(WSB photo)

What a relief! WestSide Baby has welcomed shipments totaling 1 million diapers this past week, partly thanks to pandemic relief – with $225,000 received from the City of Seattle’s Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Diaper Distribution program. We were at the West Seattleite-founded nonprofit’s White Center hub this morning as the final installment arrived. Yet as impressive as a million diapers sounds, the need is even greater.

(WSB photo)

Last year alone, WestSide Baby provided families with a record-high number of diapers – 2.4 million. Executive director Sarah Cody Roth notes, “In King County, 23% of families could not afford enough diapers and the devastating economic impacts of COVID have only widened that gap.” The nonprofit has strong community support, but the city contribution has made a huge difference. West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who chairs the Public Safety and Human Services Committee, calls WS Baby “a regional treasure … helping low-income families survive through the pandemic.” Also invaluably helpful, WestSide Baby says, was its WC neighbor La Mexicana, which temporarily donated warehouse space to help store all those diapers. Now they’re racing to distribute them quickly!

(WestSide Baby photo)

That photo’s from a delivery in High Point. “We have never done anything this big before – we are coordinating the distribution of 700,000 diapers over the next 4 weeks, one of the quickest and largest distributions we have ever done, all in response to emergency need this winter,” said Will Owen, WS Baby’s donation and logistics manager.

Here’s how you can help: Support WS Baby’s holiday-season JOY campaign – have a diaper drive, donate to one, and/or donate money so the purchases – and distributions! – can continue. Follow the link to see what else is on their most-needed list – such as winter coats, warm hats and gloves, and baby hygiene items.

(WSB/WCN photo, September 13th)

Less than two weeks after the 3-alarm fire that destroyed the closed Locker Room in downtown White Center, its neighbor to the north, Huong Xua Deli, is still struggling to recover from damage. (Our photo above shows what it looked like inside hours after the fire.) So their neighbors to the north, Full Tilt Ice Cream proprietors Justin Cline and Ann Magyar, have launched a crowdfunding page for community donations to help Huong Xua reopen. The page features this message from the deli’s owners:

My name is Kevin Bui and my wife is Phuong Nguyen. I came to the US when I was young. Growing up, I didn’t have that many opportunities and wealth. I had to work to support me and my family. Even through the struggle, our culture brings happiness and everybody together. That is why I wanted to open a small business to share some cultural foods such as Bánh Mì, Bún Bò Huế, thịt Heo Quay (Roasted Pork) and many more foods. When we inherited the business from the previous owners, everything was still the same but got slower from the pandemic. Not too long ago, our Roasted Pork Sandwich got rated #1 as the best Bánh Mì in the Puget Sound from The Seattle Times. I could say this was a blessing. Our business got more customers coming from all over the state. Everything was going well until a fire that was spread to our Deli. There were 3 fires that happened in a span of 5 months, but this time, Hương Xưa Deli was affected and damaged by the water and fire retardant. Our friendly neighbor from Full Tilt, started this fundraiser to help us rebuild our deli. Our family’s income depends on this business. Anything will help, thank you all for your support, I hope we can rebuild a new Deli as soon as possible located in the spot where we are right now to serve to our lovely community in White Center.

You can donate by going here.

P.S. Bizzarro Italian Café, south of the Locker Room, remains closed too (their Wallingford location remains open). King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer told us that investigators believe “smoking material” started the fire, as was the case with the April fire that closed the Locker Room.

1:12 PM: That’s the scene on 16th SW south of Roxbury, closed for a block party until 5 pm to raise money for the half-dozen-plus businesses affected by last month’s arson, as mentioned on today’s preview list. Eat, drink, shop, wander – we’ll be updating.

1:42 PM: Just back from a quick tour of the block party – we’ll be adding photos shortly. First, some info: To get in on the raffle/silent auction, go to the breezeway by The Plant Store, midblock – that’s where we found DJ Bugzy Beatdown.

The entertainment schedule for the rest of the afternoon:

Now until 2:10 – selfdoubt
2:30-3:15: Junior on the Prowl
3:30-4:30 DJ DeVonne
5:00 DJ Bugzy Beatdown returns

That’s all midblock. You can also check out B.O.C. Music (3:30-4:30) and Monty Banks (5 pm) at Drunky Two Shoes and then at Southgate Roller Rink, DJ Dan Steely at 5 pm and Kids on Fire at 6 pm.

Another big attraction besides street-fair-style shopping, food.

There’s a seating area in the middle of 16th where Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, who’s about to open Tomo, is grilling.

You can also dine outside Buho and Bizzarro Italian Café.

At the south end of the block, the Home Skillit is offering street food including Louisiana hot links and Seattle Dogs.

This is all community-organized; we talked to White Center Pride about what people can do to support the businesses that are still working to get back on their feet.

Come down today, wander around, find out about the new locations some have found, they said. (Their booth is on the east side of the block – look for the rainbows.) Some of those new locations are already open – La Tipica Oaxaqueña moved to the southwest corner of 16th/Roxbury – and some hope to be open soon, like John’s Hair and Nails, moving to 10261 16th SW.

In case you haven’t already seen this on partner site White Center Now: Help is needed at a long list of sites on both sides of the city-limit line for this year’s White Center Refresh! The invitation is from Mark Ufkes:

We need “I Love White Center” Volunteers!

White Center “Refresh” Spring Clean 2021

White Center Needs Volunteers for two 2-day sessions :

Friday and Saturday, May 21 and 22
Friday and Saturday, May 28 and 29

Volunteers who want to earn a “I Love White Center” T-shirt must sign up and help complete one of the 15 projects listed below. The free T-shirt supply is limited so sign up soon.

You can sign up by sending a message by e-mail or text to volunteer Project Coordinator Mark Ufkes (email; markufkes@comcast.net or Text; 206-595-7124). In your sign-up email or text, include your name, your shirt size, and the number of the project you want to volunteer for and show up at the location at the listed day and time. The Project Coordinator will promptly confirm your project assignment.

Once you arrive at the location on the day and time listed below, our crews will have all the gear you will need to complete the project and help you make White Center more beautiful.

We cannot be responsible for your children at these clean-up events. Please bring work gloves and rakes if your project includes yard work. All paint, brushes, rollers, etc. will be provided.

If you are a White Center business owner, we encourage you to clean up the area in front of your business while our volunteers do the larger White Center projects. Consider adding hanging flower baskets in front of your business, clean your front windows and nicely cover over or remove nearby graffiti. Our goal is to help you transform White Center during this two-week period.

White Center Projects include;

Friday, May 21

White Center Welcome Sign (4th SW and SW 108th) Mow and rake area, plant flowers under the sign. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Friday, May 21; 2 pm)
White Center Welcome Sign (Delridge and 18th SW) Mow and rake area, plant flowers under the sign. 3 volunteers, 2 hour (Friday, May 21, 4 pm)
Back Alley (SW 96th and Delridge SW) Paint over graffiti, match previously used brown and white paint to make the walls look nice. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Friday, May 21, 3 pm)

Saturday, May 22

Touch Up Murals on both sides of street (107th at 16th SW) Touch-up existing murals on both sides of 107th, paint new murals, mow median strips. 10 volunteers, 3-4 hours (Saturday, May 22; 9 am)
White Center Plaza Building (98th and 15th SW) Paint over graffiti, paint walls to make them look nice. 6 volunteers, 3 hours (Saturday, May 22; 10 am)
White Center Bus Stop (100th and 15th SW) Paint over graffiti. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Saturday, May 22, 10 am)
Alley between 15th and 16th SW (Behind Proleteriat Pizza); Paint over graffiti. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Saturday, May 22, 11 am)

Friday, May 28

White Center Community Events Board (100th and 16th SW) Clean the Events Board display, paint the display. 3 volunteers, 2 hours (Friday, May 28, 2 pm)
Lions Mural Building (Roxbury and 17th SW) Touch up painting on murals, paint over graffiti. 5 volunteers, 2 hours (Friday, May 28, 3 pm)

Saturday, May 29

White Center Welcome Sign (Roxbury and 20th SW) Clean sign, plant flowers below sign, and rake and clean the hillside around the sign. 6 people, 2 hours (Saturday, May 29, 9 am)
9800 Block of 16th SW (Northmart and Starbucks area) Paint over graffiti, clean and sweep the area, pick up trash. 10 volunteers, 2 hours (Saturday, May 29, 9 am)
White Center Welcome Sign (10th SW and Roxbury) Mow and weed eat along the sidewalks between 9th to 11th, touch up mural, paint upper guard rail white. Park at the 10th dead end. 10 volunteers, 3 hours, (Saturday, May 29th, 10 am)
Saars Market Evergreen High School Art Class Mural; Touch up the painted areas next to mural, make wall and area look nice. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Saturday, May 29, 10 am)
100th Block of 16th (south of Autozone); Paint over graffiti on walls, rust red; make the walls look nice. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Saturday, May 29, 11 am)
White Center Eagles on 15th, paint over graffiti, clean up area. 4 volunteers, 2 hours (Saturday, May 29, 11 am)

White Center Refresh Spring Clean 2021 is organized by the White Center Community Development Association (White Center CDA) and the all-volunteer Eagle Scout White Center Improvement Club.