First Fed Foundation announced today that it awarded a total of $300,000 in grants to 16 nonprofit organizations that are bringing housing, help, and hope to communities in Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, and Whatcom Counties. Since First Fed established and funded the First Fed Foundation in 2015, its giving has exceeded $8.1 million.
With 52 grant applications submitted in this cycle, the Foundation’s board and advisory committee again faced tough decisions about which projects to fund. Informed by the significant and growing needs in our communities, they focused on supporting organizations delivering critical services and creating brighter futures with the following awards:
Housing & Homelessness Grants:
Road2Home: $25,000 to expand care to 150 additional highly vulnerable, chronically unsheltered individuals in Bellingham, providing consistent, personalized case management, and access to healing, stability, and permanent housing resources.
Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center: $25,000 to support the Housing Stability program in reducing homelessness caused by evictions by providing free mediation and conflict resolution services to tenants, landlords, neighbors, and roommates.
Community Development Grants:
Bremerton Foodline: $25,000 to purchase a new walk-in fridge and freezer, increasing capacity to safely store perishable foods for distribution to seven food banks, 29 nonprofits, and directly to the homes of those experiencing food insecurity and mobility challenges across Kitsap County.
Foothills Food Bank: $25,000 to provide shelf-stable, ready-to-eat food to underhoused and vulnerable East Whatcom County residents facing transportation, mobility, and cooking barriers.
Jefferson Healthcare Foundation: $25,000 to purchase a digital intraoral scanner and mobile laptop that will increase access to high-quality dentures, nightguards, and prosthetic services for low-income and underserved adults.
South Kitsap Helpline: $25,000 to complete final capital improvements on the new facility in order to meet the growing needs of more than 9,000 low-income residents annually for food, emergency assistance, and connections to resources for clothing, housing, job training, childcare and more.
Economic Development Grants:
Community Works: $30,000 to provide 77 Jefferson County youth, ages 18 to 24, with trades education through shop activities, paid internships, and in-school vocational training, and empowering them with valuable skills while contributing to real solutions for regional economic development.
Olympic Medical Center: $30,000 to support the Workforce Development Program in providing tuition and financial assistance for Clallam and Jefferson County community members to earn healthcare degrees and advanced credentials, secure employment at Olympic Medical Center, build family-sustaining careers, and reduce critical workforce shortages.
The Coffee Oasis: $30,000 to increase the number of Kitsap County’s low-income, homeless youth, ages 16 to 25, participating in employment readiness and job preparation classes and paid internships, equipping them for employment and long-term self-sufficiency.
Community Support Grants:
East Clallam County CERT Association: $10,000 to purchase a drone to expedite First Responder information gathering when roads are broken or otherwise impassable and bring lifesaving resources to sudden and urgent needs of Clallam and Jefferson Counties’ most severely affected communities.
Jumping Mouse Children’s Center: $7,500 to increase the number of young children receiving in-depth mental health therapy, regardless of their ability to pay, benefitting nearly 100 families in Jefferson County.
NAMI of Whatcom County: $10,000 to expand the delivery of no-cost presentations for Whatcom County’s middle and high school students, staff, and parents, increasing knowledge of mental illness, warning signs, and communication skills so that more youth and families can access help sooner.
Peacock Family Services: $7,500 to support Bainbridge Island’s children and families in participating in high-quality early education programs, regardless of financial limitations.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church: $7,500 to provide scholarships for children of low- and moderate-income families to attend a high-quality preschool in Forks.
WSU Kitsap Extension: $7,500 to support the Kitsap Farmers Fighting Hunger project in purchasing fresh, local produce from Kitsap farmers for donation to area food banks, stabilizing incomes for growers and expanding access to nutritious food for those experiencing food insecurity amid rising costs and reduced federal funding.
West Sound Treatment Center: $10,000 to provide critical workforce readiness tools, supporting those in Kitsap receiving behavioral health services to achieve self-sufficiency and long-term wellness.
Learn more about First Fed Foundation grant awards here. And for details on the application process, click here.