Whidbey Island Fundraiser for the Essential Needs Program

Keep our neighbors housed • keep them working • help them through emergency

Many of our Whidbey neighbors are struggling to afford even their basic needs. Goosefoot and Whidbey Community Foundation (WCF) have partnered together to raise funds for the Whidbey Island Essential Needs program, with a collective goal of $100,000 by July 31, 2023.

Thanks to the amazing support of our community, we met and surpassed that goal with a grand total of $109,168!

Together we can make a difference!

HOW WILL MY DONATION HELP?

Your donations will help fill gaps for Whidbey Island households that aren’t met through existing funding streams.

Examples of assistance include:

  • child care subsidies
  • utilities
  • transportation
  • one-time extraordinary expenses
HOW WILL WE REACH 100K?

Donate through:

  • $25K from Goosefoot
  • $25K from WCF
  • $50K from the community!

As funds are raised, they will be deployed to Whidbey households directly through the Opportunity Council Island County Service Center.

HOW CAN I DONATE?

Goosefoot and WCF are extremely grateful for all donations thus far, thank you! Every dollar raised goes to help Whidbey Island residents in need.

Donate through:

  • Roundup for Charity at the Goose Grocer during the months of May, June & July
  • Donate here through Goosefoot
  • Or at whidbeyfoundation.org

We’re grateful to live in a community where people not only recognize when people are in need, they step up to help!

Lisa Clark
Island County Opportunity Council

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Whidbey Community Foundation, who has partnered with us for the second year in a row to create, seed and fundraise for this program. To the Opportunity Council for their dedication to helping our community members directly. And to the entire team at The Goose Grocer for their Roundup for Charity Program (benefiting many different local organizations) and their enthusiastic support of this important cause. We are very grateful to have this amazing community support!

Get Assistance

Who is Eligible for Assistance?

  • Households with a Whidbey zip code
  • Household income is no more than 80% of area median income in Island County
  • For a Single Household: up to $3,550/mo
  • For a Household of 4: up to $5,475/mo

How to Access Assistance?

Contact the Opportunity Council Island County Service Center:

  • Online: reach out through the button below to fill out a form on their website
  • Call: 360-679-6577 ext: 2139 or 2135 and please leave a detailed message
  • In person: mention the “Whidbey Island Essential Needs Program” when working wiht staff to determine elgibility

“We are honored to be the recipient of this funding in order to assist our community in ways we have never been able to. To date, we have been able to purchase fridges for disabled and elders, assist with homelessness prevention for veterans, purchase home items for those moving out of homelessness, support new moms with car seats, assist with medical bills, car repairs, urgent daycare needs and much more. This means so much to our staff, who often feel frustration not having funds for the extra things that people need assistance with. The program has given us the freedom to help MORE, which is our passion! In this critical time we cannot express just how important these funds are.”

– Melissa Frasch-Brown, Island County Service Center Director

About the Opportunity Council Island County Service Center

The Opportunity Council is a private, nonprofit human services organization that acts as a catalyst for positive change in the community and the lives of the people it serves. Its role is to create awareness of the needs of low-income people, engage the community in responding to those needs, and promote institutional sensitivity. The Opportunity Council provides direct services, including information, education, and access to resources to assist low-income and disadvantaged persons in developing and maintaining self-reliance.

Working closely with Island County Human Services and nonprofits on the island, Opportunity Council of Island County administers programs including: information & referral for basic needs, family services & homeless intervention, energy assistance, and weatherization & home repair.