As we close out 2019… the end of a year… the end of a DECADE, I am grateful to have celebrated my 23rd year with Windermere Real Estate. My job is never dull… advocating, marketing, and negotiating on behalf of my clients, my PEOPLE (be they buyers or sellers), through some of their biggest life transitions. In 2019 I helped folks upsize, downsize, new jobs, retirement, relocation, marriage, and divorce… all those transitions are important and I’m honored to have the trust of my people as they navigate those big life changes.

In celebration of the 23 homes I sold in 2019 and to say THANK YOU to the clients who I worked with this past year, I donated to the following organizations:

Amara: a not-for-profit that serves children in foster care, and the families who care for them.

Collateral Repair Project: an organization based in Amman, Jordan, that serves refugees fleeing violence in their home countries.

WAISN: “Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network” which advocates for and supports immigrant populations in Washington State.

Gender Diversity: an organization that works to increase the awareness and understanding of the wide range of gender diversity in children & adolescents.

Mary’s Place: which provides safe, inclusive shelter and services that support women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness.

YouthCare: works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential.

Coyote Central: Coyote sparks creativity in young people, putting tools in their hands to build skills and forge their futures

Windermere Foundation: through each and every home sale, a portion of my commission is donated directly to the Windermere Foundation to support low-income and homeless families in our communities.

Don’t hesitate to email me at April@windermere.com and let me know YOUR favorite non-profit organizations so I can be sure to include them in my giving plan in 2020. Happy New Year, Vibrant Seattle people! You bring joy and light to my daily work and my life.

One of my favorite things about living in Seattle is the enormous philanthropic community and spirit of giving shared by all who live here. Wednesday, May 9th is the Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG event. Truly this is my favorite charitable giving event of the year and each Spring I sit down the weekend before and spreadsheet out the non-profit organizations that I plan to make donations to on the big day.

This year I am committed to support the organizations that are most important to my friends and clients. So let me know where you will be “giving big” on Wednesday, and I will make a donation to that organization in celebration of you!

Recently I asked my clients and friends to share some of their favorite Seattle area non-profits and here are some of the ones that folks sent back to me…

9 Nonprofits & Organizations Doing Amazing Work in Seattle

“[Rainier Valley Food Bank is] hugely important in SE Seattle, as food scarcity is a big issue here, [and] even more so now with gentrification pricing people out of their historic neighborhoods,” shares Andie B.

The Rainier Valley Food Bank offers a few different programs to the community, including an on-site food bank for those who would like to choose their own food, home delivery for people with disabilities, and a “To-Go Food Bag” for people who do not have access to a kitchen.

• You can support the food bank by donating food and money ($5 can provide 18 meals!), hosting a food drive, or volunteering
• Click here to learn more about the Rainier Valley Food Bank

Shared Breakfast at First Church

“I have worked there as a volunteer and see first-hand that the money goes directly to feed hungry people,” shares Lyda H.

Every Sunday from 7:45-8:45 am, anyone is invited to attend breakfast at First Church, an inclusive, progressive United Methodist congregation.

• You can support the breakfast by donating money ($2.50 provides one hot meal) or volunteering
• Click here to learn more about Shared Breakfast at First Church

Social Justice Fund Northwest

“I work for Social Justice Fund, and we fund grassroots movement building organizations in the NW,” says Palmira F.

This important grantmaking organization works to “build progressive power through donor activism,” and they fund several activist organizations that work in communities of color. They are especially focused on “addressing the root causes of social, economic, and environmental inequities.”

• You can support them by donating money (including stocks!)
• Click here to learn more about Social Justice Fund Northwest

Wellspring Family Services

“Wellspring on Rainier [in Seattle] helps at-risk families with children,” shares Carolyn G., and their incredible programs work to support people in crisis as well as solving the root causes of problems so people can “build healthy relationships and stable lives.”

A few of these invaluable services include domestic violence intervention, a “baby boutique” with free items for children ages 0-17, early education, housing help, and so much more.

• You can support them by donating funds, donating various essentials,volunteering, and more
• Click here to learn more about Wellspring Family Services

New Beginnings

Local resident Jeanne S. supports New Beginnings, and this important organization services people who are affected by domestic violence. Whether someone needs toattend a support group, needs to call a 24-hour helpline, gain access to children-focused services, consult with an attorney for free, and more, New Beginnings is there is assist those in their time of need.

• You can support them by donating funds, donating school supplies, donating cars, and more
• Click here to learn more about New Beginnings

Moms Demand Action – WA

Alison B. feels strongly about gun violence, and she advocates supporting the local Moms Demand Action chapter: “Gun sense voting and making sure that we are aware of how to change legislation [is important to me]. I do it because I had to do SOMETHING to counter how powerless gun money and gun violence make me feel every time I hear about another shooting. Gun deaths and mass shootings are part of our children’s emotional fabric now. Just this past weekend a friend’s 15 year old daughter was at a house party and was shot in the back. The bullets came in through the front door. She is doing well, miraculously. COME ON. Kids should be worrying about parents coming home early, and getting in trouble for having a party! They should not be worrying about the possibility of getting f***ing shot. Sorry for cursing.”

Founded by Shannon Watts in response to the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action is made up of a grasswork network of people who are influencing change at the local, state, and national levels.

• You can support Moms Demand Action by joining and getting involved with your local chapter and donating funds
• Click here to learn more about how to find your local Moms Demand Action chapter

Solid Ground

“Solid Ground is a wraparound favorite; [they offer] so many good programs with a mission of ending racism and poverty,” says Tonya H.

This Seattle non-profit “works to end poverty and undo racism and other oppressions that are root causes of poverty,” and they are dedicated to helping families find and keep housing, get access to food(and learn more about growing and cooking food), provide transportation, and so much more.

• You can support them by volunteering, attending events, and donating funds
• Click here to learn more about Solid Ground

Burien C.A.R.E.S.

Local resident Lyda H. recommends supporting Burien C.A.R.E.S., a non-profit community shelter for Burien’s stray animals. In addition to the work they do to adopt out unclaimed animals in Burien, C.A.R.E.S. facilitates spay and neuter surgeries, provides education on animal welfare, provides city pet licenses, removes dead animals from Burien’s public roadways, and much more!

• You can support Burien C.A.R.E.S. by linking your Fred Meyer and Amazon accounts to their non-profit, donating money, donating material items to their shelter, and volunteering
• Click here to learn more about Burien C.A.R.E.S.

KEXP

“[I support] KEXP because there are so few independent ANYTHINGS left in our world and I hate homogeny!” Good point, Sally J.!

KEXP is a Seattle non-profit, and their unique services include in-person, broadcast, and online programming. In addition to their radio station 90.3 KEXP-FM Seattle, they also facilitate hundreds of performances every year, and many of these concerts are free to the public!

• You can support KEXP in a variety of ways, from donating money and stocks to donating goods and services
• Click here to learn more about KEXP

Click here to check out what the cost of remodeling is vs the return you may get when selling.