thriving communities

Partner contributed

Thriving Communities held our first ThrivingFest in August, bringing together hundreds of supporters to highlight the organizations and people of South Whidbey.

Our community showed up generously in support of ThrivingFest. While this event wasn’t intended as a fundraiser for Thriving Communities, but rather to highlight the nonprofits on Whidbey Island that deserve support, we raised over $40,000 from over 75 donors, and over $30,000 in value from sponsors, in-kind gifts, and volunteers. Thank you to every single person who donated – whether volunteer time, in-kind professional services, space, or financial support.

What a tremendous experience – to gather in deep, focused attention, listening for what our community needs and what each one of us can contribute to a thriving future. To celebrate the lives of both Lynn Willeford and Nancy Nordhoff and the impactful imprint they left on so many hearts, minds, and organizations. To feast together, in the sun, with neighbors, friends, and collaborators, new and old. That was ThrivingFest, our first-ever community event that wove together film festival, community visioning, celebration of life, and intentional collective action. 

Over 250 RSVPs for ThrivingFest showed us that, yes, even a community as close-knit and resourced as South Whidbey Island deserves a mirror held up every once in a while to see our beauty and power, celebrate how far we’ve come, and dream together into the next ten years. And perhaps most importantly, what we’re ready to do in order to get there, together. 

A handful of amazing stories we’ve heard so far about what ThrivingFest has already inspired to catalyze:

• After hearing about the reality of the housing needs, someone donated an entire cabin and the land it sits on to a nonprofit.
• One Whidbey resident expecting to have to move off-island into assisted living is now exploring a new project that would provide housing to young families while directing rental revenue to opening a new, local assisted living site so she and others can age on the island.
• Two Executive Directors for nonprofits in the social support sector took steps to collaborate with each other for the first time
• Others jumped in to volunteer or become donors for the first time

As we wrap up the very first Thriving Fest, our team is looking ahead to a period of transition. Our beloved founder Jerry is stepping back to support new leadership, and we are restructuring to sustain and grow this work and continue serving community needs, both on Whidbey Island and everywhere Thriving Communities is connected.

The seeds have been planted, and our magical team of humans is nurturing the next phase of this organization’s growth – truly common people doing uncommon work for the common good.

As we ride the high energy of ThrivingFest into a thriving future, please join us in welcoming a new member to the Thriving Communities team: our new Steward of Resources and Relationships, David Bestock.

David is a lifetime Seattleite, raised on the trails of the Cascades, Olympics, and Mount Rainier. He has always worked in support of nonprofits and education, finding joy in storytelling and connecting communities around arts and justice-based work. Over the past 15 years, David has worked across fundraising, partnerships, and organizational leadership – most recently as Executive Director of the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association in Seattle, and as an auctioneer and fundraising consultant supporting nonprofits throughout the Pacific NW region.

Officially beginning his journey with us just before Thrivingfest, here is what he shares about his experience with us at ThrivingFest:

“Thriving Fest! Wow! What a beautiful event. Seeing the way Thriving Communities and the deep web of people and organizations surrounding it showed up for this festival was inspiring. I was moved by the films, the range of speakers and topics, and the way even hard stories were met with uplifting, solutions-oriented energy.

I joined the Thriving Communities team well into the planning of Thriving Fest and was given the gift of simply showing up and witnessing. I arrived to learn about Lynn Willeford and her incredible legacy on Whidbey Island, and was amazed by the staying power of her efforts. We connected over food, heard heartfelt stories about Lynn, and I was honored to be welcomed into the community.

The festival was a celebration and a crash course in how South Whidbey organizations are working together to support quality of life for island residents. It offered both a look back and a vision for how we can do even more together. And for me, it was a beautiful introduction to the Thriving Communities team – seeing the amazing work of Jerry, Eden, Kate, Aimie, and so many others, and how seamlessly everyone came together to make a big event happen.”

In upcoming news, Thriving Communities is deeply honored to partner with Yoga Behind Bars, an extraordinary organization based in Seattle bringing trauma-informed yoga into jails, prisons, and juvenile halls, then supporting those same individuals to become teachers themselves. It’s a radical act. And it works. We are privileged to be trusted to carry this story to the screen.

A Light in Every Cell – a short documentary about the work of Yoga Behind Bars – makes its world premiere at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall on November 13. It will be an evening of art, community, and hope that we won’t soon forget. All proceeds support Yoga Behind Bars and the “preliberated” and “liberated” people they serve. Will you join us?

View the film trailer here https://vimeo.com/1213059139?fl=pl&fe=sh

And get your tickets here https://yogabehindbars.org/tickets

– Eden Trenor, Program Leader