Business Growth Awards | Nonprofit of the Year

BY VBJ STAFF

Winner - Free Clinic of SW Washington

In 2009, over 43,000 people in Clark County were uninsured, according to Barbe West, executive director of the Free Clinic in SW Washington.

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The Clinic gives "free, compassionate healthcare" to those without access otherwise, West says.

Barbe West, executive director of the Free Clinic of SW Washington.
Buck Heidrick_VBJ Working with 550 local individuals and redoubling fundraising efforts, the Clinic increased office visits by 24 percent from 2008 to 2009 - all while dropping operating costs by 6 percent and raising operating gain 8 percent.

While the future of healthcare is still uncertain, the Clinic aims to keep all of Clark County well in the meantime.

Finalist - EOCF

Educational Opportunities for Children and Families, a nonprofit serving Southwest Washington's most vulnerable residents since 1967, saw an unwelcome kind of growth in 2009.

Phoebe Krueger, EOCF community partnership and resource development manager.
Buck Heidrick_VBJ With Clark County experiencing double-digit unemployment, EOCF saw over 2,000 children and families, including many of what executive director Doug Lehrman called the "newly-poor."

Fortunately, federal stimulus funding and the continued success of EOCF's "Pinot, Piano and Panache" annual fundraiser held last November, helped this Vancouver-based nonprofit meet the increased need.

And 2010 looks to be similarly challenging. "It's definitely going to be a slow recovery," Lehrman said.

Finalist - NWABA

Known for fielding athletes at powerlifting meets across the West, the Northwest Association of Blind Athletes continued to see success in 2009 - not only competitively, but in fundraising as well.

Northwest Association of Blind Athletes founder and coach Billy Henry.
Buck Heidrick_VBJ Last year, Nike awarded NWABA a $2,500 Back Your Block grant for its sporting programs, which include powerlifting and Goalball, the only team sport adapted for the blind and visually-impaired.

Also in 2009, NWABA sent their powerlifting team, led by co-founder and coach Billy Henry, to the World Association of Benchers and Dead Lifters Championship in Reno, Nev. "Sports for anyone helps build confidence," said Henry, who is also visually-impaired. "But for blind people, it takes on a whole new meaning."

Finalist - YWCA of Clark County

It's an unfortunate fact: as the economy goes down, instances of domestic violence go up. However, with the YWCA's new office in the Battle Ground Community Center opening in 2009, women have one more location to find hope.

Development and communications director Jennifer Werdel, at left, and executive director
Kathy Kniep of YWCA Clark County.
Buck Heidrick_VBJ According to Jennifer Werdel, director of communications, the YWCA also provides programs for neglected children, the homeless and women in jail.

Additionally, last year's holiday giving campaign was a huge success, with proceeds jumping from around $15,000 in 2008 to $60,000 in 2009.

"People know that with our breadth and depth, their gift will impact more of the needy in Clark County with us," Werdel said.

Finalist - Options360

In 2001, 69 women came into Options360 for testing, education and counseling, according to Deleana Day, development director. In 2009, that number had grown to well over 2,400 at three Option 360 Clark County locations.

Options 360 executive director Renee Wooten with a client.
Buck Heidrick_VBJ "We offer lots of counseling, not just on the options pregnant women have, but on basic life-skills, like balancing a checkbook," Day said.

James Dobson's Focus on the Family donated a third ultrasound machine to Options360 in 2009. Last year, the clinics began offering STI testing and treatment.

"There is such a need for these programs, and we want to continue to bridge the gap," Day said.

Finalist - Southwest Washington Blood Program

Although Jeff Carrick isn't a vampire, he does in fact want your blood.

Southwest Washington Blood Program specialist Curt Sfetku.
Buck Heidrick_VBJ As donor resource representative, Carrick has been instrumental in the Southwest Washington Blood Program's banner year - pulling in an astounding 17,000 donations during the summer of 2009.

"Summer is usually our dry season," Carrick said. "When the rare Pacific Northwest sun makes an appearance, people seem to forget their appointments."

Carrick's feat was accomplished by hiring three extra technicians and a "give twice" campaign - encouraging donors to repeat their visit.

"It was a success, and kept up our commitment of 16,000 units of blood annually," Carrick said.

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