Submitted by: Whatcom Literacy Council
Alcoa Intalco Works is giving a total of $135,000 in Alcoa Foundation grants for continued community enhancement in Whatcom County. The 2016 partners are Sustainable Connections, Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, Whatcom Literacy Council, and Northwest Innovation Resource Center.
This year, Alcoa Intalco Works designated Alcoa Foundation funds to organizations that are focused on holistically improving education, protecting the environment and creating improved community infrastructure.
“The Intalco team is always excited about the investments we’re able to make through the Alcoa Foundation,” said Barry Hullett, Intalco Works Plant Manager. “The organizations we’re partnering with this year have a proven record of success, high credibility and are keenly aware of their role in benefiting the entire county.”
The Alcoa Foundation is focused on building sustainable communities through strategic investments that are focused on achieving measurable, long-term results.
The grants from Intalco’s Alcoa Foundation allocation are focused on providing funding and support for leading environmental and educational organizations all around the world, building stable, strong, long-term partnerships that produce meaningful results.
2016 Partnerships:
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington:
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington’s (CCS) Alcoa Foundation-funded project will update and enhance the treatment rooms in the building where Whatcom County children and youth ages 0-21 and their families receive professional treatment for diagnosed mental health problems that disrupt their lives and ability to function at home, school and in the community. Recognizing that almost all CCS child and youth clients and their families have serious trauma histories, CCS knows that upgrading and refurbishing their counseling rooms will provide a comfortable, soothing and attractive environment of care that says: we respect your dignity and we want you to feel comfortable and safe when you are in our premises. For more details, contact Kathy McNaughton.
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington provides a wide array of services in Whatcom County, including children’s mental health services, addictions treatment, home care for elders and persons with disabilities, low income and supported housing, and basic needs for those who live in poverty or on the street. CCS is committed to helping those who are the most poor and vulnerable in our communities through services that are characterized by compassion, respect, professionalism and excellence. In a given year, thousands of Whatcom County citizens are impacted by CCS’s local array of programs.
The Northwest Innovation Resource Center:
The ability of entrepreneurs to access the expertise of business leaders is critical. After working with each innovator to develop a strategy, the Northwest Innovation Resource Center (NWIRC) draws on the business experts that match the unique needs of each innovator at each phase of their implementation. The Alcoa Foundation grant will provide NWIRC the resources to expand its “Just in Time” mentor program which facilitates the sharing of business knowledge and advice with entrepreneurs. For more details, contact Diane Kamionka.
The Northwest Innovation Resource Center was established in Whatcom County to provide innovators in our area with ready access to an essential entrepreneurial support system normally available in large cities. The organization’s objectives are to support Whatcom County innovators from all types of industries and provide a means for innovators to succeed in their local area and bring value to their own community.
Sustainable Connections:
The Sustainable Connections “Toward Zero Waste” program provides technical assistance, education and training to help businesses and organizations achieve their waste reduction goals. With help from the “Toward Zero Waste” program, over 400 local businesses have significantly reduced their waste. Together, with strong campaign supporters like the Alcoa Foundation and Whatcom County, Sustainable Connections is moving this community Toward Zero Waste! For more details, visit the Sustainable Connections website or contact Derek Long.
Sustainable Connections is a local non-profit membership organization of northwest Washington business and community leaders working to build a vibrant local economy built on sustainable practices. Our five program areas educate the public, connect businesses to each other, and engage in market development in their respective sectors. To date, we’ve helped hundreds of businesses become more sustainable, created a culture of Thinking Local First in Whatcom County, and cultivated relationships to deliver dozens of innovative campaigns that have created positive impacts for our community.
Whatcom Literacy Council:
Whatcom Literacy Council programs help adults improve their literacy skills, forming permanent competencies that allow them to become more employable, self-sufficient, and engaged members of the community. A threefold programming approach offering one-to-one tutoring, small classes, and individualized learning plans utilizes the most effective formats of education. Sessions are scheduled when learners are available, at places that are convenient and accessible. Each learner’s customized curriculum reflects learning styles, personal goals and interests. Demographics, participation and achievement levels are tracked. Professional staff provide volunteers with some of the most rigorous and complete training and ongoing support in the area. In 2015, with the help of over 100 volunteers, we worked with 818 learners, each identifying goals they wanted to achieve with their new literacy skills. For more details, contact Katherine Freimund.
Since 1983 the Whatcom Literacy Council has been transforming lives by offering free literacy programs to adults who ask for help with basic reading, writing, math and computer skills and English. Working with trained volunteers, our one-on-one tutoring and small group classes focus on essential skills that allow individuals to access educational and job opportunities. We partner closely with local service providers using a collective impact approach to adult education. Every dollar spent on adult literacy provides returns to the community through higher employment, added tax revenue, reduced welfare payments, and less crime.
About Alcoa Corp:
Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is a global industry leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminum products, with a strong portfolio of value-added cast and rolled products and substantial energy assets. Alcoa is built on a foundation of strong values and operating excellence dating back nearly 130 years to the world-changing discovery that made aluminum an affordable and vital part of modern life. Since inventing the aluminum industry, and throughout our history, our talented Alcoans have followed on with breakthrough innovations and best practices that have led to efficiency, safety, sustainability and stronger communities wherever we operate. Visit us online on www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.
About Alcoa Foundation:
Alcoa Foundation’s predecessor, currently known as Legacy Alcoa Foundation (and formerly known as Alcoa Foundation), was founded in 1952 as one of the few endowed corporate foundations in the United States. As a result of the separation of Alcoa Inc. into Alcoa Corporation and Arconic Inc. in November 2016, two new foundations were formed, into which the assets of Legacy Alcoa Foundation were transferred. One of the newly formed foundations, known now as Alcoa Foundation, is the foundation associated with Alcoa Corporation. Alcoa Foundation is the sponsor going forward of these grants. Today, Alcoa Foundation invests where Alcoa Corporation has a presence, providing grants that contribute to environmental excellence around the world, particularly in the areas of biodiversity conservation and climate change research. Learn more at alcoafoundation.com and follow @AlcoaFoundation on Twitter.
