We believe that social equity is essential for healthy, thriving neighborhoods and communities. Despite the progress our society has made, there is still much work left to be done. This is why social equity—along with clean energy, housing insecurity, and healthcare—is one of our four key areas of focus when it comes to charitable giving and our 5% promise. Because a healthy community is one where everyone is free to thrive.
The Difference Your Membership Makes
In 2021, Salal members and members of the Salal Foundation provided $56,000 in support to a wide range of important causes and organizations, from YWCA Bankworks to the International Examiner, the Northwest’s oldest nonprofit, pan-Asian Pacific American publication. Salal members are making an impact every day, simply by doing their banking or financing with Salal. Here’s a closer look at a few of those impacts from the past year.
DAWN: Supporting Survivors of Domestic Abuse
DAWN is a nonprofit organization based in South King County, WA, that supports, empowers, and shelters survivors of domestic abuse. DAWN also helps to keep the community as a whole safe by educating people to respond to and prevent violence. In 2021, Salal’s $15,000 in support for DAWN
provided grocery and gas cards, helped to cover utility bills, and provided moving expenses so families could start a new life free from violence. The funds also helped DAWN to keep several families in their homes by providing rental assistance.
Lambert House
Lambert House is a community center that empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth through the development of leadership, social, and life skills. Along with being a safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth, the center provides activities, support groups, dances, and other events. The center serves a diverse group—over 50% of those who come to Lambert House are young people of color.
Powerful Voices
Powerful Voices creates programs to help young girls and gender expansive youth of color to take charge of their own power as leaders, igniting their abilities to confidently express themselves, build community, and act against injustices affecting their lives. Programs include a podcast and creative space led by girls and gender expansive youth of color, where young people learn to find their voice through creating, producing, and editing content relevant to them and their communities.
Operation Sack Lunch
Operation Sack Lunch provides over 1,200 nutritious meals a day to un-housed and food-insecure families and individuals living in the greater Seattle area. Since its founding in 1989, Operation Sack Lunch has served over 11 million no-cost meals and rescued and redistributed more than 12 million pounds of quality meal ingredients. The organization also does advocacy work to support efforts to create a more equitable food system for all.
We’re grateful for the impact you make every day by being a member of Salal Credit Union. To learn more about Salal’s charitable giving efforts, visit our Community Impact page.
