(Updated Monday with results)

(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The decor and attire were cheerful and bright.

But a darker note of urgency also ran through the West Seattle Food Bank‘s “Nourish & Flourish” fundraising dinner and auction last night.

Food, clothing, and housing insecurity are “injustices (that WSFB) addresses at their source,” observed board president Joe Everett, opening the program with short remarks to those gathered at West Seattleite-owned DSquared‘s 4105 event space in SODO. “That is our mission … we could not do it without you, especially right now, in this moment … There are signs that in the coming months and years more families are going to need help; sources (of funding) are dwindling … so much chaos.” Here’s everything he said:

The food bank’s executive director of 24 years, Fran Yeatts, echoed what Everett had said about “chaos (at this) point in history.” She said the state of things has left her “feeling nervous about the world” even as she experiences abundance and comfort in her own life, and with that in mind, she wondered aloud, what must it be like for neighbors experiencing need?

Hundreds were there to do what they could to answer the need, starting with their ticket purchase, continuing on with bidding in a silent auction and paying for pre-dinner games, then bidding in the live auction called by emcee Ian Lindsay, with items from exotic getaways to dinner and cocktail parties hosted by WSFB leaders (the margaritas-and-tacos party with Yeatts and Lester Yuh sold twice, for $2,000 each).

After the live auction, and StraightEIGHT Films‘ inspirational introduction to people WSFB has helped, a round of “raise the paddle” for monetary donations brought in more than $100,000.

But that is a fraction of the increasing cost of what the food bank does (distributing 2.6 million pounds of food last year was just the start).

As one of the easel-mounted boards on display at 4105 explained, WSFB “spends up to $1 million per year on emergency rent and utilities assistance,” to try to keep people from becoming unhoused. Its Clothesline clothing bank distributes more than 85,000 pieces of apparel each year. And you might not be aware that WSFB distributes pet food, too – thousands of pounds every year.

Generous eventgoers did their best to chip in. One table even marshaled up $5,000 for first choice from among a table of tasty treats (all donated) in the “Dessert Dash.”

Everything helps, said emcee Lindsay, with so many people “living right at the edge, where something small can push you off the edge.”

The generosity was also shown by numerous local businesses who donated auction items and/or served as event sponsors. The latter list included WSB again this year, and we also were honored to accept the WSFB’s annual Changemaker Award, accepted by your editor after joining Fran Yeatts on the room-center stage:

The award was for WSB but especially poignant in view of our loss of co-founder Patrick Sand half a year ago. Of Patrick, the award announcement in the event program said in part, “With his camera in hand and heart wide open, he made sure our work at the West Seattle Food Bank – and that of so many other organizations – was seen, supported, and celebrated.”

That’s always been the heart of our work (and that’s why we would have been covering the event, as we have in many years past, even if we hadn’t been there to accept the Changemaker Award).

(Photo courtesy Ben Viscon)

A final word about last night’s event: Attendees were exhorted to invite their friends, co-workers, and relatives to join them in supporting WSFB’s mission. You can do that with money by going here, donating food/clothing during distribution hours, or volunteering by going here.

ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: WSFB says the event set two records – $234,869 raised, and 256 in attendance. Meantime, they’re hoping to reach their spring fundraising goal of $265,000 with donations during GiveBIG tomorrow – maybe even surpass it – you can donate here immediately.

(WSB photo: Impact West Seattle’s board, Hannah Gregg, Julie Davis, Rachel Lazar, Amy Huey)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Six and a half years ago, we reported on the launch of “giving group” Impact West Seattle. In the announcement of their first quarterly gift a few months later, IWS described themselves as “an example of so many people’s desire to ‘do something’ amidst a challenging political climate and in a city facing massive growth and major challenges.”

Time has passed, but all of that still applies. And the group is going strong, we learned when Impact West Seattle leaders invited us to cover their quarterly meeting this week, at which they celebrated members’ cumulative gifts surpassing the half-million-dollar mark.

A little background: Impact West Seattle members commit to giving $100 a quarter. Where the collected money goes depends on a group vote, after they’ve heard pitches by representatives of three organizations related to their quarterly topic. The topics are chosen by the members at the last meeting of each year; members then nominate relevant organizations/agencies, and an online vote sets the three who are presented, usually by the members who nominated them.

As for the money – board members say that while people can opt in and out as their circumstances change, they’ve remained fairly steady at “about 200” members, which means a gift of about $20,000 per quarter. They generally stay away from “political or religious”-oriented recipients, and also recognize that “if a member isn’t aligned with the views of a beneficiary, they can opt out.” Most members are from West Seattle, White Center, Burien, and vicinity), and they focus on the greater Seattle area, though one upcoming meeting will zero in on potential beneficiaries in “Hyperlocal West Seattle.”

This quarter’s gathering was Tuesday night at the Center for Active Living (recipient of an Impact West Seattle gift last year). Attendees mingled for a bit, enjoying what Welcome Road Winery (WSB sponsor) was pouring, and then it was time to get down to business – after a few celebratory words from the night’s emcee, board member Hannah Gregg, with a bouquet of balloons as a backdrop.

The half-million-dollars of donations to date was “really great to celebrate,” she said, declaring that they’re looking forward to the next half-million.

Before their attention turned toward a new round of potential recipients, they listened to a recipient from last quarter, which had addressed food insecurity. Alimentado al Pueblo‘s executive director Roxana Pardo Garcia said the question her nonprofit sought to address is “why is there not a food bank that gives people what they eat?” And yet the food bank model itself needed to be transformed, too, she explained: “Our future exists because of our ability to imagine.” To the question “what did you use the money for?” Pardo Garcia had a long list, including support for small businesses and organizations that comprise “our Latino food system.” She also mentioned new needs that had just arisen – such as losing an AmeriCorps volunteer who was supposed to be helping them through September, gone because of a budget axe the Trump Administration hurled at the program.

Then came time for the night’s three presentations. These, Impact West Seattle leaders explained, are not only meant to help members decide where to direct the quarterly gift, but also to educate them about organizations and programs they may not previously been aware of. The night’s theme related to assistance for people with disabilities.

The first spotlight shone on Mainstay, described as a job-placement agency for people wtih developmental and intellectual disabilities – starting with some startling stats: 67% of people with these disabilities who don’t have a job by 21 will never have one. But with Mainstay, which is headquartered at Seattle Central College, 92 percent of job seekers found employment. It was explained that Mainstay not only coaches the potential employees, but also their prospective co-workers. As a result, the workers living with disabilities get jobs and keep them for years.

It does all this with an annual budget of just $1.2 million a year, with 12 staffers assisting more than 100 jobseekers.

When asked “what could a gift like this do for you?” the reply was that it could help Mainstay help clients who don’t qualify for funding otherwise.

Second up was Rebuilding Together Seattle, which matches up volunteers, local businesses, and community organizations to handle projects at 100 homes a year, enabling people living near the federal poverty line to stay in their homes. Maybe they need a wheelchair ramp or new flooring, for example, though not extensive projects such as new roofs. RTS assists people in a variety of categories – seniors, veterans, people living with disabilities, families. When people are approved for help, it usuallu happens within a year. The idea is that “keeping people safe and healthy in their community helps the community.” Rebuilding Together Seattle has only three fulltime staff, but will also have to figure out how to cope with the AmeriCorps cut, as they routinely had one or two volunteers from that program.

Then they heard about the Washington State Council of Firefighters Foundation‘s Camp Eyabsut for burn survivors ages 5 to 17. Jenny and her daughter Layla – a burn survivor – told the story of how the camp helped kids and teens on their “long journey to healing” – teaching them Eyabsut, which means “to rise above everything.” Layla explained that burns can leave you feeling like activities such as making s’mores or wearing a swimsuit are “risky” – until you are in a place like Camp Eyabsut, where you can be yourself. Attendance is free; the counselors are mostly adult burn survivors, and there’s on-site medical staff including therapy dogs. It’s run entirely by volunteers (including Seattle firefighters), so expenses are kept low; cost for each camper is about $1,500, so the gift would go a long way. This year’s volunteers will include the mother-daughter team, said Layla, who told the group, “The road to recovery for a young burn survivor is lifelong.”

After all three presentations, it was time to vote. Members who can’t get to the meeting can do it from wherever they are, via a QR code.

Mainstay was announced at the top vote-getter. The other two featured organizations usually benefit too, with members choosing to make their own gifts; Jenny told us Camp Eyabsut got warm words from many people she talked with after the meeting (its donation link is here – be sure to write the camp’s name in the “in honor/memory” spot – and Rebuilding Together Seattle accepts donations too). IWS co-founder Rachel Lazar told WSB that the highlighted organizations benefit in many ways: “Often our members will sign up to volunteer, or donate directly to the organizations. We have even had two members take full time roles with two of the nonprofits presented!”

So what happens now? Everyone makes their gifts via an online platform, and it sends the check. Then Impact West Seattle starts looking ahead to its next gathering – the July 28th topic will be legal advocacy, the October 23rd meeting will be the one focused on “hyperlocal West Seattle.” Along with the monetary gifts, they’re also starting food drives at their meetings, asking members to bring nonperishable food to donate.

Visitors too – here’s the upcoming meeting schedule so you can drop in to see if you’d be interested in getting involved.