Windermere Foundation raises $690,000 for food banks

Windermere Real Estate in Oregon and southwest Washington contributed $168,139 to the total amount, donating it to approximately 50 food banks or nonprofits that distribute food throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. 

The nonprofits receiving donations were as varied as the La Pine Community Kitchen in Central Oregon, Seaside Food for Kids at the coast, FISH Food Bank in the Columbia River Gorge, Lane County Food Bank in the mid-Willamette Valley, the Sunshine Division in the Portland-metropolitan area, Access Food Share in southern Oregon, and Fruit Valley Food Bank in southwest Washington.

“There is one constant in this pandemic and it’s that people who struggle with poverty are having difficulty getting their most basic needs met,” said Christine Wood, executive director of the Windermere Foundation. “We’re answering the call and rallying our troops in an effort to help food banks keep up with unprecedented needs.”

For the past 35 years, Windermere Real Estate has closed its doors on the first Friday in June to participate in the company’s annual Community Service Day, when nearly 9,000 owners, brokers, and staff volunteer in their local neighborhoods. This year, Windermere is replacing Community Service Day with the Neighbors in Need fundraising campaign to immediately help food banks whose operations, and the people they serve, have been heavily impacted by the disruption caused by COVID-19.

“Our brokers have upheld Windermere’s ongoing commitment to community service for 35 years. Unfortunately, the need for us to step up has never been greater,” said Scott Mitchelson, president of Windermere Services Company in Oregon and southwest Washington. 

“We are committed to doing our part to ensure that our neighbors make it to the other side of this crisis.”