Board Announces 2022 4% Friday Recipients

One of our most exciting ways to support the community is through 4% Friday! You shop and together we give 4% of Co-op sales on one Friday a month to a non-profit, charitable community organization. And just think--each of these organizations is, itself, supporting the community! What a great circle of giving.

Little Mountain Elementary School Garden – January 28

Little Mountain Elementary provides high-quality, student-centered education that allows kids to use their voice and power to make a difference in their community. They seek to connect students and families to healthy lifestyle and nutritional choices by developing and maintaining a school garden on campus.

Little Mountain will use 4% Friday funds to purchase a garden shed to store their tools for easy student access and to build a kiosk and outdoor classroom on campus near their garden.

Adding an outdoor classroom in a currently empty lot from recent portable removal will provide students with the opportunity to take pride in their school by beautifying the area, while fostering an appreciation for the outdoors, our environment, and community.

Page Ahead – February 25

Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children. They are the leading provider of children’s books and literacy services in Washington State, partnering with elementary schools, early learning centers, and other agencies.

Funds from 4% Friday will support Page Ahead’s Book Up Summer, in which K-2 students at majority low-income schools receive 12 brand-new books of their choosing at the end of the school year for three years in a row for summer reading, minimizing or eliminating the “summer learning slide”.

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group – March 25

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) builds partnerships that educate and engage the community in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship activities in order to increase salmon populations and ensure a healthy community for all of us.

SFEG will use funds from 4% Friday to offer its Junior Stream Steward program to 500 local students. This year long program gets middle school students out of the classroom and learning about stream ecosystem, salmon, and how they can ensure healthy watersheds for our future.

Salish Sea Deaf School – April 22

The Salish Sea Deaf School (SSDS) uses innovative teaching practices to provide academic excellence, utilizing an ASL/English bilingual approach to bring opportunities to enhance language competency, student curiosity, and a positive self-identity.

Funds from 4% Friday will be used to develop a gardening program for the students and their families that would include building raised beds, learning organic growing practices at school and in the local area, farm visits, and growing harvesting, cooking, and preserving produce.

Boys & Girls Club of Skagit Valley – May 27

The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County is to enable all young people to reach their full potential, as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The Boys & Girls Club provides youth ages 6-18 with a safe, fun, and positive space to thrive in, where they engage in targeted programs, focusing on the priority outcomes of academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character, and citizenship.

Funds from 4% Friday will go directly towards scholarships for members to attend the club.

Skagit Gleaners – June 24

Skagit Gleaners' purpose is to provide food, household merchandise and clothing to frugal, waste conscious, and working families. By rescuing surplus food and product from local businesses, Skagit Gleaners is able to keep items out of overflowing landfills.

Skagit Gleaners will use funds from 4% Friday to purchase imperfect fruits and vegetables from Latino-owned farms. This would provide Latino-owned businesses an opportunity to thrive, while contributing to the community at large.

Immigrant Reaources & Immediate Support – July 22

Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support’s (IRIS) mission is two-fold: to connect immigrants with existing resources in the community, and to provide immediate assistance to those experiencing a temporary period of crisis.

IRIS will use funds from 4% Friday to provide immediate support to local families to alleviate suffering by meeting basic needs such as access to food, clothing, and shelter.

Communities in Schools – August 26

The mission of Communities in Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Funds from 4% Friday will be utilized to support Communities in Schools’ Basic Needs Resource Closets at 5 schools in the Mount Vernon School District.

MVPD Homeless Outreach – September 23

MVPD’s Outreach Coordinator, Erin VonFempe, is a master’s level social worker who works directly with homeless individuals in the community. This program provides services and funding for such necessities as meals, housing, healthcare, treatment for substance abuse, and more.

The Mount Vernon Police Department will utilize funds from 4% Friday for transportation, temporary housing, emergency necessities such as food and clothing, and to procure identity paperwork.

Youthnet – October 28

The purpose of Youthnet is to provide foster homes for children in need of a temporary home until they can reunify with their families. Youthnet also provides family preservation services to keep families safely together.

Funds from 4% Friday will be used to support youth by providing equity, diversity and inclusion, and cultural competency training for foster parents so that youth can be given the best quality of care that supports individualized needs and honors their identity, race, and culture with knowledge and understanding.

Brigid Collins Family Support Center – November 18

Brigid Collins Family Support Center is a community-based organization dedicated to ending child abuse by building strong families and protecting children.

Funds will be used to offer nourishment in Brigid Collins’ Children’s Advocacy Center, including healthy drinks and snacks for families during forensic interviews, medical exams, and therapy support. Any remaining funds will be used to purchase comfort toys and healing journals.

Help Me Grow – Skagit Family Resource Center – December 23

Help Me Grow aims to offer families seamless access to community services and support so they can easily connect to what they need, when they need it.

Help Me Grow will use 4% Friday funds to purchase supplies to be distributed to families in need. These items range from household and personal care basic needs items to other infant and childcare related items.

All photos courtesy of 4% Friday recipients.