Post-holiday giving: Blanket drive at West Seattle Autoworks

| How to help | West Seattle news

The holidays are over, but the opportunities to give to people in need continue year-round. Here’s one of your first opportunities of 2013: West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) is hosting a drive to collect blankets to help homeless people stay warm during these below-freezing nights. Co-owner Todd Ainsworth says his wife Dianne came up with the idea and plans to take the blankets to the Nickelsville encampment here in West Seattle and to the Union Gospel Mission (which helps people in South Park and White Center as well as operating its shelter downtown). The official collection time for the drive is this Saturday (January 5th), 9 am-3 pm, but Todd tells WSB they will also accept blankets dropped off during regular WS Autoworks business hours before then – or even after. They’re on the southwest corner of 35th/Webster (map).

Diane January 2, 2013 (2:12 pm)

there’s also a new overnight emergency shelter for women with children in Belltown, just opened a few weeks ago; it’s a “joint effort of Mary’s Place and the Union Gospel Mission’s Hope Place”
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Mary’s Place is a fantastic day center for women/children at another location downtown; I will be taking items for women and children to the day center and/or overnight shelter; there’s always need for diapers, wipes, pull-ups, underwear (for children and women), bras, socks, shoes, raincoats; baby formula, bottles, sippy cups, bibs; twin bed sheets and blankets; and so much more
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please see http://www.marysplaceseattle.org/support-us/share-your-materials for list of urgent needs
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https://www.facebook.com/marysplacedaycenter/info
“Mary’s Place is the ONLY day center in King County that accepts a woman with her children.”
AND
“For the first time in years, Seattle has beds for homeless women and children. Mary’s Place used to shut its door at night leaving many with no place warm to sleep. But not anymore.
The director of the shelter says it’s a relief to no longer turn away families in need. Our Lori Matsukawa talked to some of these families tonight. She’s putting together the story for KING 5 News at 11pm.”
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story, pics, video; Seattle’s first emergency family shelter opens in time
http://www.king5.com/home/Seattles-first-emergency-family-shelter-opens-in-time-184049161.html
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and they need volunteers; you can get background check quick/easy via ugm.org or http://www.marysplaceseattle.org
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there was much chatter on westseattleblog forum last year re children in Nickelsville; it’s shocking to learn there were no overnight emergency shelters for women with children; until a few weeks ago, with the opening of Mary’s Place overnight shelter, these women were sleeping outside with their children, or any place they could find, often near where the dads were sheltered at UGM, but children were not allowed (some families went to Nickelsville); please help keep this shelter for women and children open, supported, thriving; so that families (especially those with young children) no longer have to go to Nickelsville, or sleep in the streets, as last resort

WSB January 2, 2013 (2:19 pm)

Glad to hear that (though I am sad we still live in a time when there is even a need for such a thing) … Mary’s Place has been a beneficiary of some local outpourings before. I found this one in our archives from Arbor Heights Elementary a couple years back:
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https://westseattleblog.com/2011/04/video-arbor-heights-elementary-bakes-up-some-community-service

PangolinPie January 2, 2013 (3:41 pm)

I have a TON of blankets I’d love to donate, but I live closer to Nickelsville than to West Seattle Autowerks; do you think it would be ok if I just take them to Nickelsville?

miws January 2, 2013 (5:06 pm)

PangolinPie, to play it safe, you may want to call Nickelsville directly; 206-450-5268, and see if they are in need of blankets.

I know last month, or so, they had clothes coming out of their ears, as the community had been so generous in donating, after the flooding.

I’m not sure whom you would ask for when calling NV. When I lived there last year, the Structure Masters were in charge of blankets, which seems a bit counter-intuitive, when one would think the Donation Co-Ordinators would handle them.

In any case, the person answering the phone should know with whom you should speak.

Thanks for thinking of Nickelsville!

Mike

WTF January 2, 2013 (10:04 pm)

We’ll see you guys Saturday! :)

PangolinPie January 3, 2013 (8:40 am)

Thanks, Mike; I will call them!

PangolinPie January 3, 2013 (1:03 pm)

Just to follow up for anyone interested: I did call, and they are taking blankets. It’s cold out there at night!

Todd January 3, 2013 (6:27 pm)

Thanks to those who have already dropped by the shop today with donations! It already looks like a success!

Dianne January 5, 2013 (3:41 pm)

Thank you all who brought us blankets today,we have a good size load and they will be divided between Mary’s place and Nickelsville homeless camp. Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!

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