White Center Now: The blog about White Center

The White Center Food Bank needs your help, if you can donate food. Here’s the announcement we received:

We are running low on the following items and need our community to help fill the shelves:

Soup (pop top)
Broth
Peanut Butter
Rice
Sugar (in a box)
Condiments (BBQ, mustard, mayo)
Oil
Flour
Coffee & Tea
Soy Sauce
Mac and Cheese
Ramen Noodles
Salt
Black Pepper

Donation hours at the food bank are 8 am-3:30 pm M-F, 10829 8th Ave SW.

Please get in touch with a staff member when you arrive and they can help load in.

If those hours or location are not convenient, we have donation barrels located at:

– BECU in Roxbury Safeway
– Moonshot Coffee
– Good Day Donuts
– Future Primitive Beer
– White Center and Fauntleroy Starbucks locations

Your local firefighters want to bring holiday joy to 25 families around their coverage area again this year. All they need is some help from you – starting today:

That’s Crescent Calimpong, volunteer coordinator for King County Parks, who had quite a crowd to coordinate at Steve Cox Memorial Park on Saturday;

Crescent had 17 volunteers for a fall tree-planting event, mostly students, reports Gill Loring, who took the photos. This was a three-hour event – that’s all you need to give, a small amount of time to make a big difference! Other opportunities are coming up, including one at White Center Heights Park in less than two weeks – go here to sign up.

If the end of summer has you feeling rummage/yard/garage-sale withdrawal, here’s one more chance – the White Center Library Guild‘s books-and-more sale is happening today!

Find the sale just outside the library (1409 SW 107th) until 3 pm. Besides books, we found toys, clothing, housewares, even classic music cassettes.

The all-volunteer Library Guild raises money to help fund programs at the library.

From the White Center Library Guild:

The White Center Library Guild is having a Book & Sidewalk Sale this coming Saturday, October 2nd, from 10 AM to 3 PM at the White Center Library at 1409 SW 107th St. in White Center just east of 16th Ave. SW. Stop by the Library for a fast look at books and other items to restart needed funding for our White Center Library programs for children and adults over the next year. Guild members will be on hand to sell various items collected during the COVID shutdown. Be masked and come by for some good bargains. Join our Guild, too! If you have yet to visit, the Library it is a beautiful welcoming place with books, computers, a children’s play area, and a friendly staff. Great place for children of all ages to go after school. COVID protocols are in place.

(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. King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer told WCN that investigators believe “smoking material” started the fire, as was the case with the April fire that closed the Locker Room.

Thanks to Gill for sending word of this. Your help would be welcomed!

Restoration and Stewardship at North Shorewood Park

10044 24th Ave SW

Saturday, September 11, 2021
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Space is limited, register at:
pg-cloud.com/KingCountyParks/

The Community School of West Seattle at 22nd/Roxbury invites your support at a fundraising concert in White Center Heights Park:

Go here for tickets.

Set your calendar:

Almost a month have passed since the arson that tore through part of the heart of downtown White Center. Businesses are still working to get back open, some in new locations. Today (graphic via @WhiteCenterPride) there’s word of a big party in four weeks to help – be there!

36+ hours after the devastating fire in the heart of White Center’s business district, we found determined business owners at work this afternoon, cleaning up and carrying on. Above, La Tipica Oaxaqueña is doing business outside their fire-damaged space.

Out front of the LumberYard Bar, where investigators say the fire started in the basement (though as of this afternoon they still hadn’t announced exactly how), we found proprietors Nathan and Michale:

They told us they’re grateful for the overwhelming support they’ve received, including crowdfunding that’s already maxed out at $100,000+. They told us they’re determined to stay in White Center, though they’re looking around for a new space.

Also seen on 16th: A county inspector:

The county was working to determine which spaces were safe to reoccupy and which were not. Those that aren’t will have to get an independent engineer to assess safety once repairs have been made.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: As mentioned above, the LumberYard has maxed out on GoFundMe – but other campaigns have not. Here are links:

*Here’s one for the Boxing Gym
*Here’s one for staff of the affected businesses
*Here’s one for Nuggi, a boba-tea shop that was opening soon
*Here’s one for La Tipica Oaxaqueña
*Here’s one for Dottie’s Doublewide (that page notes it had new owners who were preparing to reopen)
*Here’s one for John’s Hair and Nails
*Here’s one for Rat City Tattoo

Also benefiting the new owners of Dottie’s, Endolyne Joe’s in West Seattle (9261 45th SW) plans to donate 50 percent of its 4-9 pm proceeds this Thursday (July 8th).

Other fundraisers? Please let us know – whitecenternow@gmail.com – so we can report them here and on partner site West Seattle Blog!

Lots of options for this year’s White Center Refresh! The invitation was sent by 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 Proliteriat 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 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 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.

Spring has sprung, and volunteers have sprung into action! Gill Loring sent the photos after a volunteer work party at North Shorewood Park last Saturday.

Gill reports that King County Parks has a new volunteer-program coordinator, Crescent Calimpong, and that participating volunteers on Saturday “were from all over the Seattle area.” North Shorewood Park has another event on September 11th; other KC Parks events are planned in the meantime.

If you’re interested in volunteering, find out how by going here.

If you haven’t already heard about this – it’s gotten regional media attention – we’ve been asked to share the link for a crowdfunding campaign to help White Center businesses recover from vandalism. The GoFundMe page says businesses hit so far include:

· Salvadorean Bakery & Restaurant
· Bizzarro Italian Cafe
· Full Tilt
· Macadons
· Mynt Salon
· Decoraciones Ely
· Za-Za Boutique
· Crawfish House
· Beer and Wine Source
· La Tipica Oaxaqueña

If you can contribute, here’s where to go.

Here’s a tasty way to help the White Center Cooperative Preschool:

We need you to eat ice cream, cookie dough, and cotton candy for a great cause!

The past year has brought all sorts of challenges for schools. Our local preschool, the White Center Co-Op Preschool (part of the larger South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools) has seen a huge increase in financial assistance requests, and outdoor classes and remote learning has meant new demands for class materials. But through it all, the school has kept kids learning and playing, and given families invaluable support through community and the parent education program. Now we are offering our newest and most sugary Covid Pack ever to help raise money for this incredible school.

The Sugar Rush Covid Pack includes a pint of ice cream, a pint of vegan chocolate chip edible cookie dough, and a quart of cotton candy. You’ll also get a one of kind piece of art from one of the kids you are supporting. The cost is $30, with half going straight to the school.

Order online now through Thursday, April 29 and pick up starting Friday, April 30th at Full Tilt in White Center.

(File photo: Stack of donated car seats from past WS Baby drive)

With your help, local nonprofit WestSide Baby works to help families keep babies safe, warm, clean, and dry. One important component of that: Car/booster seats for wee ones to ride in. On Saturday, WestSide Baby’s collecting them – and you can help even if you don’t have one to donate:

Donate your new or used car seat

Saturday, April 17, from 11 am-2 pm
White Center Hub & South Lake Union Branch
(or)
Purchase car seats to ship to us directly through our Amazon Wishlist

Car Seat Details
Donated seats MUST meet the following requirements:

For Infant Car Seats: Donated items must be at least 6 months from the expiration date. Expiration dates are typically 6 years after the manufacture date. This date is often located on either side or under the car seat on a sticker.

For Convertible/Combination/ Booster Car Seats: Donated items must be at least 1 year from the expiration date. Expiration dates are typically 6 years after the manufacture date. This date is often located on either side or under the car seat on a sticker.

Have not been in an accident. You will be asked to sign a waiver stating that this car seat has not been involved in a vehicle accident.

Have not been washed with harsh chemicals, like bleach. Although we love to receive clean items, bleaching the straps impacts the webbing, as it easily frays, allowing children to come out of the seat in a crash.

In addition, whenever possible, please visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov to quickly review whether your seat has been recalled. You may be surprised. Many issues can be addressed by ordering a part (usually free of charge from the manufacturer). This individual effort on your part allows us to move items safely and quickly.

Other ways to donate to WestSide Baby are here.

If you can help – local firefighters who serve North Highline and Burien are looking for assistance in this year’s donation drive:

Whatever you can give, District 2 will use to buy food to donate to the 25 families it’s helping this season.

From Good Day Donuts at 9823 15th SW:

We are happily collecting whole, uncarved pumpkins at Good Day Donuts from now until Sunday, Nov. 15th.

Help us gather lots of pumpkins for the pigs at Heartwood Haven Farm Sanctuary. Did you know pigs love to nosh on pumpkin??

Drop yours off at GDD 9 am-1 pm Thursdays-Sundays.

(Also posted on our partner site West Seattle Blog)

Beautiful flowers like those don’t just appear at local markets. They are grown on small farms. And like so many, the farmers have been hard-hit in these times. So they’re having a flower fundraiser, with online orders through tomorrow, and a Saturday pickup spot in White Center. Explains Cynthia Yongvang of the Hmong Association of Washington, who emailed to let us know abut this: “Our fundraiser would benefit both the Hmong flower farmers who are struggling financially during this pandemic and also our 4 very small communities (Mien, Hmong, Khmu, and Lao) in the Puget Sound area by providing rental-assistance relief to families in need so that they won’t be displaced during this time.” The order form is here, and it explains, “This weekend, based on the farmers’ selection of flowers, the mix bouquets will include sunflowers, dahlias, lilies, phlox, statice , snapdragons, gladiolus and greenery for $25, with $10 of every bouquet going to our rental assistance program.” Orders will be accepted until 3 pm tomorrow (Thursday, September 17th), with pickup options (also listed on the order form) including 9 am-noon Saturday in White Center.

Two White Center business notes:

UNICORN BAR: The Capitol Hill entrepreneur hoping to open a south outpost of his one-of-a-kind club – at 9832 17th SW – is crowdfunding to save his dream. From the GoFundMe page:

Three years ago my wife & I made one of our dreams come true. We purchased a 24k sq ft building in White Center. Our goal was to create a magnificent space like no other in the world and have a space that we owned & would be safe from the ridiculously high rents of Seattle where we could have a sustainable business; we also wanted to give small business & first time entrepreneurs the same chance that I was given once when I started Unicorn (Capitol Hill ) so we spent the time & money earthquake retrofitting the entire building as well as replacing a 24k sq ft roof . We rented out the five storefronts on 16th sw to five awesome unique,first time business owners (three of them are open, the other two coming soon).

Money has been tight from the beginning as real estate in the NW is always ridiculous, but somehow, by some miracle we were able to get this building and were chosen over a developer that told us ” I was going to put bars & restaurants in it & then “scrape it” in ten years “…. I cried for twenty minutes straight after finding out that we had been approved for the purchase. I started off bartending at a “dive bar” in Seattle and saved my money to start Unicorn. Unicorn Capitol Hill has been wildly successful over the past decade and I used my share of the profits to purchase this space as our own- away from the cruddy business partners & exorbitant rents of Capitol Hill. We want this space to live on forever… and then the Covid came our way. We haven’t had any income whatsoever in the past 4 months from Unicorn Capitol Hill & instead have had to pay 100k + in rent & now we are just racking up an insane “rent tab” for our Capitol Hill space and who knows when we will be able to open again …. if ever.

Read the rest – and donate – by going here.

NEW TENANT: In downtown White Center, a liquor-license filing lists a new tenant for the former Miss Sheryl’s Ballet space at 9613 16th SW, La Tipica Oaxaqueña, described as a “grocery store.”

That’s a Little Free Pantry. In the spirit of Little Free Libraries, it’s a new nwighborhood-based way to help address hunger – which already existed in all neighborhoods, but is now worsened by the virus-crisis economic crunch. The project started in southeast Seattle and founder Molly Harmon says they are expanding west:

A small movement has taken hold in SE Seattle and we are spreading the energy to West Seattle, White Center and Burien – the building and installing of Little Free Pantries (LFP).

This project began with a micro-grant & six Little Free Pantries, and within a month we’ve raised over $3,000 and distributed nearly 44 Little Free Pantries. Little Free Pantries help neighbors feed neighbors. They aren’t intended to replace food security agencies nor eliminate the need to support them; rather they work alongside each other to draw awareness to food insecurity issues and create community through collective action in a neighborhood. We’ve begun working alongside Northwest Harvest & will work to reach out to area food banks, finding ways to utilize each other’s efforts in addressing food security.

The intention is to inform people on food insecurity and bring an issue, which hides in our society, to the surface. Millions of housed Americans are facing food insecurity on a daily basis and with our unemployment rate soaring due to COVID-19, food banks are struggling to access enough food to support those in need. It is imperative to educate the public on this growing need for food and LFPs bring this issue front and center to our neighborhoods, but in a supportive and caring way. Micro-communities form around this pillar (Little Free Pantry) and in turn, connect neighbors who otherwise would not have met. By neighbors stocking their neighborhood Little Free Pantry with non-perishable foods, it keeps the pantry full and helps those needing a meal. Whether a need for food or a need to give, Little Free Pantries help neighbors feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods.

We have hit our recent goal of $1150, which will enable us to build 18 pantries. We will distribute these pantries for free throughout Southwest Seattle. This is a grassroots, crowd-sourced solution to address immediate and local needs as a viable way to build community and support those facing food insecurity.

More information can be found at www.thelittlefreepantries.org. Additionally, if you feel a Little Free Pantry would work well in your neighborhood, please apply through the website.

Food insecurity is prevalent, whether you have seen it firsthand or not. And COVID-19 is intensifying the food insecurity that many of our neighbors are vulnerable to. With schools closed and layoffs rampant, many in our community are potentially going to bed hungry A quote from an owner of anewly installed Little Free Pantry in the Seward Park neighborhood, “Since it went up a little over two weeks ago, our LFP (located on Seward Park Ave, between Willow and Brighton) has been used daily, confirming that hunger is often hiding in plain sight, even in neighborhoods you might not think it would exist in.”