Jefferson County)

Support programs that teach mindfulness and self-compassion so teens can cope more effectively with the challenges of adolescence. Inspired by the suicide of a cherished Port Townsend teen, The Benji Project uses an evidence-based curriculum called Making Friends with Yourself to teach stress management and emotional resilience. In studies, these practices have demonstrated significant decreases in depression, anxiety, stress and negative mood. The goal is to serve at least 50 participants in classes offered winter, spring and fall. (All County)

Provide meals and literacy activities to prevent summer learning loss to all youth under 18 in Port Townsend, Port Hadlock, Chimacum, Quilcene and Brinnon. The Y ensures that free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks and combines summer meals with literacy activity camps at 3 Summer Meals sites to nurture social-emotional, cognitive and physical development. Literacy activities include group reading, small group educational activities and individual skill development. Youth also participate in the SNAP-Ed healthy living curriculum that engages their minds and bodies. (East Jefferson)

Other Important Needs for our County

Renovate and furnish three rooms to provide homeless families temporary supportive housing. The rooms will offer families respite from unsafe living conditions and staff will assist to find permanent housing. (East Jefferson County)

Help reduce the number of unwanted and neglected pets by ensuring that Center Valley Animal Rescue (a no-kill shelter and adoption center) has all the necessary medical supplies for low-income spay and neuter clinics. A group of volunteer veterinarians performs surgeries for dogs, cats and rabbits. Vaccinations and flea treatments are delivered at low or no cost to low income families residing in Jefferson County. As a result, pet owners save money, their pets enjoy better health and there are far fewer unwanted births and euthanized pets in our county. (All County)

Fund scholarships for Jefferson County youth ages 5-20 to attend week-long immersive workshops led by artist faculty such as Fiddle Tunes, DANCE This! and the High School Writers' Conference. The programs build self-confidence, artistic and leadership skills as well as give young people new ways to think about themselves, realize their talents, convey emotions and feel embraced by artistic peers. (All County)

Increase free college-level classes for low-income adults, at-risk youth, and veterans struggling to return to civic life. The Clemente Course focuses on the traditional humanities to enrich social welfare, foster civic engagement, and encourage critical thinking through the creative exchange of ideas. Jefferson Clemente partners with local organizations and institutions of higher education to address poverty and well-being in under-served populations. Funds will be used to offer a second Clemente Course within the calendar year, a veteran's initiative, and increased community programming in the humanities. (All County)

As Dean of the Port Townsend Branch of Peninsula College, Deb Johnson helped hundreds of young people in Jefferson County make their way to degrees. In honor of Deb's life work, the Deb Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to local graduating high school seniors who may not be A+ students but who do fine work in school while showing great commitment to community through volunteering and participation in extracurricular activities such as the arts or team sports. Every dollar donated to this scholarship fund will be matched 1:1. (All County)

Help prepare the Cherry Street affordable housing units for operation. Funds will be used to hire a contractor who can design and execute a property operating plan for the eight units on Cherry Street in Port Townsend so that these affordable apartments can be made available to residents in Jefferson County. Individuals or families earning 80% or less of area median income will be eligible for the apartments when completed. (East Jefferson County)

Cover the cost of a veterinarian at the Society for one month. Veterinarians work at reduced cost to spay/neuter, perform basic wellness checks and more. In 2017, 333 cats and dogs found forever homes and 173 lost pets were returned to their owners. (All County)

Educate elementary, middle and high school children about the ecology and wildlife habitat of the Hood Canal through kayaking programs. Led by a marine biologist, the Dosewallips Estuary Tour takes approximately 25 local middle/high school children and the Wa Wa Point Tour hosts approximately 40 local elementary children to learn the importance of healthy ecological systems. (Brinnon)

Expand the reach of the YouthCorps education program, providing local high school students a way to earn income over spring break through hands on field experience and work in conservation land management. Past projects include blackberry removal, land surveying, trash removal, in-creek removal of invasive plants blocking fish passage and habitat restoration. This connection to nature builds the next generation of local conservation leaders while helping the land we all share here in Jefferson County. (All County)

Produce Shakespeare in the Park with the Key City Public Theatre (KCPT), an accessible family-friendly, classic outdoor theater experience that annually enhances the quality of cultural life in Jefferson County. A fully staged production engages more than 2000 artists and attendees each year. These performances are the first live theater experience for many new audience members with the all-ages appeal and accessible admission by donation. Accessibility for hearing-impaired and mobility-challenged attendees attracts a diverse audience. The annual production also upholds KCPT's core values of reasonable pricing, lifelong participation in the arts and producing theater that celebrates the ideals of its community. (All County)

Ensure access to unique, local education through need-based scholarships. Graduates connect to living wage opportunities through Marine Systems training. In a County where one in five jobs is maritime related, the Boat School's time-tested curriculum leads to new generations of craftspeople who fuel the local economy. Your gift helps individuals build confidence and skills, supports local businesses by connecting them with qualified employees, and preserves a community dedicated to craftsmanship. (All County)

Enable hundreds of students from Port Townsend, Chimacum and Quilcene to restore wild salmon, shellfish, and forests with their own two hands. In 2019, five schools will carry on the tradition of Plant-A-Thon: a beloved local education program in which students, parents and teachers plant 3,000+ native trees, while raising $20,000 for schools through honorary tree sponsorships. Specially trained high school students work as Crew Leaders and run the planting event with adult mentors. Plant-A-Thon helps students be the change by protecting and restoring one of the few remaining intact lowland stream and estuary systems in Puget: Tarboo Creek and Tarboo-Dabob Bay. Donors are invited to the planting event on Feb 3, 2019! (East Jefferson County)

Enrich cultural life with the PT Shorts program which provides free performances that highlight short stories, plays and chapters of classic and contemporary literature. In 2018, Northwind has taken a lead role in hosting and managing the program and hosting the readings. While maintaining its partnership with the Key City Public Theatre who provides actors for the readings, Northwind seeks funding to support the shift to a dedicated night of the month and the associated outreach, production assistance and operational support.

Support research and outreach to ensure public understanding of the fate of the Marbled Murrelet and the economic impacts of protecting the habitat in Jefferson County. Funds will allow the Olympic Forest Coalition to participate in the Washington State Department of Natural Resources appointed "Solutions Table," a multi-stakeholder effort designed to collect ideas, concerns and public comments. They will then recommend creative solutions for both protecting the habitat and preserving services in the county. Funds will also be used to keep the public informed about this process and the impact it has. (All County)

Support a resilient local food supply and raise awareness of the need for local farmers to have seeds that thrive without pesticides. Funds will be used to encourage public participation in growing seeds and increase awareness of farmers needs remain free of patents and genetic modifications. Support OSA's efforts to share the power of seed through introductory workshops, a community sweet corn project, and training volunteers as seed ambassadors to assist with public programming and events. SPECIAL INCENTIVE: All donors giving over $100 will receive an OSA ball cap. (All County)

Support classroom projects and provide classroom materials that benefit and inspire students in the Port Townsend School District. Teachers identify needs for innovative, unique or experiential learning and materials that cannot be met by the school budget. They submit grant requests to benefit and inspire students with art, science, math, language, technology and maritime classroom projects. Each year, as the need for projects/materials grows, more teachers are making requests to support efforts to bring more innovation and enrichment to the students. Donations will help to meet the needs of every teacher and student striving for academic excellence in the community. (Port Townsend)

Enhance pedestrian-friendliness and community connection in Port Townsend. Funds will be used to purchase sets of colorful street furniture for outside the Cotton Building Plaza, Tyler Street Plaza, Bell Tower in Uptown, the Haller Fountain and the coming Washington Street sidewalk. This will create spaces to forge connections and a sense of belonging, to bond people to their community. With both an average age of 57 and an emerging hub of young entrepreneurs and families, Port Townsend has a need for inter-generational points of connectivity. (Port Townsend)

Fund 670 low and moderate-income K-12 students from Jefferson County schools to come to hands-on marine science classes that build science literacy. The classes are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards with choices ranging from "Plankton Lab" to "Birds of Shore and Sea." Students experience hands-on exploration, engage in critical thinking and reflection and get fired up about science and environmental stewardship. Donations pay for staff, facilities, supplies and transportation. SPECIAL INCENTIVE: Free membership to the Marine Science Center for all donors making gifts of $50 or more. (All County)

Support the development and visibility of artists in Jefferson County. Funds will be used to operate the newly-opened Port Townsend Art Experience in downtown PT. This interactive artists space serves as a cultural and economic gateway for regional arts organizations to Jefferson County's hundreds of thousands of visitors. PTSA was founded in November 2015. To date, the school has engaged over 1200 students taught by 70+ artists from around the region, quickly becoming the most important source for quality visual arts education in the county. Children participate in after-school programs, free open studios for teens and annual summer art camps. (All County)

The Youth Activity Site (YAS) is a new and growing on-line database designed to capture non-profit youth and family friendly activities and events, and for-profit job offerings for youth in Jefferson County. YAS is the newest addition and a seamless complement to Skillmation, a mentoring connections skills index for people over 18. (All County)

Promote the power of song through two programs: (1) Make Music Day, a free, all ages county-wide festival in June 2019; and (2) Songs at the Center of Care & Community, a program that celebrates neurodiversity and brings people together in interactive songwriting workshops on the role of music in health. Each year, SW engages hundreds of people in community songwriting, music-making, and performance. Our programs are designed to break isolation, dissolve depression, relieve chronic pain, increase vitality, and connect neighbors of all ages. (East Jefferson County)

Support the final phase of restoration of the deck on the Adventuress schooner, a National Historic Landmark. Employing the iconic 1913 ship and a framework of "Ship as Teacher", Sound Experience engages up to 2,000 of the region's children and teens each year in experiences that that spark the imagination, teach concepts such as sustainability and foster interest in science, leadership, maritime and the environment. In doing so, they also raise awareness of the issues facing the Salish Sea and foster connection to the local marine environment. (All County)

Provide farm-to-school activities that enrich and nourish children's lives through hands on learning experiences related to food, health, agriculture and nutrition. Through Sunfield's Visiting Schools Program, students explore and reconnect with nature on a diverse farmscape of forest, pasture, fields, wetlands and Waldorf school campus. Pulling carrots, learning about the water cycle from hillside to wetland to aquifer, and handling the sheep and washing the wool inspire children's innate capacity to steward the earth and encourage each other in a positive way. (East Jefferson)

Broaden the training opportunities offered by the newly created PT Cycle School to hobbyists and professionals in all aspects of bike design, building and maintenance. Youth in local schools and those who are involved in programs at the ReCyclery will be given preference for tuition scholarships. The ReCyclery refurbishes used bikes to make them affordable, provides young people and others with work experience and basic bike mechanic training, teaches safe biking in the schools and elsewhere, and inspires everyone to ride more often for personal health and community benefits. (East Jefferson County)

Place a Geoscientist-in-Parks intern at Olympic National Park with the Division of Interpretation in the Kalaloch area. The intern will investigate climate change processes and present an interpretive program for large audiences. Working closely with field science technicians from the park's natural resources division, the intern will obtain data on the health of the intertidal communities and near-shore marine ecosystem and communicate to a diverse mix of park visitors how vital signs revealed through the coastal inventory and monitoring program are valuable indicators of marine water quality. (West County)