Though Gretchen Frankenstein is happily employed full-time, she asked us if we thought there might be a way for her to share her skills as a grant researcher and writer with a Companis partner agency. Indeed, we quickly said, “yes!”
Gretchen’s day work is with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation in Seattle. A recently-developed passion for grant writing means that three (!) Companis partners are benefiting from her skills: the Tukwila Pantry, the Prescription Drug Assistance Foundation (PDAF), and soon Hip Hop is Green, based in Federal Way and Seattle.
The Pantry is now King County’s second highest-volume food bank, serving 1500 families each week during the pandemic. PDAF helps our neighbors across the state get access to critical and life-saving medications they otherwise cannot afford, saving lives and preventing further financial hardships for their clients. Hip Hop is Green serves plant-based healthy foods and meals to the Hip Hop community, with an exciting food and demonstration garden project in Seattle’s Central District.
When Gretchen, a West Seattle resident, discovered that grant work inspired her, she came to us to see if she could successfully engage in Companis placements to work with her busy professional life. We’re so glad she did! And it’s paying off for our partners who help our neighbors with basic health needs: nutrition, food education, and life-saving medications. Thank you, Gretchen, for stepping forward to serve, with your spirit of joy in service.