Giving Back

MAKING CONNECTIONS

For Lori Gill & Associates, personal relationships guide charitable giving.

BY HALEY SHAPLEY

FOR LORI GILL, GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS ALWAYS ON HER MIND.

At a recent Seattle Mariners game, she sat next to someone from the Rise Up Academy, a nonprofit school in Everett, Washington, that helps kids from primarily low-income backgrounds get ready for kindergarten. Gill, the owner of Windermere Property Management/Lori Gill & Associates— with offices in Bellevue, Seattle, and Mill Creek— wanted to contribute.

Rise Up Academy is now one of the charitable organizations that Gill’s offices contribute to through the Windermere Foundation.

When deciding what organizations to work with, Gill likes to find a connection, either from her own life or that of someone associated with her company. “How we choose where to donate our funds is a group effort,” she says. “We open it up to all of our agents for suggestions of places they may know of or have a connection to personally.”

They also seek input from clients. (The team manages a portfolio of nearly 2,000 single-family homes in the greater Seattle area.) Instead of sending out Christmas cards, Gill sends a letter letting clients know that in lieu of cards, they’ve donated to the Windermere Foundation. They ask if there are any nonprofits that should be on their radar. “While we may have a business relationship, we’re all in our communities together,” Gill says.

Lori Gill & Associates has donated to numerous organizations over the years, including Juma, employing low-income young adults and offering them learning opportunities; Acres of Diamonds, supporting houseless moms and their kids; and Eastside Baby Corner, providing children ages 12 and younger with essentials such as diapers, formula, shoes, and more.

This focus on children and young adults is by design. “We do a lot of youth-related giving, mainly because I believe if we can help our younger generations to be successful in their future, it will better our communities altogether,” Gill says.

Like when she was at the Mariners game, Gill is always open to meeting new people, hearing their stories, and finding ways to give back. “You just never know who you’ll meet or what we can do to help support the work they’re doing in our communities.”