For this edition of Community Tides, Jen Kingfisher, who oversees Non-Profit Relations for the Jefferson Community Foundation, joins Chris Bricker as co-host. They discuss the most recent grant awards from the COVID Fund, and how the Fund is an example of what a community foundation does every day. Jen reviews the stats in grant awards since March of last year, including the last round of the Fund devoted to Arts and Culture. She emphasizes the importance of the nurturing effect of these grants in helping our community recover and reopen as we move out of the pandemic. The Foundation is seeking proposals that demonstrate avenues to spark communal joy and foster local community connections. The deadline is July 2.

Co-Hosts Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty, President and CEO of Jefferson Community Foundation, get together in-studio for the first time since this program debuted. They look over the accomplishments the Jefferson County community have made during COVID-19 times, and how, through the generosity of so many, we’ve been able to creatively help to weather storms in education, mental health, child care, housing, food insecurity. emergency services, systemic racism, businesses, all the while aiming to be loving stewards of one another. Our own Community Radio station, KPTZ, has played a major role in connecting us all together during these times, and a 10^th Birthday Celebration is definitely in order!

Co-Hosts Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty meet on alternate Fridays to discuss new developments, new paradigms, and the “new normal” as we flow into the months and years ahead.
There are a plethora of jobs available here in Jefferson County, and a growing number of them are unfilled. The lack of affordable workforce housing is playing a major role with this challenge. Chris and Siobhan speak with Justine Gonzalez-Berg, Director of Housing Solutions Network, and with Brian Kuh, Executive Director EDC Team Jefferson (the Economic Development Council), about the crisis, forecasts, and remedies.

This week Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty speak with Tonia Burkett, a seasoned social justice worker with an ABD in Sociology and years of related experience. She is currently co-facilitating a Racial Justice Literacy workshop series, as well as developing anti-racist training and consulting services for non-profit organizations through her business team, Usawa Consulting. We learn about the unique needs of non-profits in this work, and about approaches to the system of philanthropy and non-profits that can bring about real opportunities for social and systemic change.

On this edition of Community Tides, Chris Bricker and Siobhan speak with Deisy Bach, Vice President of the Jefferson County Food Bank Association, and John Cantlon, President of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul for East Jefferson County. The COVID Response and Recovery Fund and its community donors have had a profound impact for families and individuals in need here in Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Food Bank and Saint Vincent’s are just two of the organizations that the Fund has helped in so many ways during the Pandemic year to address the short-term and long-term needs of our neighbors. Deisy and John relate their experiences when Pandemic hit, and talk about how the Fund helped them respond effectively and compassionately during these difficult months. Siobhan explains how listeners can continue to donate to the COVID Fund.

Who better to talk with about what’s happening in the local arts and educational realm than Teresa Verraes, a visionary who has been a talented and vibrant contributor to to this community in so may ways! She is the Founding Director of the Port Townsend School of the Arts, and it’s in that role she joins us today, to talk about exciting happenings, including the PTSA’s recent merger with Northwind Arts Center, developments at Fort Worden’s Maker’s Square, and the much-anticipated gallery and classroom space for Building 305.

This week on Community Tides, hosts Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty, President and CEO of Jefferson Community Foundation, speak with Samantha Troxler, Housing and Operations Manager for Olympic Community Action Programs, about Washington State’s Department of Commerce Eviction Rent Assistance Program. Samantha discusses the allocation that OlyCAP has received so far, and what is on the horizon for the agency. We discuss the application process, who can apply, turn-around time, what we know of local statistics, and the Program’s importance during these difficult times.

This week on Community Tides, Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty talk about how our community has been doing generally with their mental health throughout this pandemic, particularly seniors and youth. Tanya Barnett discusses her new role as Family Resource Navigator for the YMCA of Jefferson County along with CEO Wendy Bart. We learn how the position came about, and why it’s an especially good fit for these difficult times, We discuss our community’s themes, needs and gaps, what we’re hearing from counselors and families, and learn about some of the resources that families can use to help themselves and others.

Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty talk about the importance of keeping our energy and mental well-being in a good state as we continue to define the “new normal.” By continuing to work together we can address the challenges of navigating a constantly changing landscape. While many things in our community are going very well, there are still a lot of needs. We discuss some of the ongoing, positive efforts in our Community that are helping us face those challenges. We also talk about what the lessons in awareness we hope will “stick” as we move back out into the real world.