Numerica donates record-breaking $120K to 5 Tri-City area nonprofits
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- Numerica Credit Union raised $532,000 through their Numerica Charitable Fund.
- Five Tri-Cities nonprofits each received the full amounts they requested.
- There is $120,000 flowing into the Tri-Cities.
For the first time in the history of a local credit union’s grant program, five Tri-Cities nonprofits won’t have to scale back plans to match limited funding. Instead, each organization will receive every dollar it asked for.
Numerica Credit Union announced it was awarding a record-breaking $532,000 this month through its Numerica Charitable Fund, according to a news release.
The money will be divided among eastern Washington and Northern Idaho regions, with $120,000 flowing into the Tri-Cities.
Tri-Cities recipients
Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties: $25,000
Tri-Cities Boys & Girls Clubs offer before school, after school, summer and non-school day programs that prioritize academics, health and wellbeing and leadership skills. The nonprofit will use the money to start its first-ever internship program for teens.
Miryam Hurtado, Workforce Readiness Director, said the opportunity allows their teens to learn skills that will apply to any job in their future, even if it’s not at the club.
“We’re trying to introduce them to what a typical job would look like,” Hurtado said.
The internship starts with a two-week training, focusing on soft-skills and basic interactions in a job setting. Once the training ends, teens will immerse themselves in a four-week internship, working in different departments at the organization.
“We will have some interns in the childcare area, some in our resource development department, marketing, and there will also be some clerical stuff,” Hurtado said.
This hands-on learning internship gives teens in the community a look at real-world scenarios in the workforce. At the end of their time, each teen will receive a $1,000 stipend.
The program is expected to begin in July, starting with applications and an interview process.
“We are so thankful for Numerica, because they will not only support the teens, but support our vision,” Hurtado said.
Columbia Basin College Foundation: $25,000
The foundation gives out more than $1,000,000 in scholarships each year to students attending Columbia Basin College. With this money, the foundation plans to expand the Hawk Diaper Bank, which supplies students that have children with baby necessities such as diapers and formula.
Erin Fishburn, executive director of CBC Foundation, said they receive a lot of requests for these kinds of items.
“We started this in January,” Fishburn said. “What we really want to do is support our students so they can stay in school and finish their education.”
Fishburn said the program was surprised to have received the entire amount requested, as grant funding is never guaranteed. They are grateful for the donation as it encourages students to stay in school regardless external factors.
Communities in Schools of Benton-Franklin: $25,000
This program assigns support coordinators to 28 local schools to help students face challenges outside the classroom that may be preventing them from succeeding. These include food insecurity, housing issues and trauma.
The nonprofit has received this grant from Numerica before, and uses it to fund wraparound support services to students and families, including attendance interventions, mentoring, tutoring, mental health referrals, parent engagement and assistance with basic needs such as housing and food insecurity.
The funding supports the organization’s efforts to connect students and families with resources that address barriers to education and improve academic success.
Lupe Mares-Rojas, executive director of the program, said Numerica has allowed them to achieve their goals as a program.
“They don’t just fund us,” Mares-Rojas said. “They provide our organization with the ongoing support we need to carry out our mission.”
Lutheran Community Services Northwest: $25,000
Tri-Cities Lutheran Community Services focuses on children under the age of 21 who are struggling with mental illness and behavioral challenges. They offer services such as counseling, psychiatric evaluations and 24/7 crisis support.
The grant will be used for funding a new youth mental health center in the old Amazon call center, 7011 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick. It will also help to grow their food pantry and meal-kit program, according to Amy Marinoni.
“We serve roughly 400 youth and their families every month,” Marinoni said.
Safe Harbor Support Center: $20,000
Safe Harbor is dedicated to assisting vulnerable youth and families from abuse, trauma and harm in the Tri-Cities. They offer help with basic needs for struggling families, temporary shelters for run-away and homeless youth and mentors for parents navigating the welfare system. This money will be put into continuing all of their current programs.
Sarah Harpster, executive director of Safe Harbor, said they are grateful for Numerica in times when private donations are decreasing.
“We were left speechless,” Harpster said, “They didn’t give us any inclination (that we’d receive the full amount).”
Their programs include housing, meals, clothes, hygiene products and services and other basic needs for youth and families in the Tri-Cities.