As the governing board for a small, emerging nonprofit organization, each board member is expected to play an active role on the board. NEST offers clearly defined expectations and a promise that your contribution of time, expertise, and support will make a tangible difference in our neighbors’ abilities to age well in the homes they love.

NEST Board of Director responsibilities include:

• Setting high level vision, policy, and guidelines.
• Supervising and evaluating operations in a financially sound, ethical, and forward-thinking manner
• Representing NEST in the community and building enthusiasm for NEST’s programs and services
• Promoting attendance at NEST’s programs and events
• Actively participating in board meetings and committees

How to Apply:  We encourage all interested persons to contact us for additional information.  A brief resume or biographical sketch is helpful, and check out the NEST website, www.nestseattle.org, if you are interested in reviewing our current board of directors.

NEST Board Development Committee co-chairs:  

• Jeanne Carpenter @ brio1j@comcast.net
• Leslie Phillips @ leslie.phillips@gmail.com

Click here for a Downloadable – NEST Board of Director Applicant Flyer

Donate to NEST today and The Seattle Foundation will generously match a portion of your gift!

Donate HERE to help us fund our Americorps Member Services Coordinator for the next year.  This position is essential to providing prompt, friendly and reliable services to our growing pool of members, volunteers and vendors.

In the process of donating, you could win a Golden Ticket, an additional $1,000 from The Seattle Foundation to donate to NEST!

Thanks for joining us for this fantastic opportunity!

Judy Kinney, Executive Director

What an event it was!  We had a great showing of 40+ NESTers and Seattle community members.  A great thanks to our lively and poignant presenter Rene Murry.

Please enjoy some picture highlights from the event, and follow Rene on twitter: @renetmurry or connect through email: renetmurry@gmail.com

Join us for our next NESTcafé  on May 20th with Rebecca Crichton and “Are You Happy? The Keys to Living Hopeful, Happy, and Satisfied”.

NEST is truly a discovery.  Each interaction with members is an opportunity for them to express what they might need or want when it comes to aging.  It is also an opportunity for me to let them know of the new opportunities available with the volunteers and vendors in NEST.  This story is an example of one discovery that unfolded between NEST members and volunteers.

NEST Founding Members Estell and Irving Berteig

Recently, I worked with Founding Members, Irv and Estell Berteig, as they were thinking about staying in their home and accessibility.  They called NEST to help them figure out where to start when it came to remodeling, for now and in the future as they stayed in their home.

After a bit of idea bouncing back and forth between the Berteig’s and the NEST team, there was a conclusive decision that knowledgeable third-parties were necessary to help the Berteigs formulate a creative plan.

In this case, two fantastic volunteers were contacted.  Andy Goulding, a volunteer architect who has designed accessibility projects for NEST in the past, and Robert Reed, our volunteer consulting contractor.

Robert and Andy sat down with the Berteig’s, for what I like to call a “fantasy session.”  In about an hour and a half, all sorts of potentials, from simple accessibility ramps, to lifts, to elevators were discussed.  With so much experience in the mix, these two volunteers were able to guide the Berteigs through options that were possible, as well as practical.   The discussions included cost of what would and

would not be valuable for the Berteigs in the long term.

As Estell said, “They just made us feel really good about the things we might need to do when it comes to a

ccessibility and remodeling for now, and in the future.  I am planning for our needs for at least the next 20 years.”

The Berteig’s ease of planning can be summarized in what I call, the beauty of being a professional volunteer–using specialized skills with nothing at stake for you.  This is what Robert says about volunteering with NEST, “What’s cool about volunteering for NEST the way I do, is the complete financial disconnect – it is still the same act of trying to figure out what the client wants/needs and how to balance the costs with the reality, but with the complete freedom to be entirely disinterested in the outcome.  If [the members] move forward, great! If not, that’s OK too.”

Andy has really enjoyed his experience, as a retired architect, meeting with NEST members, and designing architectural concepts that will add beauty and value to homes that allow people to live more comfortably.

With only a few weeks passing, between the initial request and today, the Berteig’s are in the process
of deciding how to proceed based on the advice they have received from the trusted support of NEST volunteers.

How do we begin to convey how motivating it is to be fully backed by our community?

So many new and long-time NEST friends showed up for our Evening with Nancy Pearl event on Sunday, March 24th! More than 130 people, 24 volunteers and 18 business contributed to this event, raising over $20,000 to make it easier for NEST to create and support a robust network of members, volunteers and trusted vendors in 2013. In addition to Nancy Pearl’s generous presence, so many people made this event such a success.

Your generous support motivates us to be better and do more. Indeed, you make it easier for us to say yes to member and volunteer ideas and wishes. We may be the conduit, but I am clear that you are building this organization. You are consitently with us when we open our doors to new members and invite volunteers to lend a hand. Repeatedly, you are here when we ask you to support us financially.

Thank you!

Photos courtesy of NEST Volunteers: Roz Hall, Kristian Nielsen-Herrera, and Dolores Rossman