My “Why”
Over the course of 2020, my family experienced some truly life changing events and got to face grief, housing insecurity, financial insecurity, and everything that comes with that trifecta square in the face. We are fortunate enough to both have three generations of ties to the valley. Our community really stepped up. Our families provided us unending love, support, and as much security as they could, but even through that we were still faced with a number of choices that many would call impossible.
Do we humble ourselves and go to the food bank? Or do we sign up for mortgage forbearance? Do we buy that camper in case we need to live in it so we can rent out the house/don’t lose the house? We navigated these conversations all while actively grieving two very impactful loses of life.
I vowed that if I was able to pull us out of the spiral we were in and someday get us to a place where we were secure, I’d give back. I’d give back often. I’d give back as much as I could because I know in my heart of hearts that we were fortunate in our misfortune. We each had the fortune of being well educated, we each brought deep community ties to the table, and in general had work skill sets that would allow for a quick pivot. Many don’t have that same fortune and one major life event can be THEE life event that changes everything.
For every home I get to closing with my buyer and seller clients, I will donate $250 from my earnings to one of the non-profits listed below (clients choice)! You may be on this page because you are one of these clients. For you? Thank you so much for trusting me with your journey and for helping me support our at risk community members. If you have discovered this page for other reasons, hi hello how are you? Please feel free to contact me via phone, email, or social media with any questions about my vision.
Vision
I will donate $90,000 to local non-profits by January of 2032.
Current Progress Year to Date (2023) :
$8,631
Lifetime Progress Towards Goal:
$23,587 Donated (26.2% of the way to the goal!)
Kittitas County Pride
The mission of Kittitas County Pride is to educate and promote LGBTQ+ awareness of diversity, health, culture, and acceptance. KCP envisions a county where LGBTQ+ individuals their families, and allies are valued and feel a sense of belonging. KCP strives to build bridges throughout our county community, and forge new bonds among young and old, life-long residents and newcomers. We celebrate the strength and diversity of our community, and we foster an increased sense of well-being in the lives we touch.
The Gretchen Weller Foundation
When one family member has cancer, everyone in the household becomes affected by that struggle. Besides medical expenses, cancer is costly in many ways. Families need transportation, meals out, car maintenance and a host of other expenses. The Gretchen Weller Foundation helps to bridge some of these gaps.
Kittitas County Recovery Community Organization
“Our mission is to develop a recovery community with barrier free access to the recovery support, care, and resources needed to achieve long-term recovery, and the ability to become integral members of our community.“
Our group of staff and volunteers work to promote long-term recovery through education, advocacy and support services—resulting in healthier individuals, families, and communities.
Josie’s Misfit Ranch
“Josie’s Misfit Ranch is a volunteer and foster home based rescue that cares and advocates for misfit animals in Kittitas County and surrounding areas. “Misfit” animals are wounded in body or spirit who have been discarded, mistreated or ignored because they are considered less than “perfect.” We show these animals the love and compassion they deserve, build their confidence, and focus on all they can do instead of what they can’t.“
We act as champions for our animals,* their foster families, and their forever families at every stage of the rescue and adoption process, including providing training and ongoing support. By building the skills and confidence of all involved – the animal, foster family and forever family – we are building a more successful adoption experience and reducing the chances the animal will be surrendered again. We partner with other rescue organizations to provide training for their fosters; we are all in this together. Our hope is to build a community where people value these animals and treat them with respect and kindness, as well as help them reach their full potential.
*We primarily serve dogs and cats at this time, but may expand to other animals in the future.
Fish Community Food Bank
For the past 50 years, Friends in Service to Humanity (FISH) has been the resource for food and help to anyone in Kittitas County who is hungry and in need of a friend. Since 1971, FISH has been a collaboration of available resources to assure no one in Kittitas County goes to bed hungry and anyone has the opportunity to improve their quality of life.
Founded as a faith-based organization, FISH remains true to the values of service to our community and commitment to anyone needing help.
Our mission and beliefs guide the actions of staff, volunteers, including our board members, and is at the heart of all services offered by the organization.
FISH partners in the community share our values and commitment to improving our community-at-large. Our programs and services are intentionally directed to strengthening resources that are available for the most vulnerable among us, especially seniors and children.
Helen House
Helen Wolfsehr Wise was asked to establish a Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, PFLAG, in Ellensburg, Washington in the early 1980’s. She and her husband Don were two of the few parents in the Ellensburg community who created a safe and confidential network of people who could respond to the questions and needs of LGBTQ youth, college students, and professionals or newcomers to Ellensburg.
Helen was key in this endeavor because of her ability to listen and assist those who sought support between youth and parents. She made a significant difference in the lives of many people and families. Helen’s commitment to the LGBTQ community was well known and it is in remembrance her decades long commitment our space is named Helen House.