Believing in Community

 In Donor Stories
The Olivas visit the Oliva Family Early Learning Center

Jan and Steve Oliva visit the Oliva Family Early Learning Center.

Steve and Jan Oliva believe in their community. This is evident by their investment of countless volunteer hours, corporate donations and personal contributions to a variety of worthy causes in Southwest Washington. The Olivas believe in making a difference and they have done just that in our community.

Steve and Jan owned the Hi-School Pharmacy chain for more than 35 years. What was once a corner drug store in downtown Vancouver, Wash., grew to 42 stores under their management.

“What we have belongs to this community, it really does,” Jan said. This statement is a reflection of her humility and an expression of the couple’s desire to give back to the community.

The Olivas endow scholarships through the Clark College Foundation to assist pharmacy students and Russian immigrants. They are corporate sponsors and individual donors to many projects. They provide lead gifts and matching gifts to encourage others to give.

Jan is the chair of Ensuring a Bright Future: A Campaign for Clark College—a $20 million fundraising effort to continue the Clark College tradition of excellence. Her expertise and belief in education makes her a valuable asset to the college.

Steve has served on the medical board of directors for the Southwest Washington Medical Center and Jan on the board of the Southwest Washington Medical Center Foundation. Jan also founded the Vancouver Women’s Foundation. She believes women acting together can extend support and resources to other women in need.

In 2005, Steve and Jan were awarded the First Citizen accolade for their community service work and contributions to the community. The award is given annually by the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.

The Oliva’s philanthropy is not about recognition; rather, it focuses on helping Clark County’s most vulnerable populations receive the finest quality medical attention and access to education.

Many in our community join Clark College in saying that Steve and Jan make a difference, and we are grateful for the expertise and resources they share to make Southwest Washington a better place to live, learn and heal. While they tend to be quiet about their contributions, Steve and Jan Oliva set an example in the community that raises the bar—one that others aspire to.

 

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