Corporations for Communities Awards 2017

The Corporations for Communities Award honors extraordinary Washington businesses that give their best efforts in helping their communities. On Monday, December 4th, Secretary Wyman presented five businesses with a National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion Award during a ceremony honoring the businesses for the exceptional work they have done for their communities. Honorable mentions and special recognition went to seven additional organizations. [caption id="attachment_23798" align="aligncenter" width="640"]

Secretary Wyman with the recipients of this year's Corporations for Communities Awards.[/caption] Secretary Wyman selected these businesses to receive the NASS Medallion Award for their efforts to go above and beyond for their communities and for contributing to countless number of charities. The businesses that received this honor were: Brighton Jones, LLC. This Seattle company made $163,320 in local contributions and its 85 employees in Washington logged nearly 3,400 volunteer hours in 2016. Many staff members at Brighton Jones serve as volunteers or board members in community organizations. [caption id="attachment_23810" align="alignleft" width="300"]

CFO Selections, LLC[/caption] CFO Selections, LLC, located in Bellevue, CFO Selections offered pro-bono and reduced rate financial services to those in need. In 2016, it made $978,134 in charitable donations to nearly 100 organizations. Over its lifetime, the company has contributed $4,067,219. CFO Selections has also been named one of Seattle Business Magazine's 2017 Community Impact Company of the Year. Kelleher Motor Company from Ellensburg, has assisted local families with medical expenses through Sparrow Clubs USA. It also contributes to FISH Food Network, Hope Source, and Wounded Warriors, among others. [caption id="attachment_23797" align="alignright" width="300"]

Olympia Federal Savings and Loan Association[/caption] Olympia Federal Savings & Loan Association. At least 5 percent of its revenues go to community efforts and employees receive 16 hours per year of paid volunteer time. The Olympia company contributed more than $350,000 to over 300 organizations. Shree Investments, Inc. from George, contributes to local, regional and international organizations, including Hope Heart Institute and has a history of strong support of local schools. Along with the companies who were recipients of the NASS Medallion Award, six additional organizations were given honorable mentions. Mission Support Alliance, LLC, located in the Tri-Cities, created a corporate giving and community outreach program to coordinate employee time, donations, and in-kind services and allowed each employee to take up to 20 hours of paid volunteer time. Its staff has donated more than $120,000 to United Way of Benton and Franklin counties. The staff also sorted 50,000 pounds of food and packed 4,000 weekend food kits for students. [caption id="attachment_23818" align="alignleft" width="228"]

Orca Bay Foods, LLC[/caption] Orca Bay Foods, LLC from Renton donates to JDRF, Taste of Hope, and Center for Whale Research. Its staff serves on the board for City of Hope Cancer Research. Puyallup Valley Dental Care raised money for Puyallup Food Bank and Medical Teams International, and participates in Hand Up Alliance, which allows people who volunteer in the community to be credited for their hours worked towards free dental care. SCJ Alliance - Shea Carr & Jewell, Inc. supports a combination of paid and unpaid volunteer time, totaling to 1000's of hours of volunteer time, while working with many local and regional organizations. Waste Management of WA, Inc. has provided $225,000 for Lake Washington STEM program and helped Hopelink by donating $150,000 and helping them create a food bank logistics program. Employees from Spokane teamed with KHQ-TV to raise money and purchase Christmas gifts for Veterans and Veterans families in need. [caption id="attachment_23823" align="alignright" width="300"]

Org Support, LLC.[/caption] OrgSupport, LLC hosts and organizes fundraisers for a Cure for Cancer and the Jingle Bell Run. Its 10 employees put in volunteer time with youth sports Safe Places, and homeless organizations, along with donating to organizations like South Sound Reading Foundation, Autism Society of WA, Rise to Life and others. Special recognition for standout non-profit corporation/credit union was given to Inspirus Credit Union. Inspirus Credit Union donated over 1,000 school supply backpacks to Tukwila and Spokane, contributed to Donorschoose.org to support classrooms, and sponsored teachers to participate in the Fred Hutchinson Science Education Partnership. Its employees volunteer more than 1,000 hours per year in education programs. All of the business mentioned make their communities better by contributing what they can, and by giving countless number of volunteer hours. These corporations - big or small - leave a positive impact in the lives of all the individuals they help. The employees and leaders of these corporations show compassion, dedication and selflessness in the act of giving back that makes communities around Washington State better.