Donor willing to double donations to COVID relief fund
From Washington Gorge Action Programs:
Klickitat and Skamania County, WA – A local donor has stepped forward to make $15,000 in matching funds available for Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) effort to raise $50,000 to rebuild the COVID-19 Relief Fund by December 31. The fundraiser started as part of WAGAP’s GivingTuesday campaign and has so far raised nearly $20,000.
The COVID-19 Relief Fund was created in March to help pay essential bills for Klickitat and Skamania County community members who have been affected by the loss of a job, or a reduction in work hours, as a result of the economic impacts of the pandemic. Nearly $180,000 in discretionary funds have gone back into the two counties through grants and donations, but with the ongoing pandemic, these funds have been depleted.
"We understand that people need help right now with living expenses and that the Covid-19 Relief Fund will be used to get money where it is needed most, filling an important gap that other funding sources are not addressing." says rancher Mary Kleihege of the Little Seven Seven Ranch.
Kleihege said she is inspired to give by local organizations, such as the Lyle Lions Club, "whose volunteers do the real work of getting food and care to those in need during the pandemic and are working very hard, putting others well-being ahead of their own."
These matching funds will double the impact of new donations, and she hopes it inspires others to give, especially as the need increases over the winter months. If new donors respond in kind, this incentive will help WAGAP hit its $50,000 goal.
“It can be easy to feel hopeless about all that’s happening in the world right now,” said Leslie Naramore, WAGAP Executive Director. “There’s so much devastation that in our day to day it can be difficult to remember the good. I would like to thank Mary for this wonderful reminder that our community believes in the work that we do. We can continue to help our neighbors stay in their homes and stay warm thanks to this generous gift from one neighbor to another. And that’s what this is all about, neighbor helping neighbor.”
Contributions can be made online at https://www.wagap.org/donate and donors are asked to designate the COVID-19 Relief Fund by typing it in the “Note:” field. Donations by check should also have “COVID-19 Relief Fund” clearly marked on the memo line and can be accepted at your local WAGAP office in Stevenson, Bingen, or Goldendale during regular business hours. Because offices are closed to the public due to Safe Start orders, donors are asked to knock at the door. Donations can also be sent by mail to WAGAP at P.O. Box 805, Bingen, WA 98605.
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GivingTuesday kicked off the generosity season this year on December 1, 2020, by inspiring people to give back on that day and throughout the year. It is a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and their world.
Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Community Action Agency dedicated to helping individuals, families, and communities address basic human needs, including food security and energy assistance in Klickitat and Skamania Counties. For more than 50 years, the organization has offered support services to help people help themselves and reach self-sufficiency. Learn more at wagap.org or, for additional information, contact WAGAP at (509) 493-2662 or email info@wagap.org.
