Volunteers' efforts win $450,000 in grants

Two Seattle groups and several individuals have received a total of $450,000 in grants through a Neighborhood Excellence Initiative sponsored by Bank of America.

The initiative, part of a national program in its second year, aims to help revitalize Seattle communities by identifying and addressing community priorities, offering fiscal support and building community leaders, said Kimberly Zipp, market development manager for Bank of America in Seattle.

"It is a chance to recognize unsung heroes in the community," Zipp said.

"It also offers something increasingly hard for non-profits to find -- unrestricted funding -- that frankly helps them with everything from keeping the lights on to taking their organization to the next level."

The initiative awarded a total of $400,000 over two years to two organizations from among 90 applicants: Child Care Resources of Seattle/King County, which addresses a countywide shortage of quality, affordable child care, and to El Centro de la Raza, which focuses on the needs of Seattle's Latino community.

Child Care Resources expects to use its grant to train low-income and immigrant or refugee women in child-care careers, while El Centro de la Raza plans to continue and possibly expand its homeownership and financial literacy program.

In addition to the grants, executive directors from both non-profit organizations will participate in an 11-month leadership-training program.

In a celebration Nov. 1 at The Museum of Flight, Bank of America executives also announced five "local heroes" who have proven dedication to community causes through their work with local non-profit organizations. The recipients were each awarded $5,000 for the non-profit organization of their choice.

Those named were:

Laura Capestany, a member of the board of directors at Habitat for Humanity of East King County. Capestany created and directs the Together We Build Coalition, a multifaith, multicultural habitat project.

Nancy Ferguson, a 20-year volunteer in Western Washington jails, prisons, youth-detention centers, alternative high schools and the Everett Community Justice Center, helping adults and youths to become more productive citizens.

Betsy Lieberman, executive director of AIDS Housing of Washington, who has worked with planners, service providers and funders to create housing for homeless individuals with AIDS, mental illness and substance-abuse disorders.

Therese Quinn, who created the Woman to Woman Project in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Quinn has worked to break down stereotypes and improve communication between women who have recently immigrated to the area and women from varied religious, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Tess Thomas, who as a foster parent for 13 years has cared for 75 children. Thomas is also a board member of Treehouse, a Seattle-based organization providing education and enrichment programs to foster children in King County. The Seattle foster mom was featured on a 1998 PBS documentary.

Five student leaders will receive $5,000 each for internships with local non-profits, bolstering their future leadership skills, Zipp said.

The students are Ginny Lamb (Seattle Academy), Nate Benjamin (Lakeside), Nicholas Sloan (Cedar Park Christian High School), Ryan Schindler (Hazen High School) and Ann Jackson (Todd Beamer High School, Federal Way).

P-I reporter Debera Carlton Harrell can be reached at 206-448-8326 or deberaharrell@seattlepi.com.

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