Submitted by the San Juan Island Community Foundation

The San Juan Island Community Foundation has established the SJICF Emergency Response Fund to meet critical needs in the San Juan Island community resulting from an emergency or crisis affecting San Juan islanders.

The fund will be used now to support the efforts of our island nonprofits as they continue to meet the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors facing challenges as a result of COVID-19 disruptions.

The staff and board at SJICF understand that school and business closures, medical and economic hardships and limitations on travel as a result of COVID-19 will have a negative cascading effect on the health and wellbeing of our community members.

Donations can be made securely online at sjicf.org or mailed to SJICF, PO box 1352, Friday Harbor, Washington, 98250.

Grant funding guidelines will be developed by the SJICF Grants Committee. More information will be provided soon.

Carrie Unpingco, Executive Director of SJICF adds, “We want to meet the most pressing needs while making the process to distribute funds as efficient as possible. We’ve already had a good response from donors, and we encourage anyone who wants to help to give. No gift is too small. When we continue to work together as a community to support each other, we will come out stronger on the other side.”

SJICF is dedicated to improving and enriching the quality of life on our island by encouraging philanthropy, growing an endowment for purposeful grants to community charitable organizations, and building partnerships that effectively connect donors with island nonprofit organizations and their projects.

For more information, call Carrie Unpingco at 360-378-1001 or visit sjicf.org.