This past June, the women of Fairweather Circle continued the tradition of neighbors helping neighbors and hosted a dynamic FUNdraiser at the (incredibly delicious) Thai Kitchen Bird Pepper restaurant in Bellevue Square. The fundraiser brought together a passionate group of Bellevue residents to build community, raise awareness, and raise funds to help prevent hunger and homelessness for Bellevue children.
The cornerstone of the Fairweather Circle is community building and hands-on support. “When Bellevue LifeSpring needs volunteers in any capacity, Fairweather Circle Members are always ready to step up and help,” shared Maggie Vergien, Fairweather Circle Co-Chair and Bellevue LifeSpring Board Member. “We love to get creative and bring the community together in unique ways—like booking a lively restaurant venue that allows people to have fun and connect over a good meal and a good cause. We are so grateful to Thai Kitchen Bird Pepper and owner Cindy Gayte for helping us create a memorable experience for our FUNdraiser. Cindy is so wonderful and accommodating.”
The Fairweather Circle’s FUNdraiser treated guests to a unique silent and live auction filled with everything from golf lessons from the University of Washington’s Head Golf Coach Alan Murray to a private wine tasting at local Washington winery Bacovino. Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of the night was when a bidding war arose over one circle member’s famous chicken pot pies, raising a total of $950 per pack of six pies! All in all, the proceeds from the event raised more than $10,000 to support Bellevue kids.
The funds raised have already helped prevent hunger and homelessness for Bellevue families struggling to make ends meet. However, the true impact of an evening like Fairweather’s FUNdraiser is simply immeasurable.
“Ending poverty in Bellevue starts in our own backyard,” shared Jennifer Fischer, the Executive Director of Bellevue LifeSpring. “There are more than 4,324 Bellevue children experiencing food insecurity and more than 700 children experiencing homelessness in our community. These are the highest numbers on record. Support from our community is critical to addressing this crisis.”
One of the biggest obstacles Bellevue LifeSpring faces is that people are not aware of the need here in Bellevue. “We live in an incredibly abundant and vibrant community,” shared Jennifer. “People don’t know that one in four students who attend our public school district, due to no fault of their own, have to experience the pains of their parent’s economic struggle.”
Bellevue LifeSpring is grateful to our circle members for bringing Bellevue community members to the table to learn and join in the effort to build a better Bellevue for our children. Their dedication and hard work foster a spirit of unity and compassion that strengthens the entire community.
Join the ladies of the Fairweather Circle and support Bellevue children: I’m in!
Learn how you can make a difference and become a Bellevue LifeSpring Circle Member.
