Following Table Talk about positive experiences with philanthropy, President Jan opened the meeting announcing the kickoff of the Seattle Rotary Service Foundation’s “season of giving”. She introduced Don Murphy for the day’s song, ‘Lean on Me’ accompanied by Freeman Fong on the piano, and followed by Tom Mesaros with a Biblical message, “We all can give something and celebrate what we bring to the table with what others can bring”.
“Every gift to SRSF is an investment in our local and international community, “President Jan said. “When all of us chip in the impact multiplies”, as she introduced Rotarians Lillian Sherman, SRSF President, and David Bobanick, SRSF 2025-26 campaign chair, who offered insights about Seattle Rotary’s season of giving.
Lillian encouraged Rotarians to view the recent SRSF Community Impact Report that shares stories of how our generosity is transformative. “Last year SRSF grants totaled nearly $300,000 in grants for local organizations and Seattle Rotary International’s important work,” she said.
“We are encouraging all Rotarians to give above and, if they can afford it, beyond if you can,” David said. “We have some exciting gift news for early contributors from sailing on Lake Union to wine tasting, to a stay on Whidbey Island and more ways to contribute from monthly to the annual donation.”
Rotarians Charmaine Vazquez and Ani Black to join David on the podium to share why they participate in SRSF. “It is fresh in mind how Rotary supports local and international basic needs,” said Charmaine. She also encouraged members to give monthly, stating that the process to set up the monthy gift is quick and easy. Ani noted that “Rotarians want to walk the talk by giving to SRSF and RI.. SRSF does the due diligence to select organizations that have the greatest need and impact.”
Long-time member Carl Behnke produced a check for $25,000 to support to encourage members to consider giving for the first time or increasing their gifts to higher levels, including the Pinkham and Skeel donation.
President Jan introduced the day’s program speaker, Gordon McHenry, President & CEO of United Way of King County, as a contemporary community leader in Seattle’s non-profit social services institutions, who provided an overview of basic needs in King County.
“The situation is urgent with homelessness in King County increasing by some 25% and nearly 10% of King County households don’t have enough food,” he said. “It is not abstract but real everyday struggles for many of our neighbors”.
He said too many families must make tough decisions “from food on the table, to rent and essentials”. Healthcare and childcare are also pressing basic needs in King County.
“More than 100,000 people in Washington State will lose the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food stamps – the largest cut in that program since its inception.”
He described critical housing insecurity the result of high costs of rent, saying King County is the “fifth or sixth highest in the U.S,” in the face of 7,000 evictions in King County adding to the latest count of people experiencing homelessness at 16,868 or a 28% increase.
“United Way engages by working closely with communities with services and expertise from 33 community partners providing food,” he said. United Way is pioneering a home grocery service that delivered food to some 5,300 households – or 900,000 deliveries -- for those unable to make it to a food bank. United Way also supported 179 free summer meal sites in King County, reaching more than 3,000 youth when school is out of session.
United Way’s Housing Connector engages with organizations such as Mary’s Place to help with rental assistance. United Way’s Benefit Hubs supported more than 5,400 students at local colleges. Since the pandemic spurred the ‘work-from-home’ ethos, workplace United Way campaigns suffered but now are ongoing, returning close to pre-pandemic levels.
He said all 1,000 United Way organizations in the U.S. are struggling, with several of them closing in rural communities. With 100 regular employees, United Way of King County continues to provide services to thousands of low-income households.
“We ground ourselves in passion -- Innovation, compassion and action,’ he concluded. “We frequently find ourselves in ‘good trouble’ doubling down on basic needs to help people with stability.”
-Wonderful report this week, Pete!
