Welcome to a life changing experience

Our nonprofit foundation was established in 1998 to support our local community by providing the benefits of rowing to underserved members of our community, targeting at-risk youth, the developmentally disabled, and the physically challenged.

In time our horizons expanded to take on non-rowing efforts, and since then we have been welcomed with open arms in our own community and small villages half a world away. Our aim has always been to foster the understanding in everyone that the smallest contribution to the whole is magnified by the power of many.

Our Mission is to share that spirit of teamwork we enjoy at Lake Union Crew by engaging our local community in service to others. Our service work partners are domestic and international communities in need, with a focus on education, infrastructure improvements, and HIV/AIDS.

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I believe I can build anything - A Lesotho high school student, upon completion of Ntja-Peli Hall

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The days were long, and the work was hard, and every day we were greeted by such a sense of warmth - Peru volunteer

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I enjoyed working with a group and I like having the opportunity to give back - LUC volunteer about NW Harvest outing

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Our supporters, community and friends

We chose to be an intimate, flexible non-profit with a small overhead. We rely on the volunteer network and generosity from our rowing peers to initiate, implement and complete projects.

A special note of gratitude to our community partners who have helped make our projects a success. We sincerely appreciate your gifts to Lake Union Crew Outreach Foundation. With thoughtful and inspired support of leaders like you, our mission and community enrichment is possible. Thank you for your generosity.

Our giving philosophy is based on four words that hold a lifetime of meaning for us

  • Time - Our volunteers donate coaching hours, weeks of work, finances and home life to participate in projects. We work hard and play hard, and have the time of our lives doing it.
  • Talent & Treasure - Whether you are an expert coach, a master with a hammer or a wiz at knitting woolen hats and can spare some of your time, we can always find something valuable for you to do.
  • Exchange – We are devoted to cultural exchange through education and experience. It’s a strongly held belief, confirmed by those who volunteer with us, that we benefit at least as much as those we aim to help.
Lake Union Crew Outreach Foundation was formed in the same spirit as Lake Union Crew whose motto is ‘where teamwork is everything’.  We contract with Lake Union Crew for the use of its facilities and maintain close links with the rowing club but we are a separately managed 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.