Seattle Works Receives $250,000 Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Media contact
Melissa Heaton
Phone: 206.625.9655

SEATTLE -- Seattle Works, a volunteer-driven organization of more than 6,000 members committed to instilling a lifelong passion for volunteering in young adults, was recently awarded a $250,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"This is an incredible honor and opportunity for Seattle Works," said Lisa Kirk, President of the Seattle Works Board of Directors. "This grant will help us expand and strengthen our programs, allowing us to increase our impact on our volunteers and the community."

Founded in 1989, Seattle Works provides people in their 20s and 30s with flexible, rewarding opportunities to give back to the community through hundreds of volunteer projects. The organization provides a pool of enthusiastic volunteers to more than 500 Puget Sound nonprofit organizations.

"Seattle Works not only offers critical volunteer services to countless community service organizations, it also plays a unique role in helping to shape our future community leaders," said William H. Gates, Sr., Co-Chair & CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "This is an important long-term investment."

In 1999, Seattle Works volunteers contributed more than 27,000 hours of service in the Puget Sound area. The Seattle Times editorial staff recognized Seattle Works' contributions to the community by including them in its "Best of Sound" article on January 1, 1999.

The organization offers a variety of programs and events to involve Seattle's young adults in their communities:
  • The Exceed Internship program: Seattle Works volunteers serve for one year on the board of directors of a variety of nonprofit organizations, such as the Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Science Center or YWCA, providing young adults with unique leadership opportunities in the hope of cultivating the next generation of civic leaders.

  • Team Works: Groups of volunteers participate in different volunteer projects each month for five months. The projects are diverse, giving volunteers an overview of the many different ways they can get involved and give back to the community.

  • Seattle Works Day: Held every May, on this day more than 2,500 volunteers perform 12,500 hours of community service hours at 65 different project sites.
Seattle Works is led by a board of young, active volunteers and is supported by over 2,500 companies, individuals and foundations. For further information, visit the Seattle Works website.