SOCIETAL
The Riverstyx Foundation believes in the human potential for healing, growth, and transformation. However, often out of fear of change, as well as distrust in human potential, society tries to control, stigmatize, and even punish those who are struggling outside the norm. Drug users, criminals, and death and dying are labels so politically and morally charged, and even pathologized, that society attacks those ‘problems’, as opposed to recognizing the true needs and sufferings of the person underneath.
Featured Societal Grantees
Yoga Behind Bars (YBB) is a community of over 50 volunteer teachers providing opportunities for greater peace, self-awareness, and flexibility of the mind and body for incarcerated men, women, and youth throughout Washington State. Through the shared practice of yoga and meditation, YBB aims to also dissolve the illusory dichotomy of prisoner as ‘other’, and to bridge communities inside and out of prison walls through the compassion it fosters.
*Riverstyx Grantee Since 2011
Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD)
LEAD is an innovative pre-booking diversion pilot program developed to address low-level drug and prostitution crimes in Seattle. The program allows law enforcement officers to redirect low-level offenders engaged in drug or prostitution activity to wrap-around social services, instead of jail and prosecution. By diverting eligible individuals to treatment, housing, job-placement, and other effective social services, LEAD is committed to improving public safety and reducing crime, while availing support to individuals and their families at a fraction of the cost of incarceration. LEAD is now being considered as a viable and cost-effective alternative to addressing non-violent crimes in several municipalities across the country.
*Riverstyx Grantee Since 2011
Social Justice Fund (Seattle, WA)
Social Justice Fund engages donors at all giving levels to fund movements for progressive social change. We leverage the resources of our members to foster significant, long-term social justice solutions throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Social Justice Fund Northwest relies on the support of our community to achieve our mission. Riverstyx Foundation has been helping to match all donations into the Criminal Justice and Economic Justice Giving groups.
*Riverstyx Supported Since 2010
Economic Opportunity Institute (Seattle, WA)
The mission of the Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) is to build an economy that works for everyone by advancing public policies that promote educational opportunity, good jobs, healthy families and workplaces, and a dignified retirement for all. Riverstyx Foundation has supported EOI in their efforts to advance progressive taxation among the most wealthy in Washington State, which has the most regressive tax structure in the U.S.
*Riverstyx Grantee Since 2010