Miracle on H street

Focus on fundraising saves AIDS house

Karen Durham has a word for the financial state of Sean Humphrey House (SHH) just a few months ago: abysmal. Aimed at helping low-income people living with AIDS, the organization found itself running an $89,000 deficit. The staff was underpaid, overworked, and dealing with issues they were not trained for. Perhaps most importantly, the organization needed to change from a place where AIDS patients went to die to a place that helped people live with AIDS.

Advances in AIDS treatment still have not resulted in a cure, but patients are living far longer with the disease than they were just a few years ago. That means that the staff at Sean Humphrey has to address ancillary health problems such as Hepatitis C, alcohol and drug addictions, mental health and nutritional issues along with AIDS. The cost of treating each patient skyrocketed.

Irene Morgan was brought in as house manager and got most of the staff difficulties straightened out. The organization’s board went to AIDS Housing of Washington, nationally recognized experts in the field, for help. There was talk of billing for services and even selling the facility. If the house were sold, however, $400,000 in Housing and Urban Development funds used to start the facility would have to be repaid. Selling was quickly ruled out. The task force from AIDS Housing of Washington had some good news — Sean Humphrey House did more with less money than just about anyone. All they needed to do was get the organization back in the black and retire the mortgage.

“I am amazed that the board members hung in there through all these challenges,” Durham said.

A new fundraising plan was put in place. Local creditors were asked to write off some of the debt and many did. For the past 14 months, the board has solicited help from just about everyone in the community. Even other nonprofits were not immune. The Bellingham Theatre Guild, for example, donated a VIP night to its first production of the season, Charley’s Aunt. SHH sold out the house and raised about $2,900.

Paul Schissler, Executive Director of Kulshan Community Land Trust, was recruited to help with grant writing. That effort resulted in a major grant from Community Trade and Economic Development, which not only paid off the $168,000 mortgage, but added on another $85,000 to bring the facility up to code.

The only catch was that the board had to raise $90,000 over the next five years to be placed into a fund to help maintain the house. Pledges have already come in for $40,000 of that amount.

Sean Humphrey House plans to hold a ceremony soon to celebrate retirement of the mortgage, which frees $1,300 a month to go into operations. There are still challenges to be faced, but they shrink in comparison to the one that has been overcome.

One dangerous myth floating around is that AIDS has been cured. It has not. New combinations of drugs can help patients live longer, but a cure is still out of reach. Many other myths concern how AIDS is transmitted. House manager Irene Morgan wants to assure everyone that you can’t get it by shaking hands. Believe it or not, some people have refused to shake hands with her.

Durham feels that the staff is ready to face any challenge.

“They have hearts as big as this house,” Durham said, “and they’re working for peanuts. We’d like to change that. Without this staff, we wouldn’t have made it.”

 

It’s that time of the year

Give a gift that keeps on giving

They are everywhere in your house and garage, yet people keep sending you more. What are they? Catalogs, of course. Probably more than a few mail carriers ended their careers just in time to miss Catalog Season.

What does this have to do with nonprofit or public benefit organizations? This: the original Whatcom Catalog for Philanthropy was published and distributed two years ago, and garnered rave reviews and a couple national awards from the Council on Foundations. The idea for the Whatcom Catalog came from Massachusetts, which has a statewide catalog.

Both catalogs had two objectives: to place charitable giving at the heart of our democratic society where it has been since Colonial times, and to give readers a much clearer sense of the breadth and scope of the work done by the public benefit sector in local communities. The original Whatcom Catalog profiled over 60 local charities, and included a brief history of philanthropy in our area. It is easy for people to give to the organizations in the Catalog, either through the Whatcom Community Foundation or directly to those organizations.

The 2000 Catalog, a joint project of Whatcom Community Foundation and the Whatcom Council of Nonprofits with generous help from St. Luke’s Foundation, was a handsome print publication. Printing an updated catalog is not feasible, but an updated and improved Internet version has just been launched at www.philanthropycatalog.org.

The online version has two important new features: all charities are fully registered with Guidestar.com (the leading compiler of nonprofit tax returns and other important information), and an online giving option has been added. Now people can make more informed decisions about their charitable giving and they can do it quickly at home. The first catalog’s promise that 100% of all gifts will go the selected charities remains true for online giving in the 2002 edition. The selected charities will get payments once or twice a month directly from Network for Good, which is the free online giving tool all the charities in the catalog have agreed to use. The costs of maintaining NFG are borne by grants from large national foundations and businesses that want to encourage charitable giving.

As in the 2000 print catalog, sixty featured local charities are broadly organized into three categories: Human Services, Nature and Culture. Each entry has a profile of the work the charity does, a direct link to its Guidestar information and a direct link to NFG for online donations. For those who have yet to make their peace with the computer age or simply prefer to have something in their hands, copies of the still-valuable 2000 Whatcom Catalog for Philanthropy are available from Whatcom Community Foundation at 119 Grand Avenue, Suite A, in Bellingham.

Increasing numbers of people are looking for alternatives to traditional holiday gifts that are often neither needed nor appreciated. The Whatcom Catalog provides an alternative that helps support local jobs, makes our Whatcom communities better, involves families in giving and makes the gift giver, the recipient and the charities chosen all feel good about the gift. Catalog designer Peter Frazier described his experience with his family: “I knew my sister didn’t need another sweater, so I gave her the Whatcom Catalog for Philanthropy and $50. Using the catalog she shopped for the local charity she wanted to support. She appreciated the gift and enjoyed passing it on to a program whose mission appealed to her. It’s a gift that gives twice.”

The spirit of giving pervades this season, and many local businesses depend heavily on sales during this time of year. If even a small percentage of those people who annually spend a considerable amount on traditional Christmas presents give some catalog presents as the Frazier family did, it will not hurt local businesses in this tough economy. Many of the things we buy for our friends during the December holidays are bought from catalogs located elsewhere, so the money leaves the community. Why not consider some giving that supports our local economy, environment, people in need and our arts organizations? Most of the gifts we give affect one or two people. Gifts to local organizations through the Whatcom Catalog for Philanthropy can make a difference in many people’s lives and on the challenged environment in which we live. Shop locally. Leave your mark this season without leaving your home.

 

Waddell & Reed decorate Angel Tree

Whatcom County residents can “adopt” a child for Christmas through a program coordinated by financial advising firm Waddell & Reed. In conjunction with Blue Skies for Children, the company invites local people to pick up a “wish toy” request from their office in the Pacific Meridian Plaza.

 

Firms donate safety calendar

Look Left, Look Right is a calendar for children promoting safety practices. Flattery Design, GoGo Design and KLH Design contributed their time and talent to create the whimsical calendar, which benefits the Downtown Renaissance Network. Photos of children at downtown locations and events are accompanied by tips on bicycling, animal and pedestrian safety. The calendar is on sale at the Allied Arts Holiday Festival, Greenhouse, Landlubber, Newstand and Robert Jude Real Beauty.

 

SSB helps Assistance League

The branch office of Salomon Smith Barney (SSB) has donated $2,000 to the Assistance League of Bellingham. Funds were donated through the Citigroup Foundation as part of a local contribution program conducted at SSB offices throughout the country.

“We are glad to support organizations that have a meaningful impact in the areas where we live and work,” said branch manager Mark Logan.

The Assistance League also acknowledged grants totaling nearly $50,000 from The Median Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, the City of Bellingham, Fred Meyer, Elizabeth A. Lynn Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, Horizons Foundation, Cooper/Levy Charitable Trust, Regence Blue Shield, and Kawabe Memorial Trust.

Assistance League of Bellingham was established 25 years ago to carry out philanthropic projects in the community.

 

Local volunteers provide storm relief

Three members of the Whatcom County American Red Cross participated in disaster relief efforts following Tropical Storm Isadore and Hurricane Lili. Marian Yunghans, Jay Walker and Gladys Visser traveled to Louisiana and Mississippi in the wake of the storms. Yunghans and Visser worked in the Family Service Division of the relief operation, while Walker drove an emergency response vehicle for mass care feeding.

 

Architects design ornaments

Bellingham’s Light House Mission and Allied Arts of Whatcom County will benefit from a holiday “spirit tree” designed by the Northwest American Institute of Architects. Local architects will design and create ornaments for the tree, which will then be judged and sold to the public via a silent auction. Seventy percent of the funds raised will go to the mission and 30 percent to Allied Arts.

The tree will be on display at Allied Arts on Cornwall Avenue during their Holiday Festival, December 9-22.

 

Agents support St. Joe

St. Joseph Hospital will benefit from contributions by real estate agents at the Bellingham office of John L. Scott. Agents funnel their donations through the John L. Scott Foundation, which then directs them to St. Joe’s uncompensated care fund for children. The fund covers costs that exceed or are not covered by health insurance.

 

Whatcom Hospice aids St. Joe

Terminally ill patients at St. Joseph Hospital will benefit from a $61,125 grant given by Whatcom Hospice. Using the grant, the hospital board agreed to fund services and items including:

• Two new medication pumps to ensure comfort for the dying;

• Pain relieving therapies not covered by Medicare;

• Home respite care when going to a nursing home isn’t appropriate;

• Patient and Family Care Fund, discretionary money administered by hospice staff;

• Bereavement newsletters to provide information and support after a loss;

• Staff education;

• Printing of advance planning education materials.

 

RG conducts awareness campaign

RG Media has been awarded a $30,975 contract to promote the hiring of individuals with developmental disabilities in local businesses. The “Community Works” campaign is funded by Whatcom County. RG Media will conduct market research, place television, radio and print advertising, produce a Power Point presentation, and a video CD. Presentation to the community will take place January-March, 2003.

 

Girl Scouts seek camp property

Totem Council of the Girl Scouts is looking for property somewhere in the northern counties region to provide camping opportunities. Ideally, the property would be located in Skagit or Whatcom, contain at least 80 acres, and be accessible by automobile and utilities. A smaller site will be considered if it is adjacent to readily usable and secure public or private forest lands.

Property development and land use consultant Heartland LLC of Seattle will assist in locating and analyzing any sites. If you can provide a lead, contact Jim Messmer, camp properties director, at 360-877-5455 or jimmm@girlscoutstotem.org.

 

Organizations support Camp Fire

Part of the agreement reached between Alcoa Aluminum and the Bonneville Power Administration to lessen the impact of the Intalco shutdown called for establishment of a philanthropic fund. Camp Fire USA has now received a $13,790 grant from that fund to provide environmental education at Camp Kirby.

United Way of Whatcom County provided Camp Fire with a $6,000 venture grant to develop and expand the Outdoor Discovery program. Outdoor Discovery helps at-risk youth and youth in transitional housing with regular meetings and nature excursions.

Camp Kirby will benefit from a $1,600 donation from the Lutheran Community Foundation. The money will be used for capital projects, such as the renovation of Blue Bird Lodge to include a kitchen, bathroom and classroom space.

The camp, located on Samish Island in Skagit County, serves youth from Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties.

 

Goodwill gets Gannett grant

Bellingham’s Goodwill Learning Center has received a $6,000 grant from the Gannett Foundation. The funds will be used to provide reading, writing, math, English as a second language, and computer classes. Seattle Goodwill offers an adult basic education to people over 16 years of age in Bellingham, Mt. Vernon and Seattle.

Each year, more than 1,000 students are served by the three learning centers. Seattle Goodwill estimates that over 400 Whatcom County residents will benefit from the grant.

 

Kulshan Kiwanis installs officers

The Kulshan Kiwanis Club recently announced their board of directors for the 2002-03 year.

Robin Kleinhampl is the president for the coming year. The remaining executive is Pete Chorney, vice president, Erin Schlichting, treasurer, and Craig Carlile, secretary.

The board of directors consists of Gary Gallant, Lloyd Aasheim, Paul Spinelli, Mick Moynihan and Patti Burns.

Kiwanis International is focused on children’s issues through their major service project, Young Children: Priority One. Locally, the club has hosted events such as the Girl of the Month Breakfast, diapers for babies, 4-H project awards, and highway cleanup projects.

 

County partners with industry for community grants

Alcoa-BPA Community Support program donated more than $425,000 to Whatcom County. The grant will support a variety of county directed programs.

“I am pleased that Alcoa has chosen to provide such a significant financial contribution in support of ten different programs during a time when County government is faced with difficult financial challenges,” said Pete Kremen, Whatcom County executive.

The company was also proud to donate money to community endeavors.

“This community is our home and it is through contributions like this that we are able to show how much we care about Whatcom County,” said Dave Boyer, manager of the Alcoa plant in Ferndale.

Supported programs are concentrated in public health and education, delinquency prevention, and support for women and children.

“These programs will have a lasting and positive impact in our community,” Kremen said. “They will be a significant contribution to our quality of life.”

Supported programs are as follows:

Women’s Care Shelter received $21,000. The shelter is the only provider of emergency domestic violence services in Whatcom County. They provide a shelter and 24-hour crisis intervention through a telephone hotline. The shelter and the helpline fields 1,400 calls serve approximately 300 women and children each year.

YWCA Lydia’s Place received $10,000. Lydia’s Place assists homeless women and children with transitional housing. Women and children in residence also take part in a Family Advocacy Program, which provides parental counseling, parenting workshops, and therapeutic children’s programming. Women are also placed in an employment or job skills program. The house serves a minimum of 6-8 families at a time and 12-15 families each year.

Teen Adventure Program received $51,000. TAP targets children aged 12-17 and tries to get them involved in indoor and outdoor adventures. Guided by adult coordinators and trip leaders, teens select, plan and participate in community-based recreational adventures. Teen Adventure serves over 300 teens each year and provides 3,500 hours of programming annually.

Immediate Mental Health Assistance for Youth in the Justice System received $47,000. The program provides immediate assistance for youth committing crimes with acute mental health or substance abuse problems. Troubled offenders receive integrated care, with a view to reducing risk to the community, improving the health of youth and reducing recidivism. The program hopes to serve 50-60 youth in their first year.

Readiness to Learn received $8,000. As a partner of the Ferndale School District, the program promotes linkages with social, health and community services to promote academic success. They will serve dozens of youth during the year.

Music and Art in Our Community received $25,000. Funds will support the Bellingham Festival of Music, the Whatcom Symphony, and the Mount Baker Theatre. The goal is to provide cultural enrichment, foster the economic impact o these activities locally, provide a sense of community, and encourage educational opportunities. Thousands of 2nd and 3rd graders from 20 schools will participate in music and education programs and thousands of residents and visitors will take in a performance.

Transportation Planning received $20,500. Grant money will help form a Community Transportation Advisory Group, a group that will advocate on countywide transportation issues. Volunteers from the private sector will serve as ambassadors for a coordinated transportation system, oversee a public education program, and forge a community-wide commitment to a “broader vision on transportation.” The group will also initiate small-scale demonstration projects.

Immunizations – Your Best Shot at Good Health received $72,131. Programs will focus on immunizing children who lack a complete set of immunizations and youth at risk for Hepatitis B. Staff will also work on education programs to help reduce the transmission of Hepatitis B. A program goal is to increase the number of fully immunized children from 70 percent in the county to 90 percent. They also hope to immunize 250 young adults at high risk for Hepatitis B and who are not eligible for state sponsored vaccinations.

From Crisis to Treatment received $111,194. This program is designed to intervene when people with chronic mental health problems come into contact with the county jail. Acute problems often spiral into crises that lead to repeated contact with the justice system. Therefore, they hope to provide behavioral health counseling for at-risk individuals in jail and detox and beyond. Working with the county jail and St. Joseph Hospital, they hope to serve 600 people.

Jail Alternatives work Crew received $61,175. Inmates have the chance to work off fines and jail time by performing community labor, including landscaping and maintenance of county lines, stream and salmon habitat restoration, trail creation and maintenance in local public parks, and trash removal along county roads. Participants learn work habits and skills. Money will fund 13,000 hours of crew labor.

 

Alcoa supports trade education project

Alcoa donated $31,500 to the Whatcom County School-to-Work/Tech Prep Consortium. The project is a partnership of high schools and colleges designed to introduce high school teachers, councilors and students to trade related occupations and training programs. This grant will be used to implement a Try A Trade awareness campaign, which will focus on trade-related educational opportunities in Whatcom County.

 

Land trust scores big grant

Kulshan Community Land Trust has been awarded a $50,000 grant by Washington Mutual. The land trust strives to create strong communities by providing opportunities for affordable home ownership.

Washington Mutual also helped the land trust qualify for an affordable housing program offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle. It will provide financing for more than 30 homes.

Kulshan Community Land Trust works with homebuyers by helping them qualify for mortgage and down payment assistance.