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Reader Recommendation Request: Best place to help

December 4, 2007 8:46 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Reader recommendations

A reader who wants to be anonymous sent this intriguing request for recommendations:

I’m planning a volunteer event for my company—and I’m a West Seattle resident so I’d like to consider ideas from fellow West Seattle residents.

It’s an annual day of service in Seattle or a surrounding community. We’ll have about 300 people volunteering for a full day on a Saturday. In the past we’ve done everything from landscaping, painting buildings, stocking shelves, restoring a school… to getting in the mud and repairing a creekbed in South King County.

In order to be eligible, the non-profit has to have a 501c3 number or be associated with a 501c3. Any suggestions you or your readers have are much appreciated, either in West Seattle or in the greater Seattle area. We’re hoping to volunteer at an organization where we can make the biggest difference in one day, an organization that really needs our help.

As always, please add your recommendation as a comment on this post; you can find previous RRRs, and responses, archived here.

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15 Replies to "Reader Recommendation Request: Best place to help"

  • eileen December 4, 2007 (9:34 pm)

    I remember your having a sotry about someone in west seattle who organized help for seniors who could not keep up with maintenance on their houses – can you imagine what a difference you could make with 300 people? Is there a way they could get in touch with a program that assists the elderly?

  • Bonnie December 4, 2007 (9:54 pm)

    Could you check with West Seattle Helpline? I’m sure they have many people who could use some help.

    It’s wonderful what you and your organization is doig.

  • Mike Dady December 4, 2007 (10:11 pm)

    Rebuilding Together Seattle

    http://www.rtseattle.org/index.htm

  • Deb December 4, 2007 (10:35 pm)

    You could try contacting Seattle Works as well (www.seattleworks.org), or the United Way of King County, and see if they have ideas for organizations that might need that amount of help.

  • Barb December 4, 2007 (10:50 pm)

    http://www.pasadosafehaven.org. It’s a fantastic nonprofit organization. You can also check out their charity “rating” at http://www.charitynavigator.com.

  • matthew December 5, 2007 (5:41 am)

    I know the Community School of West Seattle, who just purchased their building, has a maintenance/improvement wish list:

    http://communityschoolwestseattle.org/

  • WSB December 5, 2007 (9:16 am)

    We got this one in e-mail so posting it here to the thread:

    “The “Rock House” up on 37th ave is in dire need of fixing up so if some volunteer group is looking for a project this would seem an ideal place to make a real difference. The house is in sorry shape as are the grounds and the many “rock” exhibits. It seems the owner has neither the time nor finances to repair this really special home and preserve the one of a kind that everyone can enjoy and marvel at one mans dream and his daughters devotion.”

  • Lina December 5, 2007 (10:31 am)

    Join an EarthCorps Volunteer Event! I am a Project Manager at EarthCorps (earthcorps.org) and a West Seattle resident. EarthCorps is a Seattle-based non-profit focused on environmental restoration in urban forests. We work in many WS parks and our huge annual Earth Day event is traditionally at the West Duwamish Greenbelt. With advance planning, we have the capacity and experience in managing large-scale volunteer events and love to collaborate with local community members and corporations. Check out our website- and please give me a call if you have any questions!

  • G. Williams December 5, 2007 (10:58 am)

    Nature Consortium is a West Seattle grassroots environmental restoration organization working to restore the West Duwamish Greenbelt. They do a lot of work with Earthcorps (*waves to Lina*) but also run their own work parties. Give ’em a shout. I volunteer with them once a month and they’re a great group doing a lot with a little.

  • Ann K December 5, 2007 (12:17 pm)

    White Center Food Bank can always use help – holidays are a busy time for distribution and sorting. http://www.whitecenterfoodbank.org or a new local non-profit, Family Promise Seattle is about to open doors to help newly homeless families in emergency need, http://www.familypromiseseattle.org

  • m December 5, 2007 (2:29 pm)

    Seattle Parks and Rec has volunteer oppurtunities for large groups. Check out their website for the contact information. Sounds like you’ll have a hard time picking somewhere to volunteer as these are all wonderful groups/causes!

  • The Velvet Bulldog December 5, 2007 (8:57 pm)

    Don’t forget our own West Seattle Food Bank! Also check in with the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association and the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center which houses a bunch of non-profits that could use helpful helpers! Also, Seattle Schools welcome organized volunteer groups to come in and do landscaping and painting – you have to coordinate it thru the School District’s Admin.

  • Kelly Page December 6, 2007 (11:50 am)

    Not in West seattle, but they definitely need our help at Pasado Safe HAven.

    http://pasadosafehaven.org/HOMEPAGE/12_FLOOD/Flood.htm

  • S December 7, 2007 (4:41 pm)

    Hi,
    I asked the question and I want to thank everyone for all of these great ideas. I am aware of the WS and White Center food banks but I will research all of the other options that have come up… Thank you again!

  • Carol Coram December 10, 2007 (3:51 pm)

    Is anyone interested in painting halls in a school? Arbor Heights Elementary School desperately needs a few coats of paint in the hallways. We want to color code each hall and brighten up the interior. Call me (the principal) at 252-9250. Thanks!

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