Fueling Belonging Through Action
Even though the Williams family doesn’t consider themselves philanthropists, giving back has simply been a part of their lives for decades. Shelley Williams, whose deep commitment to service helped shape her family’s values, was inspired early on by her mother, who founded the Community Nursing Center in Salt Lake City.
Growing up, Shelley witnessed firsthand what it meant to care for others and invest in the wellbeing of a community. Today, that legacy continues on Bainbridge Island, where Shelley, her husband Sam, their son Hart, his wife Nicole, and their two young children have all made the Island their home. “We don’t really think of ourselves as philanthropists,” Shelley says. “To participate in something big that you really care about is the ultimate gift. And we feel very fortunate that we can do it.”
Hart and Nicole moved to Bainbridge from Denver in early 2018 with their young son Winston, and their daughter Virginia would be born on the Island not long after. At the time, Sam and Shelley were living on nearby Vashon Island, so the move brought the generations closer together and opened up new opportunities for Hart and Nicole both professionally and personally. Plus, as Hart puts it, “We feel like we’re on vacation every time we get off the ferry.” Sam and Shelley followed suit in 2019, moving to Bainbridge full-time.
The Williamses quickly found that Bainbridge was a place where community truly mattered. “Bainbridge Island is unique in that there is a network of people working together to strengthen the community,” Hart says. That sense of collaboration inspired the family to become more involved in local causes and more intentional in how they gave back.
After attending numerous charity events, house parties, and fundraisers where they were asked to contribute small gifts here and there, Hart and Nicole realized they wanted a more thoughtful, strategic approach to their giving. In 2020, they opened a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) at Bainbridge Community Foundation.
“We opened a DAF because we wanted to be intentional in our giving,” Hart expla
ins. “There was no real rhyme or reason before—just giving sporadically to many different organizations. But after serving on the board of a nonprofit, I saw how challenging that kind of giving can be for the organizations themselves. Opening a DAF allows us to think creatively about a plan, and then give over time in a more structured way so that the charities we support can plan around our contributions. To boot, we get tax advantages and can move low-basis shares into the DAF in kind. We chose BCF because they understand the local nonprofit ecosystem in our community, where we’re hopeful our giving makes the biggest impact.”
Shelley, too, found meaningful ways to engage. After serving on BCF’s Grants Evaluation Team, she recently opened a Designated Fund to support her own charitable goals. “BCF makes it easy for us to give through our retirement distribution,” she says. “With it, we have greater connectivity and connection to the causes we care about.”
One of those causes is Helpline House, a longtime local organization that Shelley deeply admires. “Helpline House is such an incredible resource,” she says. “They provide a whole array of wraparound services that go well beyond just food. Anyone’s life can suddenly take a devastating turn, and they need somewhere that will support them and help them get to stability. Helpline does that, and it’s the kind of solution that excites me.”
For the Williams family, giving is not only about making a difference today, it’s about instilling values that will last for generations. “We want our kids to become high-performing adults,” Hart says, “which means they can think on their feet and use their skills to meet community needs.” Shelley agrees, adding, “Giving is an essential part of building community. It nurtures a consciousness about helping others.”
For more information on how to get involved, please contact Leah Stephens Clark at leah@bainbridgecf.org.
