Chamber highlights Eastside nonprofits & unmet community needs at Corporate Citizenship lunch

At our April Chamber Lunch, we were joined by a powerhouse panel of local leaders working at the intersection of business and community. The conversation was moderated by Putter Bert, President & CEO of KidsQuest Children’s Museum, and featured insights from Pamela Baade of PNC Bank, Toni Esparza and Lorie Hoffman from the City of Bellevue, and Chris Bixby of Ferguson Wellman.

Each speaker brought a unique perspective from corporate giving strategies and nonprofit partnerships to the real, on-the-ground needs facing Eastside families every day.

And those needs? They’re big. And growing.

With Bellevue’s population approaching 155,000, the city is becoming more diverse in every sense of the word. More than 50% of residents speak a language other than English at home, and around 17% primarily navigate the world in a non-English language. That kind of diversity is a strength, but it also means services need to meet people where they are, in the languages and cultural contexts they understand.

One stat that stopped us in our tracks: Student homelessness in the Bellevue School District has tripled. Last year, more than 700 students experienced housing instability, and that number is expected to climb even higher this year. The top cause? Housing costs.

We also heard about major gaps in affordable childcare, behavioral health services, and food access. According to city data, only 38% of families who need childcare can actually find it. And beyond those logistical barriers, there’s a growing need for culturally relevant support services that reflect the diversity of our community and are delivered in ways that are truly accessible.

As Toni Esparza put it:

“The top needs in our community are shelter, rent assistance, food, behavioral health, childcare, and then, hinging back on that diversity that we're talking about, services that are in the language that the people need, or responsive to their cultural needs.”  - Toni Esparza, Assistant Director of Parks and Communications Services, City of Bellevue.

That said, there’s a lot to be encouraged by too. The City of Bellevue recently approved $1.8 million in arts and culture grants, with a strong focus on building up the Bellevue Arts District. And across the board, public and private organizations are stepping up to rethink how they engage with nonprofits, fund critical programs, and build community through intentional collaboration.

This lunch reminded us of something simple but powerful: The people in this room, and the organizations they represent, have a huge role to play in shaping Bellevue’s future. Whether it’s supporting nonprofits, advocating for services, or creating space for conversations like these, every action makes a difference.