White Center Now: The blog about White Center

WANT TO HELP THE WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK? We published this earlier today at partner site West Seattle Blog – the WCFB (which is news there too since it serves people in West Seattle as well as WC) is asking for artists to decorate chairs to be auctioned off at the annual Harvest Dinner and Auction coming up in October. Full details here.

HELP WHITE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, TOO! Last night we reported on White Center for the Arts‘ ongoing efforts to buy the Southgate ex-rink building; tonight, they’re inviting you to their next “Third Saturday” arts event – this time at Big Al Brewing, 7-19 pm Sept. 19. WCFTA’s Shelli Park says, “Come enjoy Art, Music, Food, Beverage, and Prizes; a rockin’ Saturday night, and help WCFTA reach its funding goal.” Here’s the flyer.

We got the chance to chat with Audrey Zemke from White Center Food Bank on Saturday while covering Picnic at the (Southwest) Precinct on behalf of partner site West Seattle Blog, and she gave us some scoop on WCFB’s upcoming annual Harvest Dinner/Auction: It will be held at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center, 5:30 pm October 17th. North Highline Fire Chief Scott LaVielle will emcee; media personality Cindi Rinehart (a West Seattle resident) will be the auctioneer. Invitations will go out in about two weeks, but if you want to lock in your tickets now, you can call or e-mail White Center Food Bank – contact info’s all online, whitecenterfoodbank.org.

Just in:

Volunteers Needed 8/8 and 8/12 to Clear Out White Center Food Bank Warehouse

Volunteer Alert: The White Center Food Bank needs volunteers on Saturday, August 8th, and Wednesday, August 12th. We are having the floor replaced on that Monday and Tuesday, so we need to totally empty the warehouse on Saturday and put everything back on Wednesday.

If you can lend a hand, please contact Audrey Zemke, Volunteer Resource Coordinator, at 206-762-2848 or email her at audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org

Looking for something interesting to read? The White Center Food Bank now has its own blog. And it’s not just a self-promotional section of the website – writer Donna Pierce has published some thought-provoking entries so far, such as this new one: Why no charities in the Seafair Torchlight Parade? Good question, given that they are vibrant participants in so many neighborhood parades. You can find the WCFB blog here; also, they’re having a contest – suggest a name for the WCFB blog, and you might win a Farmers’ Market gift certificate! Read about the contest here.

At right, that’s Beth Grieser, honored tonight in West Seattle for her volunteer commitment to the White Center Food Bank (which also serves part of south West Seattle). The Southwest District Council’s Cindi Barker helped present awards to Grieser and six others, the first-ever West Seattle Volunteer Recognition recipients, part of a program sponsored by the SWDC, the Delridge District Council and our partner site West Seattle Blog. You can help the White Center Food Bank too – either contact them about volunteer opportunities, bring in food donations, or donate $ through their website.

From the White Center Food Bank‘s Facebook page (you can “become a fan” here):

We are currently facing critical shortages of canned fruits & vegetables as well as dry goods such as Hamburger Helper, Rice-a-Roni, Mac & Cheese. Any donations would be greatly appreciated.

That’s who headlined the music slate in downtown White Center on Saturday night as Full Tilt Ice Cream celebrated its first birthday. The band name’s a little profane so here’s a direct link to their site (where you’ll also find better video – we were a little too close to the guitar, so it drowned out the vocals). And we’ve got the results of the “buy one and we donate one” (hmm, BODO?) ice-cream tally for the day: 165 cones, 60 pints sold. For each cone, Full Tilt plans to give a coupon to the White Center Food Bank for distribution to its clients; for each pint, they’ll deliver the equivalent in ice cream to WCFB for direct distribution. (Of course you can give to WCFB online any time — just go here.)

Full Tilt is turning 1 year old Saturday the 20th of June. To celebrate, we are going to give a gift certificate for a cone to the White Center Food Bank, for every cone that is purchased that day. Rick Jump from the food bank is going to try and be on hand for part of the day. COme down and meet him.

Tomorrow (Saturday 5/9) is the day – get a bag of nonperishable food items together and put it by your mailbox, your door, wherever your letter carrier delivers your mail, for the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Local food banks including the White Center Food Bank benefit – and ultimately, it’s for your neighbors in need. What other donation drive comes RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR?

Reminder from the White Center Food Bank:

FIRST STUDENT “DRIVE AWAY HUNGER” FOOD DRIVE FOR WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK

First Student drivers and school buses will be collecting non-perishable foods and diapers for the White Center Food Bank on Saturday, April 25, 2009 from 10:30 am to 3:30 p.m. at the following stores:

Burien Albertsons (12725 1st Avenue S)
QFC Westwood Village (2500 SW Barton Street)
White Center Albertsons (10616 16th Avenue SW)

The White Center Food Bank says the most needed foods are Hamburger Helper and Rice-a-Roni type products as well as canned meat (not tuna), canned fruit, cereal, and jelly. The White Center Food Bank serves a diverse ethnic population so ethnic foods are always welcome. The food bank also accepts $5 and $10 gift cards from Safeway, QFC or Albertsons. Cash donations can be sent to the White Center Food Bank at 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. To donate on-line go to www.whitecenterfoodbank.org.

The White Center Food Bank has been providing emergency food relief in this community for over thirty years. In the past two years food insecurity has grown. The rising cost of housing, food, and health care, cutbacks in federal funding for housing and food assistance, and the loss of manufacturing jobs leave many working families short of food. Stories about the rising costs of food and hunger are in the press almost daily. The White Center Food Bank continues to provide much needed emergency food relief while promoting efforts to fight poverty.

Last year a record 17,000 families were served and almost 900,000 pounds of food was distributed worth about $1.5 million dollars. This was done with two paid staff and over 200 volunteers including members of Kiwanis White Center, 34th District Democrats, Fauntleroy UCC and Evergreen Key Club. 1,700 families a month are being served.

And there’s one week left to go in the Feinstein Challenge – which makes your donations worth even more than face value. If you can’t donate in person, donate online at the food bank’s website.

Audrey from White Center Food Bank says last night’s food drive brought in more than 250 pounds! You can donate $ to WCFB online any time through the website, whitecenterfoodbank.org.

(photo added 6:21 pm – Barbara Connor from Rainier Valley Kiwanis, at the donation station)
Till 8 pm tonight, Kiwanis Division 26 volunteers are at the White Center Food Bank, collecting donations. As mentioned before, food-bank donations count for extra through the end of this month because of a special nationwide partial-match program – so if you take food/money to them now, it’s worth even more than face value. Here’s a map to WCFB.

Now it’s just two days away, so it’s reminder time – this Wednesday night, local Kiwanians will be at the White Center Food Bank to collect your donations:

Members of the Division 26 Kiwanis in Seattle would like to invite you to bring non-perishable foods to the White Center Food Bank on Wednesday evening, April 8, 2009 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. Members of the Kiwanis will be stationed outside the food bank at 10829 8th Avenue SW [map] under a canopy to collect your donations.

Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

The White Center Food Bank says the most needed foods are Hamburger Helper and Rice-a-Roni type products as well as canned meat (not tuna), canned fruit, cereal, and jelly. The White Center Food Bank serves a diverse ethnic population so ethnic foods are always welcome. The food bank also accepts $5 and $10 gift cards from Safeway, QFC or Albertsons. Cash donations can be sent to the White Center Food Bank at 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. To donate online, go to www.whitecenterfoodbank.org.

Donations to food banks count extra through the end of this month because of the Feinstein Challenge, so everything you give includes a built-in bonus. See you Wednesday night!

WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK: Today’s the first of its new monthly Saturdays – third Saturday of each month – for WCFB to be open for clients 11 am-1 pm.

ART STUDIOS OPEN: White Center’s artist community invites you to another open house 5 pm-10 pm — enter from 16th SW, same place you’d use to get to the old skating rink (where it’s another Rat City Rummage NEXT Saturday, by the way).

Just announced:

Members of the Division 26 Kiwanis in Seattle would like to invite you to bring non-perishable foods to the White Center Food Bank on Wednesday evening April 8, 2009 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Members of the Kiwanis will be stationed outside the food bank at 10829 8th Avenue SW under a canopy to collect your donations.

Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time

The White Center Food Bank says the most needed foods are Hamburger Helper and Rice-a-Roni type products as well as canned meat (not tuna), canned fruit, cereal, and jelly. The White Center Food Bank serves a diverse ethnic population so ethnic foods are always welcome. The food bank also accepts $5 and $10 gift cards from Safeway, QFC or Albertsons. Cash donations can be sent to the White Center Food Bank at 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. To donate on-line go to www.whitecenterfoodbank.org.

The White Center Food Bank has been providing emergency food relief in this community for over thirty years. In the past two years food insecurity has grown. The rising cost of housing, food, and health care, cutbacks in federal funding for housing and food assistance, and the loss of manufacturing jobs leave many working families short of food. Stories about the rising costs of food and hunger are in the press almost daily. The White Center Food Bank continues to provide much needed emergency food relief while promoting efforts to fight poverty.

Last year a record 17,000 families were served and almost 900,000 pounds of food was distributed worth about $1.5 million dollars. This was done with two paid staff and over 200 volunteers including members of Kiwanis White Center, 34th District Democrats, Fauntleroy UCC and Evergreen Key Club. 1,700 families a month are being served.

Just in from Rick Jump at the White Center Food Bank:

Effective Saturday, March 21st the White Center Food Bank will be open on the 3rd Saturday of every month between the hours of 11:00am and 1:00pm. Registration begins at 10:00am. Proof of address is required on each visit. Service boundaries are as follows:

Between SW 140th Street and SW Myrtle Street
Between Highway 509 and Puget Sound

“During these tough economic times local food banks are serving more families than ever. Many of them are first time visitors to a food bank,” said Rick Jump, executive director of the White Center Food Bank. “This increased demand for services is likely to continue over the next several months. To help meet the need we find it necessary to expand our hours to include a weekend distribution for those who are unable to access our services during the week” said Jump.

The White Center Food Bank also welcomes donations to help meet the increased need in our community. Donations may be mailed to 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. To make a donation online or for additional information about the White Center Food Bank, visit their website at www.whitecenterfoodbank.org or contact Rick Jump at (206) 762-2848.

This is an annual event that means your assistance for the White Center Food Bank (and West Seattle Food Bank too) goes farther than ever this month and next – read the announcement from WCFB’s Rick Jump:

$1 MILLION FEINSTEIN CHALLENGE TO BENEFIT LOCAL FOOD BANKS

March and April donations to White Center Food Bank and West Seattle Food Bank will qualify for Feinstein Challenge

The White Center Food Bank and West Seattle Food Bank are encouraging community members to make donations between March 1st and April 30th so they can receive additional funds from the Feinstein Foundation’s $1 Million Challenge.

For the past 12 years Rhode Island philanthropist, Alan Shawn Feinstein, has made $1 Million available to help anti-hunger agencies. For every cash and food donation received by the end of April the Feinstein Foundation will add a financial contribution.

“During these tough economic times local food banks are serving more families than ever. Many of them are first time visitors to a food bank,” said Rick Jump, executive director of the White Center Food Bank. “This increased demand for services is likely to continue over the next several months and we urgently need to support of the community to insure that we are able to provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in need,” said Jump.

For the White Center Food Bank, donations may be mailed to 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. To make a donation online or for information about the White Center Food Bank’s programs benefited by the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.whitecenterfoodbank.org or contact Rick Jump at (206) 762-2848, or e-mail rjump_wcfb@yahoo.com.

For the West Seattle Food Bank, donations may be mailed to 3419 SW Morgan, Seattle, WA 98126. To make a donation online or for information about the West Seattle Food Bank’s programs benefited by the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.westseattlefoodbank.org or contact Fran Yeatts at (206) 932-9023, or e-mail wsfb@teleport.com.

Information about the Feinstein Foundation and the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.feinsteinfoundation.org

(Photo by Dina Johnson)
White Center Food Bank executive director Rick Jump made a guest appearance Monday night at the monthly meeting of the Highland Park Action Committee, whose turf stretches all the way to the WC line, and he shared numbers that won’t surprise you, but are startling nonetheless: Last month alone, WCFB served almost 1800 families – 6,000 people. That’s up to 80 percent more than this time last year, Jump said, describing it as “a bit of a crisis” while also noting that in addition to serving White Center, WCFB also serves Highland Park (and other areas of West Seattle’s south half). He elaborated: “We’re seeing a lot of people who have never visited a food bank before in their life, and they’re really embarrassed to be there … it really is a new face we’re seeing in food bank lines.” He says the Feinstein Challenge starts next month, with a private organization rewarding WCFB (and other organizations nationwide) depending on how much food and money is donated to the organization in March and April, so if you make a donation during the next two months, be sure to earmark it to qualify for the Feinstein Challenge. What they need most right now, he says, is “dry variety” food – macaroni and cheese, Hamburger Helper type of stuff. What they don’t need … tuna … they get that as a government commodity and, Jump smiled, “we’re swimming in tuna.” They have a “baby pantry” service as well, and while they don’t need formula – a private donor gives them all they could possibly need, according to Jump – they do need “larger size” diapers. You can find out more about WCFB, and donate money online, by going to its website, www.whitecenterfoodbank.org. (We’ll report more on the Highland Park meeting later today on our partner site West Seattle Blog.)

A new “edible garden” has sprouted at the White Center Food Bank; volunteers from Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle and SeattleWorks spent several hours Saturday clearing ornamental plantings from the plots where vegetables will now grow. Read more about it on partner site West Seattle Blog – including the need for one more volunteer – somebody to set up and tend a new worm-compost bin! Meantime, hours after we stopped at WCFB, it was off to the first open house at the artists’ studios on the east side of the old skating rink:

The party inside and upstairs was a little too crowded and dark for good pix but we had a great time wandering from room to room, viewing some of the artists’ creations, including paintings, sculpture, even a striking bench with an inset eagle-head carving. Next weekend, the artists will be involved in the first Rat City Rummage event – remember, you can look for the entryway from 16th:

Rat City Rummage is set for next Saturday, 10 am-6 pm at the old skate rink.

From Aviva at Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle:

Community Harvest of SW Seattle in partnership with the White Center Food Bank will be removing some grasses and other ornamentals to make room for a food garden. This demonstration garden, designed by a SSCC horticulture student, will have sections for traditional Asian greens, square foot gardening, northwest berries, and containers. The intention of this garden is to inspire and educate on the possibilities for growing food, even in limited spaces.

Seattleworks volunteers will be digging up existing landscaping on February 21st, and we would like to offer some of these lovely grasses and bushes in exchange for compost (or $$ to buy compost!) All donations of time or money will be happily accepted and will go toward this project and other projects which encourage food growing amongst low-income residents of West Seattle and White Center.

Contact: info@gleanit.org