Solarity Credit Union donates $800,000 to YWCA Yakima's capital campaign

In photo (left to right): Mina Worthington, President and CEO, Solarity Credit Union; Eric Jensen, Senior Relationship Manager, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines; David Eldred, Chief Experience Officer, Solarity Credit Union; Cheri Kilty, CEO, YWCA Yakima; Lisa Adamiak, Chief Financial Officer, Solarity Credit Union

On November 5, 2024, Solarity Credit Union gave a huge boost to the YWCA Yakima capital campaign. Solarity’s $200,000 donation was matched by a 3-to-1 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) for a total combined contribution of $800,000.

YWCA Yakima is the largest provider of domestic violence services in Yakima County and operates the only emergency shelter in the city. In 2023, they assisted 14,000 individuals yet had to turn away more than 1,000 families due to limited capacity. The donated funds will be used to triple the capacity of the shelter by expanding into the historic St. Elizabeth Nursing School building.

Mina Worthington, President and CEO of Solarity, shared her excitement: “We are thrilled to support this critical campaign, dedicated to creating a safe haven for women and families affected by domestic violence in our community. At Solarity, we are committed to making the Yakima Valley a better place to live.”

Initially, Solarity had pledged $100,000 to the YWCA’s capital campaign, and the sizeable increase of the donation came as a surprise to Cheri Kilty, YWCA Yakima’s CEO.  “This donation goes above and beyond what we could have ever anticipated,” explained Kilty. “Its impact on our community and YWCA’s mission cannot be overstated. Not only does it allow us to break ground sooner, but it has also helped us achieve our local capital campaign goal. Solarity has been an unwavering supporter of the YWCA for years, and we are incredibly grateful to be one of their community partners.”

“We are honored to partner with Solarity and award this grant,” said Eric Jensen, Senior Relationship Manager of FHLB Des Moines, who attended the check presentation in Yakima. “Solarity’s commitment to their community has been truly inspiring; their foresight in applying for our 3-to-1 matching grant speaks volumes about their dedication to making a lasting impact in their community.”

Solarity is proud to support YWCA as a community partner throughout the year with employee payroll donations and through annual donation drives. Please read Solarity’s full 2023 year-in-review impact report here.