1 R Special Advertising Section | Sunday, April 23, 2023 3 hood park, enroll your child in a summer program, laugh at a play or hold your breath for a high note. We all benefit when the basic needs of low-income people are met, like the 1 million people in our state who visited a food bank or feeding program last year. From Puget Sound to GIVING GUIDE By Nancy Long Executive director, 501 Commons The world is changing at a lickety-split pace, but the return of GiveBIG on May 2-3 reminds us that the desire to do good is an unchanging feature of the human heart. We all know that good feeling we get when we show up for others — whether it’s a family member, a neighbor or a nonprofit we care about. Doing good for others is also good for us — it improves our health, longevity and happiness. Are you trying to figure out which vitamins, herbs or teas can calm inflammation? Try a heaping spoonful of generosity! Being kind and generous releases oxytocin, decreases cortisol, lowers blood pressure and reduces inflammation. Over the last three years, many people have had fewer daily opportunities for acts of kindness. Volunteering or donating to a nonprofit can help counter the high levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness people have reported in Pew Research Center studies in 2020, 2021 and 2022. And it’s not just about good feels: Volunteering or donating money to nonprofits makes all of our lives better. You are likely benefiting from a nonprofit whenever you adopt a pet, walk through a neighborMake a donation during GiveBIG and get that ‘giving’ feeling the Palouse, the Cascades to the Columbia River, great things happen for everyone when you give what you can. That’s what GiveBIG is all about. Participating in GiveBIG is easy. Visit GiveBIGWa.org now or during the May 2-3 giving days. When you’re there, you can: • Search for organizations by location, city or county. • Filter by cause (such as education, animals, social action, etc.). • Choose organizations affiliated with BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+, veterans, seniors, immigrants, refugees and more. • Find organizations that have matching funds so your dollars can go further. You can securely donate by credit card or ACH bank transfer. If you want to use funds from your IRA or DAF account, you can make a pledge that counts towards your chosen COURTESY OF FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN ! SEATTLE The annual 48-hour giving event is May 2-3, with early giving kicking off on April 18. Last year’s campaign raised $14.6 million for 1,500 nonprofits. Save the date for GiveBIG 2023! nonprofit’s goals and matching fund campaigns. You can complete the transaction by logging into your fund account or contracting your broker. Just visiting the website will put a bounce in your step. If you are tired of worrying about all the problems in the world, spend some time learning about the problem solvers. 501 Commons, the nonprofit that produces GiveBIG, provides services to 2,000 nonprofits annually. We see the expertise, professionalism and creative problem-solving spirit that these nonprofits bring to our state. These organizations are examples of nonprofits that are clearly making an impact on our neighbors’ lives: • Friends of the Children is a national organization with locations in Seattle, Tacoma, and southwest Washington. They match a professional mentor with a child facing challenging childhood experiences. The mentor maintains this relationship from kindergarten through high school graduation. Research has found that a “long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent and caring adult” results in a low rate of involvement with the juvenile justice system, 98% of participants delaying parenthood until after their teen years, and a high level of high school/GED graduation. • Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) develops and manages 70-plus permanent and transitional housing sites with 5,500 units in six counties. Their properties include new and renovated apartment buildings and Tiny House Villages that shelter previously unhoused people who are aided by on-site case workers. They also operate Urban Rest Stops in downtown Seattle and Ballard, where people can shower, do laundry, and connect with healthcare and social services. Knowing we can come together to support nonprofits like these is a great feeling. Whether you give a little or a lot, YOU can get that great feeling too. Please spread the word by using #GiveBIG and #ThatGivingFeeling to amplify the impact of GiveBIG. Donate now! Nancy Long is the executive director of 501 Commons, which o!ers consulting and other services to nonpro"ts and also provides a fundraising platform for GiveBIG. COURTESY OF LOW INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE Youth facing the systemic barriers come to Friends of the Children – Seattle to be paired with a professional mentor who helps prepare them for the future and develop life skills. Meuy Saelee of the Low Income Housing Institute, left, with Emilio Lagares, the first veteran who moved into LIHI’s June Leonard Place in Renton.
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