Charitable Partners

Charitable Partners

The Shops at The Bravern have partnered with Washington Women In Need, Dress for Success and Bellevue Schools Foundation to raise funds and awareness for all of the individuals supported by these groups through events and community outreach. Please stop by our giving tree to show your support for the women and children in our community.

Bellevue Schools Foundation

Founded in 1979, the Bellevue Schools Foundation’s (BSF) mission is to promote and help fund the best possible learning opportunities for all students in the Bellevue School District. BSF is a powerful partnership between business leaders, parents, and members of the community formed to provide critical support to essential student programs. BSF’s extensive experience in providing the necessary funding to implement results-driven curriculum programs has helped create a strong school district that is noted for high student achievement. Since 1979, BSF has raised over $18.8 million for district wide initiatives that improve students’ analytical and problem solving skills, support students who struggle in school, and help teachers become leaders in their field. These programs and initiatives include:

  • Articulated, systematic math, science, language arts, social studies, and world languages curriculum that is accessible to all students, parents and teachers on the curriculum web. Results include District-wide student achievement with WASL scores well above statewide student performance and SAT test performance well above state and national averages.
  • Improvements to the math curriculum to help align it with the highest international math standards.
  • Support to improve writing competencies for all students to prepare them for writing expected in college in all subject areas. This support begins in Kindergarten and continues through 12th grade.
  • BSF funds a college-preparatory 8th through 10th grade science sequence (physics, biology and chemistry) to prepare students to take additional Advanced Placement (AP) science courses in 11th and 12th grade.
  • Annually funding to help bridge the achievement gap at schools with high percentages of children living in poverty and/or speaking a first language other than English. Results include improvements on District-wide unit assessments, increasing attendance and participation, and improving WASL test scores.
  • Support to VIBES tutoring and mentoring for students when they need extra help before, during and after school. Mentors provide one-to-one help for students as well as support small groups of students in classrooms across the district. College Corps mentors help disadvantaged seniors apply for college.
  • Funding for the AVID study skills development program in all schools.
  • BSF has helped over 200 teachers achieve their National Board Certification. The results in 2008 include a 88% first-time pass rate for Bellevue teachers (as compared to a national average pass rate of 43%) and the greatest number of National Board Certified teachers in Washington State.
  • BSF supports enrichment and innovation in classrooms across the district through competitive small grant programs for academics and music.

Dress for Success Seattle

Established in 1998, the mission of Dress For Success® Seattle (DFSS) is to promote self-sufficiency, confidence, and financial independence for low-income women transitioning from unemployment to the workplace. We outfit our clients with interview-appropriate attire and working apparel, and then provide ongoing career services to build personal, professional and financial management skills, support upward mobility, and increase job retention. Now more than ever our services are in demand. In the first quarter of the 2009, Dress for Success has experienced a 57% increase in clients over the same period last year. Dress for Success starts with a suit, but doesn’t end there. We offer our clients a big boost of self-confidence which helps them walk into an interview knowing they can get the job. Our clients are paired one on one with a trained DFSS volunteer who conducts dressing appointments like "mock interviews.” During the appointments our dressers provide coaching on everything from personal hygiene to how to shake hands. After a client is employed, she is welcomed back for a second professional outfit and is encouraged to join our Professional Women's Group (PWG). Launched in spring of 2000, the PWG provides job retention support and the professional training needed to help women advance in the workplace. The PWG assists our clients in maintaining employment, managing their finances and moving forward with their lives to break the cycle of poverty. DFSS serves low-income women in Seattle and King County who are referred by employment and training programs at affiliated partner agencies. Many of our clients are affected by homelessness, domestic violence, physical or mental disabilities, or limited English proficiency.

Washington Women In Need

Founded in 1992 with a mission to improve the lives of low income women in Washington by providing grants for education and health care, Washington Women In Need (“WWIN”) http://www.wawomeninneed.org, has given over 4400 women the tools to create better lives. WWIN was named the Eastside Nonprofit of the Year by the Bellevue Chamber in 2007. Because of the size and focus of these grants for mental health counseling (up to 24 sessions with a licensed therapist of the woman’s choice), PDVH (up to $3,000 for physical, dental, vision, or hearing needs as the woman chooses with a provider of her choice) or education (up to $5,000 per year over 2 years for tuition and books at any accredited school in the state) WWIN empowers women to achieve wellness and to create brighter futures for themselves and their families. When you lift a woman you lift a family and our communities. In this fiscal year WWIN will make grants in the amount of $760,000 to women throughout Washington At last count there were 280,000 low income women in Washington. WWIN grants are available to all eligible low income women on a first come first served basis. WWIN charges no fee for services and accepts no governmental funding. Money for grants come from individuals, foundations, community groups and businesses. Because the generous support of WWIN’s founder covers the cost of operations, 100% of your gift will be used exclusively for grants to women.