2025 GRANT AWARDS

Inter-Faith Treasure House – Emergency Grant

The Inter-Faith Treasure House submitted a 2025 grant application requesting $14,000 to help fund the purchase of a replacement cargo van. Their auto repair shop informed them that their current cargo van was not repairable. A cargo van is indispensable to the efficient operation of the food bank because it allows for moving food in pallet-size quantities rather than small boxes. Pallet-size movement of food saves time and saves wear and tear on volunteers who otherwise would have to handle the multitude of small boxes.

Upon initial review of IFTH’s application, it was clear that the need was immediate and compelling. On December 20, 2024, the CWCC Board approved a $14,000 emergency fund grant to help purchase a replacement cargo van. According to Manager Nancy Wilson, the van made its initial pick-up of food from the Clark County Food Bank on January 27, 2025.

Akin (formerly Children’s Home Society of Washington)

The grant will fund general operations at the East County Family Resource Center in downtown Washougal. The Center allows clients to access parent education groups, youth support groups, emergency basic assistance, behavioral health services, and healthcare services provided directly by Akin or supported by Akin as the Center’s lead agency. Rather than just providing families with access to services, the Center focuses on building skills in families leaving them better prepared to function independently.

Meals on Wheels People

The grant will help fund their senior nutrition program. MOWP’s goal is to ensure that every older adult has adequate access to nutrition in their neighborhood. In addition, offer social support through friendly conversation during meal delivery and congregate. Enrichment activities are also available at MOWP’s dining centers to help alleviate social isolation among older adults in the area. MOWP’s participants include older adults who live in low-income households, those who live alone, many who experience disabilities, may be socially or geographically isolated, and veterans.

Janus Youth Programs

Janus Youth Program operates SW Washington’s only crisis shelter for homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth ages 9 to 17. The Oaks shelter has become the primary safety net for youth with severe mental health and/or addiction issues, youth who have been victims of sex trafficking, and youth requiring protective custody due to open Child Protective Services investigations. The grant is used to provide crisis and emergency services, youth activities, education, and health and welfare programs for at-risk youth from Camas and Washougal. The grant also supports case management services vital to achieving family reunification, service entry and referral, needs assessment, and coordinated exit planning.

Washougal School District – Principals’ Checkbook

The grant provides all elementary, middle, and high school principals in the WSD with funds to help any student in financial need access to activities, services, or materials necessary for a quality education. The grant will also support the Washougal Adult Transition Program (WATP), a program that provides on-the-job training to students with disabilities, as well as food, clothes, shoes, and personal hygiene products for low-income students. WATP is ready to open a coffee cart business at the high school. Students will gain business skills, including inventory management, shopping, counting, balancing money, and customer service.

Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership

The LCEP education program includes three 60-minute classroom lessons that utilize an array of materials, including plant and animal specimens and watershed models. The lessons introduce students to the components of healthy watersheds, plant and animal populations, and the interconnectedness of all living things. The outdoor component takes place at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge and involves planting native trees or removing invasive plants along Gibbons Creek. Planting trees helps reduce water temperature, thereby enhancing native fish survival. The grant funds a portion of educators’ salaries, transportation expenses, and materials and supplies for the outdoor component.

East County Citizen’s Alliance – Washougal Ivy League

Grant funds will be used to purchase tools, insurance, and website domain hosting for the Washougal Ivy League. The Washougal Ivy League anticipates purchasing 15 sets of loppers and hand pruners, 24 sets of gloves, and 3 Mcleod tools. These items are needed to conduct volunteer events in the city of Washougal. Removing invasive English ivy, Himalayan blackberries, and English holly is crucial to keeping Washougal parks healthy. Liability insurance to cover any incidents during volunteer events is critical to protect and cover both the volunteers and the Washougal Ivy League organization and members.

St. Anne’s Episcopal Church – Safe Stay Program

St. Anne’s has developed a Safe Stay program that allows seven homeless families to sleep overnight in their vehicles in the church’s parking lot. The grant funds will be used to rent a port-a-potty, including twice-weekly servicing. The funds will also be used to pay for utilities and supplies associated with a laundry facility (washer and dryer) and an ADA bathroom and shower facility. The church arranges for volunteers to open the church for two hours in the early evening to let the campers use the bathroom and shower, the washer and dryer, and the kitchen. The church also makes available a WIFI hotspot so clients can access the internet.

Camas School District – Camas Family Community Resource Center

Grant funds will help purchase materials or services to assist directly in furthering a student’s education or their physical/emotional well-being that might also affect their ability to do well in school. All the items purchased with these funds ensure the stability of the student so they can receive the best education possible.

Family Promise of Clark County

Grant funds will be used to operate Family Promise’s Cares Prevention Program, which proactively assists families with services that prevent them from losing their home and entering the shelter system. Services may include rental assistance, payment for rent in arrears, security deposits, landlord mediation, housing location, Rent-Well, budget and financial literacy courses, connection to community resources, and professional case management services. A portion of the grant will be used to pay for the CPP case manager’s position. The other portion of the grant will pay up to $1,000 per family for CPP services described above. Family Promise will continue to leverage these funds by partnering with other organizations in the community, such as Partners in Careers, Salvation Army, Camas Lions Club, Council for the Homeless, and other human services agencies.

Scouts Mini-Grant Program

The fund helps provide scholarships to boys and girls from low-income households so they can pay the scout’s membership fee and/or so they can attend summer camp. Five scout troops from the Camas and Washougal area can benefit from the grant program.

Kiwanis Camp Wa-Ri-Ki

The purpose of Camp Wa-Ri-Ki is to engage 9- to 15-year-olds in outdoor education and recreational experiences. The grant funds will be used to offer educational and outdoor activities that are physically challenging, involve problem-solving and encourage human interactions in a fun and exciting camp community. Various programs such as NASA GLOBE Goes to Camp, Earth and Sky Nature School, Camas Days, Art in the Garden, Artist in Residence, Leave No Trace, and Nature Days Community Festival enable campers to have meaningful outdoor experiences. Activities that fuel personal growth are selected, such as better physical and mental health, increased self-esteem, respect and kindness toward others, ability to lead, and participation in community to become passionate stewards of our natural resources.

East County Student Travel

Grant funds will help fund eighth-grade underprivileged students from the Washougal School District pay for travel expenses on an East Coast Tour of Discovery trip. The trip itself is based on the eighth-grade US history curriculum which covers Columbus to Reconstruction (1492 to 1876). The trip starts in Jamestown, VA, and works its way up through Washington D. C., Philadelphia, and ends up in New York City. Highlights include visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and seeing a Broadway play. The trip inspires students to take pride in their citizenship, connect with our shared history, and develop responsible citizens necessary for a functioning democracy.

Journey Theater Arts Group

Journey Theater Arts Group puts on Broadway-style live theater performances involving casts and production crews of as many as 65 students between the ages of eight and 18. A portion of the funds will provide scholarships for theater classes and camps to six students in financial need. The remaining funds will be used to hire high-quality ASL interpretation services at five show runs this upcoming year.

Pink Lemonade Project

The Pink Lemonade Project offers three financial aid and assistance programs to women who are facing breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The project offers financial assistance for essential items not covered by health insurance, but that may be needed for important quality-of-life issues like groceries, transportation assistance, lymphedema sleeves, lost wages due to treatment and/or surgeries, rent/mortgage payments, etc. The three programs include: Treatment Access Program for rural clients, Holiday Glow which helps families during the holiday season, and Pink Practicalities, the basic financial assistance program.

Unite! Washougal Community Coalition

A portion of the grant will be used to fund Club Unite!, a partnership between Unite! Washougal School District, and adult community volunteers. Middle school is an excellent time to help our students grow their skills, learn about healthy choices, and get opportunities to socialize with other peers in a healthy, safe, and supportive environment while developing interests and resilient skills that will last a lifetime. A portion will fund Our Positive Community Norms Campaign, “Love Your Life! Washougal”. The Love Your Life campaign seeks to inform youth that they don’t have to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs to fit in. Instead, it seeks to recognize our community’s positives and grow those positive behaviors by reinforcing and rewarding them in our youth and community. A portion of the grant will fund Breathe Easy, a youth leaders project to make and distribute Vaping Quit Aid Kits for those students who want to quit the use of vaping devices but need information and support to complete their goal.

Komak

Funds will help fund emergency financial assistance to individuals and families who are normally self-supporting but are unable to meet basic needs during cancer treatment either because the patient is unable to work or because the caregiver must miss work to help the patient. Many clients would face bankruptcy, eviction, homelessness, repossession, or food insecurity without our emergency financial assistance. Komak’s goal is to make a huge permanent impact on the lives of a few people by timely assistance to avoid food and shelter instability and the long-term aftereffects.

Enspire Arts

Grant funds will help fund insurance, office expenses, and a part-time administrative assistant. More specifically, help fund the bi-monthly Community Arts Night program, a free opportunity to experience the benefits of creativity and artistic expression. Community Arts Night is suitable for all ages, novice or professional, to come together and explore the world of creativity and the arts. Enspire Arts uses music, poetry, visual art, theater games, writing, and more as a catalyst for conversation, community building, emotional expression, relaxation, and fun.

West Columbia Gorge Humane Society

WCGHS is a socially conscious animal shelter working to create the best and most appropriate outcomes for pets and people in our community. WCGHS believes pets are family, and no one should ever have to give up a pet because of temporary constraining circumstances. It is proven that time spent with an animal reduces anxiety and depression, which reduces hopelessness and despair. The grant funds will be used to sustain the following programs and services during times of hardship, crisis, or emergency: pet food pantry, temporary pet boarding, impound/owner surrender fee, and veterinary assistance.

Camas Robotics Booster Club

The mission of the Robotics Team is to inspire students to become engaged in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills that inspire innovation and foster well-rounded life capabilities, including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. A portion of the grant will be used to waive registration fees for students in financial need so they can participate in Robotics Team activities. A portion of the funds will be used to cover transportation, housing, and food costs so that students with financial need can participate in regional and worldwide robotics championship competitions.

Camas Farmers Market

Camas Farmers Market uses the grant funds to implement a token program called “Produce Pals.” Produce Pals offers a weekly activity to educate and inspire children to grow, prepare, and eat healthy foods. The weekly activity also educates children about where and how food is produced. After completing the week’s activity, each child receives a $2 token redeemable at any CFM booth for fresh fruits or vegetables. Some of the funds may also be used to meet safety guidelines and provide the safest shopping experience for customers and vendors, including increased sanitation and a portable restroom.

Columbia Play Project

Columbia Play Project believes that every child deserves the freedom to play – inside or outside, with materials or just their imagination, in a group or quietly on their own. To achieve this environment, CPP is committed to creating a thoughtfully designed, flexible, attractive space that allows the young and young-at-heart to have fun while learning. The grant will help fund 10 free events in the Camas and Washougal area targeted at children aged 0 to 12, fostering access to high-quality, educational play experiences for all families in the community. CPP aims to bring equitable play opportunities to underserved communities like Camas and Washougal, ensuring all children have a chance to thrive through the power of play. Specifically, the grant will help fund six Tots to Teens Tuesday events in Camas plus CamTown, two additional free exploratory play events in Washougal, and provide play at the Annual Pumpkin Festival.

Hope Learning Center

The Hope Learning Center supports parents who need alternative forms of education for their children. We offer hope to these parents by providing all the support they need, from in-person classes, one-on-one tutoring, consulting, and parent training. We believe in the power of education and go beyond traditional textbooks since we foster a supportive environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and spiritually. Specifically, the grant will help fund scholarships for families that are financially unable to send their children to a school that offers alternative forms of education. Some of the funds will be used to compensate tutors who provide one-on-one instruction to students.

Washougal Society for Advancement and Family Enrichment (WSAFE)

WSAFE is partnering with the Washougal School District’s Family Community Resource Center coordinators to identify students and families that need additional financial support to meet their needs. FCRC coordinators are limited in the type of financial support they can offer. This grant will help fund transportation costs such as gas cards, bus passes, tire repair, and small engine repair. It will help fund emergency assistance for rent, first and last month rent deposits, housing application fees, utilities, and motel vouchers. It will also help fund extracurricular activities such as musical instruments, uniforms, and participation and travel fees.

Cascadia Technical Academy Foundation

Financial challenges have increasingly become a distraction for our students and our instructors trying to advance their academic opportunities. This grant centers on one key objective: supporting students and families within the Camas–Washougal School Districts by eliminating financial barriers that hinder their enrollment or success in Cascadia Tech Programs. The grant will help fund the purchase of required student uniforms for students from families with financial constraints. It will also help fund basic family needs such as food and transportation when the family is facing a financial emergency, such as the loss of a job or a medical emergency. Lastly, funds will be used to provide transportation services during summer school, when the school buses are not running.

REACH Community Development

Gateway Gardens, a 32-unit low-income housing development, has an average of 100 residents. Town Square Apartments has 40 units of low-income housing and some 70 residents. Funds will be used to advance essential services for food and other housing stability needs. Funds may be used for bulk purchases of groceries, baby essentials, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and similar basic household items. Funds may also be used for rent/utility assistance. Lastly, funds may be used for school supplies, holiday food baskets, and other socially distant engagement activities for youth.

Human Dignity Foundation DBA Good Shepherd Manor

Human Dignity Foundation is dedicated to responding to the dignity of the human person, with a focus on the needs of the elderly, disabled, and terminally ill. The grant will help fund the construction of a pavilion for use by residents receiving end-of-life care. Residents receiving end-of-life care currently have limited opportunities to enjoy the outdoors without being transported off-site. Having an on-site pavilion will open the joys of nature (birds, small animals, trees, flowers, and the sun and fresh air that surround the facility) to the residents.

Friends and Foundation of the Camas Public Library

Grant funds will help fund expansion of the Camas Public Library’s Circulating Kits program. Storytime To-Go kits will help caregivers create meaningful literacy experiences for young children, whether at home, in a daycare setting, or on the go. Hands-on Hobbies kits help teens express themselves through arts and music. Memory kits provide help to people experiencing memory loss.

Camas-Washougal Parent Co-Op Preschool

The grant will help cover the annual costs of operating the preschool. The curriculum is theme-based and developmentally appropriate, providing students with a solid foundation in letter/sound recognition, numbers/patterns/math games, beginning science concepts, and fine motor skills such as cutting, gluing, and name writing. The operating budget includes purchasing classroom supplies so the preschoolers can learn valuable skills that will prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. Operating costs include playground maintenance, teacher salaries, and technology such as security, internet, and copiers.

FVRL Foundation – Washougal Branch

Grant funds will help cover the cost of the Summer Reading programs and incentive prizes awarded by the Washougal Community Library. For many parents with limited household budgets, Washougal Community Library’s Summer Reading Program offers an opportunity for the entire family to attend entertaining and educational programs at no cost, earn prizes for hours spent reading, and strengthen their reading skills. The incentive prizes for 2025 include books, Barnes and Noble gift cards, gift certificates to area businesses that cater to school-age children and teens, and certificates of achievement for various levels of hours spent reading.

General Federation of Women’s Clubs – Camas-Washougal

Books inspire young readers and lay an important foundation for their success in education. The grant will be used to purchase books for all children in both Washougal and Camas School District Pre-K programs. Extended Learning Coordinators from both districts will order and distribute books throughout the year.

The Little Wings Library

Grant will help fund the construction of one little library in an underserved area of Camas or Washougal. Purchase or receive through donations, enough books to stock each library with a minimum of 150 to 200 age-appropriate books. The motto of The Little Wings Library is read it – love it – return it. The hope is to keep the books in circulation in underserved neighborhoods, whose young people and teens may not have easy access to the main public library. In addition to providing convenient access to books, the Little Wings Library founder also plans to engage students from Discovery’s CTE classes to design, build, and install the libraries. The founder also plans to have student volunteers involved with the acquisition, processing, and distribution of books, as well as to collect data on the usage of the libraries.

Bookish

Grant funds will be used to purchase and retrofit a vehicle to become a traveling library. The mobile library will contain a broad range of books, including but not limited to picture books, young adult books, graphic novels, and parenting books. The vehicle will visit parks, schools, markets, clinics, and housing developments to provide joyful access to literature. Bookish believes all children should have access to ownership of diverse, quality books and aims to target areas where family income may not allow for that important experience. They hope to draw families in with free activities, crafts, storytimes, and musicians to create a community around the importance of books. Bookish was formed on the foundation that books act as windows and mirrors for children so they can build empathy through meeting characters different from themselves and build confidence by meeting characters and storylines that reflect themselves.

Hathaway Booster Club

Hathaway Boosters Club is committed to supporting students and classrooms in ways that go beyond what the Washougal School District can provide. The Boosters Club’s mission is to foster a strong sense of community by offering family engagement events that are free and accessible to all. They promote physical well-being by providing recess equipment, encouraging kids to run, play, and stay active. The school district has a policy that it will only fund playground equipment for new buildings. The goal for the grant is to obtain and install new, upgraded, and engaging equipment to revitalize the current playground.