Recipients

The Birch Golf Classic (BGC) was founded and is run by Birch Equipment as a collaboration of business and community who join together to; shine a light on + raise money for non-profit organizations helping connect those in need to better pathways and to highlight a cross section of our beautiful and amazing Community Trailblazers.

To-date just over $2.4 million dollars has been donated to Birch Golf Classic recipient organizations. The BGC supports organization(s) for a 3-year window and then continues to invite them back each year to meet the current organizations so that they also can support one another, share resources, and collaborate.

The Trailblazers highlighted each year come in all ages, shapes, sizes and colors with a common bond of being amazing at their work and community services. They are nominated (click here) and represent many of the areas so important to community: Business People, Coaches, Industrial Facility Managers, Members of Police Force, Professional Athletes, Members of Community Services, Educators, Local Celebrities, Counselors, Members of Health Care, Artists, etc.

Birch Golf Classic Recipients 2024 - 2026

Key Recovery and Life Skills Center 

Based in Seattle, with over 100 beds and helping people from all over Washington State - Key Recovery provides a pathway to sustainable recovery for patients overcoming the challenges of substance use disorders and mental health disorders by offering long term residential clinical treatment, work skills training and transitional housing. People in the Key recovery program work on long term healing and recovery and then can work in Recycling facility and learn life and job skills including CDL driving, fork and boom lift operations, office skills, assistant, laborer and management skills. Key Recovery will use funds from the Birch Golf Classic to be able to provide more beds, transitional housing and trainings as people recover and connect to better pathways.

Whatcom / Skagit Detox via Pioneer Human Services  

Most people that are ready for recovery services need some form of Detox to begin their pathway to healing. Pioneer Human Services has several detox facilities, providing detox to those in recovery all throughout Washington State. New legislation will soon be requiring additional regulations and medical training to work at the Detox facilities which will add to the continuing decline of available detox beds and facilities. The Birch Golf Classic is donating funds with the request of a program to create a truer connection from Detox to a person’s next step in recovery. Where now facilities are limited to providing bus and cab fare to people that have gone through detox, the funds from the Golf Classic will be used to create support so that recovery facilities and beds are located and people can be transported directing to their next step in healing vs losing our vulnerable back to the streets and our bus stations.

Below are past Recipients of the Birch Golf Classic 

BEST (Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking)

Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking provides employers solutions to prevent and report human trafficking throughout Washington state. BEST provides awareness, consultation and training to employers in a variety of sectors: hospitality, information technology, oil and gas, tourism, etc. to help change lives and prevent trafficking through employee training, consulting, and survivor empowerment. Through funds received from the Birch Golf Classic, BEST was able to connect with more and a wider array of businesses to provide this crucial training to identify and help prevent sex trafficking. 

The Whatcom Dream 

The Whatcom Dream helps combat intergenerational poverty through financial empowerment. The Whatcom Dream teaches Financial Literacy including classes on: budgeting, goals, values, debt, credit, insurance, ID theft, consumerism, home ownership, transportation and investing. Classes available to homeless, poverty, human trafficking survivors, youth and private groups. Through funds earned in the Birch Golf Classic, The Whatcom dream was able to increase their staff hours, provide additional classes, launch a new website better explaining their services and created videos to help spread the word of the classes and programs they provide. 

REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade)

REST was founded in 2011 in order to raise funds and to provide resources to victims and survivors of the sex trade. REST offers holistic, survivor-centered services, seeking to walk alongside survivors of sex trafficking no matter where they are in their healing journey. Offering support for survivors to identify and accomplish goals that transition them to stabilization and independence. With funds from the Birch Golf Classic REST was able to expand their outreach and provide additional beds to those exiting human trafficking and working to integrate them back into society.