By Wendy Wallace
Online research reveals 245 nonprofit organizations in our 98110 zip code, which includes public and private family foundations, service organizations, religious groups and educational institutions.
To better understand how many nonprofit organizations are serving the island, a better source is One Call for All, Bainbridge’s nonprofit supporting nonprofits. It lists 125 organizations as potential donation recipients. To be eligible for that list, the organization must serve Bainbridge Islanders, be an IRS designated 501(c)(3) organization and be registered as a charity with the Washington Secretary of State’s Office.
This means that some nonprofits that are based here but focused on off-island missions or are private foundations not fundraising are excluded from One Call. Conversely, some organizations headquartered elsewhere and serving Bainbridge Island are included.
Regardless of the total number of groups, One Call Executive Director Tracey Denlinger reports that Bainbridge Island definitely has a much higher than average number of citizens who contribute their time and money to nonprofits. “During these crazy times we’ve seen a huge uptick in giving,” said Denlinger, even though the annual Red Envelope fundraising campaign occurs in the fall.
More information about local nonprofits supported by the One Call for All campaign can be found at onecallforall.org. Additionally, a new website is compiling information on local service organizations at resourcedirectorybi.org.
That large red envelope all islanders receive helps reduce mail solicitation waste and streamlines giving to worthy organizations.
But there’s no need to wait for an envelope. Online donations are now possible by visiting its website where 100 percent of all donations always go directly to the designated nonprofits.
