The C. Keith Birkenfeld Memorial Trust, managed by The Seattle Foundation, has pledged $500,000 to support the construction of the planned new downtown Club.
“We are thrilled to receive this generous grant”, said Kathy Haggart, President & CEO for Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue. “We know Mr. Birkenfeld was a teacher in Bellevue and involved in numerous civic efforts for more than 20 years. What a fantastic legacy to leave.”
Mr. Birkenfeld, a member of a Kitsap County pioneer family, passed away in 2005, leaving his substantial estate to be distributed through grants made annually to deserving non-profit organizations for the purpose of building a lasting impact on the communities they serve. His intent was to inspire others to give through his generosity. The Trust is designed to make grants annually, expending all funds within a twenty-year period. 2014 marks the ninth year of funding with a total of $8.1 million in grants made to date.
Specifically, the grant will be used to fund the Education Center in the new Club. It will be named the C. Keith Birkenfeld Learning Center, in recognition of this gift.
About Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue was established in 1952. Currently the organization has 12 sites throughout the City of Bellevue and serves children 2 ½ – 19 years of age. Club programs include the Project Learn after-school program, structured recreation leagues, preschool, and teen specific programming. For the past 62 years, the Club has provided the young people in our community with something they need and want most – a safe environment where adults respect and listen to them, and where they can have fun! Our mission follows that of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.