Baker Boyer announces a recipient of their Legacy Giving program for Fall of 2017. Baker Boyer held a special event on Wednesday, November 15th, in their Walla Walla Main Office lobby to present the Christian Aid Center with a $25,000 contribution toward the construction of their new 17,000 square-foot Center for Women and Children.

Baker Boyer’s program, Legacy Giving, was created in 2016 and is designed to help alleviate some of the costs of building a non-profit organization’s legacy. Legacy Giving is for large-scale projects that positively impact the community Baker Boyer serves and will last five years or longer. This program was created as an opportunity for larger legacies to be built by providing financial support to help kick-start major community projects.

In order to address the current service demand and provide more effective programming for homeless women and children, CAC will construct a new 17,000 square-foot Center for Women and Children to replace the current buildings on the corner of Birch Street and 4th Avenue. The building will house an intake and welcome center, a dining room with attached commercial kitchen, children’s playroom adjacent to an outdoor playground, a conference room, and administrative offices. The second floor will include 16 flexible living-quarters, two living rooms, classrooms, a counseling room, and a dorm-monitor apartment. The new facility will increase their capacity for single women from 6 to 16 beds, and for families from 4 to 9 units, serving a maximum of 52 women and children compared to the current 21. As an added benefit, the vacated space in the current administration building will then become a much needed educational center for men.

“Every legacy has to start somewhere and that often comes with initial large financial needs. Our legacy gifting program was created to empower the people and organizations in the community; to help them make a change for a stronger community. Baker Boyer is proud to be a part of the Christian Aid Center’s legacy and honored to contribute to their cause,” said Mark Kajita, President and CEO of Baker Boyer.

“We are extremely grateful to Baker Boyer Bank for partnering with us to leave a “legacy” full of hope for the homeless children in our community. The building will give women a chance to break the cycle of homelessness and start a path to a new, better life.” commented Jason Wicklund, Christian Aid Center Executive Director.

The Christian Aid Center is an agency that exists to serve the needy regardless of race, creed or gender. It offers both emergency shelter and long-term restoration programming to men, women, and women with children under 18; who suffer from chronic poverty, hunger, homelessness, chemical dependency, and mental illness. Learn more about the Christian Aid Center on their website; christianaidcenter.org.

For local, non-profit organizations interested in applying for a Baker Boyer Legacy Giving donation, please contact Baker Boyer for qualifications and an application. The next application deadline is February 15, 2018.