We are fortunate and grateful to have the strong support of our amazing community. One question we get asked each year by community members – especially around the season of giving – is, “Do you accept donations?” The answer to this question is YES! Not only can we accept donations, we have two funds through the Renton Regional Community Foundation that are 501c3 charitable funds, meaning they not only are earmarked to support community health and safety, but they also allow donors to make a tax-deductible donation. Let’s learn more about these two funds…
FD CARES Fund
The FD CARES Fund is a unique fund that directly benefits our FD CARES Program. While Renton RFA funds the staffing, apparatus, and commonly used equipment for the FD CARES program through our standard funding mechanisms (in partnership with other local first response agencies), the unique equipment and resource needs of every FD CARES patient can vary wildly and be very costly. The fund focuses on providing equipment and resources that are unique to the needs of FD CARES patients. That includes specialized lift equipment, which is vital for the safety of both patients and staff. Just this year (2023), we were able to purchase a stair chair using FD CARES Fund contributions. It also focuses on helping to provide patients in need with durable medical equipment (DME), such as wheelchairs, walkers, toilet seat bars, grab bars, and transfer chairs, at no cost to them. This enables those patients to live more safely and independently.
It’s important to know that the types of patients FD CARES helps most often are as varied as the care they need. The most common FD CARES patients include the elderly, those with disabilities, those struggling with mental health issues, and those dealing with drug or alcohol addiction. This program meets people where they are, and as a result, the fund will also help provide them with the necessities they need to be safe and healthy, including items such as clean socks and underwear, shoes, coats, blankets, food, and basic hygiene products.
Renton RFA Fund
The Renton Regional Fire Authority Fund allows us to procure goods and services that align with our mission, vision, and values:
Our Mission:
- Responding to and recovering from emergencies
- Reducing risks for all hazards
- Building a culture of safety and support for our members
- Adapting to future challenges through strategic planning
Our Vision:
- Working to make our community safer, healthier, and stronger.
Our Values:
- Professionalism
- Integrity
- Leadership
- Loyalty
- Accountability
- Respect
The fund is more general in nature and thus allows us to make an impact in a variety of different ways for different segments of our community. It could be anything from procuring safety swag to support our public outreach efforts, to hiring certain professional services to work with us on our community engagement initiatives, or anything in between as long as it aligns with our mission, vision, and values.
Both of these funds have provided us the opportunity to step outside of the confines of our standard budget and implement programs, services, and community engagement that are above and beyond what we thought may be possible for the Renton community. We are so grateful to those who have chosen to donate to these funds and will continue to use the proceeds from these funds transparently for the betterment of the health and safety of community members throughout our jurisdiction.
If you would like to explore the option to donate to the FD CARES Fund, click here. If you would like to explore the option to donate to the Renton RFA Fund, click here.
