As proud locals, we love supporting Bainbridge Island’s businesses, nonprofits, and schools. Our community involvement is an important part of how we operate. So, here’s a look back at how our Windermere Bainbridge Island office invested in our community in 2021. We hope that by sharing this information, we’re able to spread awareness about our island’s many wonderful events and nonprofits.
Annual Support
We’ve been an annual supporter of Bainbridge Youth Services (BYS) for years. BYS has worked hard to “promote the social and emotional well-being of adolescents and young adults” through a variety of services. Their services include free, confidential counseling, and peer tutoring. They’ve helped countless adolescents and their families for about sixty years.
The Boys & Girls Club of Bainbridge Island is another youth-centered organization that we support each year. They serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade, providing a safe, fun environment for kids. Peer connection, adult mentorship, and engaging activities are all part of their curriculum. At the start of the pandemic, they offered discounted rates and extended out-of-school programming. Additionally, they offered free childcare for frontline workers. By working with the Bainbridge Island School District, they continue to adapt and innovate.
PAWS of Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap is a volunteer-based nonprofit animal welfare organization. For 45 years, they’ve been helping pets and their families. Their services include pet adoption, spay/neuter assistance, and veterinary financial assistance. If you’d like to get involved, they’re always looking for great volunteers. Check out their volunteer page to learn more.
Community Events
Our community has a vibrant arts scene, and one way to immerse yourself in it is to check out Bainbridge Island’s Art Walk. It’s the first Friday of every month and you get to stroll through town enjoying live music, local artists’ creations, and little bites to eat along the way. This event is put on by the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association. In 2021, we moved our office to downtown Winslow Way, giving us the distinct pleasure of highlighting local artists and musicians during the Art Walk. Now that it’s a new year, we will continue to participate. So, be sure to stop by our office during the next Art Walk! And, watch the clip below to get a glimpse of a past Art Walk.
Another event is our annual Shred Fest. It’s free and gives you the chance to safely and securely shred old documents and recycle old electronics. Hosting this event encourages everyone to not only get organized but to recycle. And, we love getting to catch up with friends and past clients.
All Windermere offices participate in our annual Community Service Day. It’s a day when we close our office so that we can give back to our community. In 2021, some of us assisted the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, which aims to “conserve and steward the diverse natural environments of Bainbridge Island for the benefit of all”. To date, they’ve protected 1, 471 acres and provided 1,102 public acres. Additionally, our office hosted an online fundraiser to further support Bainbridge Youth Services.
Every year, we participate in Pacific Northwest Title’s annual food drive. 2021 was their seventeenth year. Since there are many in need, a food drive is an easy way to give back to our community. In fact, in Kitsap County, approximately one-third of adults are food insecure and our local food banks serve about 48,000 residents per year.
For Kitsap Great Give, we promoted Kitsap Humane Society’s important work (watch the video below). Since 1908, Kitsap Humane Society has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming pets. In 2020 alone, KHS rehomed 3,676 animals.
Community Involvement and the Windermere Foundation
We’re proud to be aligned with Windermere Real Estate because Windermere truly does invest in the communities it serves. In fact, a portion of every agent’s commission is donated to the Windermere Foundation. So, a portion of our commission is donated to the Windermere Foundation of Bainbridge Island. Our Windermere offices have collectively raised over $41 million, which goes to programs that provide shelter, food, and much more.
Here on Bainbridge Island, our Foundation awards two or three Bainbridge High School graduates a total of $6,000 in scholarships every year. Scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated community service, academic achievement, and financial need. Additionally, our office has supported many local nonprofits. In 2021, we awarded grants to Peacock Family Services, Helpline House, Arms Around Bainbridge, Bainbridge Youth Services, and Housing Resources Bainbridge.
Get Connected
We know community involvement can take on many forms, and there’s a lot of work to be done. But we are proud of what we have done so far. Want to boost your community involvement? Check out our community resources page to learn more about what Bainbridge Island offers.
