At United Way of King County, we’ve been blessed to have great campaign chairs year after year. Their style might differ slightly, but they all raise money to make sure we’re positioned to build a community where people have homes, students graduate, and families are financially stable.

Angela and Ethan Stowell of Ethan Stowell Restaurants are no exception. We are super excited they are our campaign chairs for 2017/2018.

Why? Here are just three of the many reasons.

1. They care—a lot—about the community they live in and are determined to solve its biggest challenges. To understand United Way’s work better before becoming co-chairs, the Stowells made sure they met some of the clients we serve.Earlier this year, Angela was introduced to some young people at YWCA, a United Way partner, who had recently experienced homelessness. One was Demario, a young dad who had been incarcerated but is trying to get his life back on track to raise his young son. Another is Elena who is battling addiction and working to get stable housing. Angela and Ethan keep these clients close to their heart when they talk to people about United Way’s work to help the community’s most vulnerable.
2. They are committed. Running a company that includes more than 15 restaurants and 250 employees means work that doesn’t end when the clock strikes 5 p.m. But even with their hectic schedule, Angela and Ethan are constantly asking our staff, “What can we do? How can we help?”They recently took on the challenge of raising $8 million dollars for United Way’s Reconnecting Youth program that supports young people 16-24 years old who have left school without graduating. Through personalized support, including one-on-one mentoring, educational coaching and career navigation, these youth get reconnected to their education and gain a diploma or GED. In a few short years, United Way has scaled this program from 3 partners to 12 across King County, engaging more than 5,600 young people and counting!
3. They are creative. Angela and Ethan have helped transform our Champions program, which engages donors who give $10,000 or more to United Way each year. In June, they hosted Cocktails and Community Conversations with past Campaign Chair Kimberly Harris.The evening was a chance for like-minded individuals to come together over food and hear a meaningful program around the effects of homelessness on young children. Dr. Ben Danielson of Odessa Brown Clinic spoke about what he sees as a physician serving low-income families. A family coordinator with Mary’s Place, an agency that serves homeless families and receives funding from United Way, spoke as an employee and as a client. She recounted her family’s struggle with homelessness after a medical emergency and how it affected her two children. The event raised more than $22,000 and provided guests with an opportunity to learn how United Way is working with Mary’s Place to end homelessness.

We could go on, but you get the idea-Angela and Ethan Stowell are awesome! We look forward to a year with the Stowells leading the charge to build a community where people have homes, students graduate, and families are financially stable.

See how Ethan and Angela Stowell are going big to celebrate 10 years of business—and how you can join them.