As part of its “A Canvas for Good” initiative highlighting its belief that “business is personal,” SanMar, Issaquah, Wash., last month held a fundraiser for Virginia Mason Hospital’s Bailey-Boushay House in Seattle. True to its core value of “Making a Difference,” the company raised $130,000 through a two-week charitable giving event to help the organization.
“This donation will surely make a difference in the lives of so many people in our community,” said Jeremy Lott, SanMar’s president.
For the past 27 years, Bailey-Boushay House has supported patients living with HIV/AIDS by providing resources to improve their personal well-being and overall living situations.
“Bailey-Boushay House is so thankful to Sanmar and its employees,” said Brian Knowles, director of Bailey-Boushay House. “The gift is life-changing for our clients. This generosity will impact the health and safety of the most vulnerable individuals in our community.”
The money raised will help with treatment assistance, finding housing solutions for those who are homeless, outpatient medical services and supplies like food and clothing.
“I am thankful we have places like Bailey-Boushay in our community and thankful for people like their director, Brian Knowles, who finds a way to say ‘yes,’” said Lott. “He has limited space and limited funds, but when someone gives him a challenge, he figures out a way to say ‘yes!’”
The overall goal of the program offered at Bailey-Boushay House is to prevent the spread of the disease by providing the best multifaceted support possible to those who need it.
“We make sure people have HIV medicine and are taking it correctly,” said Knowles. “We help remove barriers to the things that are keeping them from being successful.” He said disease prevention is easier when there is good support, and that Bailey-Boushay House strives to be that pillar by providing dignity, respect and love for everyone.
From Sept. 9 through Sept. 20, all eight of SanMar’s distribution centers around the country and its Washington headquarters participated in creative and sometimes delicious ways of giving. Each location provided unique opportunities for making donations, having fun and, most importantly, providing hope.
For more information, visit www.sanmar.com or www.baileyboushay.org.
