Blog
Feeding the soul
The pandemic has stressed our national food pantry programs. Many had been run by older volunteers who could not safely serve when Covid arrived. Others found sourcing products challenging. This occurred all while customer bases doubled then quadrupled. The Orcas...
Shelter
Conestoga Shelters As you may recall, last Spring, when we were under a Stay Home, Stay Safe order, the Community Emergency Response team started trying to find shelters for those neighbors lacking houses. The most recent Point in Time Count (completed Winter 2019)...
Snowdrops
I am volunteering at the local vaccination clinic hosted by San Juan County at the Orcas Center. It has been a good opportunity to understand the process and pitch in. The County has done a great job setting up the clinics on each island, ensuring a safe and quick...
Call for Proposals – 2021 GiveOrcas
OICF is excited to announce a call for proposals for the 2021 spring GiveOrcas grant program. Nonprofits serving Orcas Island are invited to apply now through March 5th, 2021 to be included. Applications will be vetted by the OICF Community Grants Committee;...
So Close
The Orcas clinic transition is scheduled to officially occur on April 1st. This has been years, if not decades, in the making, and as we near the date things have grown complicated. For those of you who have been on Orcas for a while, this will feel like a familiar...
Nonprofit Learning Opportunities
I wanted to share some online nonprofit learning opportunities that have come through my email box recently. There are lots of options for current new staff/board members, or people interested in joining your team. Please share widely! Washington Nonprofits...
Unity
Sunset in Olga President Biden spoke of the need for unity during his inaugural celebration. It has me thinking about what unity means. It is more than accepting each other. True unity is our ability to recognize and act on our obligations to each other. It’s lending...
Striving for justice
As we prepare to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King on Monday and the inauguration of a new administration on the 20th, we are on guard as a Nation and as a community. The events at the Capitol on January 6th were both frightening and eye-opening. The white supremacist...
The difference a decade can make
I joined the staff of OICF just as the nation entered the economic crisis of 2008. It was an awakening for me personally and for the community as a whole. The nonprofit sector was not prepared as well as we needed to be. Boards were challenged to meet payroll much...
Time for Reflection
Photo credit: Coleen O'Brien Happy New Year! As I reflect on the past year, I recall how, last New Year, I was anticipating OICF’s 25th anniversary and excited about the celebrations we were planning. Needless to say, those parties never quite materialized and the...