Everfree Northwest 2024 Charity Auction

Everfree Northwest is a production of Pegasi Northwest, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. We are an organization focusing on education about and promotion of the art of animation and related artistic works created by their respective fans. We host an annual, volunteer-staffed event to promote and educate the public on various aspects of the foregoing.

EIN: 82-1256888

Tax-deductible direct donations to Pegasi Northwest are always accepted at everfreenw.com/donate.

Our largest fundraising event each year is the annual Charity Auction. All proceeds from fundraising activities are used solely for charitable purposes in pursuit of our mission. These include:

• Program services which directly relate to the operation of the convention.
• Small donations to various charitable organizations and individuals in need throughout the year.
• A large grant to a primary beneficiary selected as our charity partner each year.

When selecting charity partners, we seek out small, local, reputable 501(c)(3) organizations with a narrow focus to ensure the greatest impact from the generosity of our fandom community. We have traditionally partnered with organizations primarily supporting children in need.

This year, we are proud to partner with Backpack Brigade as our primary beneficiary!

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The mission of Backpack Brigade is to erase weekend hunger for homeless and hungry school children in need. We purchase, package, and deliver a weekend food bag with 3 breakfasts, lunches, dinners and 3 snacks, that helps sustain a homeless student through the weekend.

Backpack Brigade started in 2014 in one school doing a delivery of 8 weekend food bags per week. Backpack Brigade is now one of the leaders of this work, with the infrastructure, the volunteers, the process, and the only non-profit whose sole focus is to provide weekend hunger bags. All donations go to purchase food for our 96 schools and 4,500 students a week we are currently serving.

Our food purchasing budget is approximately $980,000 a year. We use our purchasing power to acquire the best prices by buying in bulk; always working to seek the most value for our students in need. We also recently added more menu options to reflect the religious, dietary, and cultural needs of all the students we serve.

We guarantee every penny goes to purchasing food for the kids. We are a story about our grit and fortitude: About homeless students and determined volunteers. About hope, and what we as a community can accomplish together!

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Our annual Charity Auction is among the most cherished events of the entire weekend at Everfree Northwest. Items are donated to Pegasi Northwest and then auctioned to the highest bidder as part of our fundraising efforts benefitting our charity partner and other charitable purposes as outlined above.

Commonly donated items include:

• Artisan handmade crafts
• Traditional fan-made artwork
• Official Hasbro MLP merchandise
• Items signed by VIP Guests
• IDW comic books
• Other rare items with collector’s value
• Etc.

If you would like to donate an item to our Charity Auction this year, please bring your item(s) to the convention. Donation forms will be provided.

For item drop-off hours and locations, see the information below:

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In the interest of greater transparency regarding the use of funds raised at our convention for charity over the course of many years, Pegasi Northwest is voluntarily electing to disclose the following information.

Everfree Northwest has proudly partnered with many charitable organizations over the last 10+ years. While each year our event’s primary beneficiary receives a large lump sum donation, Pegasi Northwest retains a portion of charity funds to use throughout the year to support causes that align with our organization’s mission. These have included but are not limited to:

• Aid for United States Armed Forces veterans and their families
• Arts and education programs supporting underprivileged communities in the Puget Sound region
• Local, national, and international disaster relief funds
• Emergency medical expense coverage for members of our fandom community
• Travel and lodging assistance for community members in need

We only grant large sums to fellow reputable 501(c)(3) nonprofits, with lesser amounts appropriated judiciously through well-established fundraising platforms—such as GoFundMe—in support of individuals in need on a limited basis. Organizations with primarily politically-oriented missions or which support individual political campaigns for elected office are never considered for our support, and no funds raised by Pegasi Northwest are ever used to support such activities, as is required by law.

Prior charity partners since Everfree Northwest’s first year have included:

• Seattle Children’s Hospital
• American Legion Baseball Foundation
• Pretty Awesome Gamers
• Ronald McDonald House Charities
• Sunny Sky's Animal Rescue & Hospital
• Mary's Place
• Washington Autism Alliance

Since 2012, our convention has grossed more than $320,000 for charity and facilitated funding of over $217,000 for our primary beneficiaries alone, of which more than $47,500 was donated to a named annual primary beneficiary since our 2017 event.

While Pegasi Northwest has been the convention’s sole corporate governing entity, charitable funds raised through the Everfree Northwest Charity Auction, as well as funds raised through other related means—after expenses and deductions—have roughly been allocated according to the following proportions:

Important to note is that this chart only reflects the allocation of funds available to us as a net total after expenses and legally-required deductions are accounted for. Due to various expenses as well as peculiarities regarding IRS requirements for nonprofit tax filing, the total funds raised as shown on-screen during the Charity Auction and published afterwards—which represent only an amount grossed—are a poor indicator of funds actually available for our use.

We are grateful for the continued support of our fandom family. The community’s generosity is not something we take lightly or for granted, and we continually strive each year to ensure that all donated funds are used in a manner that is impactful, efficient, and reflective of our community’s core values.

If you have any ideas or questions relating to charity at Everfree Northwest, please contact us at charity@everfreenw.com.