Nita Quan of First Step thanks representatives of the Albert Haller Foundation as the reps award grants to community groups at the Sequim High School library on Oct. 15. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Albert Haller was born in Clallam County in 1903 and worked in the logging industry during the era of horses and steam donkeys.   He is described as a very competent, careful logger who out-conserved the conservation policies of that era. 

Albert and his wife were equally thoughtful about investments, saving, and investing wisely in land, enabling them to leave an ongoing legacy to the people of Clallam County.

The Albert Haller Foundation annually allocates earnings to organizations in Clallam County that serve low income individuals and families, support education, and to the Food Banks and Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.  The Foundation asks United Way’s Funds Distribution committee to review the applications and make recommendations for funding to the Haller Foundation board on an annual basis.

Below is a complete list of organizations / programs which received funding. 

Education
•Clallam Americorps (at YMCA)  Program support –  Local community match of federal funds   for academic support and mentoring to youth, and for ARRA Recovery Teams to work in schools, community (weatherization)  $4,000
•Crescent Co-op Preschool Operations, enhance program . Scholarships for low income parents  (increased demand this year) Pre-K Early Learning Program $2,500
•First Book – Clallam County Investing in our Future through Literacy $2,000
•Feiro Marine Life Center Education Programs –     Scholarship Fund for underserved groups (PA Boys & Girls Club, First Step, day cares, etc) $500
•Parenting Matters Foundation Reaching Out to All Parents Before School Begins                     (Fills budget cut gaps for First Teacher newsletters to PA and Sequim preschool families)
$2,300
•P. A. Education Foundation Mental Health Care Fund (on-site school counseling by local practitioners per MOU’s – discounted fees)   $10,000
•P.A. Education Foundation Medical and Dental Care Fund for low income students $1,500
•P.A. Education Foundation Special Needs Fund   $4,000
•Joyce Education Foundation Basic Needs for low income Students at Crescent School                     Teacher Mini-grants $4,000
•Quillayute Valley School District Readiness to Learn Winter coats and shoes – vouchers          Travel clothes –  Middle School athletes $2,500
•Quillayute Valley School District Positive Ongoing Social Skills Education (POSSE) Program       $6,000
•Sequim School District  Helen Haller Elementary  Reading Tutor Program $600
•Sequim School District  Middle School Haller Fund (for low income students)  $1,250
•Sequim School District  High School Haller Fund (for low income students) $2,500
•Sequim School District  Sequim Middle School   “Sequim Peaks” Career mentoring and shadowing program  $1,000
•Sequim Education Foundation  2nd Annual Engineering Challenge  $3,000
Sequim School District Basic Needs Fund for student assistance $10,000
Basic Needs
•American Red Cross Disaster Relief – West End  Disaster Preparedness training. Rapid response vehicle. $3,000
•Care Net of Clallam County  Foundations for Families $3,000
•The Caring Place of W. Clallam County  “Earn While you Learn”  –  an incentive-based  Parenting Education and Resource Program for low income parents $7,100
•Clallam Bay Food Bank $4,000
•Clallam Bay/Sekiu Crisis Center Emergency Financial Help for citizens Holiday Food baskets
$3,000
•Clallam County Juvenile Detention Indigent  and Needy Youth Relief Services / Items  $1,300
•Camp Fire USA Juan De Fuca Council  (see First Step  below) Summer Lunches, School supplies  low income $500
•First Step Family Support Center Summer Youth Lunch Program (USDA) $3,950
•First United Methodist Church  Friendship Dinner Project  $4,550
•Forks Food Bank   $5,000
•Makah Food Bank $4,000
•MANNA Short term Emergency Assistance  $4,500
•Port Angeles Food Bank $6,000
•St. Vincent de Paul, Port Angels Queen of Angeles Conference  Utility help for clients
$5,000
•St. Vincent de Paul, Sequim Utility and Rent Assistance $4,000
•Sequim Community Aid  Emergency Aid – rent, utilities, heat, essential transportation, firewood
$4,000
•Sequim Food Bank   Operations – food   $6,000
•Serenity House   Sequim Housing Resource Center   $5,500
•West Olympic Peninsula Betterment Association West End Outreach Program  Direct Client Assistance Aid – Housing and Case Management of homeless families $1,500
Medical/ Dental grants
•Dungeness Valley Health and Wellness Clinic Dental and Chronic Disease Programs            Wellness Education $8,000
•Family Planning of Clallam County Expansion of services, relocation of clinic site  in Forks
$6,500
•St. Vincent de Paul Queen of Angels Conf Emergency Medical Costs, including transportation
$1,500
•Vision Loss Center  Low Vision: training, equip. and vision aid technology, education, classes on basic living skills, etc. $1,000
•Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County  $2,000
•Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics Clinic Chronic Care Clinic $9,000
Families / Children/ Individuals
•Boys & Girls Clubs of Olympic Peninsula Clothing and school supplies for Kids  $6,000  
•Clallam County Family YMCA  After School on-site Enrichment for Middle and High School Students $8,000
•First Step Family Support Center Family Enrichment Project (Special Assistance to clients)            Food  for Program Activities $5,000
•Forks Abuse Program  Family activities, kids recreation, family holiday meals and gifts during stay at DV shelter   $2,000
•Healthy Families  Hope House (emergency shelter) Rose House (transitional shelter)  $7,450
•Lutheran Community Services  “Stay and Play” early learning program  at Mt. Angeles View for children age 18 months to 3 years (kindergarten readiness program) $4,000
•Northwest Kiwanis Camp  “CAMPaign 2009”  CAMPERships  and Building fund  $9,000
•Olympic Community Action  Adult Day Care – “Encore!” Program $3,500
•Olympic Community Action  Meals on Wheels (Senior Nutrition)  (Delivers meals to isolated, low income seniors or those homebound) $5,000
•Peninsula Community Mental Health Center Assistance – Low income patients  (chronic mental illness)  $11,000
•Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center  “Low Income Family Mediations”    (parenting plans)
$4,000
•Pro Bono Lawyers of Clallam County  Operating Expenses for Community Office $2,500
•Special Needs Advocacy Parents   Program financial support   $6,000
Capital Projects:
•Clallam County Parks Dept.  Fair and Facilities Division  1) Concrete path for Disability Access to Fairgrounds Restroom area   2)  Maintenance of Dungeness Boat Launch $8,500
•North Olympic Peninsula Regional Housing Network  Sarge’s Place    –  Kitchen Remodel at Veterans’ Housing Facility for homeless Veterans $6,500
•Serenity House of Clallam County  Rehab. Of Tempest Building (creates feeding site for homeless)  also houses Dream Center for homeless youth, Housing Resource Center, 13 supportive housing units) $6,000
•United Way of Clallam County  Support of  Partner Agencies   (2009 Campaign) $10,000