The Opportunity Council

“This is a ‘live-your-values’ moment, we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of everyone. This decision embodies that.”  - Executive Director Greg Winter

 In June we learned that The Firs organization fired a long-time staff person on based on his sexual orientation. 

The Firs' personnel decision not only conflicts with nondiscrimination clauses in our federal and state contracts -- it conflicts with our agency’s values.  For this reason,  we decided to terminate our long-time contract with The Firs to lease their commercial kitchen. 

While we firmly stand by our decision to terminate this 25-year lease, this has left us in need of a kitchen and equipment to feed 450 children during the school year.  Our preschool programs in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Nooksack, and Mt Baker, provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks for kids who may not always have access to healthy meals.

The good news is we have found a new kitchen space. We just need your help to help get the ball rolling! 

How can you help?

It will take $97,000 to re-establish a commercial kitchen to serve all the children and families in our preschool programs. We’re partway there with $40,000 of our agency funds.

We need to raise $57,000 to have a working commercial kitchen by Sept. 1
 
This funding will provide kitchen improvements and needed large scale kitchen equipment, including:

·      Commercial freezer - $6,500
·      60-quart floor mixer - $12,000
·      Microwave - $290
·      Large mixing bowls - $35
·      Plus other commercial kitchen equipment, pots, pans, shelving, utensils...


Thank you and appreciation

Give as generously as you can today so we can rebuild a kitchen before the school year starts and serve children and families who depend on us for nutritious food and quality preschool.

And thank you for helping us live our values.
 
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