Nonprofit receives record donation from retailer, car club
Ten thousand dollars is a rare gift amount from a retailer to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Twenty thousand dollars is remarkable. That’s what the nonprofit received from Best Buy, through the company’s Children’s Foundation, over the past six months.
Impressive, but how about another $19,000 from a car club?
"This is a rare thing, to get this much money," said Susan Baumgardner, partnership development director with Big Brothers Big Sisters Northwest.
The newly-merged organization combines chapters throughout the metro area and has an annual operating budget of $2.2 million dollars, serving kids in need in Clark, Cowlitz, Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. The recent $10,000 from Best Buy will go exclusively to Clark and Cowlitz county kids.
Baumgardner said these gifts are not only rare, but huge, compared to the average donation of $3,000. The organization works with 25 partners, including Nike, Umpqua Bank and Cooney Automotive. To qualify as a partner, a company must provide at least 10 volunteers or a minimum of $1,000. As part of her job, Baumgardner approaches companies and organizations in hopes of making them partners.
"We’re a household name and (Best Buy) wanted to combine us with their household name," she said of the partnership with the retailer.
The call to give to Big Brothers Big Sisters was very much community minded. It rested entirely on the shoulders of the new store’s general manager, Battle Ground resident Kevin Rose. Armed with the funds and corporate guidelines, he was given complete control over where the money would go.
"We make sure to give to organizations that reflect the community," he said, "and I really feel passionate about what (Big Brothers Big Sisters) does."
Rose, a law school graduate licensed to practice in the state, worked as an intern with the Spokane County juvenile division, where he saw parentless kids at risk. He also grew up in a household that hosted foster kids.
"We took in a lot of different kids," he said. "And having a mentor, having that kind of positive role model in life is critical."
Rose said he was planning to call the organization to arrange the donation when Baumgardner called him. He had learned of the charity option while training as a general manager at the Gresham, Ore., Best Buy in May.
As for the car club, that one was a substantial surprise, and not one Baumgardner had sought. Rose City Classics holds a charity cruise each year, and members vote on what group will receive the raised funds. More than 300 classic cars participated in this year’s event, held June 18 in Woodland. The cruise had over eighty sponsors.
"We called (Big Brothers Big Sisters) up and told them we had voted to give to their organization and asked for their help in getting the money to them," said club co- chair John Bukovi. Needless to say, Baumgardner and her colleagues were happy to help. They volunteered at the cruise in Woodland, helping to sell raffle tickets and to gather sponsorship money, which ultimately grew to $19,000.
Baumgardner called these recent donations "amazing." She should know. She’s spends her days as a donation seeker, and knows a big gift when she sees one.
