WENATCHEE — The Community Foundation of North Central Washington will oversee this year’s Neighbors Care Fund as well as a $75,000 match grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Why the Community Foundation? The Community Foundation is an umbrella nonprofit agency that helps provide long-term benefits for many other non-profit organizations as well as for education, the arts, the environment, health and human services and other community benefits such as parks and trails.

Established in 1986, the foundation has as its mission to support charitable causes throughout Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan and Grant counties. The foundation’s main goal is to build permanent charitable endowments that provide annual scholarships and grants that benefit the community. Endowment earnings and other contributions allowed the foundation to make $1.4 million in grants and scholarships in 2009.

“All the funds come from generous people in our community,” said Beth Stipe, executive director since 2003. Ray Taylor served as the foundation’s director its first 17 years.

Anyone can make a tax-deductible donation, she said.

“You don’t have to be a Bill Gates to make a difference. All you have to have is a desire to help.”

— Rick Steigmeyer, World staff