Building a healthier community

Pacific Ridge Homes will donate to cancer research for newly constructed homes the company pre-sells

Buying a home can be the biggest investment an individual will make. But those who purchase a house built by Pacific Ridge Homes get the bonus of an extra dividend — the satisfaction that comes from knowing that their purchase is also an investment in lifesaving cancer research.

Through their “Building for Today — Building for Tomorrow” program, Pacific Ridge Homes will donate $1,000 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center from the sale of newly constructed pre-sold homes. The donations will fund research critical to the discovery of new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer.

Pacific Ridge, of Everett, WA, develops properties in north King and south Snoho-mish counties in Washington. The company’s decision to support the center’s mission reflects the firm’s commitment not only to construct quality homes but also to build community, said Mike Kinney, one of four owner-partners of the company.

“As our business has grown in the last few years, we’ve been looking for ways we can make a difference in the community,” he said. “My three partners and I were all aware of the good work that Fred Hutchinson does, and we realized that supporting cancer research was something we could feel good about and pass on to our customers.”

The affiliation between the center and Pacific Ridge Homes is the first such venture of its kind, said Kit Herrod, Fred Hutchinson’s director of corporate development.

“Our partnership with Pacific Ridge Homes is unique,” she said. “Their contributions will make a crucial difference in our ability to support innovative new research at Fred Hutchinson. We look forward to a long relationship with Pacific Ridge, as they are clearly dedicated to the center’s goal of eliminating cancer and improving the health of our communities.”

While he was getting more familiar with the center’s research, Kinney said he learned that more than one-third of Americans develop cancer.

“My partners and I realized that every member of our company has been touched in some way by cancer,” he said. “This is an issue important to all of us.”

Philanthropy has been an integral part of the four-year-old company’s ethic. Pacific Ridge Homes also supports the YMCA and the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish counties, and works with Habitat for Humanity to donate labor.

“We believe that if our business is doing well, we should give something back,” said Kinney. “It’s important to us as a business that our customers know that we are real people who care. We want every one of our customers to be proud to own one of our homes.”

For more information about Pacific Ridge Homes, visit the company’s Web site: www.pacificridgehomes.com. If you would like to learn how your business can donate to Fred Hutchinson, contact Kit Herrod at (206) 667-5543.