White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to dig in. Mara Bernard, White Center Food Bank garden coordinator, has a message to share:

Just wanting to get the word out again for this year, that community garden beds are available in White Center Heights Park. Anyone interested should contact gardens@whitecenterfoodbank.org to get more information. Signup ends April 9th.

P.S. Check out the White Center Giving Garden Facebook page!

We’ve already mentioned that this year’s White Center 5K is on the way – but tonight, the official announcement has arrived, including word that you’re invited to dress up like a superhero!

The White Center Community Development Association (CDA) is partnering with the YES Foundation of White Center and the White Center Food Bank to host the second annual White Center 5K Walk & Run. This community event will take place on March 22, 2014 from 9:00am to 11:00am at White Center Heights Park. The theme of this year’s 5K is a Superhero Run, all participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite superheroes.

The 5K has an official start time of 9:00 am, with registration beginning at 8:00 am. Following the completion of the race there will be an award ceremony to recognize the fastest runners. The cost of participation is $25 for people aged 11 through 18, $30 for people between the ages of 11 and 54, $25 for those aged 55 and up, and free for children 10 years of age and younger. All proceeds from the event will benefit the White Center CDA, the YES Foundation of White Center, and the White Center Food Bank.

Almost 400 people participated in 2013 and similar numbers of participants are expected to walk and run at this year’s event. “I can’t wait for this year’s race,” says Tony Vo of the WC5K planning committee. “It was amazing seeing how everyone came together last year and our second 5K will connect this community even more with the addition of the White Center Food Bank.”

In addition to a free White Center 5K T-shirt, this event will provide attendees with free DubSea drip Coffee and a light breakfast. Also on site there will be music and informational booths from local organizations including Hope Heart Institute, Child Care Resources, United Health Care, and the three partnering organizations. Following the race, 5K attendees can receive discounts at participating local businesses if they wear their White Center 5K T-shirt.

Those interested in attending can sign up by visiting the White Center 5K registration page at whitecenter5k.brownpapertickets.com or visit facebook.com/WhiteCenter5kWalkRun for more information.

The mission of the White Center Community Development Association is to promote a vibrant neighborhood and high quality of life for White Center residents and stakeholders through the development of authentic leadership opportunities and community-led, neighborhood initiatives. This is accomplished through three lines of business: neighborhood revitalization, family development, and community building.

The YES Foundation of White Center exists to address the social, economic, educational, physical, and spiritual needs of youth in the White Center area. By developing programs and partnering with other organizations, they provide kids with positive role models and powerful life experiences to encourage their hope and vision for the future.

The White Center Food Bank (WCFB) began in the mid-1970’s as an emergency response to assist struggling families and individuals in the greater White Center and Highline areas during a major economic downturn. The Mission of the White Center Food Bank is to minimize hunger, while nourishing community, nurturing self-reliance and embracing our rich cultural diversity.

For more information please contact Tony Vo at Whitecenter5k@gmail.com

As part of the annual regional Mayors’ Day of Concern for the Hungry, White Center Food Bank ‘s Audrey Zemke tells us that Key Club members from the Evergreen Campus will collect food, money, and gift-card donations 10 am-2 pm today at Roxbury Safeway and North Burien Albertson’s on SW 128th. Drop by and give!

Can you share some time to help the White Center Food Bank fight hunger? Here’s what we were asked to share:

We are in desperate need of a driver on Thursdays from 9 am-noonish for our grocery recovery program. Must have a clean driving record.

We are still also very short on regular volunteers during the week.

Contact Audrey Zemke at 206-762-2848 or audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org

If you have a child in Highline Public Schools and can donate money and/or food to local food banks – the district-wide food drive’s second and final week starts tomorrow (Monday, April 22nd). As is pointed out in the official announcement, beneficiaries include White Center Food Bank – and one dollar donated to a food bank can have the spending power of up to four! Plus, donations before the end of April count for more at food banks such as WC that are participating in the Feinstein Challenge.

From new garden manager Mara at the White Center Food Bank:

Been looking for garden space? The White Center Food Bank’s new garden manager Mara is “wanting to get the word out about the availability of garden beds for community use. These beds are FREE, with only a commitment to care for the space as it’s provided. Tool checkout available.

Anyone interested, or with questions, can contact Mara at gardens@whitecenterfoodbank.org to find out more.

(Photo by Lena Eivy)
You’ve heard about the beautiful glass apples that West Seattle’s Avalon Glassworks sells as a fundraiser for White Center Food Bank – now, WCFB sends word the ongoing benefit has achieved another milestone:

In May 2011, Avalon Glassworks’ Feed the Core apple series hit the $10,000 donation mark for White Center Food Bank – an achievement and goal that many artists might never be able to accomplish. Now, less than two years later they hit the $15,000 mark with apple #375 just last week. Luckily, photographer Lena Eivy was on hand to snap a shot, as she was already at Avalon in the middle of another event benefiting the food bank, Headshots at the Hot Shop.

The premise of the project is simple. Each apple is $80; half of that covers Avalon’s production expenses and the other half goes directly to White Center Food Bank, providing approximately 200 pounds of food, translating to 75,000 pounds of food generated by the project.

Shannon Felix, Avalon’s co-owner, says, “We get a lot of acknowledgement from White Center Food Bank. The director, Richard Jump, is always so graciously appreciative. It lets us know that we are really making a difference.” Headshot’s photographer Lena Eivy, who snapped the landmark shot, said, “I believe strongly in the benefits of helping everyone in a group to be successful in order to strengthen the group as a whole. The White Center Food Bank makes our community strong by helping those who need it most.” Headshots garnered another $420 for White Center Food Bank that day.

Avalon Glassworks has created for White Center Food Bank an extended community that draws together fellow professionals and art lovers to create something truly magical.

Avalon Glassworks is in West Seattle’s Luna Park business district, on Avalon Way just south of the West Seattle Bridge, and its owners just celebrated their 10th anniversary of running the business.

If you’re heading south today, consider lunch and/or dinner at the Empty Bowls benefit in Burien, helping food banks including White Center FB – full details here!

From West Seattle’s Avalon Glassworks – their always-popular glass apples to raise money for White Center Food Bank are back:

Support White Center Food Bank with your purchase of a limited-edition glass apple. Support small business by shopping locally!

We open Friday at 10 am with a fresh crop of green apples (and a few red ones). When you purchase just one apple, we give enough cash to White Center Food Bank to purchase 200 pounds of food for the community.

Buy yours online here or call 206-937-6369, or visit our West Seattle gallery, 10 am-6 pm weekdays and 10 am- 5 pm weekends.

They’re at 2914 SW Avalon Way, in the Luna Park mini-business district just south of the West Seattle Bridge.

Just in from the White Center Food Bank:

Do you have time next week to pass out food to clients at the White Center Food Bank at 10829 8th Ave SW? We need volunteers on the following shifts:

Monday, November 19 (9:30 to 12:30)
Tuesday, November 20 (9:30-12:30, 12:30-3:30 & 3:30-6:30)
Wednesday, November 21 (12:30-3:30 & 4:00 to 8:00)
If you can help, contact Audrey Zemke at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org or 762-2848. Families and kids welcome.

The Food Bank also needs donations of the following foods or money to buy them:

Turkeys
Canned Pumpkin
Canned Sweet Potatoes or Yams
Pickles
Cake Mixes
Crackers

Donations are accepted Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 to 5:00 at 10829 8th Ave SW.

If you are in West Seattle: Turkeys can be dropped off on Sunday, November 18 at Fauntleroy UCC [9140 California SW] starting at 11 am. We will be onsite with our refrigerated van to accept donations.

Two event reminders:

DAY OF CARING FOOD DRIVE: As part of the United Way of King County Day of Caring, there’s a food drive for the White Center Food Bank today, 10 am-1 pm, at Westwood Village QFC in West Seattle (26th and Barton). You can contribute food or money!

WCCDA DINNER: As previewed here last week, trailblazing King County Councilmember Larry Gossett is the featured speaker at tonight’s White Center Community Development Association‘s 10th annual dinner/auction, 6-9 pm at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center (south end of the campus at 6000 16th SW in West Seattle). Ticket info here.

One more big event Tuesday night besides Night Out – thousands of people invited to the annual hunger-fighting summertime mega-barbecue at Greenbridge Plaza, with partners including the White Center Food Bank and the Vertically Integrated Partnership to End Hunger.

The menu included summer-barbecue favorites, even corn on the cob:

The partnership includes food-service companies, distributors, farmers, processors, and others collaborating to fight hunger in ways big and small – and as with the previous two years, this was definitely big, with fun as well as food:

This gets bigger every year; here’s our coverage of the first one back in July 2010.

It’s so big now, KING 5 even sent a crew Tuesday night! Here’s photojournalist Lorenzo at work:

(Here’s the online version of their story.)

(Also posted to partner site West Seattle Blog)

ou too can make friends with the fabulous fowls of the White Center Food Bank. Both named Henrietta. That’s Linda, in our photo, with one of the Henriettas. They’re both meeting visitors right now during the WC Food Bank’s summer open house – and they’re the inspiration for a program that you can be part of, to provide fresh eggs to more of WCFB’s clients. Till 2 pm, you can meet the H’s, tour the demonstration gardens, and get to know some cool people, at 10829 8th SW.

We’re now less than a week away from the White Center Food Bank‘s next open house – which, WCFB notes, will star its chickens The Henriettas:

White Center Food Bank would like to invite everyone in our community to Meet the Henriettas, our food bank chickens. at our Summer Open House on August 4, 2012 from 11 am until 2 pm. It will be an opportunity to learn about volunteering, tour our facilities and demonstration gardens, which should be in full growing glory.

We love our Henriettas even though they only lay one egg a day per girl – we enjoy the delight on children’s faces when they see where eggs really come from. We will also be launching Team Henrietta – a new giving program to assist us in providing eggs to all our clients. Open to all, no RSVP required. For more information, contact Ann Kendall at ann@whitecenterfoodbank.org.

The food bank is at 8th and 108th in White Center.

Volunteers and staff are always busy at the White Center Food Bank, but Tuesday brought something extra to keep them hopping – a big delivery from the national nonprofit Feed the Children. Boxes with food and personal-care products, destined for 400 families, arrived via FTC’s “Americans Feeding Americans Caravan”:

Along for the occasion was Feed The Children media liaison Mark Opgrande:

White Center is one of three stops FTC is making this week – tomorrow they’re in Bremerton and on Thursday, in Des Moines.

From Audrey at White Center Food Bank:

White Center Food Bank has the following opportunities for volunteers this summer. Come help provide food to hungry families:

Tuesday, July 24 (9:00 am to 2:00 pm) Distribute food to hungry families. 15-20 volunteers needed to unload trucks, hand out food and clean up.

Saturday, July 21 (10:00 am to 1:15 pm) Distribute food to hungry families 5-10 volunteers needed to set up, hand out food and clean up.

Saturday, August 18 (10:00 am to 1:15 pm) Distribute food to hungry families. 10 – 15 volunteers needed to set up, hand out food and clean up.

Whether you have a group or are an individual, contact Audrey Zemke at (206) 762-2848 or audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org. Other projects available.

This afternoon, we found Mike on duty behind the counter at Full Tilt Ice Cream in White Center – on the fourth anniversary of the shop’s grand opening. And once again on this birthday, Full Tilt is giving the gifts rather than receiving – making donations to White Center Food Bank based on your purchase/s. (For a trip into the past, here’s our June 2008 story from grand-opening day – White Center Now was launched shortly afterward, but wasn’t even in soft-launch yet, so the story was on our partner site West Seattle Blog.)

From the White Center Food Bank:

If you’ve been waiting to do a food drive for the White Center Food Bank until you heard we really needed help, now is the time. Food donations are down 100,000 pounds in the first 5 months of this year. We are continuing to see record numbers of families. Won’t you help? Contact Audrey Zemke at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org or Rick Jump at rick@whitecenterfoodbank.org or 762-2848 to help. Most needed foods are canned meat, canned fruit, cereal, peanut butter and pinto beans. We can give you a complete list of suggested items.

Here’s their announcement about what they’re doing in connection with the Seattle Foundation‘s “Give BIG“ multi-organization donation drive on May 2nd:

May 2 is Give Big with the Seattle Foundation, and White Center Food Bank has set up several ways to make giving easier – and tastier. Give Big is a one day, online charitable giving event when your donation will be stretched by the Seattle Foundation. This year we will have board members and volunteers at several sites in the morning with laptops to make donating easier if you’re stopping for coffee on the way to work, and in the evening Proletariat Pizza will help you “dine out for hunger” by donating a portion of sales for the evening.

Here is how Give Big works:

All donations must be made on May 2 between 12:01 am and midnight via the Seattle Foundation’s website – this can be done from your home, one of our laptop stations or via mobile. Bookmark the site now: http://www.seattlefoundation.org/npos/Pages/WhiteCenterEmergencyFoodAssociation.aspx?bv=nposearch

WCFB Board members will be at Dubsea Coffee (9910 – 8th Ave SW), Caffe Delia (9622 – 16th Ave SW) and Cafe Rozella (9434 Delridge) in the morning between 7 and 10 am with laptops to make donating easier.

Proletariat Pizza (9622 – 16th Ave SW) will be donating 5% of sales to White Center Food Bank during the evening business hours. We will also have board members and a laptop on hand there if you’d like to make an extra donation in addition to your pizza purchase.

Note: we are listed as the White Center Emergency Food Association on the Seattle Foundation’s website. Only donations on May 2 count for the “stretch” dollars.

If any other restaurants would like to join in Dine Out for Hunger, please contact Ann Kendall at email:ann@whitecenterfoodbank.org or call 206-713-0031.

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: WC Food Bank says Zippy’s Giant Burgers has joined “Dine Out for Hunger” too and will also donate 5 percent during dinnertime on May 2nd.

It’s not just a new month – it’s Feinstein Challenge time, which means a lot to the local folks who make sure that thousands of people in this area don’t go hungry. Here’s the announcement from the White Center Food Bank:

Today, the 2012 Feinstein Challenge begins and again this year the White Center Food Bank will be participating. For the past 14 years, the Feinstein Foundation has divided $1 million each year among over 3,000 hunger fighting agencies nationwide.

Here’s how the challenge works. For every donation the White Center Food Bank receives during March and April, the Feinstein Foundation will help contributions grow by adding to them. All cash and food donations count towards the stretch dollars.

At WCFB we continue our focus on healthy foods through our mission driven services. By actively working with our clients to minimize hunger, we nourish our community to make it stronger and healthier. We nurture self-reliance through our gardening, nutrition and Healthy Food Gift Certificate programs and embrace our rich cultural diversity each day through our bi-lingual in-take services and provision of culturally familiar foods. 2011 brought a record 66,682 individuals through our doors – and we expect 2012 to bring similar numbers of those in need through our doors.

Please help continue to ease the pain of hunger in our community and step up to the challenge by making a contribution to the White Center Food Bank today. To be eligible for the Feinstein Challenge, your gift must be received no later than April 30th. Online donations via our website: whitecenterfoodbank.org.