On Monday, October 20th, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Council presented checks to recipients of the Community Investment Grant Program – its second and final round for 2025.
PGST Council wanted to focus awards on organizations that support elder health and safety in Kitsap County. The chosen recipients for this round of funding were Meals on Wheels Kitsap (www.mealsontheelskitsap.org), which received $50,000 and PSO Bluebills (www.psobluebills.org) with an award of $75,000. Representatives from both organizations were on hand to express their gratitude to the Tribe for their support.
Bert Rinderle, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels Kitsap, shared with Council the work of the organization, which focuses on ensuring seniors receive adequate nutrition through three different services: community meals at one of several locations throughout Kitsap, meals to go, and home delivery services to the homebound. Weekly, the organization serves hundreds, including 175 alone through their home delivery program.
“We’re not just about the meals; it’s whole person care,” said Rinderle. “We hear all the time from the adult children of the people we serve and they’re so grateful that we’re here to look in on the people they care about.”
“This (gift) is completely unexpected and we are very humbled,” he said.
The Peninsula Service Organization (PSO) Bluebills is a volunteer organization that, in part, works to improve the lives of elderly and low-income people in Kitsap and Jefferson counties by providing handyman and fall prevention services. In 2025 alone, the organization has helped over 200 clients with home repairs and accessibility accommodations.
Bob Keever, Chair of the PSO Bluebills Board, said of the gift: “Thank you for this generous donation, which will go a long way to help people live safely and independently in their own homes.” The award from PGST will allow the organization to take on larger and more complex projects.
Joining Keever at the presentation ceremony was Greg DeVault, a carpenter with the Bluebills who has also generously donated his time at Heronswood on major projects that support accessibility—like ramps and other mobility assistance installations—which help elders and individuals who are disabled enjoy the garden.
In 2025, the PGST Community Investment Grant Program has awarded $250,000 in two cycles. Earlier this year, $25,000 was given to each of the five school districts throughout Kitsap County.
Another funding cycle will begin in 2026. The Community Investment Grant Program, previously known as Appendix X, is managed by the Port Gamble S’Klallam Foundation. The PGST Council restructured the program to focus on a few major gifts to better align with the Tribe’s values and goals for their community. For 2025 and 2026, PGST Council makes final determinations on who will receive awards.
-Ginger Vaughan, Vaughan Communications
October 2025