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Tag: Charities

Spotlight Charity: Live United in Whatcom County

Spotlight Charity: Live United in Whatcom County

Photo courtesy of United Way of Whatcom County If you know anything about charities you have probably heard of United Way. Over the course of the 20th century this charitable organization has become deeply rooted in communities across Washington and the United States. Because United Way recognizes that local problems need local solutions, each branch independently develops programs that best suit the needs of the communities they serve. Every United Way throughout Washington goes above and beyond to support our…

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Spotlight Charity: Summit Assistance Dogs

Spotlight Charity: Summit Assistance Dogs

Photo courtesy of Summit Assistance Dogs Opening a door. Turning on a light. Picking up a dropped dish towel. Most of us complete these daily activities without a second thought. But for those living with disabilities, these tasks can be difficult and sometimes even impossible without additional assistance. There are currently over 55 million people in the United States living with disabilities, some requiring help from a caregiver. However, there is an empowering alternative for those who live with disabilities…

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Spotlight Charity: Redeeming Soles

Spotlight Charity: Redeeming Soles

Photo Courtesy of “Redeeming Soles” Scott Sowle was homeless. And in need of shoes. Or more particularly, a good pair of work boots. He had procured a temporary job in day labor, but without suitable footwear he was unable to take it. The scarcity of shoes among the homeless was a trend Scott witnessed regularly during his time living on the streets in four major cities across the United States. And lack of footwear, Scott quickly realized, is also a…

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Spotlight Charity: Ready to get GRuBby?

Spotlight Charity: Ready to get GRuBby?

If you love to dig in the garden and eat local fruits and veggies, you will love this week’s much anticipated Spotlight Charity: GRuB! www.goodgrub.org GRuB, which stands for Garden-Raised Bounty, has been contributing to the community since 2001 when Richard Doss and Blue Peetz teamed up to help the disadvantaged through their mutual passion for food and community development. GRuB’s mission is to “inspire positive personal and community change by bringing people together around food and agriculture.” To make…

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Spotlight Charities and Motorcycles!

Spotlight Charities and Motorcycles!

Photo Courtesy of FTE Magazine, Thurston County Steering Committee The people of Washington State have a reputation for being friendly, hospitable, and generous, so it is no surprise that our state is a leader in the country for charitable giving. Currently, Washington proudly ranks fourth in the United States for charitable giving by public employees. That is pretty remarkable, given our status as the twelfth most populated state in the nation! Washington’s impressive rank is largely due to the Washington…

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Charities and Nonprofit news: resource updates, Facebook and Spokane event

Charities and Nonprofit news: resource updates, Facebook and Spokane event

Our office’s Corporations and Charities Division has been even busier than usual, updating some helpful resources, adding a Facebook page, and scheduling an educational event in Spokane in May. The division recently published its new Charities and Nonprofit Board Service Handbook. If you go to either our Corporations or Charities homepage after going to our mainpage,  you can find the new handbook in the reading pane on the right. Folks in the nonprofit and charities community also will be interested…

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Welcome, Combined Fund Drive!

Welcome, Combined Fund Drive!

It’s official: The Combined Fund Drive will be transferred from the Department of Personnel to the Office of Secretary of State! The Governor just signed bill 6540, authorizing the move. The Office of Secretary of State welcomes three new employees and the workplace giving program that has helped raise tens of millions of dollars for charities since its creation in 1984.

Watch out: Scam e-mails try to snatch Haiti donations

Watch out: Scam e-mails try to snatch Haiti donations

Yesterday our office warned you to be on guard against scammers as you donate to aid the horrific disaster in Haiti. Today, our IT department alerted us to the fact that spammers are already sending out scam e-mails requesting donations to send to Haiti – and these messages are convincing!   Here’s an example of the type of spam you may be getting in your inbox: The best practice, our Charities Manager tells us, is to donate directly to the charitable…

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Comcast Newsmakers: Sam Reed

Comcast Newsmakers: Sam Reed

Comcast Newsmakers talks with Sam Reed about the various functions of his office. It’s a good summary of the (rather odd) variety of functions the Office of the Secretary of State performs: elections, corporations, charities, archives, legacy project, the state library. The Washington State Library gets excellent treatment, both time-wise and praise-wise. If you’re impatient, you can skip ahead – we’re covered from 1:01 – 2:16.

Holiday Giving Tip No. 1

Holiday Giving Tip No. 1

Holiday Giving Tip No. 1: Know how to use the online Charities Search! It’s the holiday season, the peak time to get asked to donate money, and you’re not about to get swindled, right? To help you from becoming a victim of fraud or unscrupulous practices, we encourage people to check before they give. But what does that mean? And how do you do it? Here is a quick and easy 5 step process that takes a mere 2 minutes,…

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