Peninsula Home Fund donations have swelled to $57,600.42.
North Olympic Peninsula residents in need can use the funds, which are dispersed by Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP), for small expenses that can make all the difference in bridging a difficulty before going on to improve their lives.
The annual campaign always begins on Thanksgiving and extends through the holiday season.
All contributions are federally tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law for the year in which the check is written.
No money is deducted by the Peninsula Daily News for administration fees or any other overhead. Every penny goes to OlyCAP, which will take 12.5 percent to assist with administrative costs.
OlyCAP has a cap of $500 for those who need a one-time infusion of funds.
Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. It creates a safety net for Peninsula residents when there is nowhere else to turn.
Generous donors gave $313,509.65 to the Peninsula Home Fund in 2021 and through Jan. 6 of this year.
Twenty percent of last year’s donations went to help families afford fuel for work, medical and education purposes. Thirteen percent were used for families to use laundry facilities; 10 percent bought groceries; and 8 percent went to adult work clothing and work tools, 7 percent to rental assistance (including eviction prevention) and 6 percent to utility assistance.
The remainder of funds were used for children’s clothing, public transportation costs and camping equipment (for the houseless).
The Peninsula Home Fund is a unique nonprofit program:
• The Home Fund is not a welfare program.
Money is used to give families and individuals from Port Townsend to Forks, from Quilcene and Brinnon to Sequim, Joyce and La Push “a hand up, not a handout” to get through an emergency situation.
All instances of help are designed to get an individual or family through a crisis — and back on the path to self-sufficiency.
Home Fund case managers often work with each individual or family to develop a plan to become financially stable — and avoid a recurrence of the emergency that prompted aid from the fund.
As needed, Peninsula Home Fund contributions are often used in conjunction with money from churches, service clubs and other donors, enabling OlyCAP to stretch the value of the contribution.
• Your personal information is kept confidential.
PDN does not rent, sell, give or otherwise share your address or other information with anyone or make any other use of it.
How to apply
The best way to request assistance from the Peninsula Home Fund is to fill out an online inquiry.
The “Ask for General Assistance” button at www.olycap.org will take you to the request form, or you can go directly to olycap.formstack.com/forms/general_inquiry.
If you are unable to access the internet, you may call OlyCAP offices in Port Angeles — 360-452-4726 — or Port Townsend — 360-385-2571, regardless of which county you reside in, and the front desk staff will fill it out on your behalf over the phone.
Physical offices remain closed to the public due to COVID-19 health concerns, but services are available.
Cherish Cronmiller, OlyCAP’s executive director, oversees disbursements from the Peninsula Home Fund.
How to donate
To donate, write a check to “Peninsula Home Fund” and attach it to the coupon that appears in today’s PDN.
You can also find the coupon online on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PenDaily News. The image can be saved and printed out from there.
Mail both items to Peninsula Home Fund, Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
You can also contribute online using a credit card. Just go to olycap.org/donations.
From children’s pennies to checks for thousands of dollars, the generosity of Peninsula Daily News readers makes a positive difference.
If you have any questions about the fund, call Publisher Terry R. Ward at 360-417-3500.
Here is a list of donors to the fund as of Tuesday.
NAME ONLY
• Dan and Vicki Pierson, Port Angeles.
• Sam and Martha Baker, Port Angeles.
• Kathleen O. Balducci. In memory of Dale Balend and Betty Owen, Port Angeles.
• Norma Erickson. In memory of Gerald Hall, Sequim.
• Margery M. Whites. In memory of Larry Roth, Sequim.
• Francis J. Knight, Port Angeles.
• In Memory of Bal and Jack.
• In Memory of Marian Fisken Byse.
• James R. and Elena S. Karr, Sequim.
• Dick and Connie Thorton, Port Angeles.
• Steve and Gloria Ricketts, Port Hadlock.
• Margy Levitan. In memory of Celia, Sequim.
• Rosemary Blumetti, Sequim.
• Sue and C.V. Tondreau, Sequim.
• Nick and Sandy Larson. In memory of Fred and Bob Michalscheck and Esther Welson, Port Angeles .
• Barbara E. Vanderwerf, Sequim.
• Hazel Blake, Sequim.
• Kenneth and Sharon Miller, Sequim.
• Bob and Sue Erzen, Sequim.
• Richard and Karen Grennan, “In honor of all those in our community who volunteer their time and skills to help others,” Sequim.
• Jane Stewart and Neil Burkhardt, Sequim.
• Jacolyn R. Partridge, “In loving memory of those who have passed before us,” Port Angeles.
• Barbara and Mack Boelling, Port Townsend.
• JW James Jr.
• Julie Schreck, Sequim.
• Gail Hall, Port Angeles.
• Sherry Hansen, Sequim.
• Patrick O’Hara, Sequim.
• Karen Donlon, Sequim.
• Valerie Mohr, Sekiu.
• Curt Oppelt, Port Angeles.
• Karen and Steve Hanan, Port Angeles.
• Susan Molin, Sequim.
• Kenneth A. Malidore.
• Donna Clark, Port Angeles.
• Anne Keane, Sequim.
• Stephenie Bennett, Port Angeles.
• Stephanie Hilt, Port Angeles.
• Michele Podesto, Port Townsend.
• Lesle Robinson, Port Ludlow.
• Steven McCreary, Port Townsend.
• Charles Brown, Port Angeles.
• Gloria Moe, Port Angeles.
• Rebecca Martin, Port Angeles.
• Shannan Boss, Sequim.
• Brenda Bole, Port Townsend.
• Anne Keane, Sequim.
• Kerry and Marilyn Perkins, In memory of Jeannie Rawley, Port Angeles.
• Kent and Rosemary Brauninger Port Angeles.
NAME AND AMOUNT
• Frank and Sharon McGuire $250, In memory of Bob & Ruby Maqnuson and Francis and Grace Maguire, Sequim.
• John and Jeanne Skow $1,000, Port Angeles.
• Donna Heien $500, In memory of Tom Heien,
• Doris E. Prince $100.
• Mark McCormick and Bob Fletcher $100, In memory of “My Father, James P. McCormick. Love you Dad,” Sequim.
• Duncan and Doris Prince $100, Sequim.
ANONYMOUS
• $500, Port Angeles.
• $75, Sequim.
• $100, Port Angeles.
• $50, Sequim.
• $1,000, Port Angeles.
• $75, In memory of Claudia Fox, Port Angeles.
• $100, Port Angeles.
• $200, Port Ludlow.
• $600, In memory of Bal and Jack, Port Angeles.
