Dear fellow King County employee:

In the midst of planning, traveling, cooking, working, and reflecting we are encouraged to stop and take a moment next week to celebrate all of those very precious people and things we have in our lives.

This year, I am thankful for the extra time we were never promised with my mother. The moments and memories we were able to create and the endless gifts she gave to me of courage, love, and perseverance. I am grateful for my work family who, without flinching, stepped up to help during one of our busiest times of year, so that I could be by my mother’s side in her final days. I am thankful for my son’s spiritedness that keeps me going. And, I am thankful for all of you.

And, as we give thanks for all that we have, there will be thousands of people who will also be giving Thanks for you.

Thanks to you, 400 low-income people accessed medical care.  

Thanks to you, international relief organizations were able to provide more than 300 families with disaster relief supplies and shelter. And they can respond at a moment’s notice.

Thanks to you, 400,000 meals were put on the table this year for families in need!

As a reminder, if you are making a donation of eligible Vacation or Compensatory time, please remember that this Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, is a firm deadline and one of the benefits of PeopleSoft is that it can be done from home.

Every year hundreds of hours of time have to be turned away because they come in after the deadline and were not able to be processed. Click here to learn more about giving time.

There are several ways you can insure your pledge gets to us on time:

• Give to your worksite Ambassador
• Send interoffice to CNK-ES-0231
• Scan and email to employeegiving@kingcounty.gov
• Drop off at the 2nd Floor of the Chinook Building.
• Go online in PeopleSoft and complete.

Go to the Employee Giving Program Web site at www.kingcounty.gov/giving to view the nonprofits, to share what you are thankful for or call 206-263-9405 for more information.

I would also like to say Thank You. Thank you to every single one of you. We all do something in some way to give back to our communities not only through the EGP but also outside of the workplace. Your efforts are admirable and why we continue to work for ways to support you in all the ways you give. Thank you to all the amazing employees who have given their talent and time as volunteers at their worksite. Thank you to leadership that has been supportive of these efforts and have led by example. As I sit down this next week, I too will be giving thanks for all of you.

Gratefully,

Junelle Kroontje
Employee Giving Program

P.S. as the saying goes, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something” $5.00 a paycheck can provide 792 meals or 470 diapers. That is a huge something.

The 2019 hurricane season has been devastating on communities in the Caribbean and the southeastern United States, with Hurricane Dorian causing severe damage and loss of life in the Bahamas, and Tropical Storm Imelda causing catastrophic flooding in Texas. California has been hit hard by wildfires.

Next week is the last week to take part in the Annual Giving Drive, and there are several options to support the people and communities impacted by these events:

• Payroll Donation – One time, once a month, or twice month.
• Time Donation – Up to three nonprofit organizations.
• Check – Made directly out to the nonprofit.
• Special Events – To raise money for a particular cause.

To designate a gift in support of a Natural Disaster relief effort, simply choose a charity that is responding and write/enter the four digit code. In the designation section of the form – choose “In Honor Of” and type in the name of the disaster. You can see a list of nonprofits responding to Hurricane Dorian on our Disaster Giving page.

Click here to make a pledge online through PeopleSoft. If you have already made your pledge and would like to make an additional donation, you must submit a paper pledge form with the “additional” box checked at the top of the form. You cannot make an additional online pledge if you have already pledged online. Click here to make a pledge with a paper form.

Events such as these are a reminder that we all need to be ready to care for ourselves and loved ones in the event of disaster. Please visit www.makeitthrough.org to see what you can do to prepare yourself and your family for a disaster.