The Windermere Foundation’s recent contribution to Seattle Children’s Hospital‘s Homelessness Prevention Fund and Children’s Emergency Patient Fund will help 40 families secure stable housing and retain ownership of their homes this holiday season.
“No parent should have to choose between having a place to live and having a healthy child,” said Christine Wood, Executive Director of the Windermere Foundation. “Our goal is to help take on some of the financial burden of housing and
living expenses so they can focus on their child’s health.”
The Homelessness Prevention Fund provides low-income families with financial support to help cover imminent expenses, repairs, and other needed services. The one-time payment can spare a family from eviction or other hardships triggered by shelter insecurity.
“There are 104 children and 74 parents and guardians who will be able to stay in their homes during the holidays thanks to the Windermere Foundation’s generous donation,” said Roosevelt Travis, Director of the Department of Social Work at Seattle Children’s. “It is truly life changing.”
Additionally, a portion of the donation was directed to the Children’s Emergency Patient Fund which provides modest sums to cover food, utilities, transportation and other essentials to more than 2,000 families each year.
Over the years, Windermere donations to this fund have been used to pay for hotel vouchers, gas cards, and, in the saddest cases, funeral expenses.
“When I am contacted by Children’s seeking funding, I know not every situation is going to have a happy ending,” said Christine Wood. “We’re just grateful that we have the opportunity to relieve some of the burden for these families during what is a very difficult time in their lives.”
Since its establishment 30 years ago, the Windermere Foundation has raised over $40 million to support local low-income and homeless families, and Windermere has donated a total of $318,000 directly to Seattle Children’s Hospital since 2006. The Foundation is currently the 17th largest corporate philanthropist in the Puget Sound, as ranged by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
To learn more about the Windermere Foundation, please visit www.windermerefoundation.com
Read the full Windermere Foundation press release here.
A version of this story was first published on Inman.com (Note: subscription required)