Around the Table: Starbucks, Microsoft, Virginia Mason, Amazon, & more




Responding to COVID-19

Kaiser Permanente, Starbucks, and Microsoft are among the stakeholders involved in the Washington State Vaccine Command and Coordination Center, a new public-private partnership to boost vaccine distribution efforts in Washington state. Amazon and Virginia Mason partnered on a popup clinic to deliver 2,000 vaccines in one day. Fred Hutch shared an article about building trust in the COVID-19 vaccine through community outreach and will host informational webinars regarding vaccine education on January 26th and February 4th.

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Alaska Airlines shared an employee’s story and a video created by the Diversity & Inclusion leaders to pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy.

Around the Table: Alaska Airlines, Kaiser Permanente, Fred Hutch, Amazon, and Microsoft




Responding to COVID-19

In mid-December, Alaska Airlines delivered the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine to Juneau. Kaiser Permanente provided $1,050,000 to five nonprofits to help community members experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness during COVID-19. Microsoft announced an additional commitment of more than $110 million for nonprofits, workers, and schools in Washington state. As part of its research, Fred Hutch is currently seeking volunteers with COVID-19 to join tests of therapies.

Helping communities

Amazon announced its new Housing Equity Fund, a more than $2 billion commitment that will create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes in the Puget Sound region, Arlington, and Nashville. Starbucks’ new Community Resilience Fund will invest $100 million to support small businesses and community development projects in BIPOC communities across the country, including in the Seattle area.

Meet Our New Board Members: bp Cherry Point Refinery and Bristol Myers Squibb

We are excited to welcome two new members to the Washington Roundtable board: Teresa Foy, Senior Vice President of Immuno-Oncology and Cellular Therapy at Bristol Myers Squibb; and Eric Zimpfer, vice president refining at bp Cherry Point Refinery. The two executives bring more than four decades of collective experience and represent industries that are vital to Washington’s health and economy. Learn more about them below. (more…)

Our 2021 Policy Agenda

Washington’s economy and communities experienced a major disruption in the wake of COVID-19, and the trajectory of the virus remains unknown. During the 2021 legislative session, the Washington Roundtable’s efforts will focus on advancing policies that support diverse and inclusive recovery.

In 2021, we will urge lawmakers to:

  • Deliver a biennial budget that addresses projected revenue shortfalls in a manner that prioritizes services most important to long-term recovery, namely education and infrastructure.
  • Avoid burdening employers with added costs that will dampen recovery.
  • Pass a transportation revenue package that supports continued implementation of the 2015 Connecting Washington investment package; invests in maintenance, preservation, and culverts; supports new projects in key economic corridors; and improves mobility in urban centers.
  • Support policies that promote economic development and job growth, particularly strategies to expand broadband availability and mitigate increases in unemployment insurance taxes.
  • Encourage the immediate actions needed at the local level to safely return Washington’s K-12 students to in-person instruction as soon as possible.
  • Support continued use of high-quality diagnostic tools that enable schools, educators, and families to assess student learning loss incurred during the pandemic.
  • Maintain the state’s commitment to high school graduation pathways as passed by the 2019 Legislature.
  • Support policies that accelerate postsecondary enrollment and credential attainment for students furthest from opportunity, particularly our Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Indigenous and Native American, and other students who face structural racial barriers and inequity.
  • Expand student access to high-quality dual-credit and dual-enrollment opportunities.
  • Protect investments in financial aid, student supports, and services that drive credential attainment.
  • Support student access to high-quality career connected learning opportunities.

Read our full 2021 Policy Agenda here, and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.