by Tera Andaya
Orcas Community Foundation
The Orcas Island Community Foundation Spring GiveOrcas kicks off on Wednesday, May 8 and runs through Friday, May 17.
This year’s Spring GiveOrcas campaign features twenty-six local nonprofit organizations. Each organization’s proposal was vetted and approved by the Community Grants Committee composed of local volunteer members. The overall request from organizations is $380,000, and with your contributions, OICF’s goal is to fully fund every proposal.
Every dollar donated supports life-enhancing programs and critical services vital to the Orcas Island community including housing, educational organizations, health & medical services, food support, arts and cultural programs, environmental programs … and so much more. One hundred percent of your contribution goes directly to the proposals you care about. OICF even covers the credit card fees!
“In a small community, giving locally resonates deeper. It fosters a sense of belonging and mutual support. I love that GiveOrcas is a convenient and trusted platform where we can support multiple local causes in one place and address real community needs. I always involve my kids in the process. It’s really cool when they are able to make the connection from our family’s donations to something tangible that their school or community benefits from,” said Mallory Balcomb, multi-year GiveOrcas donor and mother of two.
Mark your calendar to join us online at www.giveorcas.org, where we welcome all donations of $10 or more! This year’s Game Days are on May 10th for Unique Donor Day (the grantees with the most unique donors will receive $1,000, $500 and $250 from the Orcas Island Community Foundation for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place) and May 14th for the beloved Ben Franklin Day. On this day, the grantees with the most $100 donations will receive bonuses of $1,000, $500 and $250 from the Orcas Island Community Foundation for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
Donations can also be made by cash, check, or stock transfer to The Orcas Island Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1496, Eastsound, WA 98245 or dropped by the OICF office at 33 Urner #4, Eastsound.
The Orcas Island Community Foundation was founded in 1995 to help build and strengthen our community by encouraging and supporting local philanthropic efforts, connecting people and organizations who want to make a difference to improve the quality of life for all on Orcas Island.