In response to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on many of the most vulnerable in our communities, the Baker Boyer Board of Directors twice voted to increase its budget for charitable donations. Today, Baker Boyer announces the remainder of over $60,000 in additional donations to selected organizations in Walla Walla, Milton-Freewater, Tri-Cities, and Yakima. This brings the total of additional contributions made to support those impacted by the pandemic to more than $100,000.

Here are the recipients of contributions since October:

In Tri-Cities:

• Union Gospel Mission — $5,000 to provide resources to meet increased demand for basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing.
• Martha’s Cupboard — $4,000 to deliver basic household goods to people who may otherwise live without. Serves nearly 8,000 individuals in Tri-Cities annually through outreach/coordination of dozens of local agencies.
• Second Harvest — $2,500 to support increased need for food assistance, including specific programs such as the Hanford Feeding Families Fundraiser and Red Nose Day (in addition to the $5,000 donated earlier in the year).
• Grace Clinic — $2,500 to support the volunteers and staff that provide medical, dental, and mental health services to low-income uninsured residents of Benton and Franklin counties.

• SARC (Support, Advocacy & Resource Center) of Tri-Cities — $2,500 to provide advocacy, counseling, and support to survivors of domestic violence and other crimes.
• Kadlec Foundation — $1,000 for incremental COVID-19 related needs.
• Kennewick Kiwanis — $1,000 for elementary school supplies, PPE, and cleaning.
• Benton-Franklin Legal Aid Society — $1,000 for increased need for low income legal services due to COVID-19.
• Kennewick Police Foundation — $500 to support the Community Care Program which allows officers who see an immediate community need to be able to take action and help people or resolve an issue.

In Yakima:

• Rod’s House — $7,500 to help this youth homeless shelter purchase essential items they need like clothing and bedding they would typically receive as used donations but can now only purchase new due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• YWCA – Yakima — $4,000 for its Domestic Violence Shelter needed to keep operations stable with increased demand for its services and PPE.
• Yakima Downtown Rotary Food Bank Program — $2,500 to help their coordinated effort to support eight separate area food banks (in addition to the $7,500 donated earlier in the year).

In Walla Walla Valley:

• Blue Mountain Action Council — $10,000 to address unforeseen costs as a result of losing work or re-entering the workforce due to COVID-19.
• BMAC Food Bank — $5,000 to support its collection, storage, and distribution of food throughout the Walla Walla Valley (in addition to support delivered through sponsorship and promotion of the Realtor Care Food Drive and the Barrel Full of Money event).
• Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless / Sleep Center — $4,000 for materials and construction of additional huts in preparation for increased demand with colder weather.
• The Health Center — $2,000 to acquire additional technology to remotely serve health needs (including mental health) in the public school systems.
• Helpline — $1,000 to support of emergency social services for low-income and homeless households in Walla Walla County.

In our Region (Walla Walla Valley, Tri-Cities, and Yakima):

• Comprehensive Health — $4,282.13 raised by the “Miles for Charity” challenge to support mental health and substance use disorder treatments in Eastern Washington.

Here are the $47,000 in donations Baker Boyer previously announced in May:

• Second Harvest (Tri-Cities) — $5,000
• Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation “DINE IN” Program — $2,500
• Yakima Downtown Rotary Food Bank Program — $7,500
• Home Delivered Meals Program, CAPECO (Milton-Freewater) — $5,000
• Meals on Wheels, Senior Center (Walla Walla) — $5,000
• Walla Walla YWCA — $5,000
• Walla Walla Public Schools — $5,000 for school supplies
• Baker Boyer’s Meals Program — $12,000 which worked with local food service companies to provide food for First Responders and Frontline Healthcare Workers in Yakima, Tri-Cities, Milton-Freewater, and Walla Walla.

For most of these donations, Baker Boyer worked with United Way of Blue Mountains and the Blue Mountain Community Foundation to apply for matching funds from the All in WA fund, which supports nonprofits that are addressing the increased need for services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each year, Baker Boyer contributes nearly $200,000 in donations and sponsorships to support local nonprofit and community organizations and programs.