Camas-Washougal Community Chest awards 39 grants for more than $150,000

Organization’s mission is to help non-profits in Camas and Washougal to thrive as they help citizens in need

The Camas-Washougal Community Chest and its partners have awarded 39 grants totalling more than $150,000 to organizations that serve children and families in Camas and Washougal.

The community chest worked together with many partners to fund a variety of services, including emergency food assistance, safe temporary shelter for at-risk youth, water quality monitoring and more.

The Camas-Washougal Community Chest, established in 1946, helps local charities thrive. 

The major donors to CWCC are: The Camas-Washougal Rotary Foundation, the Camas Lions Foundation, the Georgia Pacific Foundation, Georgia Pacific employees, Camas School District employees, the City of Camas and City of Washougal employees, the Port of Camas-Washougal employees, the Standard Foundation, and Watercare Industrial Services.

The CWCC is on its way to funding these 39 grants. To reach its 2025 goal, however, the CWCC needs additional donations from individuals and businesses. For more information and donation forms, go to: www.CamasWashougalCommunityChest.org

Here is a list of the 39 grants awarded:

1 — Akin (formerly Children’s Home Society) – East County Family Resource Center
To help fund operations at the center. Akin provides several health services, including emergency food and a weekend backpack program.

2 — Bookish
To help purchase and retrofit a vehicle which will become a traveling library.

3 — Boys Scouts of America, Cascade Pacific Council, Girl Scouts Troop 45703
To fund Campership awards, so families in need can send a chile to summer camp.

4 — Camas School District, Principal’s Checkbook (also known as Camas Family Community Resource Center)
Assists students and their families with their essential needs to further a student’s education and well-being.

5 — Camas Farmers Market
To help fund “Produce Pals”, a weekly activities program to educate children about where and how food is produced. 

6 — Camas Robotics Booster Club
To help fund registration and transportation costs for students in financial need to participate in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) classes and activities.

7 — Camas Washougal Parent Co-op Preschool 
To help fund operating budget, buying classroom supplies and help with maintaining and upkeeping the preschool.

8 — Camp Currie
To help fund repairs to two picnic shelters and replace a footbridge.

9 — Cascadia Technical Academy Foundation
To help fund purchase of required uniforms for students with financial constraints and basic needs such as food and transportation. 

10 — Columbia Play Project
To help fund 10 free events in the Camas and Washougal for children, fostering access to high quality, educational, equitable play experiences

11 — East County Citizen’s Alliance (fiscal sponsor) – Washougal Ivy League 
To help fund purchase of tools to clear Washougal Parks and other public spaces of invasive species such as English Ivy, Himalayan blackberries, and English Holly. 

12 — East County Student Travel
To help fund one student’s travel expenses to Washington D.C, Gettysburg, Jamestown and more for underprivileged students to take pride in their citizenship

13 — Enspire Arts
To help create vibrant, interactive arts experiences that promote well-being, learning and connectors. 

14 — Family Promise of Clark County 
To help fund program that proactively assists families with services that will prevent them from losing their homes and entering the shelter system.

15 — Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation – Washougal Branch
Supports the summer reading program for kids and adults. 

16 — Friends and Foundation of the Camas Library
To help fund expansion of the library’s Circulating Kits program. Storytime To-Go kits create meaningful literacy experiences for young children.

17 — Friends of the Columbia Gorge
To help fund the Explore the Gorge classroom lessons and outdoor environmental education program for sixth graders in Washougal School District. 

18 — General Federation of Women’s Clubs Camas – Washougal
To help fund age-appropriate books and other educational materials for children in Pre-K and elementary classrooms. 

19 — Hathaway Boosters Club
To help fund the repair or replacement of existing playground equipment and the purchase and installation of new playground equipment at Hathaway Elementary School.

20 — Hope Learning Center
To help fund scholarships for families that are financially unable to send their children to a school offering alternate forms of education. 

21 — Human Dignity Foundation dba Good Shepherd Manor
To help fund the construction of a pavilion for the use by residents receiving end-of-life care. 

22 — Impact CW – St. Matthew Lutheran Church
Helps buy food and grocery gift cards for families in need living in the Camas and Washougal School Districts.

23 — Janus Youth Programs
Provides funding for outreach efforts and overnight facility stays for Camas/Washougal runaway youth at risk for abuse and neglect. 

24 — Journey Theater Arts Group
To help fund scholarships for six students from families experiencing financial hardship. 

25 — Kiwanis Camp Wa-Ri-Ki
To help fund the Outdoor Environmental Education Program offering campers outdoor activities for fun, healthy living, nurturing personal growth, leadership, and nature-based skills. 

26 — Komak
To help fund emergency financial assistance to those who are normally self-supporting but in need during cancer treatment either because the patient and/or caregiver is unable to work. 

27 — Lacamas Watershed Council
Helps pay for volunteer training and water quality monitoring equipment and testing supplies.

28 — Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
To help fund the Students Outdoor Science program that provides classroom lessons and outdoor applied learning programs for youth.

29 — Meals on Wheels People
To help fund MOWP’s Senior Nutrition Program to ensure every older adult has access to nutrition in their neighborhood. 

30 — Pink Lemonade Project
To help fund Treatment Access Program/Pink Practicalities/ and Holiday Glow, three financial aid and assistance programs for individuals suffering from breast cancer.

31 — REACH Community Development
Helps buy groceries, baby essentials, cleaning supplies, hygiene products and basic household needs. 

32 — ReFuel Washougal
To help buy supplies for the children’s summer meal program and supplies for a 10-year volunteer appreciation lunch. 

33 — St. Anne’s (Episcopal Church) Safe Stay Program
To help pay the operating expenses of St. Anne’s Safe Stay program.

34 — The Little Wings Library
To help fund the construction of three little libraries in underserved areas, and purchase books.

35 — Unite! Washougal Community Coalition
To help fund Club Unite! at Jemtegaard and Canyon Creek Middle Schools and other positive community projects. 

36 — Washougal School District – Principal’s Checkbook
Helps Washougal school principals provide assistance for low income or homeless students, and more.

37 — Washougal Society for Advancement and Family Enrichment (Washougal SAFE)
To help fund transportation costs such as gas cards, bus passes, tire repair, and small engine repairs. 

38 — West Columbia Gorge Humane Society
Helps fund the programs and services designed to keep pets and people together during hardship, crisis or emergency

39 — Emergency grant
The Inter-Faith Treasure House submitted a 2025 grant application requesting $14,000 to help fund the purchase of a replacement cargo van. IFTH’s auto repair shop informed them that their current cargo van was not repairable. A cargo van is indispensable to the efficient operation of the food bank.