Community Enrichment

Bainbridge Island Downtown Association

Since 1992, Bainbridge Island Downtown Association (BIDA) has worked on key community events, downtown beautification, seasonal decorations, and economic vitality. BIDA’s mission is to create a vibrant, inclusive, beautiful, and dynamic downtown. Our goal is to strengthen our downtown for our local businesses, community, and out of town visitors alike, while preserving and celebrating the authenticity of Bainbridge as a unique place to live, work, visit, stay, dine, shop, and play. BIDA is recognized as the only accredited Main Street community in Kitsap County, and one of a handful of Washington accredited National Historic Main Streets by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. BIDA works throughout the year with Main Street America to preserve our historic character and support our local economy. We execute a variety of efforts, including the production of a hands-on Walkabout Guide, which invites, guides and educates visitors. We also develop, produce and market successful events such as the Third of July Street Dance, Art Walk, and the Hometown Halloween celebration.

Website: www.bainbridgedowntown.org

Bainbridge Island Food Forest

The Bainbridge Island Food Forest showcases responsible agroecological practices like vegetated buffer zones, reducing the risk that excess nutrients end up in Puget Sound. Open to the public 365 days a year, it is utilized by walkers, birders, hikers, runners, nature lovers, and students. While fostering the health of all species, it is a(n):

Edible public park, open to all
Community powered, co-created hub delivering hands-on experiences to grow ideas and inspire curiosity in children and adults
Living classroom and shared space to implement regenerative local food production and innovative concepts in habitat preservation and restoration
Sanctuary free for all to gather, nourish, explore, and share
Replicable model for year-round food security and equitable distribution of locally grown, nutritious, and fresh food

The project addresses climate change and increases environmental awareness and skills of students through focused field studies, extension lessons, and building a hands-on relationship with the land.

Website: friendsofthefarms.org/bff

Bainbridge Island Friends of the Library

The Bainbridge Island Friends of the Library (BIFOL) supports Bainbridge Public Library by raising money through book sales. The books sold by the Friends of the Library are donated by generous Bainbridge Islanders. BIFOL holds two to three book sales per month, as well as selling donated books online.

This past year, the Friends focused on increasing the Bainbridge Public Library Endowment Fund which will ensure funds for ongoing library program and facilities needs. Further, BIFOL provided significant support for the children’s, teens’ and adult programs. Examples are the summer learning program, children’s story time, maintenance of the salt water aquarium in the children’s area and support for the ever-popular Great Decisions programs. Friends also supports library staff with funds for materials that they request.

Website: www.bifriends.org

Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association

BIJAEMA maintains a permanent memorial to honor the Bainbridge Islanders of Japanese descent and the friends and neighbors who stood by them when they were forcibly exiled under Executive Order 9066 and Civilian Exclusion Order No. 1 during World War II. Our memorial serves as a space for healing and education, ensuring that the profound human rights lessons from their unjust incarceration resonate widely. By embracing the timeless principle of Nidoto Nai Yoni, “Let It Not Happen Again,” we strive to make this poignant history perpetually relevant to future generations. Join us in fostering a shared commitment to preventing such injustices and building a more understanding global community.

Website: bijaema.org

Bainbridge Island Poet Laureate Program

The mission of the Bainbridge Island Poet Laureate Program is to select individuals to serve as poets laureate for the community of Bainbridge Island and to support the then-serving poet laureate’s programs and events. As an advocate for the art of poetry, our poet laureate is a writer, teacher, host, and communicator who connects with individuals and community groups to promote the writing and enjoyment of poetry on Bainbridge Island. Activities include free poetry readings and workshops, bringing regional guest poets to Bainbridge, promoting National Poetry Month (April) through events such as the Poetry Corners exhibit in downtown Winslow, and celebrating our community’s cultural heritage through the spoken word. The Bainbridge Island Poet Laureate also serves as the City of Bainbridge Island civic poet. The Poet Laureate Program, a Washington nonprofit corporation, is fiscally sponsored by Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN).

Website: bainbridgeislandpoetlaureate.org

Compassionate Listening Project

“The Compassionate Listening Project has been working locally and globally for 30 years to empower individuals and communities to transform conflict and create cultures of peace and healing. We offer online trainings and free Compassion Circles, facilitator certification, and immersion healing Journeys to Alabama and to Israel and Palestine. Compassionate Listening accesses our deepest wisdom to transform separation and conflict into an opportunity for connection, healing and peace.

It is:
• A personal practice – to cultivate self awareness, self regulation and wisdom
• A skill set – to enhance interpersonal relations and navigate challenging conversations
• A process – to help people and groups to bridge their differences and transform conflict
• A healing gift – to people who feel marginalized or in pain

We have 45 certified facilitators and have trained thousands of people around the world and our curricula and practices are integrated into schools, universities, businesses and spiritual communities.”

Website: www.compassionatelistening.org

Filipino American Community of Bainbridge Island & Vicinity

Built in 1928 by the Bainbridge Island Fair Association, the Filipino Community Hall has been used and maintained by the Filipino American Community since 1943. Formerly a receiving site for the National Canning Company during strawberry season, the Hall is now primarily used as a meeting and event center for residents of Bainbridge Island & Vicinity. The Hall was accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Incorporated in 1990, the Filipino Community of Bainbridge Island & Vicinity (aka Fil-Am) maintains and uses the hall to practice and preserve the cultures, customs, and traditions of the founders. The hall is available for rent and is used by many community organizations. Fil-Am supports other non-profits and individuals in need through volunteerism. Our mission is to encourage and bestow these values to our families and friends for continued support of the community.

Website: www.facebook.com/groups/124849510973457/

Friends of the Farms

The business of farming has changed. Farmers are aging out and seeking successors. Costs have skyrocketed for everything; land, housing, equipment, supplies, and labor. Climate change impacts what and how crops are grown. Friends of the Farms is driven by four goals that reflect this new reality:

Create interest, investment, and pride in local farm businesses so they are part of the everyday fiber of our communities
Foster dynamic year-round connections among our farmers, businesses, and communities
Bring awareness of and respect for local agriculture to ensure a thriving future, where farmers are valued and farmland is conserved for future generations
Ensure that farmers can live in the communities they serve

Friends of the Farms provides affordable housing for farm interns and workers, hands-on educational experiences for children, and community engagement with local food and farms. We are champions and advocates for our local food economy.

Website: www.friendsofthefarms.org

Harmony Hill

Harmony Hill inspires healthy living for all and transforms the lives of those affected by cancer. We believe in the practice and science of emotional healing and offer signature cancer retreats and workshops to cancer patients and their loved ones. The programs provide hope and healing through tools that enable people to change habits, improve lifestyles, and redefine their cancer experience. Harmony Hill also offers health professional renewal and grief and loss retreats to support healing and restore human connection. Under our new umbrella organization, Cancer Lifeline, and our partnership with the Orion Center for Integrative Medicine, we now have a full spectrum of resources for people affected by cancer and their caregivers. In addition to our healing and renewal retreats, our services now include classes, support groups, financial assistance, counseling, research, and integrative healing practitioners to improve the quality of life for all cancer survivors.

Website: www.harmonyhill.org

Indipino Community of Bainbridge Island & Vicinity

The Indipino Community of Bainbridge Island and Vicinity originated from 36 intermarriages of Filipino immigrant men and Indigenous women (19 different tribes) who worked for Japanese American berry farmers in the 1930s as field bosses or berry pickers. Many of their 150 children born were raised in poverty and homes without electricity or indoor plumbing. Multigenerational trauma was passed on to their Indipino children because of their mothers’ forced assimilation growing up in Indian Residential Schools. Their fathers immigrated to the US believing in democracy, having been raised in American modeled schools during the US occupation of the Philippines. Instead, upon docking at the Port of Seattle, they were met with blatant racism, discrimination and violence. Both parents witnessed the military forced removal of their Japanese American friends. By developing culturally responsive educational resources that foster social and racial justice, we aspire to build a more inclusive and equitable community.

Website: indipinocommunityofbainbridgeisland.org

Island Volunteer Caregivers

Island Volunteer Caregivers (IVC) has been serving Bainbridge Island and its neighboring communities since 1996. Dedicated to supporting independence, IVC provides free assistance to older adults, individuals with disabilities, caregivers, and those facing adversity. Through a network of over 300 volunteers, IVC pairs volunteers with individuals in need of help with daily tasks. Essential services include transportation, errands, shopping, grocery and prescription pickups, respite, companionship, and emotional support through grief and caregiver support groups. Life enrichment activities such as walking groups and field trips further enhance well-being. Every summer, we deliver hundreds of donated, homegrown bouquets through our annual Flowers From the Heart program—keeping our neighbor-to-neighbor connections blossoming through helping hands and open hearts. Whether as a volunteer or care receiver, we invite you to join us in our mission to create a community where compassion thrives and connections uplift us all.

Website: www.ivcbainbridge.org

Kitsap Foster Care Association

Kitsap Foster Care Association strives to support and inspire foster, kinship and adoptive caregivers through educational opportunities, enrichment activities and by advocating for foster children in our community. Fun outings (like movie nights, pumpkin patch trips and baseball games) allow families a chance to have fun in a relaxed atmosphere where they don’t have to worry about standing out. Our annual training conference help caregivers meet state requirements as they learn and grow together, ensuring safe and stable placements for the vulnerable kids in our community (which benefits the whole community). Other benefits offered include backpacks full of school supplies and holiday gifts. We honor foster families annually during May, which is designated Foster Parent Appreciation Month Our board is comprised solely of volunteers who are also foster parents.

Website: www.kitsapfostercare.org

Kitsap Regional Library Foundation

Kitsap Regional Library Foundation supports Kitsap Regional Library’s mission of inspiring curiosity and connection so that all people have the opportunity to grow, belong, and thrive. The Foundation raises funds to support programs including Summer Learning, To the Library, and One Book, One Community. But your gifts go beyond supporting enriching programs and ensuring access to vast resources. You create opportunities for our youth to excel in reading, ensuring they develop a life-long love of learning. You empower our teens to explore new ideas and learn first-hand about topics they find interesting, topics that can lead to future educational and workforce opportunities. You engage our community in conversations that lead to better understanding, compassion, and often new friendships. Your gift is an investment in the people in our community. Thank you for empowering our community to live their best life story.

Website: http://www.krl.org

League of Women Voters Education Fund

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League of Women Voters never supports or opposes any candidate or political party. LWVEF distributes voter registration materials, our yearly update of They Represent You and conducts candidate and ballot issue forums.

Website: http://www.lwv-kitsap.org/

Marge Williams Center

Marge Williams Center provides affordable office and meeting space to nonprofit organizations serving our Bainbridge Island community. Our red house on Winslow Way has been nurturing nonprofits since 2001 and is currently home to Arts & Humanities Bainbridge, Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation, Bainbridge Island Rowing, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, PAWS of Bainbridge & NK, Sustainable Bainbridge, Madrona School, Bainbridge Youth Services, and One Call For All. We also provide meeting space and mailbox services to other nonprofits. Donations help keep rents low and fund the cost of utilities, building maintenance and capital improvements.

Website: margecenter.org

Music Discovery Center

MDC is a countywide organization providing increased access to music through programs primarily aimed at youth and young adults in economic or social need.

• INSTRUMENTS FOR LIFE We collect and professionally refurbish good quality used music instruments and gift them to low-income middle and high school band and orchestra students in all Kitsap County school districts. The “new” instrument is theirs for life.

• “FIRST TOUCH” MUSIC PROGRAM Conducted weekly by MDC volunteers at a 350-student Bremerton public charter school that does not yet have a music program or music teacher.

• “MORE THAN MUSIC” SCHOLARSHIPS Offered annually at a sound recording studio to low-income or struggling teens and young adults searching for a different way to express themselves musically. These sessions can lead to a real job in the music industry.

• Every June 21st in downtown Bremerton MDC produces Kitsap’s version of the worldwide, free, open-to-all public event MAKE MUSIC DAY.

Website: www.musicdiscoverycenter.org

One Call for All

One Call for All runs an annual campaign to raise vital unrestricted operating support for nonprofits serving Bainbridge Island. We do so at no cost to the donor or the causes the donor cares about. We even pay the credit card fees so that the participating organizations can spend more time and resources doing what they do best – serving our community.

Website: www.onecallforall.org

Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island Trust

The Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island Trust is a 76-year-old island nonprofit. Our mission is to benefit the community and our world through action, integrity, service, and fellowship. Together, through a collaboration of business, professional, and community leaders, we take action to create lasting change. Since 1947 we have been a trusted partner working to improve lives locally and globally through grants, scholarships, and helping hands. 100% of our annual Auction & Rummage Sale proceeds are distributed back to the Community through our Trust fund. All of our operational expenses are funded by member fees and dues. Our mission statement: We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

Website: www.bainbridgeislandrotary.org

Sustainable Bainbridge

Sustainable Bainbridge promotes actions to increase social, economic and environmental sustainability of our community. Our programs include Zero Waste, Bainbridge Beach Naturalists, Climate Action Bainbridge, Watershed Council, Weed Warriors, Bainbridge GreenWays and ReFashion Bainbridge. In addition to our ongoing programs, we function as an incubator to support the development of new sustainability-related initiatives in the community. We also collaborate with partner organizations on special projects, such as Earth Month, coordinating the Bainbridge Island Beach Cleanup, the annual Bainbridge Island Environmental conference, and the Climate and Energy Forum.

Website: www.sustainablebainbridge.org

Vitalize Kitsap

Vitalize Kitsap empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to lead lives of meaning and self-determination. We’re building a community in which people who have I/DD are included and recognized as people of full and equal worth and importance. Vitalize Kitsap provides opportunities and guidance for local teens and adults who have I/DD to set and achieve personal goals, build relationships, learn and practice life skills, and connect with leisure, work, and cultural events and opportunities. Your One Call For All donation to VK helps us offer daily programming, one-on-one mentoring, scholarships, and community access for I/DD families, teens, and adults in Kitsap County.

Website: www.vitalizekitsap.org