By Whidbey Community Foundation Board of Directors
Last December, when Whidbey Community Foundation learned we were one of the only areas in the northwest part of Washington state where kiddos ages 0-5 weren’t yet able to receive free monthly books delivered to their homes, we said “Sign us up!” Our mission at the community foundation is to improve the quality of life on Whidbey Island — and early learning has been a strategic part of our work since we became the fiscal sponsor of our local early learning coalition “Partners for Young Children in Island County.”
In less than a year since we have become affiliates of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, over 1,200 kids on Whidbey ages 0-5 are now receiving free books to their homes each month! This is all made possible by our generous donors who keep this program going.
This story — along with the countless others like it — demonstrates the importance of community foundations in this country, which are uniquely situated to improve their regions through supporting innovative solutions and creating powerful partnerships. From Nov. 12 to 18, we celebrated Community Foundation Week, a time when we can share and reflect on the stories of impact over the last year. Though you may not yet know your local community foundation, you’ve likely felt its impact.
That’s because Whidbey Community Foundation and 1,000+ other community foundations across the country help to bring donors and residents together. Community foundations work to support the efforts that will help the places we call home continue to flourish and grow.
One of Whidbey Community Foundation’s organizational values is partnerships. We aim to leverage collective impact in our island community through partnerships. That’s why we have partnered with the Goosefoot Community Fund and Opportunity Council for the Whidbey Essential Needs Program—supporting Whidbey households where there may be gaps in existing support systems. To date we have been able to support 350 households across the island!
As we enter the giving season, millions of people from every background will be looking to give back to the communities that have supported them. They’ll also look to ensure that their heartfelt giving — however they choose to give — will have the most impact. That’s why so many of them will choose to give to a community foundation.
A gift to your local community foundation is an investment in the future of your community. We like to say that community foundations are “here for good.” At Whidbey Community Foundation we don’t think about the next election or business cycle, we think about the next generation and the next after that.
That can seem a daunting task, but it’s one that we all share. During Community Foundation Week, I hope you’ll join us in recognizing our collective impact and the difference we can make together.
For more information on Whidbey Community Foundation or to make a gift, visit whidbeyfoundation.org. You can contact WCF at 360-660-5041, by email at info@whidbeyfoundation.org, and mail at PO Box 1135, Coupeville, WA 98239. WCF is a nonprofit charitable corporation with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in the United States. U.S. tax-exempt number: 81-3860867.
