Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation
Honoring a life.
Extending his causes.
Supporting community, housing, early childhood education, and social justice in Chandler's memory.
Our Mission
Fund the work Chandler believed in.
The Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation supports charitable organizations doing the work Chandler cared about most.
501(c)(3)
Approved Charity
A Washington nonprofit corporation with federal tax-exempt status.
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Focus Areas
Community, housing, early childhood education, and social justice.
2026
Founding Event
Boots on the Ground, December 5 at 4105 Airport Way S, Seattle.
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Officers & Advisors
A working board backed by legal counsel and accountants.
Community
We back the people, gatherings, and traditions that hold a neighborhood together.
Housing
We support housing, homelessness relief, and affordability so more families can find a place to stay.
Early Childhood Education
We fund programs that give young children a strong beginning in the years that shape them most.
Social Justice
We back organizations working for fairness, equity, and opportunity in the communities Chandler served.
How We Contribute
Our main focus.
Homestead Community Land Trust.
We have chosen to pour our main focus into Homestead Community Land Trust, where Chandler served on the Board of Delegates and where his work in affordable housing earned Homestead’s 2024 Legacy Award.
Homestead 2024 Legacy Award
The Ryan Neff Award.
The Ryan Neff Award was established in 2009 following the passing of Ryan Neff in 2008, a member of the CoHo Team of Windermere Agents, an organization committed to supporting the mission of affordable, quality housing for all. Since 2009, CoHo has partnered with Homestead each year to recognize a nonprofit organization or individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in creating new opportunities for affordable homeownership.
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Chandler Gayton (1990 to 2024) is the recipient of Homestead’s 2024 Ryan Neff Award. Through his role as legislative aide to King County Council Members Larry Gossett and Girmay Zahilay, Chandler created transformational public resources to prevent displacement and create affordable homeownership opportunities in the Skyway community. His efforts resulted in a groundbreaking study that identified community land trust homeownership as a key anti-displacement strategy for unincorporated areas of King County. He played a key role in mobilizing millions of dollars to underserved communities, including funding for homeownership.
He listened deeply to the community, acted on their vision, and advised community partners on how to engage effectively with elected officials and public processes. As a member of Homestead’s Board of Delegates, he was a trusted strategist who supported Homestead’s legislative advocacy and work in service of community-led housing initiatives. Chandler’s parents, Carmen and Carver Gayton, received the award on his behalf.
Each year, Homestead opens nominations for the Legacy Awards to the public, with the final honorees approved by the Homestead Board of Delegates.
About Homestead
Homestead Community Land Trust creates stability, equity, and opportunity by developing land and housing in trust, giving lower-income households the chance to own a home that is affordable to them and stays affordable for every owner after them. A classic community land trust, Homestead follows the model created by Civil Rights era leaders in the 1960s and 1970s to prevent displacement and let families build wealth through ownership.
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Homestead builds new homes, fundraises to bring prices within reach of lower-income households, and keeps homes permanently affordable through agreements with homeowners and post-purchase support. Every permanently affordable home strengthens a neighborhood and moves the community toward social justice, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability.
The Namesake
Chandler Walker Gayton.
In Memoriam
1990 to 2024
Chandler Walker Gayton believed in community, and he worked at it for a living.
He served as a legislative aide at the King County Council, ran community outreach for Councilmember Girmay Zahilay with a focus on Skyway, affordable housing, and land use, and advised Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on public safety. He held a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington’s Evans School and served on boards from Homestead Community Land Trust to Treehouse for Kids.
The foundation holds his standard. A home you can count on, a strong beginning for every child, and fairness and opportunity for every neighbor. Every dollar we move is measured against it.
Community
Housing
Early Education
Social Justice
Church
Family
The work he was part of.
From the classrooms that shaped him to the councils, boards, and neighborhoods he served, this is where Chandler put his time.
Education
O’Dea High SchoolFootball team captain his senior year
Simon Fraser UniversityBA, Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology. Safety on the football team
University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy & GovernanceMaster of Public Administration, Class of 2022. Dr. Constance W. and Norman B. Rice Endowed Graduate Fellowship recipient
Public Service & Career
Windermere Real EstateLicensed broker
King County CouncilLegislative aide to Councilmember Larry Gossett, beginning 2017
King County CouncilCommunity outreach and communications for Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, focused on Skyway, affordable housing, and land use
Office of Seattle Mayor Bruce HarrellStrategic advisor for public safety, beginning 2023
Boards & Community
Homestead Community Land TrustBoard member
Treehouse for KidsYoung Professionals Board
O’Dea High SchoolAlumni Board
Bellevue Police DepartmentAfrican American Citizens Council
Youth MentorshipMentor to local high school students
Already at work in his name
The Homestead Community Land Trust, where Chandler served on the board, continues the housing work he believed in.
Board & Officers
The people continuing the legacy.
The foundation is governed by a board of directors and officers, guided by a council of advisors, and supported by counsel and accountants to maintain accountability.
Officers
The officer roles set out in our bylaws.
Honorary Chairs
Held by Chandler’s family and the people closest to him.
Executive Committee
The wider circle that helps plan and carry the work.
Terrell Pugh
Ali Tapert
Sarah Lenda
Hana Weldegebriel
Piyush Panwar
Alyse Brindle
Dr. Bethany Sobba-Kunthara
Dr. Duncan Hussey
Marcel Noel
Chris Tolbert
Charmien Wiggins
Mafara Hobson
Board of Advisors
Mentors, family friends, and longtime allies who guide what the foundation takes on, year over year.
Wanda Herndon
Susan Simpson Heydt
Roxie Floyd
Renee Rabb-Martin
Katy Olweiler
Vicki Fabré
Micki Flowers
Rhoda McKinney Jones
Dana Frank
Candace Grisdale
Counsel & Accounting
The professional firms representing the foundation and keeping its books.
Legal Counsel
Socius Law Group, PLLC
Counsel to the Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation.
Accounting
Oliver Capital Management
Mark Oliver and Marcus Dewan serve as accountants to the foundation.
Under our bylaws, the Board of Directors has 1 to 7 members serving 3-year terms. Officer positions include President, Secretary, and Treasurer, with Vice President and Chairperson available as optional roles.
Get Involved
Two ways to stand with us.
The foundation is small, new, and community-built. If any of what we do resonates, here is how to help.
Donate
Make a gift to the foundation to support our grantmaking. Every dollar goes toward the four causes Chandler cared about.
The donation form is taking a moment to load. You can give on our secure Givebutter page instead.
Give a GiftOr mail a checkChandler Walker Gayton Foundation
PO Box 99371
Seattle, WA 98139-0371
Give stock or securities
How to make a stock donation transfer
Securities can be gifted to the Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation electronically. Contact your broker to initiate the transfer.
Ask your broker to donate through:
- Firm
- Fidelity Investments, c/o National Financial Services
- DTC number
- 0226
- Account name
- Chandler Walker Gayton Foundation
- Account number
- 638-555386
- Tax ID
- 42-3129149
Please contact us to let us know a gift is on its way, if you wish to donate by wire transfer, or for instructions to send a check.
Contact the Family
For partnership inquiries, sponsorship, or a note for the Gayton family, we welcome the conversation.