The Grays Harbor Community Foundation has invested $47,250 into the Grays Harbor community through its 2022 3rd Quarter Small Grants program.
Eleven organizations were awarded funding that will directly benefit our community and Grays Harbor residents.
The organizations that were funded through the small grant program include:
• Aberdeen Police Department — VIPS key safe distribution
• Connections — Playground improvements
• Grays Harbor Early Learning Coalition — Early learning awareness event
• Grays Harbor Youth Works — Capacity building
• Friends of Highland Park/City of Cosmopolis — Lighting the corridor
• The Horse Prayer — Feed and care for equine team
• Montesano Booster Association — Rolling flag
• Ocean Shores Foodbank — Technology upgrades
• Pacific Beach Elementary School — Attendance initiative program
• WHOLE Harbor — Community garden
• Wishkah Valley School District — Transitional Kindergarten
“Thanks to our generous donors who continue to invest in Grays Harbor, we are able to offer seven different granting opportunities to local nonprofits and schools each year,” said Grays Harbor Community Foundation Senior Program Officer Jessica Hoover in a press release. “Every organization is eligible to apply for a small grant and community building grant annually. This quarter, we were able to utilize donor advised funds as well as designated funds to make a big impact for several organizations in Grays Harbor.”
Cynthia and Anders Nelson leave $270,000 estate gift to Grays Harbor Community Foundation
Former Ocean Shores residents Cynthia and Anders Nelson left a generous estate gift to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to support domestic violence organizations in Grays Harbor.
“We are grateful to the Nelsons for trusting the Foundation to administer their philanthropic wishes after their passing,” said Foundation Executive Director Eric Potts. “The Foundation is able to invest charitable dollars while also maintaining strong relationships with our local nonprofit partners. This means that we are up to date on current needs within multiple sectors, making connecting donors to their philanthropic passions both seamless and gratifying to know their charitable wishes will continue to be honored beyond their lifetimes.”
The Nelsons gift will make a big difference in the important work that local domestic violence agencies are doing to support and empower survivors of abuse, according to the release.
Grays Harbor Community Foundation awards funds to Lake Quinault School District for cafeteria tables
The Foundation supports local school districts several ways including through after school funding, field trips, capital improvements and also with basic needs for students.
Recently, they awarded Lake Quinault School District over $30,000 for an overhaul of their lunch room.
“Once again I would like to thank you for your generous donation towards our new kitchen tables,” Superintendent Keith Samplawski said to the Foundation. “The tables arrived and the old pockets were removed and the new ones installed within a few hours. Our students will be using them at lunch for the first time. It is hard to explain the incredible difference in both the quality and ease of use when you compare these tables to our old ones.
“If you are not at our school every day, it is difficult to understand the change in attitude and pride you see when we are able to add new equipment for our kids to use,” he said. “The students at Lake Quinault do an incredible job of taking care of school property and I know that these tables will look new for the next 20 years.
The community will also be able to use these tables for meetings, special dinners, and even class reunions.
