Thank you!
You contributed to remember and honor loved ones. You contributed as groups, couples or individuals. Some of you contributed anonymously.
All of you together donated $218,004 for the 2017 Peninsula Home Fund campaign.
Your generosity has created a safety net for your neighbors in 2018 through funding the “hand up, not a handout” Home Fund.
That money will be awarded throughout the year to people in need. Case managers at Olympic Peninsula Community Action Programs (OlyCAP) will use the fund to help people over rough spots so that they can continue to do what’s needed to be self-sufficient.
“Thanks to every one of the hundreds of Home Fund donors,” said Dale Wilson, executive director of OlyCAP.
“Thanks to you, OlyCAP, and our partners, will continue to help people across the Olympic Peninsula access the resources that will help them be healthier, safer, warmer, and keep them moving toward a more self-sufficient future,” Wilson said.
The Home Fund represents more than its sum of help for those in need, Wilson said.
“It is a unique community response that acknowledges individual and collective compassion for one another. It helps define our community.
“OlyCAP is thankful to the Peninsula Daily News and their incredible staff for their support. We are honored by your trust and recognize the privilege bestowed upon us to serve. Thank you.”
Most awards to individuals and households from the Home Fund are small — but they cover huge gaps for our neighbors on the North Olympic Peninsula.
“What a gift the Home Fund is!” said Justine Bedell, housing program manager for OlyCAP. “A lot of other communities don’t have this resource and that makes things so much more difficult for so many. I’m so grateful that we have this generosity in our community.
“That’s what so special about the Home Fund. It assists a lot of our population.”
The fund can be a life-saver for young children — or young parents, according to Diane Assumpcao, who provides family service support for Early Childhood Services at OlyCAP.
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.
The goal is “a hand up, not a handout.”
The fund will allow OlyCAP to help thousands of our friends and neighbors on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Last year, the Home Fund helped 4,295 individuals and 1,144 households.
Compassionate donors join the Peninsula Daily News in delivering hope to thousands of individuals and families, many with young children, who suddenly face an emergency situation and can’t find help elsewhere.
Everyone who donates — whether it be $1 or $1,000 — is a partner with us in forging a stronger Peninsula community.
In the past 29 years, the Home Fund has raised more than $3.49 million to help those in need on our Peninsula.
We have been able to do so only because of you, our caring readers.
You have helped to ensure safe homes for people about to lose them, or who were unable to rent them., because they lacked the deposit.
You gave a Port Hadlock woman the cash she needed to fix problem — a leaky toilet that had causes water damage — in her home.
You provided a couple who give of their time and skills in Port Angeles help with power bills and bus vouchers.
And those are only a few examples of the small gifts at the right time that kept your neighbors on track.
From Port Townsend to Forks, from Quilcene and Brinnon to Sequim and La Push, money from the fund has been used for hot meals for seniors, warm winter coats for kids, home repairs for a low-income family, necessary prescription drugs, dental work, safe and drug-free temporary housing, eyeglasses — the list goes on and on.
Small awards
Individuals in need never receive a large amount.
Individual assistance usually averages less than $100. The average amount given per person last year was $54.97 per individual and $206.36 per household. The maximum allowance per year is $350 per household.
No money is deducted by the Peninsula Daily News for administration fees or any other overhead.
Every penny goes to OlyCAP.
The money goes to help the most vulnerable members of our community, from infants to families to seniors.
Please note: Because of heavy community demands, the loss of grants because of the economy and recent cuts in government funding, OlyCAP beginning in 2012 was permitted to use 10 percent — 10 cents of every dollar donated — to pay for the vital programs and services for Home Fund clients. (Previously there were no deductions.)
All contributions are IRS tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law for the year in which the check is written.
Your personal information is kept confidential.
PDN and OlyCAP do not rent, sell, give or otherwise share your address or other information with anyone or make any other use of it.
How you helped
Gifts run the gamut, from kids giving money they got in their Christmas stockings to anonymous donors who contributed through foundations to several generations who joined together to donate.
Donors also included hundreds of individuals, school groups, service clubs, recreation and employee groups and people who have given yearly since the fund began in 1989 — plus a number of past beneficiaries of the fund whose lives have improved.
For many of our readers, the fund is as much a holiday tradition as a Christmas tree or roast turkey.
A gift to the fund embodies the spirit of Christmas.
It is a chance to help neighbors in need, for no personal gain.
A check will be given as soon as possible to OlyCAP — Olympic Community Action Programs, the No. 1 emergency services agency for Jefferson and Clallam counties — so the money can begin helping our neighbors immediately.
OlyCAP manages the fund for the PDN, screens the applicants — and provides life-changing services to those who need a “hand up, not a handout.”
Fund never closes
The books on the 2017 fund drive are closed. But the Peninsula Home Fund itself never closes.
Donations of any amount are always welcome.
They can be sent at any time to Peninsula Home Fund, Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
New contributions go toward the 2018 campaign.
All Peninsula Home Fund contributions are fully IRS tax-deductible.
The fund’s IRS number, under the auspices of OlyCAP, is 91-0814319.
Your personal information is kept confidential.
The PDN does not rent, sell, give or otherwise share your address or other information with anyone or make any other use of it.
The Peninsula Home Fund is registered with the Washington secretary of state’s charities division in Olympia.
Applying for a grant
To apply for a Peninsula Home Fund grant, contact one of the three OlyCAP offices:
• OlyCAP’s Port Angeles office is at 228 W. First St., Suite J (Armory Square Mall); 360-452-4726. For Port Angeles- and Sequim-area residents.
• Its Port Townsend office is at 823 Commerce Loop; 360-385-2571. For Jefferson County residents.
• The Forks office is at 421 Fifth Ave.; 360-374-6193. For West End residents.
Leave a message in the voice mail box at any of the three numbers, and a Home Fund caseworker will phone you back.
OlyCAP’s website is www.olycap.org. To contact by email, write action@ olycap.org.
Dale Wilson, OlyCAP’s executive director, oversees disbursements from the Peninsula Home Fund. He can be reached at 360-385-2571 or by emailing dwilson@olypen.com.
If you have any questions about the fund, phone the PDN at 360-452-2345.
Donors
The following are the last of the 2017 donations, given by cash, credit cards and checks processed between Jan. 4-10.
Name and amount
• Gary and Elaine Nelson, Port Townsend, $50.
• Mary Sue French, Port Angeles, $100.
• Jack and Kristine Morris, Chimacum, $100. In memory of Jim Durkopp.
• Jerry and Jackie Schwagler, Port Angeles, $2,000.
• J. Stendebach and D. King, Port Angeles, $100.
• Richard and Betty Southard, Port Townsend, $100.
• Louise Potter, Sequim, $250. In memory of Tricia Billes.
• T.A. and F.J. Burton, Port Angeles, $100.
• Bill and Nancy Irvine, Sequim, $200.
• NO Sangha, a zen meditation group, Port Angeles, $815.
Name only
• John and Phyllis Kendall, Port Angeles. In honor of Port Angeles EMTs.
• Dorothy Phillips, Port Angeles. In memory of all good best friends who are gone.
• Paul and Donna Downes, Port Angeles.
• Glen and Barb Huntingford, Chimacum.
• Pat Wisen, Sequim.
• Nadine Fuller, Forks. In memory of Isaac Ward.
• Viki Kocha, Carlsborg. In memory of my mother, Virginia Woolf.
• John M. Marrs and Marie Marrs, Port Angeles. In memory of Perry and Marjorie Brackett and Larry Brackett.
• James and Julie Emery, Port Angeles.
• William Bugg, Sequim.
• Richard and Connie Thorson, Port Angeles
• Pam Busch, Sequim.
• Mary Jill Klay, Sequim.
• Janis Burger, Port Angeles.
• Patricia MacRobbie, Sequim.
• Eric and Christine Brown, Port Angeles.
• Sandy and Nancy Goldstien, Sequim. In memory of Ruth Ames Olsen, who always helped those in need.
• Jerry and Sue Fowler, Sequim.
• Roger Lien, Beaver.
• Shirley Widdicombe, Sequim.
• James A. Oakland, Port Townsend.
• Kay Young, Port Townsend.
• Gary Zellmer, Sequim.
• Stefan and Mary Biskup, Port Townsend.
• Elizabeth and Marci Newlon, Sequim.
• Bill and Barb Pearl, Port Angeles.
• Ed Chadd, Port Angeles.
• Bruce and Laura Edwards, Port Angeles.
• Miggles Wallace and Ron Shannon, Sequim.
• Barbara Priest, Brinnon.
• The Downing Family, Port Townsend.
• The Strait Families, Port Angeles. In memory of Matt Waldron.
• Don and Betty Skidmore, Sequim.
• Carol Anne Modena, Port Townsend. In memory of Dana Roberts, a Jefferson County PUD commissioner and community volunteer. He died in 2009.
• Harvey and Margaret Katz, Port Angeles.
• Carol Young and Glenn Browning, Sequim.
• Nancy Herr.
• Olympic Springs Inc., Carlsborg.
• ABATE of Washington, Port Angeles.
• Robert Pfeiffer, Port Angeles.
• Layton Carr, Sequim.
• Paul D. Rogland, Port Townsend.
• Laura DuBois, Sequim.
• Robert and Lucille Schmitt, Port Angeles.
• Ted and Bobbie Simpson, Port Angeles. In memory of Ron Simpson.
Anonymous
• Port Angeles, $50.
• Carlsborg, $400. In memory of Robert and Robbie Street and in honor of Josslyn and Sawyer Street.
• Sequim, $1,000.
• Port Angeles, $300.
• Port Angeles, $100.
• Carlsborg, $100.
• Port Angeles, $25.
• Sequim, $100.
• Sequim, $25.
• Port Angeles, $300.
• Poulsbo, $25.
• Port Angeles, $110. In memory and honor of Rachel Corrie.
• Port Angeles, $25.
• Carlsborg, $1,000.
• Sequim, $50.
• Sequim, $25.
• Sequim, $50.
• Port Townsend, $50.
• Sequim, $50.
• Port Angeles, $100.
• Port Angeles, $100.
• Sequim, $50.
• Sequim, $50. In memory of Charlie Frates.
• Port Townsend, $50.
• $500.
• Port Ludlow, $100.
• Port Angeles, $50.
• Sequim, $50.
• Port Angeles, $30.
• Port Angeles, $50.
• Sequim, $500.
• Sequim, $150.
_______
EVEN THE BEST handwriting can be hard to decipher at times.
Please report any errors in this list to Leah Leach, 360-417-3530 (there’s voice mail if she’s away), or email her at lleach@peninsula dailynews.com.
We’ll rerun the listing correctly.
Our sincerest appreciation again to our donors.
