Seattle Milk Fund celebrates 108 years of serving local families

It’s not every day you can celebrate being 108 but Wednesday was the day for Seattle Milk Fund! On February 11, 1907, Seattle Milk Fund (then called the Fruit and Flower Mission) was incorporated. 

As one of King County’s longest running nonprofits, Seattle Milk Fund has shown to be adaptable to the changing needs of the low-income families it serves.

Seattle Milk Fund continues to be King County’s only nonprofit providing child care grants to low-income parents pursuing higher education—easing the burden of what is often their largest monthly expense.

By paying child care costs for full-time college students, this allows the students to focus on their studies and graduation, and for their children to have a valuable learning experience in a licensed, quality child care facility or preschool.

With the rising cost of child care and the importance of early childhood education for those 5 and under, Seattle Milk Fund recently restructured its giving area to focus on child care and family support grants.

Read the story of one student who was helped by the Milk Fund.

In 2014, education grants were combined with family support grants to create more flexibility for families. In addition, Seattle Milk Fund recently expanded its program to include students attending private colleges and universities in King County. During the 2013-14 fiscal year, $261,548 was awarded to grantees and their families.

“We reach a population that many other organizations don’t, those that go up to 250% of the poverty level, said Executive Director Inga Paige. “These families are still considered our working poor, and we are helping them build brighter financial futures for their families.”

Seattle Milk Fund is proud to announce a 100% success rate and a 3.5 GPA among its students for the Fall 2014 quarter. Seattle Milk Fund reached its strategic goal of awarding $81,977 in child care and family support grants to 40 families and 57 children for the Winter 2015 quarter—the most students and children served in recent history.