After a successful 30-year military career in the U.S. Navy, retirement wasn’t the end of Russ Donahue’s commitment to serve.  Instead, his military service experiences led him to a second career – national and community service. 

Kitsap County is located on an isolated peninsula across the Puget Sound from Seattle and surrounded by the vistas of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains.  In the early 90’s, this once thriving military community began to experience significant social and economic problems created by military downsizing in a community where more than 60% of the population is dependent on military employment.  Through the Defense Conversion Assistant Program (DCAP) funding made available by the Commission on National and Community Service (the predecessor to the Corporation for National and Community Service), Mr. Donahue helped start Kitsap Community Resources (KCR) AmeriCorps program to use service as a strategy to address many of the problems plaguing the community such as substance abuse, domestic violence, unemployment, lack of affordable housing, homelessness, economic development, etc.

To address these critical needs, over the past 17 years KCR-AmeriCorps members have helped thousands of elementary and junior high students improve their academic skills; provided parenting skills training and support; taught conflict resolution and anger management classes; provided employment readiness support; and increased residents’ levels of preparedness and ability to respond in the event of a disaster.

Since its inception, the program has engaged 1,072 AmeriCorps members in national service activities throughout Kitsap County.  Of those enrolled, 25% are veterans or military dependents.  Under Russ’s leadership, this high quality national service program experiences 100% enrollment each year and on average maintains a 93% rate of retention. 

Speaking of impact, Donahue has contributed more than 5,000 hours of unpaid volunteer service and engaged over 50,000 community volunteers in 140 community service projects ranging from renovating parks, assisting with disaster response and recovery, and building housing for low-income families.  As a certified trainer for Community Emergency Response Team, he has personally trained over 500 AmeriCorps members and 350 community volunteers in emergency preparedness and disaster response. 

Donahue believes in offering a hand-up not a hand-out.  He encourages those who may typically be viewed as recipients of service to be the providers of service.  The impact of his leadership will continue to have a ripple affect long after he leaves the national service family.  As he prepares for his second retirement after nearly a half century of military and civilian service, it seems only fitting that we applaud Mr. Russ Donahue for the impact he has had on our country, our state and his community.