Formed by a group of two compassionate local women dedicated to our community and kids, Stephanie Reime and Cynthia McMillan work in partnership with our local schools to provide students with basic need items.
Their mission is to empower students by providing essential clothing and supplies, ensuring students have the tools they need to succeed academically and feel confident.
They once had a student come to school in shoes that were three sizes too small and when they got a call from the school to see if they had any extra shoes on hand, they did not hesitate and got a brand new pair of shoes for the student that same day.
Providing our students with a sense of dignity and kindness is at the heart of their work. In addition to clothing and shoes, they also provide several other basic needs items. During their last grant application for the Grays Harbor Community Foundation in June 2025 they commented:
“Our dedicated seven-member board has worked tirelessly to make a meaningful impact in our schools. It brings together a diverse group — two community members, two retired teachers, one current teacher, and two paraprofessionals — who share a strong commitment to filling the gaps for students.
“Looking ahead, we plan to partner with other school-based organizations to broaden our impact and further our mission. Each school we serve has a designated space and a key contact person we coordinate with regularly. These rooms are carefully inventoried, and as supplies run low, we collaborate with local shopping centers to restock essential items.
“We never anticipated the need would be so significant. Since our launch in October 2024, we’ve provided students with 99 pairs of boots, 115 pairs of shoes, 210 pairs of socks, 475 pairs of underwear, 167 pairs of sweatpants, 93 shirts, and countless hats, gloves, and other necessities. We plan to partner with other school-based organizations to expand our reach and advance our mission of supporting students in need.”
The Foundation has provided $6,000 in support to Boots for Bears over the last year. They have several fundraisers planned to ensure they are able to continue their great work to serve Grays Harbor kids. The next one is their 2nd Annual Paper Airplane Fly-in on Saturday, Feb. 28 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Hoquiam High School gym. It will be fun for all ages, so be sure to save the date.
Their next Impact Grant cycle deadline is March 1 at 5p.m. Contact Senior Program Officer Jessica Hoover with questions at jessica@gh-cf.org or visit their website at www.gh-cf.org.
