The end of the year is near, a time when people think about gifts and giving. One measure of the island is the wealth of opportunities to give to charities and non-profits. On an island with fewer than 100,000 people, there are over 264 charitable organizations listed with the IRS. The total number of charities is undoubtedly much larger, but those 264 charities are ones that list Whidbey Island as their address. Add in the national and international charities and finding places to donate becomes easy. Of course, giving can happen anytime, not just in December. See below for a list; but first, let’s see just how busy the island is.

Much of the island is rural, so postal addresses and populations don’t always match up with census data. Add up the populations of the “cities” and realize that as much as a half of the homes are in the outskirts. Working with and tweaking the US Census data shows that Oak Harbor is the main population center. (See Where Are The People for another perspective.)

Oak Harbor 78.8%

Coupeville 6.5%

Greenbank 0.8%

Freeland 6.9%

Langley 3.7%

Clinton 3.2%

That probably explains the great number of charities in Oak Harbor.

Oak Harbor 90

Coupeville 43

Greenbank 11

Freeland 47

Langley 54

Clinton 19

Don’t think that Greenbank isn’t doing much. It is impressive in terms of how many people there are for every non-profit. The only place that does more is Langley. Oak Harbor may be slightly skewed because the US Navy provides many services that don’t show up in the IRS tax reports.

Oak Harbor 258

Coupeville 45

Greenbank 23

Freeland 44

Langley 20

Clinton 49

Get a good-sized party together and you’ll probably find at least one founder in the group.

Equally impressive is the work that is harder to quantify. Several groups purposely don’t have official status. Bylaws, letters of incorporation, annual reports – some people would simply rather spend their time and effort doing the work instead of proving to someone else that they are sincere. There’s a lot of self-starters on this quiet island.

The unofficial groups may not make the list, but in case you are curious and feeling generous, here’s a list of the non-profits from the IRS database. There’s something in there for everyone and every cause. They probably look forward to hearing from you. (Pardon the lack of active links, but searching and testing all of the appropriate sites would take a lot more time. Maybe there’s a group that will take on that task as a charitable effort. It could happen.) If nothing else, it is an interesting insight into what interests islanders.

OAK HARBOR

Medical Safety Net of North Whidbey

Animals in Need

Anglican Fellowship of Whidbey Island

Ethiopian Education Fund

North Whidbey Soccer Club

Oak Harbor Youth Sailing Inc.

Deception Pass Park Foundation

North Puget Sound Dragon Boat Club

North Whidbey Christian High School

Whidbey Playhouse Association

Veterans of Foreign Wars Dist 15

John E Obrien Chrtble Rel Ed Fd Org

Whidbey Community Chorus

Oak Harbor Musical Youth Boosters

Beeksma Family Foundation

Island Vineyard Community Church

The Valley Calvary Chapel

Positively Linked Inc.

North Whidbey Community Harvest

Craig McKenzie Team Foundation

Swan Lake Watershed Preservation Group

Mosaic

Caleb-Joshua Education and Humanitarian Project

Click Community

Mighty to Save Ministries

Pit Stops Here

Ballet Slipper Conservatory of Oak Harbor

Spin Cafe

Oak Harbor Music Festival

Garage of Blessings

Oak Harbor Sister Cities Association

Oak Harbor Football and Cheer League

Whidbey Island Horse Trials Foundation

Imagine – A Permaculture World

Oak Harbor Main Street Association

Pageant-Wyse

North Whidbey Sunrise Rotary Foundation

Hermetas

Oasis Recreational Cafe

Blue Heron Booster Club

Word of Everlasting Life and Faith Ministries

Keelworks Foundation

Whidbey Audubon Society

Veterans Transition Support and Development Center

Friends of Saint Joseph

Oak Harbor Garry Oak Society

Whidbey Tales Animal Rescue and Sanctuary

Whidbey Island Basketball Club

Tiny Jade Inspirations

Critter Conscious

Knights Charities of Oak Harbor

Periwinkle Press

Oak Harbor Christian School Society

New Leaf Inc.

United Way of Island County

Bible Baptist Church of Oak Harbor

Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Assn Inc.

Family Bible Church of Oak Harbor

Island Thrift

North Whidbey Help

Grace by the Sea

Citizens Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse

Oak Harbor Church of Christ

Toddler Learning Center Association

Wildlife Care Clinic

Pregnancy Care Clinic

Suzuki Association of Washington State

The Lords Garden Association

Friends of the Oak Harbor Library

Calvary Chapel of Oak Harbor

Oak Harbor Wildcat Booster Club

Development Companions International

Oak Harbor Educational Foundation

Impart Ministries

Olympic View Orca Parent-Teacher Organization

Whidbey Island Genealogical Searchers

Oak Harbor Rotary Foundation

Oak Harbor Senior Center Foundation

Prowler Memorial Park Association

Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Island County

Hillcrest Elementary PTA

Pby Memorial Foundation

Oak Harbor High School PTA 8 7 55

Cascade Warbird Eaa Chapter

Soroptimist International of Oak Harbor Foundation

Oak Harbor Intermediate PTA 8 7 45

Impaired Driving Impact Panel of Island County

North Whidbey Middle School PTA

Oak Harbor Lions Club

Oak Harbor Christian School Foundation

COUPEVILLE

Capt Dans Farmstead

Gifts From the Heart Food Bank

Globan Ent Outreach

Small Miracles Coupeville Medical Support Fund

Auxiliary of Whidbey General Hospital

Whidbey Island Kite Festival Assocation

Coupeville Booster Club

Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship

Central Whidbey Hearts & Hammers

Whidbey Island Youth Soccer Association

Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association

Friends of Ebeys Landing National Historical Reserve

Historic Whidbey

Meffert Family Foundation

Island County Economic Development Foundation

Coupeville Maritime Heritage Foundation

Harbor Haven Childcare

Magic Macintosh Appreciation Group of Island County

Central Whidbey Soccer Club

Whidbey Community Foundation

Coer Charitable

Penn Cove Water Festival Association

Alcohol 24-Hour Help Line

Island Ministries

Whidbey Island Hospital Foundation

Central Whidbey Cooperative Preschool

Friends of the Coupeville Library

Quilters on the Rock

Coupeville Lions Foundation

Concerts on the Cove

Island County Amateur Radio Club

Coupeville Arts Center

Island County Master Gardeners

Whidbey Animals Improvement Foundation

Coupeville Elementary PTA 777 C/O Washington State PTA

Lighthouse Environmental Programs

Washington Imagination Network

Community Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools

Whidbey Weavers Guild

Broken Arrow Memorial Fund

The Wildlands Restoration Society

Island County Historical Society

Coupeville Community Bible Church

GREENBANK

International Association of Home Staging Professionals

Native Plant Stewards

Dg Foundation

South Whidbey Yacht Club Youth Sailing Association

Animals 24-7

South Whidbey Youth Football and Cheer Association

Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens

Greenbank Garden Club

Whidbey-Camano Land Trust

Ulmschneider Educational Foundation

Tinyblue Foundation

FREELAND

The Community at Holmes Harbor

Zoe Foundation

Island Affordable Housing Tr

Association for Veterinary Family Practice

Brothers of Saint John the Evangelist Osb

Whidbey Orchestras

Whidbey Island Therapy Center

South Whidbey Parks and Aquatics Foundation

Veterans Resource Center

Awakening Life Inc.

Transferware Colectors Club Inc.

The Circle Way

Island Rowing Association

Friends of Holmes Harbor

Rotary Foundation of Whidbey Westside

Whidbey Western Games Association

Safe Ride Home

South Whidbey Homeless Coalition

Common Wisdom Foundation

South Whidbey Bible Chapel

Senior Services of Island County

Christian Life Ctr of Whidbey Island

Enso House

Service Education & Adventure

Sound Water Stewards of Island County

Otherworld Media Inc.

Foundation of Senior Services of Island County

Alongside Ministries International

Helping Hand of South Whidbey

Friends of the Freeland Library

The Arise Charitable Trust

One Drop Zendo Association

South Whidbey Church of Christ

South Whidbey Rotary Club Foundation

South Whidbey Schools Foundation

Mano Con Mano Health Beach

Whidbey Island Garden Tour Inc.

Organic Farm School Formerly Greenbank Farm Management Group

Cru Institute

Genealogical Society of South Whidbey Island

Northwest Venture Drum and Bugle Corps Inc.

Whidbey Island Land & Shore Trust

Friends of Freeland

Orca Network

Destination Paradise

Mevlevi Order of America

Impact Teams International

LANGLEY

Heartbeat Serving Wounded Warriors

Jesusonline Ministries

Giraffe Project Inc.

Whidbey Childrens Theater

Sister Island Project

South Whidbey Good Cheer Inc.

Oasis for Animals

Saratoga Chamber Orchestra

Island Christian Academy

Heart Source Unlimited

Apprentice Ministries Inc.

Ryans House for Youth

Outcast Productions

Langley Main Street Association

Whidbey Island Nourishes

Elizabeth George Foundation

South Whidbey Commons

Responder Carenet

Mother Mentors of Whidbey Island

Power of Hope

Hub – Youth Central

Living Design Foundation Inc.

Island Shakespeare Festival

South Whidbey Lions Club and Foundation

South Whidbey at Home

Hedgebrook

Rod and Gun Safety Education Club

Wild Works Conservation Foundation Inc.

Northwest Language Academy

Pye Global

Context Institute

South Whidbey Childrens Center

Island Arts Council

South Whidbey Historical Society

Baby Island-Saratoga Club

South Whidbey Elementary PTA Island Co 7 7 15

South Whidbey High School Performing Arts Boosters

Hearts & Hammers

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts

Whidbey Environmental Action Network

Whidbey Watershed Stewards

Whidbey Island Dance Theatre

Langley Middle School Ptsa

Readiness to Learn Whidbey Foundation

Northwest Institute of Literary Arts

South Whidbey High School Ptsa

Goosefoot Community Fund A Not for Profit Corporation

Fetch

Wellington Childrens Association

Friends of Friends

Island County Fair Association Inc.

Friends of the Langley Library

Micah

Morris Family Foundation

CLINTON

Animal People Inc.

Chinook Learning Community

Kids First – Island County

Whidbey Institute

Coming Alongside

African Entrepreneurship Collective

Wica Foundation

Citizens in Support of Useless Bay Community

Clinton Community Council

South Whidbey Garden Club

Tiny Houses in the Name of Christ

Lakeside Bible Camp Association

Whidbey Island Waldorf School

South Whidbey Youth Soccer Club

Friends of the Clinton Library

Shoes for Kids Foundation

Progressive Association

North American Motor Officers Association

Moving Images Video Project