You can build a stable future for the Upper Valley.
Leavenworth is home. It’s a tight-knit community.
It’s a beloved escape.
But finding an affordable place to live has become harder and harder—especially for the people who underpin our economy.
Introducing the Solid Foundations Campaign for Affordable Housing.
Through this campaign, our community successfully protected 31 affordable rentals, and laid the groundwork for future additional homes. While our original $7.3 million has been reached, the Campaign will continue to accept gifts through 2024. Gifts will support the affordable housing program and continue to support efforts to build future additional housing.
Success!
Thanks to tremendous early support from our community and elected officials during the early phases of the Solid Foundations Campaign, Upper Valley MEND now owns and manages 31 apartments in Leavenworth as permanently affordable workforce housing.
Preserving these apartments was the first step in a longer-term solution to the housing crisis in Leavenworth.
The campaign will continue to raise funds to modernize the buildings and expand the affordable housing stock through 2024.
FUNDING SOURCES
Approximately $3.2 M: Philanthropy & Community Support
$860K: Chelan County
$600K: City of Leavenworth
$500K: MEND Funds (Including Meadowlark Proceeds)
$2.23M: State of Washington
Join MEND in expanding affordable housing in Leavenworth.
The Marson family generously donated an empty lot inside Leavenworth city limits during the first phase of the campaign.
With your help, we are planning to build two new units on this donated lot, which would be managed as affordable housing going forward. The rendering above is a concept of what the new building could look like, provided by Syndicate Smith, who donated their services.
We’re still early in the process, with bridges to cross and many details to be worked out, but this is most likely the next project in our pipeline.
Building more affordable housing was always part of the long-term plan. With the support of our community, this next step can begin sooner than we expected.
Let’s start to balance Leavenworth’s housing opportunities today.
The housing shortage affects us all.
It’s a problem for those of us who stay—and for those of us who are pushed out.
The Upper Valley is facing a pressing housing crisis as it grapples with soaring home values and limited supply.
This has created an urgent need for affordable workforce housing.
This affects people across various socioeconomic levels, including those working in the service industry, education, healthcare, and agriculture.
Through the generosity and foresight of the Marson family, we have an opportunity to make a long-term impact on affordable housing in our valley.
The Marson Family has maintained a portfolio of rentals, keeping rents affordable for local residents. When they decided to sell these properties, they approached Upper Valley MEND first, offering a long lead time and a below-market price. Along with the sale of these properties, the Marson family has donated a newly subdivided lot in 2024. Through this donation and the support of our community, we are planning to add two new rental units, building a foundation for future affordable housing in the Upper Valley.
“Our family decided to do this because it's the right thing for our community, which has been so good to us, and we'd like to set an example for others to help with this goal of affordable housing. We feel this is a positive step in the right direction.” -Ken Marson
Together, we can ensure that our community always has a place to call home.
A HUGE THANK YOU!
Businesses & Organizations:
The following local businesses and organizations have provided a generous financial contribution to the Campaign. We thank them for their commitment to affordable housing for our local workforce!
Thank you to the following community members for their support for the Solid Foundations Campaign during its early phases. Join them in taking the next step for affordable housing.
Join your community!
Alex Schmidt and Stacey Barnhill
Alvin Dafler
Amy Summers, in honor of Julie Giorgetti
Andi and Eric Backstrum
Andrea & Hans Mulders
Andy and Maureen Seikel
Andy and Suzi Lane
Andy Day and Constance Cogburn
Angela Harrison
Anita Petit
Ann and Don Schaechtel, in memory of Alan Whittemore
Anne Hessberg
Anne and Robert White
Annika and Kevin Bibby
Armand & Danielle Tiberio
Barbara and Paul DeMaris
Barbee Teasley
Ben and Jena Edwards
Ben Petter
Beth & Clint Wright, in memory of Alan and Bernice Whittemore
Beth and Jim Repnik
Betsy and Steve Bettinger
Betsy Rose, in memory of Marshall Rose
Bill and Deborah Hartl
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Bill Jenkins
Bob and Alice Vernon
Bob and Amy Maher
Bob and Anne Fuchs
Bobby Green
Bonnie and Victor Reddick
Brad and Kathy Schmidt
Brecklyn Schmidt
Brien Thane
Bryan Maloney
Bud and Pat Dietrich
Byron and Pauline Kato
Candace and Chuck Egner
Candace Callahan
Cara Scenard
Carl and Deb Florea
Carl Stockamp
Carol Neve
Carole Ann Borshard and Mark Weick
Carol and Ken Wagar
Carolyn Giger and Richard Daugherty
Carolyn Griffin-Bugert and Bob Bugert
Cathy and Rick Meuret
Celeste and Kurt Peterson
Charles McKinney in memory of Mary Ellen McKinney
Chris and Craig Kopet
Chris and Rebecca Weber
Chris Clark
Chris Stablein
Christopher Cox & Jessica Kocian in memory of Matt Primomo
Christopher Strohm
Clark and Jean Vanderlinden
Cleo’s Cupboard
Cline and Kirsten Sweet, in memory of Jack and Evelen Unbewust
Connie McCauley
Courtney Gatewood
Craig and Reava Davis
Craig Root and Robin Boal
Dan and Debra Roche
Dan and Jan Barron
Daniel David
Darlene and Robert King
Darryl and Mindy Wall
David and Maxine Riggers
David Gee
David Huffman
David Morgan and Christine Jakobsen
Dena Platis
Denise and Kevin Murphy
Donald and Kristen Wood
Donna and Dick Tabbutt
Donna Brewer
Donna Mazur and Milo Himes
Dorothy and Mark Johnston
Doug and Kathryn Drew
Doug Compau and Robin Moser
Doug Gann and Susan Plummer
Douglas and Dana Jacobson
Dr. John and Megan Schiefelbein
Dr. Lonnie and Jordan Schwirtlich, in memory of Ed Schwirtlich
Dr. Paula Koehler-Martin & Michael A. Martin
Dr. Tracey Edou
Drew Foulk
Duane and Lila Mattern
Edie Phillips
Elizabeth Roberts
Elizabeth Thompson
Ellen and Matt Lindsay
Emily Lang
Eric & Michelle Tiegel
Eric and Deanne Haas
Eric and Heidi Krumland
Erika & Martin Szuster (Pension Anna)
Erin McKay
Fran Call
Frederick Guimond & Carol Kasper
Gail and Antonio Giacobbe
Gail and Cliff Mork, in memory of Matt Mork and Heidi Siitia
Gary & Zondra Schuster
Genevieve Smith
Geoff and Tina Richardson
Georgia Bakke-Tull and Exxene Tull
Greg and Barb Lykke
Greg and Mary Steeber
Greg and Sharon Lunz
Gregory and April May Boyce
H Susan & H.C. Kayser
Hannah Reed
Hanne Beener and Spencer Boskett
Harold and Ulla Olsson
Harold Simon
Heather and Pat Murphy
Heidi & Terry Paul
Herman and Susan Raley
Hilfreiche Hausfruen
Hillary and Christopher Clark
Holly and Jason Barbacovi
Holly & Tony Morgan
Huib Van Leeuwen
Jacqueline Dawson and Karl Halupka
James and Rachel Clifton
James and Rebecca Grandin
James Chedister
James Jordan, Jr and Millie Jordan
James Leifheit and Kristi Karpenko
James Plourde
James Whitesides
Jamie and Michelle Brownlow, in memory of Christopher Olsen
Jane and Alvin Lee
Janeane and Lyman Boyd
Janeen Jackson in memory of Frank Valenti
Janet Bibby
Jary and Joan Kivett
Javier and Cyndi Garza
Jeffrey and Dina Frank
Jeffrey and Theresa VerWey
Jennifer and Scott Wyatt
Jeremiah and Molly Johnson, in memory of Kurt Cobain
Jeremy and Lachovia Freeland
Jerry Baird
Jessa Butler
Jesse Boyd
Jill Fineis
Jimi and George Wilson
Joan Frazee
John and Mary Schramm
John and Janice Mausser
John and Susan Butruille
John Taylor and Annette Jouard
Jose Hurtado
Judith and Dallas Meggitt
Judith and Monte Crippen
Julie Edsforth and Jabe Blumenthal
Julie England and Bill McGlynn
Julie Irmer
Justin and Zachary Hambleton
K2 Donor Advised Fund
Karen Foster
Karin and Tad Summersett
Karl and Dawn Kranz
Kate Trent
Katherine Bloss, in memory of Carl Bloss
Kay Lisch
Kaylin Bettinger and Tucker Havekost
Keegan Furfaro and Krysten Carson-Furfaro
Kelly and Mark Hassinger
Ken and Linda Reid
Kenneth Morgan
Kimberly and Quinn Gunhus
Kirstin and Brendon Lynch
Kirvil Skinnarland and Alan Hunt
Kristin and Mark Simpson
Kristin and Steve Keene
Lacy and Patrick Haggerty
Lance and Deborah Vander Hoek
Larry and Nancy Leach
Lauren Johnson and Barbara Rossing
Leslie and Peter Keenan, in memory of Deanna Knickerbocker
Linda Watson
Lisa & Brian Koblenz
Lisa and Keith Goehner
Lisi Ott
Lorene Farrar
Lorretta Powers
Luke, Nowelle, Aria and Blue Knutson
Lynda Fischer
Lynn Armstrong
Mall Boyd
Mara and Brian Bohman
Margareta and Marc Dilley
Margaret Neighbors
Mark Lambertsen
Mark Schuetzler
Mark Shorb and Kristin Ferrera
Margery Drake
Martin Straub and Diane Blake
Marty and Bob Fallon
Marty and Katharine Lindemann
Mary and Frank Fox
Mary Ellen and Ed Hanks
Mary Ersek and Jerry Schellenberg
Mary Patricia and John Barton, in memory of Aggie Cage
Matt and Lennea Hopkins
Matthew Porter
Matthew Selby
Maxine Koblenz
Maynard Man
Melanie Riddick
Mercy Rome and Canuche Terranella
Michele and Chris Church
Michele and Kyle Peltonen
Michele Vallor
Mike and Cherié Warren
Mike and Cindy Hendricks
Monty and Karen Turner
Nancy and George Dunn
Nancy Odegard
Nancy Raley and Bob Whitaker
Natalie Lamberjack
Nathaniel Hough-Snee and Lexine Long, in memory of Matt Primomo
Nikki Keating
Oliver & Pam Brulotte
Pamela Trudeau
Patti McGaughey, in memory of Steve McGaughey
Patty Hebert and John Agnew
Paul and Linda Jinneman
Paul and Shawn Saline
Paul and Susan Ballinger
Paula and Steve Mikkelsen
Paula Gaughan
Pavel McGlave and Laura Lentz
Paul Novotny & Kimberly Kuyk-Novotny
Peter Valaas and Susan Westerlund
Price Gledhill and Cappy Bond
R Lightbulb Winders
Rachelle Boyd
Randee Zerger
Raymond and JoAnne Eriksen
Regge Egger
Ric Escobedo
Richard and Kathleen Buddington
Rick and Pat Thirlby
Rob and Cindy Shurtleff
Robert Johnson and Heather Erdmann
Roderick Mercer
Ron and Kay Larson, in remembrance of Arthur E Larson
Rose Ann and John McRoberts
Rufus Woods
Sandra Phenning
Sally Kane, in memory of David Kane
Sally Monsey
Sandra Lewis
Sara Evans
Shaun and Carol Seaman
Sheila Harris and Alan Chilcoat
Siegrid Prey-Willems
Sloane Schubert
Stephen DeForest
Stephanie and Gregory Jones
Steve and Laurie Corrington
Steve and Jane Mounsey
Steven and Juli Jacobs
Steven and Rachel Booher
Strode and Judith Weaver
Steve Short
Sue Shuer
Sue and Virgil Tollefson
Sue Briggs
The Sturms Family
Suzann and Robert Lombard
Susan Thomas and Bill Gaines
Tambra Zimmerman
Tammy Matt
Ted Alway and Tricia Ortiz
Ted and Kathy Montgomery
Terry Ward and Amy Yaley
Thad and Jennifer Hunt
Thad Mosey
Tiffany Thedan & Andrew Otto
The Extended Williams Family:
Williams Friendship Fund
Bruce Williams & Gro Buer
Theresa and Richard D-Litzenberger
Thomas and Andrea Davis
Thomas and Cheryl Phillips
Tiffany Brine & Bill Davies
Tim and Kathy Bushfield
Timothy Sale
Tina and Michael Banks, in memory of Lucas Banks
Tina Rieman, in memory of Dick Rieman
Tom and Judy Derpack, in memory of Bob and Jean Kuhn
Tom and Patricia Baranouskas
Tony and Marcia Banks, in memory of Lucas Banks
Tony and Meleah Butruille
Ursula Maninger
Valla and Buford Howell
Vicktor Kramar
William Bauer and Sally Spear Bauer
William Motsenbocker and Susan Ready
Zachary Miller
Solid Foundation Steering Committee:
Co-Chairs
Greg Steeber
Kurt Peterson
Diane Blake
John Agnew
Pam Brulotte
Cyndi Garza
Brian Koblenz
Tricia Ortiz
Members
Interested in making a multi-year pledge, giving through a donor advised fund, or giving a gift of stock? Please contact:
Hillary Clark, Development Director, (509) 293-8067 or hillary@uvmend.org