Chamber announces Nonprofit & Green Business of the Year

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October 18, 2016
October 17, 2016

Bellingham, WA. - Today, the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry announced the name of the Nonprofit and Green Business of the Year which will be awarded at the 12th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, December 1st.
 
Nonprofit of the Year sponsored by Banner Bank will be awarded to Brigid Collins Family Support Center.  A Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber member since 2009, Brigid Collins Family Support Center is dedicated to ending child abuse by protecting children and building strong families.  They have Children’s Advocacy Centers in Whatcom and Skagit Counties and Brigid Collins provide a one-stop shop for healing, justice and prevention when child abuse does occur. One nomination read: ... Brigid Collins Family Support Center " has helped strengthened and healed so many families over the last 25 years ending the cycle of child abuse in both Whatcom and Skagit Counties. They provide parenting education, coaching, advocacy and case management services for their parents encouraging a healthy family unit.
 
Green Business of the year sponsored by BP will be awarded to Best Western PLUS Heritage Inn—a Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber member since 1994. 
 
Britton Braswell, Best Western PLUS Heritage Inn General Manager stated, " Being environmentally friendly comes naturally to us here in our beautiful hidden oasis with Baker Creek flowing between our three buildings. We mail all partially used soaps and shampoos to Clean the World which cleans them and gives them to countries in need. We compost our breakfast food waste. We send unneeded items to our local Goodwill. We have two car charging stations and encourage electric car owners to use it for no charge even if they are not staying at the hotel. We had a waste audit through SSC and an energy audit through Sustainable Connections (he didn't find much we need to do to be any greener and was very impressed with everything we have done so far).
 
Nominations for the Green Business and Nonprofit of the Year awards were submitted by the public and Chamber of Commerce members. Upon submission, the nominations are evaluated by the Annual Awards Committee consisting of active Chamber members who volunteer to serve on the committee.  The committee determines the finalists and debates the merits of each business until a winner is determined.
 
The criteria for the Green Business of the Year is organization purpose, contribution to the community, community service, economic stability, ethics and integrity, new jobs created for the community, and "green” efforts.
 
The Nonprofit of the Year is based on criteria including organization purpose, contribution to the community, community service, ethics and integrity, upward mobility for clients.  Companies considered will be those who put resources and energy back into Bellingham and Whatcom County.
 
Small and Large Business of the Year, Nonprofit and Green Business of the Year, Man and Woman of the Year, the Young Professional of the Year, the Millie DeFord Chamber Ambassador of the Year and Tourism Business of the Year will be awarded at the Chamber’s 12th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, Dec. 1, at Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa from 5:30 - 9 p.m.
 
Tickets are available on the Chamber’s website, Bellingham.com. The cost to attend is $65 for members and $75 for non-members.
 
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The Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry has been serving its members and the local business community for more than 100 years as the voice of business in Bellingham and Whatcom County. The Chamber is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit that promotes community and a strong economy; provides programs and events for its members; facilitates factually based dialog between business, the government and the community; and represent business interests with government and the community.