Community Resilience

Engaging with our communities

The best source of change comes from communities who engage with their neighbors and identify the most important challenges, identify the most important challenges and potential solutions and are involved in their implementation. Mount Baker Foundation wants to listen and explore new types of philanthropy that supports and inspires increasing levels of community engagement.

Shared Philanthropy - $500,000
Columbia Valley

Mount Baker Foundation is working with residents in Columbia Valley to create an innovative “shared philanthropy” model. The Board has pledged $500,000 towards this community, e.g. $100,000 per year for five years. We are working with the community as they develop their decision-making processes. Columbia Valley already has a high level of community engagement, and is working together to solve the challenges of accessible groceries, distance to health care providers, and lack of parks and recreation. We are excited to be part of their work.   

Foothills Food Bank - $425,000
Opportunity Council

In order to increase the resiliency of the community and address issues of access to healthy food, Mount Baker Foundation contributed $425,000 to the building of a new Foothills Food Bank through the Opportunity Council. Located in Kendall, WA, the new center provides significant improvements in refrigeration, storage and access to food for East County.