Premera giving $180,000 to Spokane housing charities

Premera Blue Cross is donating $180,000 to two Spokane nonprofits to provide housing and support for homeless families.

The not-for-profit insurance company announced Monday it would give $150,000 to Catholic Charities for wraparound social services at St. Margaret’s Shelter and $30,000 to Transitions to finish construction on its Home Yard Cottages project.

The grants are part of a total of $1 million in funding Premera announced Monday from its social impact program.

“We are proud of these investments in our community. We hope that the Premera grants to Catholic Charites of Spokane and Transitions empower both nonprofits to continue their vital work,” said Tom Messick, Premera’s vice president and general manager of operations in Eastern Washington, in a statement.

Transitions is scheduled to finish construction on the cottages and open them to families this fall.

The grants are the latest investment in Spokane social services after Premera said it would give $1 million to Volunteers of America to build a larger Hope House shelter for homeless women.

Construction on that shelter will begin next year.