Seattle, WA. The Borgen Project is hosting its first virtual summer event on July 31st, 2021: BORGENFEST. It is both a festival and a call to action to end global poverty; with music, celebration, and guest appearances. The festival features musical performances by Kitty Coen and 99 Neighbors, and includes guest appearances by Congressman Adam Smith, representative of Washington’s 9th congressional district; Natalie Gill-Mensah, an infectious disease expert and member on The Borgen Project’s Board of Directors; and Clint Borgen, President, and Founder of The Borgen Project. Proceeds from the BORGENFEST will benefit the organization’s poverty reduction efforts. To attend the event, you can find more information and register here.
This event is meant to build awareness about poverty reduction legislation and aid programs, while also celebrating the many obstacles overcome this past year in the international community. From the COVID-19 pandemic to an increase in violence against women, 2020 and 2021 have been particularly difficult for everyone. Yet amidst these tumultuous times comes a potential for unity: and that is cause for celebration.
Here’s a video about the organization:
Amy Pettigrew, Senior Program Manager at The Borgen Project and BORGENFEST Committee Chair, outlined the importance of this event: “The negative impacts of COVID-19 have caused a significant setback in hunger and poverty reduction efforts. Now is the time to ramp up our efforts and amplify voices who continue to struggle with the effects of the pandemic, in tandem with the fight to end global poverty. That’s what this event is for.”
More about The Borgen Project:
The Borgen Project is a bipartisan nonprofit campaign working at the political level towards the goal of eradicating global poverty. The organization was founded in 2003 by Clint Borgen, and has since then met with 87 percent of the U.S. Senate regarding key poverty-reduction legislation and other relevant bills. The Borgen Project continually mobilizes people worldwide to join their cause. With the advocacy help of this campaign, bills have been passed that improve women’s access to education, implement global health programs, reform global food aid, and more.
You are invited to celebrate with The Borgen Project on July 31st at 7pm EST, and you are welcome to register for the event here.
Seattle, WA. Mary’s Place has exceeded a two million dollar campaign goal, despite the present economic impacts, with more than 6,000 individuals and over 200 local businesses generous contributions. As a result, Mary’s Place – the region’s largest family emergency shelter provider was able to create a Rapid Response Fund ahead of the eviction moratorium end date, to bring families inside into safe shelters and provide permanent housing beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
To celebrate the end of the campaign, captured in the feature image, Mary’s Place released the following video:
Marty Hartman, Mary’s Place Executive Director expressed her heartfelt thanks, “We are so grateful to our community for this incredible outpouring of support. When the eviction moratorium comes to an end, we know that many families who are struggling will face homelessness. The new Rapid Response Fund will help us meet the increasing need and keep families housed by providing flexible funding solutions.”
With help from the community, Mary’s Place provides shelter and housing to families through the successful campaign.
In previous years, several festive events and activities had been celebrated during the campaign. This year, observing Covid-19 related safety measures, events were held virtually and included the following: a weekend at-home scavenger hunt, a game night, an online concert by the Amazon Symphony Orchestra, and Dick’s Drive-In Burger Box “virtual” Bingo. Continuing its ongoing commitment to the issue of family homelessness, the campaign kicked-off with a 250,000 dollar contribution from The Starbucks Foundation.
Mary’s Place exceeded the campaign goal to protect families.
To hear more and view updates from Mary’s Place visit the Facebook page at:
Mary’s Place believes that no one’s child should sleep outside. They provide safe and inclusive shelter and resources for women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness. Mary’s Place currently operates five crisis response family shelters providing refuge and community for 500 family members experiencing homelessness. To learn more about this organization and get involved, visit Mary’s Place Seattle
Seattle, WA. The Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund confirmed its beneficiaries for the $500,000 they pledged last June. (Photo above courtesy of Rod Mar and the Seattle Seahawks. ‘We Want Justice’ t-shirt remains front and center for the Seahawks as they confirm their recipients for $500,000 worth of grants against injustice.) The funds are being donated as a response to the systemic racism in the United States and the heart-wrenching deaths of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. Half of the money is going to organizations, which will be using it to fight against social injustice and support local disadvantaged youth. The other half of the funds will be going directly towards scholarships for students of color who have overcome adversity within their own lives.
Creating opportunities for youth of color is imperative in changing the dynamics of disenfranchised communities, from the bottom-up. This is why the Seahawks have chosen to provide scholarships to students who need it most and donate to the following six organizations:
Click each of the links above to find out more about each local organization and how you can help them achieve their goals. There’s no justice without equality and opportunity for all.
Learn more and donate directly to the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice for All Action Fund here. From the Seattle Seahawks:
In June, as Seahawks players, like so many people around the country, tried to come to grips with the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, the Seahawks Players Equality & Justice For All Action Fund pledged to donate $500,000 in grants that would go to local organizations working toward social injustice causes and supporting our local youth. Go ‘Hawks!
Seattle, WA. Despite the added challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, Jubilee Women’s Center continues to offer refuge and hope for women experiencing poverty and homelessness in Seattle (photo of masked volunteers from the Rainier Ravens group, working in Jubilee’s garden). Established in 1983 as Seattle’s first transitional home for women, the non-profit’s guiding mission is to “support women experiencing poverty to build stable and fulfilling futures, one extraordinary woman at a time.” Each year, Jubilee provides affordable community housing and individualized support to approximately 60 women struggling with home insecurity and aids an additional 2000 low-income women with free referrals, job/life skills classes, and more; services that are especially needed now as the economic weight of the pandemic bears down heavily on vulnerable communities.
The inspiration behind Jubilee came from three sisters of St. Joseph of Peace who realized that to break the cycle of homelessness, women needed much more than the 90-day stay typically offered by local shelters. In response, they created Jubilee Women’s Center and a uniquely holistic service model to give women experiencing personal and financial hardships “the stability and time they need to heal, grow, and rebuild their lives” (jwcenter.org). Today, Jubilee Women’s Center carries on the sister’s legacy with its two-year transitional housing program that includes “holistic support services, on-site care managers, and a focus on employment preparation to advance each woman on her path out of poverty with a living-wage and a home of her own” (jwcenter.org).
Communications and Marketing Manager, Jen Zug shared that when the COVID-19 virus first became an issue earlier this year, Jubilee immediately began taking precautions to protect clients, staff, and volunteers from the virus. Mask wearing, physical distancing, and sanitizing protocols were introduced across each of Jubilee’s four residential sites. Fundraising efforts were reshaped for safety as well, she said, with the annual Fall Benefit event “expanded to a month of smaller in-person and virtual gatherings and peer to peer fundraising” throughout October instead.
Initially, the organization also closed its clothing boutique, which provides free clothing, accessories, and personal items to residents and women in the community. But more recently, Zug explained “we’ve adjusted to begin providing Boutique Care Packages. Women who call for shopping appointments can now place an order for the items she’s looking for, and a boutique volunteer will gather her items together into a custom care package she can pick up” (photo below of Jubilee’s Boutique, stocked with donations from the community).
Jubilee’s free clothing boutique.
While they look forward to reopening the boutique and other offerings to the public sometime soon, Zug and other organization leaders say they are simply glad that they have found ways of staying on mission in the meantime, continuing to serve and empower women in need. Those who wish to contribute to Jubilee Women’s Center can donate through the organization’s website, or volunteer as shoppers in the clothing boutique, assembling care packages for women in the community. Visit jwcenter.org for more information.
From Jubilee Women’s Center:
Jubilee Women’s Center supports women experiencing poverty to build stable and fulfilling futures, one extraordinary woman at a time.
Led by the guiding principle that women of all races and cultures are to be treated with respect and dignity, Jubilee provides programs and services that empower women to make positive life changes.
We believe women experiencing homelessness and economic crisis need time and space to heal while addressing the complex circumstances leading to their housing instability. Jubilee provides safe, affordable housing and holistic services to support women as they heal from their past and work toward self-sufficiency.
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