Clark County saw high numbers of community engagement and giving during the 2021 holiday season. Despite the challenges of the pandemic for many Southwest Washington nonprofits, community members have rallied together to offer their thanks and support to local nonprofits.
For example, the Clark County Food Bank never ran out of food despite increased demand, thanks to the support of local volunteers and givers. Share, a Vancouver-based nonprofit serving the homeless community, raised $30,000 for a program that provides over 525,000 pounds of food to those in need. Loving Them Forward, another Vancouver-based organization, assembled volunteers to distribute over 1,500 gift bags to caregivers in the community.
This spirit of generosity is seen in local foundations too. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington raised over $3.3 million for local nonprofits, and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, a Vancouver-based foundation that gives capacity-building grants to nonprofits across the Pacific Northwest, gave a record-breaking $110 million in 2021. This follows a record-breaking 2020, when the Murdock Trust invested $76 million into nonprofits across Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska. Steve Moore, executive director of the Murdock Trust, notes the spirit of generosity and civic engagement in Clark County and Vancouver. He sees many community members eager to make a difference after seeing how the pandemic challenged local nonprofits.
