White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Next week, Mary’s Place says, they’ll be welcoming families at the new White Center shelter. You’re invited to one more work party there this Saturday (March 18th), 10 am-2 pm, to help get ready:

Last month we had more than 100 volunteers come by to help clean our new family shelter in White Center. Now that it’s spic and span, we’re need volunteers to “Adopt a Room” and help us get beds moved in and assembled, put on sheets and blankets, and be ready to open next week. Bring wrenches and screwdrivers!

If you want to bring something to help, we could use more twin Bed Sheets and Blankets! We also have an Amazon Wish List for all the other items we need to support our new guests!

Questions? 206-621-8474

SIGN UP to help!

(Click Sign In to set up an account and enter join code WCWORKPARTY)

10821 8th Ave SW

Surely you can spare a few hours on Saturday to help one of North Highline’s awesome county parks. From Lina Rose:

Join King County Parks Volunteer Program staff and fellow community members to help make North Shorewood Park a healthier forest!

On Saturday, March 4th, from 10 am-2 pm we will remove weeds from around plantings that volunteers put in the ground over the last two winters. We will also move some wood chip mulch around these plantings to give them a better chance of surviving. We will also tour the forested trails of the park and have some environmental education about the park and the important role our forests and parks play in White Center. Event is free and all are welcome!

Please contact Lina Rose, Volunteer Coordinator, prior to the event for more info and to RSVP – lina.rose@kingcounty.gov or 206.491.5014

Tomorrow, the next step toward turning King County’s ex-Public Health building into a family shelter – a volunteer work party!

On Saturday morning, February 11, from 9 am to 1 pm, the community, the County, and Mary’s Place will come together to get the former public health building ready for families to move in. We expect over 100 people to be there, including teams from Starbucks, Amazon, and King County, helping to sweep, clean, plant, and make the building shine!

The shelter is expected to open next month.

By Cliff Cawthon
Reporting for White Center Now

White Center community members gathered at the NorthMart Furniture store on Thursday to discuss the rise of unauthorized graffiti on walls and local storefronts in the business district.

(Part of a tag on the NorthMart building, the meeting site)

The area is known for its murals reflecting the diversity of the area, but concerned residents have noticed a recent uptick in graffiti that they say destructively differs from those murals. 



(One of White Center’s distinctive murals)

“We are an artistic community, but these [tags] are territorial and can potentially cause violence,” says Bobby Beeman, president of the White Center Chamber of Commerce. A little over a dozen people came to take part in the community meeting where the Chamber and their partners in the Community Development Association presented a three step proposal, and solicited input from community members on solutions to the problem.


Participants came from various parts of the White Center community – local businesses, representatives from King County including staff from the office of County Council Chair Joe McDermott, members of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, and people from the neighborhood.

The unauthorized graffiti tags worry some of the business owners, as they are concerned that defaced storefronts mean that the businesses will be unappealing to shoppers. Despite the concerns about the graffiti, community members wanted their response to be productive rather than punitive: “We do not want to send air of threat … however, this is going to stop one way or another.”



In the Chamber’s plans, disaffected or homeless youth between the ages of 15-25 are the social group that the chamber wants to focus on engaging. One participant, who identified himself as Brian, the owner of adult-video store Taboo, spoke to how he thought that youth are being used by individuals as a way to designate gang or criminal territory. The danger of this going unaddressed, from Beeman’s perspective, affects everyone: “When you’re on the street and there aren’t safe spaces to put your head it becomes a violent situation”

Many in the room stressed that homelessness isn’t necessarily associated with, or causing, this issue. That’s important given the recent controversy over siting of a shelter in White Center. In regards to engaging homeless youth, and youth in general, Beeman and the Chamber, as well as their allies, proposed a three-step plan to take action and engage them as well as other youth and potential graffiti artists in the area. 

The three-point plan is based around repair, advocacy, and youth and community engagement. McLendon Hardware in White Center has agreed to give a discount – through the Chamber – to business owners who cannot afford paint, as well as to equip them with other tools.

Seth Oakes from the King County Community Work Program, part of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, said his department is willing to “move forward and help in [graffiti and trash removal] where we can,” going forward. This first phase of this plan, as it was identified in the meeting, can build upon the Community Work Program; which re-directs people who have been charged into community service projects in lieu of incarceration or detention.

The second part of the plan relates to the Chamber and the White Center Community Development Association’s commitment to advocacy, by partnering with graffiti artists, advocates, and locals to determine and develop future spots for murals. The hope is that artspace can displace and disrupt graffiti tags and activity and get people active and involved with the community.


The third and last phase would focus on bringing youth into the process. NHUAC president Liz Giba was excited about the prospect of engagement, both as an alternative to criminal prosecution and as a preventive and educational tool: “I think it would be cool if the kids helped develop them.” Giba stressed the value of openness: “Bring them into the neighborhood, I think that … everyone has something to offer.” 



This plan still doesn’t change the law. King County Sheriff’s Office Storefront Deputy Bill Kennamer said that graffiti is vandalism, a misdemeanor, with potential penalties including a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Lan Nguyen from Councilmember McDermott’s office shared that McDermott and his colleagues in county government are also working to explore alternatives to incarceration and criminal penalization for youth: “[We] want to work on figuring out what we have … who’s eligible and how can they get connected with that. I think the idea of a community coming together to say, ‘We don’t want youth to go through this harsh and punitive system, we want to be there to support him or her and support the family, [is] wonderful and beautiful.”



If you want to learn more or get involved with the push to remove graffiti from the area, email WhiteCenterCC@gmail.com.

On Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day next Monday, it’s again a Day of Service, with many volunteer opportunities around the nation. Here’s one in White Center, from Lina:

Celebrate MLK Day with King County Parks staff and neighbors as we work to improve the health of White Center Heights Park. Event is 10 am-2 pm and we will be learning about the plants and animals of the park, digging out blackberry and planting native trees and shrubs. Please contact Lina Rose for more information – lina.rose@kingcounty.gov , 206.491.5014

Here’s where to find WCH Park.

You are invited! Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School welcomes everyone to Charlie Brown Bingo Night, 6-9 pm tonight in the school gym. HF says, “This is a great opportunity to help our school to buy resources while you are enjoying delicious food and winning great prizes.” The school is just north of the church, at 20th SW and SW Roxbury.

Next Saturday, it’s one of the two dates each year when hundreds of people volunteer to help our area’s only river, during the multi-work-party Duwamish Alive! event. Here’s how and where you can help:

Join our community effort to restore native habitat within the Duwamish Watershed on Saturday, October 22nd, while celebrating the connection of our urban forests to our river and salmon. Starting at 10:00 am volunteers will gear up at multiple Duwamish sites including one of our largest urban forests – the Duwamish Greenbelt to participate in planting and removing invasive weeds in an effort to keep our river alive and healthy for our communities, salmon and the Puget Sound. Volunteers are still needed at:

Pigeon Point Park
Roxhill Bog Park, headwaters of Longfellow Creek
Delridge Wetlands, tributary of Longfellow Creek
Longfellow Creek at Greg Davis Park
Hamm Creek/Duwamish Substation along the river
Herrings House Park, along the river

To volunteer, visit DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and RSVP to the contact for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org

Other work sites include a river cleanup by kayak, shoreline salmon habitat restoration, and native forest revitalization while enjoying our autumn. Families, company groups, clubs, individuals, schools, community organizations, are encouraged to participate, and no experience is necessary.

The workday at all 15 sites begins at 9:30 with volunteer sign in and concludes at 2 PM. Refreshments, tools, and instructions will be provided. All ages and abilities welcomed.

Happening tomorrow!

This Saturday, August 13th, 11 am to 3 pm, our White Center Library Guild will have its 1st Sidewalk Sale at our NEW Library, 1409 SW 107th St. The Guild sponsors extra programs for the Library that would not happen otherwise. There will be lots of books, plus many other donated treasures. We need your support, hope to see you there !!!

Hard to believe the library’s been open almost three months now – after so many years of waiting and anticipation.

The annual Spoke & Food bicycle-to-dinner benefit is tonight – and Proletariat Pizza in White Center (9622 16th SW) is participating. 5-9 pm, Proletariat and other participants around the region are donating 20 percent of their proceeds; this year, the beneficiary is the Hunger Intervention Project. The first 20 bike riders at each Spoke & Food location get backpacks!

From Lina Rose with King County Parks:

I believe that a great way for community members to make a positive impact is to join together in service to improve the health and safety of their parks. Studies show many shared benefits to working towards healthy urban forests in our communities – from increased ecological value, animal habitat to positive public health impacts like lower asthma and obesity rates when there are trees or a healthy park nearby. Studies also show, and I have seen this many times anecdotally, that crime within parks declines when restoration efforts are going on there. A challenge is that when that activity leaves the park… where does it go. Not everything can be solved through restoration efforts but this service is one key ingredient to a healthy and safe community.

I am leading 9 events in White Center this summer, 4 of them are open to the public:

June 4, 9 am-1 pm North Shorewood Park (National Trails Day!)

June 11, 9 am-1 pm Thurnau Memorial Park

June 18, 12 pm-3:30 White Center Heights Park (Seattle Works Day)

August 13, 9 am-1 pm North Shorewood Park

Interested community members should contact me by phone or email prior to the event so I can make sure that they have all the information they need for the project and that I have an accurate count of volunteers to plan for tools, etc.

E-mail Lina at lina.rose@kingcounty.gov to let her know you’ll be there.

North Shorewood Park could use your help this Saturday, 10 am-2 pm – give a little time to do a lot of good. As neighbor Gill, who provided the photos, says, “It looks this good due to a great deal hard work on the part of King County Parks as well as volunteers from the neighborhood and local organizations. It really is a great little Park.”

The warm, dry weather is expected to continue into Saturday, so you have no excuse.

Can you spare some time to help students improve their reading skills? Reading Partners is looking for you – on behalf of 36 students awaiting tutors at Beverly Park Elementary School:

Reading Partners is a nonprofit literacy organization that recruits and trains community volunteers to work one-on-one with elementary students who are behind grade level benchmarks in reading. At each of our school sites we have a dedicated reading center where all tutoring takes place. Volunteers are asked to commit to as little as one-hour of tutoring each week. We ask that each volunteer commits to the same one-hour to work with the same student weekly. During every session tutors follow a structured, research-based curriculum with the support of a full-time AmeriCorps Site Coordinator. Additionally, we offer initial and on-going training and support for every volunteer.

Anyone interested in getting involved can follow this link to sign up or contact Reading Partners at volunteerSEA@readingpartners.org.

RP says Beverly Park (1201 South 104th) has 36 students awaiting a tutor. Tutoring runs 10 am-3:35 pm Mondays-Thursdays.

Coming up in a week!

The New Start Alternative High School Key Club in the Highline School District will again, in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club of White Center, hold its Annual Baked Potato Dinner complete with loaded baked potatoes, salad, beverage and dessert, and music from the Tes Thomas Band.

The event this year will be Thursday evening, January 14, 2016, running from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The address is 614 SW 120th.

TICKETS for the event may be obtained in advance and/or at the door. ADULTS are $15 or two for $25. There is a sponsorship option – for $50 you will receive formal recognition as well as 5 tickets. Children under 5 are as usual free. For additional information and/or ticket purchase, please contact any member of the White Center Kiwanis and/or Bill Tracy. The latter may be reached at this email address, billnancytracy@aol.com, or 206-248-2441, and/or 11514-21 st Place Sw, Burien, 98146. We look forward to seeing you there.

One more day to make sure hundreds of local families can celebrate the holiday with a traditional meal … First, the White Center Food Bank needs more turkeys, and you can bring them by 8:30 am-7 pm on Wednesday. If you can spare some time, they also need help distributing food Wednesday afternoon/evening:

Volunteers needed Wednesday, 4:30-8 pm. It’s holiday distribution time again at the White Center Food Bank and we are currently short volunteers for the afternoon/evening of November 25 to pass out food to clients. We get set up at 4:30 pm. We distribute food from 5:00 to 7:30 pm and then clean up. Families welcome. If you can help, please call Audrey at 206-762-2848 or e-mail audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org

WCFB is at 10829 8th SW.

Just in from the White Center Food Bank – how to help ensure that their clients have a happy holiday:

This year the wholesale price of turkey has gone up to $1.29- $1.49, so it’s harder for us to provide our clients with a whole Thanksgiving meal. However, many grocery stores are offering 1-2 turkeys for much less expensive prices (for example, Target has Market Pantry turkeys for $.69/pound, or Butterball turkeys for $.99/pound, each limit two), and so we’re asking our community to contribute!

There are four ways to get a turkey to our clients:

1) Come to the White Center Food Bank (10829 8th Ave SW) tomorrow, Saturday, November 13, between 2-4 pm, to drop off turkeys with our Executive Director Rick Jump; or

2) Stop by the White Center Food Bank during our regular business hours (Monday – Friday 9 am to 5 pm, and Wednesday until 8 pm) to drop off turkeys with our receptionists; or

3) Come by Fauntleroy United Church of Christ (Fauntleroy UCC at 9140 California Ave SW) next Sunday, November 22, from 10 am to 12 pm, to drop off a turkey at our Mobile Food Bank truck in their parking lot; or

4) Financial gifts are always appreciated, and you can donate online at whitecenterfoodbank.org/donate

FRIDAY UPDATE: This has been canceled because of the storm, we’re told.

EARLIER: Here’s a unique way to spend part of your Halloween this Saturday:

Here’s where to go – the entrance off 7th SW at the corner of SW 102nd st. and 7th Ave SW.

You want to be there – just a little time can make a big difference:

It’s happening 10 am-2 pm next Saturday (October 10th) – lots more information, including what to bring (and a map, if you’re not already familiar with North Shorewood Park), on this flyer.

Just two weeks until the biggest night of the year for the White Center Food Bank and its supporters – and ultimately, the people it helps day in and day out:

The White Center Food Bank’s 11th Annual Harvest Dinner & Auction is coming up on October 17th at South Seattle College’s Brockey Center. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and helps us to continuing feeding our community; in 2014, we served 64,473 people from White Center, West Seattle, and Burien. The auction is really fantastic this year, with items ranging from restaurant gift cards to a week in Mallorca, Spain, and everything inbetween; the dinner is a delicious steak and salmon entrée (vegetarian also available). Tickets are on sale RIGHT NOW! Last year, the event sold out, and we hope for the same this year. Information, tickets, and a preview of items up for bid, all available at whitecenterfoodbank.maestroweb.com

While the weekend windstorm inconvenienced many, cutting the power for hours, one nearby family suffered an unimaginably heartbreaking permanent loss: A falling branch killed a 10-year-old girl, a student at Burien’s Cedarhurst Elementary, while she was at a friend’s house in Federal Way. A reader asked if we would share the link to an online fund set up to help Samara‘s family cope with their loss – here’s the link.

Next Tuesday night (July 28th), ride to dinner at Proletariat Pizza in downtown White Center 5-9 pm and 20 percent of your tab will go to Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. It’s the annual Spoke & Food bicycle-to-dinner benefit, and Proletariat Pizza is the lone White Center stop this year. If you’re a bit further north, or thinking of riding out of the neighborhood, The Westy Sports and Spirits in West Seattle is participating too. (Note that The Westy is 21+, while Proletariat is all-ages.)