Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and final story in a series that explores the state of nonprofits on Vashon, specifically how they fared in 2015 and what they have planned for 2016.

Roughly one dozen nonprofits have been profiled in the first three stories of this series, and another six are contained in this writing, but these 17 nonprofit organizations are only a snapshot of the many that serve the Vashon community. While the focuses of the organizations range from pets, to the land, to the education of schoolchildren and resources for those with low incomes, it’s clear that the island’s nonprofits look to fill in the gaps that aren’t filled due to Vashon’s unincorporated county determination.

The island’s Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness (IFCH) works to provide subsidies for rent and utilities so people can stay in their homes and provides free meals for those in need; Zero Waste Vashon (ZWV) works to preserve the environment and teaches about smarter ways to consume and dispose; Partners in Education (PIE) provides island teachers with grants for materials and resources not paid for by district or state funds; the Vashon Schools Foundation raises money for school district budgetary shortfalls, and the Vashon Tool Library creates a place where islanders can get the necessary materials to improve upon or build new things.

IFCH president Emma Amiad said last week that the organization works to “fill the gap” between rent and wages for those who live and work on the island.

“Our biggest challenge is the incredible rise in the cost of rentals,” Amiad said. “Most of those who work on the island make about $25,000 a year, but the average rent is $1,800 a month. It just does not add up.”

She said that a new program spearheaded this year by community activist Hilary Emmer resulted in people in need of rental subsidies being paired up with donors who could help them. Aside from the rent issue, she said that the organization’s meal program is “going terrific,” but hopes the county’s efforts to expand transportation on the island can help more people get to the free meals. She continued to say that she feels the county’s updated comprehensive plan can give Vashon a voice.

“My personal perspective in terms of the comprehensive plan and transportation plan is that it gives us some glimmer of hope that (the county) knows we’re here and need help,” Amiad said. “They’re recognizing the gentrification with more and more million-dollar homes being bought in cash and no affordable housing. Hopefully there’s funding for affordable housing in the comprehensive plan.”

While the IFCH is fighting to keep people in their homes, Zero Waste Vashon is fighting an entirely different battle. The environmental group is focused on recycling and figuring out ways to reduce and reuse the waste the island creates. The organization had a year of projects: putting recycling compactors in at the transfer station over the summer and starting a year-long yard and food waste disposal pilot program in October.

ZWV Treasurer Jerry Henley said the yard waste program is going “very well and surpassing expectations,” but the food waste program is still in its implementation stage as the community is trying to figure out how to best aggregate and transport the waste to the transfer station. He said the organization will continue trying to find the best collection method through 2016.

“We’re expecting to have a big year (next) year,” Henley said. “We had the pilots started with the county this year, but next year there will be projects related to the island specifically. We have a lecture series with hopefully four people to come speak about reducing, reusing and the environmental issues we’re concerned with, and then we’ll be heavily involved with the community gardens on the island.”

He said the organization is also planning on doing more work related to composting in an effort to supplement Vashon’s unhealthy soil.

“We’re always looking for help, and donations to go toward our efforts,” Henley said.

In the education arena, PIE and the Vashon Schools Foundation this year contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to island schools. Founded nearly 30 years ago, PIE has given a total of more than $1 million in grants to local teachers for educational materials. This year, the organization’s annual fall grant program resulted in the funding of 25 grants totaling just under $38,000. The grants were awarded to island teachers at Chautauqua Elementary School, McMurray Middle School and Vashon High School, and the school board was given a glimpse into a few of the programs being funded at the Dec. 10 school board meeting.

“Each year we present a big check and our favorite grant from one teacher at every school,” PIE President Jenna Riggs said last week.

The favorites this year were Chautauqua’s birding program created by fourth-grade teacher Jan Smith, VHS’ grant requested by math teacher Lisa Miller for geometry blocks so students can build shapes in 3D and McMurray’s woodshop class led by science teacher Lea Heffernan.

“She needed a special, very, very safe table saw,” Riggs said.

Riggs said 2015 was a successful year because the organization was able to fund everything it wanted to fund. Looking to next year, Riggs said that the organization has the same goal and will continue fundraising at the sheepdog trials and through the annual phone-a-thon.

At the schools foundation, Administrative Coordinator Donna Nespor said that the organization raised close to $250,000 this year. The five-year-old nonprofit has raised a total of $2 million to help keep staff and teachers in their jobs and replace outdated curriculum, but this year Nespor said the focus was on suicide prevention and mental health resources. She said she would like to keep that focus in 2016.

She said the foundation will also be funding new curriculum as soon as the district and school administrators give their approval.

With the schools providing the metaphorical mental tools needed to succeed, a new nonprofit is aiming to provide mechanical, literal tools. Vashon’s Tool Library was founded earlier this year and rents out wrenches, air compressors, paint sprayers, axes, ladders and anything else a person may need to repair or build a home, shed or garden.

“The Vashon-Maury Tool Library is a community resource designed to support and promote shared use of tools on Vashon and Maury Islands,” the organization’s website states.

The organization is a project born out of Sustainable Vashon and has more than 280 members who have contributed to the library’s inventory and rented out hundreds of the tools. Tool Library founder Steve Graham said 2016 will bring an expansion of the organization’s classes and workshops, particularly chainsaw classes and bicycle workshops. He also said he has applied for a county grant to hopefully be used for a large-scale Earth Day event.