Since 2009, a wide variety of outreach projects have been supported by the Earley Outreach Fund at Church of the Redeemer. The money for the Outreach Fund came from the sale of the Butterfly Shop, a thrift shop operated by Redeemer.
These are some of the programs supported by the Earley Outreach Fund at some point since 2009:
- bE.kON Collective
- Friends of Third Place Commons Farmers “Market Bucks”
- Kairos Torch Prison Ministry
- Northshore Adult Day Health
- Page Ahead
- Capitol Hill Community Resource Center
- United Way Community Resource Exchange: Homeless Foot washing Project
- Internship at Mosoj Yan in Bolivia
- Northshore YMCA ESL Summer Program
- Mission to Seafarers in Seattle
- Rebuild the Churches Fund
- Episcopal Jail Ministry at the King County Jail
- Foundation for Academic Endeavors
Origin of the Earley Outreach Fund
The Earley Outreach Fund started as the former Butterfly Thrift Store. This was a crowded-but-tidy shop that sold used and consigned household goods and clothing in downtown Bothell, Washington. The shop was staffed by volunteers from and operated by Church of the Redeemer.
During more than two decades of operation, the Butterfly distributed over $275,000 in small grants to local people with urgent needs. These grants were for things like the following:
- Paying the utility bill for families in danger of losing power
- Getting the last few dollars of someone’s rent together
- Paying for medical bills, gas, or bus vouchers.
Over 2,500 people were helped over rough spots by the “Butterfly Ladies.”
An aging volunteer staff and an unsolicited offer to purchase the property in late 2007 led to the decision to close the Butterfly and sell the property. The $300,000 purchase price was not treated as a windfall for the church. Instead, Redeemer’s parishioners placed the entire sum into an outreach fund to continue to serve those in need. While efforts would be made to replenish the fund, the parish would not hold back granting the money.
This fund became the the Earley Outreach Fund. The name recognizes Gretchen and John Earley, leading lights of the Butterfly for its entire existence.
Church of the Redeemer
Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6210 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. We are a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
The Episcopal Church welcomes you.
