Hazel Miller Foundation gives over $350,000 in November

The Hazel Miller Foundation has awarded $351,300 to 25 nonprofit organizations through its November 2025 grant cycle. The awards support programs that serve residents across Edmonds and surrounding communities, spanning education, cultural access, community connection and essential services.

This cycle includes funding for the Foundation for Edmonds School District, Washington West Africa Center, Edmonds Waterfront Center, Cascadia Art Museum, and Teachers of Color Foundation, among others—organizations working to expand learning opportunities, celebrate cultural heritage, strengthen community spaces and support those who call the region home.

“Some of these partnerships span decades, while others are just beginning—but all reflect our commitment to supporting work that enriches lives and strengthens our community,” said Board Chair Shannon Burley. “These grants honor Hazel’s vision while meeting today’s needs.”

Together, the November grants reflect the Foundation’s continued commitment to supporting organizations that enhance community life in tangible ways. By investing in education, cultural institutions, and spaces that foster a sense of belonging and connection, the Hazel Miller Foundation advances work that enriches daily life while responding to evolving community needs.

$55,000 was allocated to the Foundation for Edmonds School District to support Hazel & Morris Miller Memorial Scholarships for graduating seniors in the 2025–26 school year. The scholarships will be distributed across district high schools, continuing a long-running effort to expand access to postsecondary education while adapting application processes to better reach students.

Helping Hands Project Organization will provide wraparound mental health and housing support to students and families in the Edmonds School District. A $10,000 grant will help fund emergency housing and behavioral health services for families facing housing instability, with current support reaching approximately 50 households and expanding through coordination with district schools. This marks the Foundation’s first grant to the organization.

PAWS will expand its Kids Who Care humane education program in the Edmonds School District, offering a six-week curriculum that teaches empathy, responsibility and environmental stewardship to fourth-grade students. A $5,000 grant will support program delivery in schools with higher free and reduced lunch rates, helping reach more than 1,100 students during the 2025–26 school year.

Through student matinees, teaching artist workshops, and youth guides, Seattle Repertory Theatre connects live performance with classroom learning for students in the Edmonds School District. A $5,000 grant will support education and community programs that build confidence, critical thinking and access to the arts for BIPOC and underserved youth.

Anything Helps will expand its Tenant Success Network, a housing retention program for individuals newly placed in permanent housing. The $15,000 grant will support staffing, administration and outreach as the program scales across Housing Hope sites in South Snohomish County, building on last year’s pilot.

Through its Friends in Need program, Bethesda Community Services provides direct financial assistance to individuals and families in South Snohomish County facing urgent needs. $5,000 will help cover essentials such as rent, utilities, food, transportation, and medical expenses, allowing support to reach neighbors quickly and directly. The Foundation has backed Bethesda’s community assistance work at multiple points since 2016.

$2,500 was approved to support Christmas House’s 2025 holiday program, which provides free gifts to children and families across Snohomish County. Each year, the organization serves thousands of children and families from the Edmonds community during a three-week distribution period.

$18,000 was approved to support the Edmonds Toy Shop, a holiday program operated by the Edmonds Food Bank that provides toys, books and gift cards to children from families facing financial hardship. In 2024, the program served more than 900 children and is preparing for a significant increase in participation in 2025 with an emphasis on culturally responsive gifts and caregiver choice.

Mercy House, an outreach center in Mountlake Terrace, provides food assistance, health access and family support to uninsured and underserved residents in South Snohomish County. Support of $10,000 will strengthen access to urgent care referrals and medical supplies through its Health Care Access Program, which served nearly 5,000 people in 2024 alone. This marks the Foundation’s first grant to Mercy House.

The South Snohomish County Toy Workshop, operated by Trinity Lutheran Church, provides holiday gifts and essentials to teens and families facing financial hardship. A $2,500 grant will fund gift cards for 100 teens ages 14–17 at the 2025 Toy Workshop, serving families referred through local food banks, including newly immigrated households.

$25,000 was approved for the Washington West Africa Center to support its West African Community Market and food justice initiatives in South Snohomish County. Led by West Africans with lived experience, the organization provides culturally relevant food access and wraparound support to immigrant families facing food insecurity and language barriers.

Camp Korey provides cost-free, medically supported camp experiences for children with life-altering medical conditions and their families across the Pacific Northwest. A $5,000 grant will contribute to core camp operations, helping sustain inclusive programs that serve children from the Edmonds School District and surrounding communities. Each year, Camp Korey creates space for connection, confidence and joy for campers representing more than 90 medical diagnoses.

At the Edmonds Waterfront Center, the Community Café serves as a daily gathering place that addresses food insecurity and social isolation among older adults. $10,000 will help sustain and expand meal service, which is on pace to exceed 9,000 meals in 2025 while strengthening opportunities for connection through shared dining and programming.

$5,000 was awarded to support PEPS’ peer-led parent groups in South Snohomish County. The programs reduce isolation and strengthen parents’ well-being through weekly, community-based support in English and Spanish, both in person and online. PEPS has served families in the region since 2008 with programming that adapts to the changing needs of locals.

Support 7 delivers trauma-informed care through mobile response and follow-up services that help individuals and families stabilize in the aftermath of a crisis. During emergencies in South Snohomish County, trained volunteers provide on-scene emotional support and practical assistance alongside first responders. A $5,000 grant will support continued dispatches and volunteer coordination, ensuring whole-person care remains available when it’s needed most.

Launched in 2025, Edmonds Prepares! strengthens community readiness for natural disasters and extreme weather through education, training and neighborhood coordination. The program is led by the Edmonds Climate Advisory Board, a volunteer-driven organization advancing climate resilience and equity at the local level. Support of $2,000 will expand outreach efforts, including preparedness events, bilingual materials and partnerships with local emergency responders.

Each year, thousands of at-risk animals in South Snohomish County receive care through rescue, adoption and affordable veterinary services. The NOAH Center’s Strengthening Lifesaving Operations project focuses on sustaining core needs, including food, medical treatment and facility resources, amid rising demand for shelter. A $5,000 grant will help maintain critical operations that make lifesaving care and income-qualified services possible for both pets and local families.

$3,500 was approved to support Arts for All Forum’s Community Collaborative Project, which provides free visual arts programming for adults with disabilities. The organization offers monthly classes and workshops in Edmonds and surrounding communities, creating opportunities for creative expression, social connection, and public exhibition. Funding will help cover instruction, materials, and space, ensuring continued access for artists and their caregivers.

Cascade Symphony Orchestra continues its long-standing commitment to musical excellence and education through Expanding Our Community Musical Horizons. Support of $10,000 will advance youth programs, tuition assistance for Edmonds Summer Music School and outreach concerts that bring live classical music to senior living communities. The Foundation has invested in Cascade Symphony Orchestra’s work over multiple decades, supporting both artistic and educational access across South Snohomish County.

$25,000 was awarded to support Cascadia Art Museum’s Cascadia Arts for Schools program, which brings museum-based arts education to students across the Edmonds School District. The program served more than 1,100 students last year and continues to expand access at a time when arts education has been significantly reduced in local schools.

Through arts-based storytelling and cultural exchange, communities come together to explore identity, belonging, and shared history. The Center for Global Muslim Life’s Pacific Northwest Prayer Rug Project brings Muslim and Indigenous artists and families together to co-create handwoven prayer rugs and ceremonial textiles through workshops. A $5,000 grant will help fund artist stipends, materials, and outreach for this collaborative project, culminating in a public community showcase.

The City of Edmonds Art Commission will present the 2026 Summer Concerts in the Parks series, featuring free live music at Hazel Miller Plaza in July and August. Support of $4,300 will cover performer fees and promotion for the weekly concerts, which draw residents, visitors, and downtown patrons for early evening performances. The Foundation has supported the summer concert series since 2013, helping establish it as a long-running community tradition.

$18,500 was granted to support Lift Every Voice Legacy’s 2026 MLK, Jr. Beloved Community Celebration, a free, family-centered event honoring Dr. King’s vision of justice, inclusion, and shared humanity. Held annually at the Edmonds Waterfront Center, the celebration brings together more than 700 attendees for performances, storytelling, arts activities and communal meals. The Foundation has supported the MLK Jr. tribute since 2018, helping ensure the event remains accessible to the entire community.

$50,000 was awarded to the Teachers of Color Foundation scholarships for classified staff of color pursuing teaching credentials in the Edmonds School District. The program helps address disparities between the district’s student population and its teaching workforce by providing financial assistance and mentorship to paraeducators.