Community partners help underwrite costs for 2017-18 directory

The Fig Tree has raised pledges and donations of more than $9,000 so far through its new and ongoing Resource Directory Community Partners Program to help expand and distribute the 2017-18 Resource Directory and to cover the cost of publishing 2,500 more copies than in 2016.

Community partners who responded before the deadline had their logos included on the front cover of the directory.  Some preferred to be anonymous.

Among those included on the cover are the Empire Community Foundation which gave a grant of $3,000. 

The Arc was recognized for its in-kind gift of delivering more than 5,000 of 7,800 bulk deliveries.

Second Harvest, Banner Bank, Catholic Charities of Spokane, Washington Trust Bank and the Martin Luther King Junior Family Outreach Center gave donations of $500 to $1,000.

Community partners enrich the quality of life in the region by helping service providers connect with each other and helping people in need gain access to resources that can change their lives, said directory editor Malcolm Haworth.

The Fig Tree published 14,500 copies of the 2017-18 directory, up from 12,000 copies in 2016-17. Additional copies are available for additional distribution partners to share with their staff, volunteers and clients. 

Because the Resource Directory is comprehensive, people using it for one need, may have multiple needs or family members with other needs.  One service provider said he gives it to heads of extended families.

While the directory is available online, directory users like print copies.  Service providers can go through it while sitting beside clients. 

“Underwriting partners may help support bulk orders for a particular agency or demographic,” said Malcolm, adding that recruitment of partners will continue.

Those supporting 10 to 50 copies will be invited to donate $5 a copy and those supporting 50 copies or more, may donate $4 a copy. 

There are also opportunities for “general underwriting partners” to give $500 or gifts of $1,000 to $2,500.

More than 1,300 congregations and 2,500 social service agencies are included in the directory and distribute it.

The Resource Directory is also distributed and used by food banks, homeless programs, community centers, senior services, childcare and preschool centers, public schools, colleges and universities and more.

The print circulation this year is supplemented by about 48,000 page views per month online.

The directory includes services offered by nonprofit and faith communities, government agencies, and advocacy groups providing human services and health care, services for children, families, seniors, veterans and more, and information on environmental and justice education and advocacy.

For information, call 535-1813 or email resourcedirectory@thefigtree.org.





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