Seattle, WA. This fall hundreds of families and children are sleeping outside in cars, tents, and other uninhabitable spaces. The weather has turned cold, wet, and dark, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, these families have no safe place to sleep this winter. In response to this crisis, and despite facing economic uncertainly, Seattle’s business community has come together for the seventh year with the goal of raising $2 million to help Mary’s Place address this untenable situation with its annual crowdfunding campaign: No Child Sleeps Outside. Here’s a video about the effort:
During last year’s successful No Child Sleeps Outside campaign, local businesses, and the community came together to raise just over $3 million, making it possible for Mary’s Place to bring more than 1,000 moms, dads, and kids inside to a new downtown shelter. That shelter, inside the Amazon headquarters with eight floors of wide-open spaces and private rooms, opened in March, just as the pandemic hit.
But even with that success, there are still hundreds of children and families sleeping outside. Today, as the weather gets colder and this pandemic worsens, Mary’s Place is only able to provide shelter to just about half of the families calling, looking for a safe, warm place to come inside. Families staying in shelters are anxious to move into their own homes, and those who recently moved into housing worry about their ability to pay rent when the temporary eviction moratorium ends.
The No Child Sleeps Outside campaign begins on November 17 and runs through December 31. Anyone can help ensure that No Child Sleeps Outside this winter just by going to the crowdfunding site at NoChildSleepsOutside.org to make a donation or start a fundraising team.
From the No Child Sleeps Outside Campaign:
Experiencing homelessness is traumatic for families and children, and during this pandemic, it’s more important than ever to keep families safe and housed. This year’s campaign will provide funding for Mary’s Place to create a Rapid Response Fund to help families move quickly into housing – or keep their hard-won homes – opening more shelter space for families this winter. Reaching the $2 million goal will help over 650 families, more than 2,300 moms, dads, and kids, achieve their housing goals.
“Before this pandemic hit, we were very close to reaching our goal of bringing every child inside from cars and tents. Today, with social distancing and other health measures, we’ve had to close several smaller shelters and have lost 300 beds for families,” said Marty Hartman, Mary’s Place Executive Director. “Things are changing, and we’re changing how we meet the need by providing resources to help unsheltered families find housing quickly and keep families in their hard-won homes. We know that it will take our entire community to solve this crisis, but together, we know we can get through this, and we can bring every child inside to warmth, safety, and stability.”
“Since 2016, Starbucks has been a proud supporter of the No Child Sleeps Outside campaign, recognizing that the rising homelessness crisis among Seattle-area families in our hometown is our most urgent issue to face,” said Virginia Tenpenny, vice president, global social impact at Starbucks and executive director of The Starbucks Foundation. “The COVID-19 pandemic has not made it any easier for families experiencing homelessness, and we are so proud to partner with Mary’s Place and their work to bring and keep more unsheltered moms, dads and kids inside. The safest place for a family to be is in their own home – especially during this pandemic.”
In addition to Starbucks, other sponsors and partners include 2A Consulting, Amazon, Brides for a Cause, Coldstream Wealth Management, Comcast NBCUniversal, Darigold, Dick’s Drive-In Restaurants, Dunn Lumber, Enchant Christmas, Forsberg & Umlauf, P.S., Frontdoor, G3 builders, Google, Hempler Foods Group, H.D. Fowler Company, HNN Associates, LLC, KeyBank, Lease Crutcher Lewis, Lighthouse Roasters, LMC A Lennar Company, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Murraysmith, Nestlé Coffee Partners, PRIME Electric, PwC, Russell Investments, SAP Concur, Seattle Chocolate, Smart Foodservice, The Billing Associates Group, Theo Chocolate, Tinte Cellars, Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, Windermere Foundation, and Zillow Group – with more to come!
As always, there will be lots of fun ways to participate in the No Child Sleeps Outside campaign, including these virtual events:
The No Child Sleeps Outside “Game Night In” on Tuesday, November 24, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm is a fun series of challenges for you and your team (event hosts will place you into groups). Some games are scavenger-hunt inspired, some are trivia inspired, some may be more guessing-game style, and some may be more skill-based. There’s something for everyone! Attendance is limited, and tickets are available now for $30 per person. More information is available atnochildsleepsoutside.org.
The No Child Sleeps Outside Virtual Scavenger Hunt takes place over the weekend of Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13. All you’ll need is your phone, an internet connection, your team (family members or friends), and your home. The interactive Let’s Roam app presents players with a series of challenges and questions ranging in difficulty and point value. The first team to complete the challenge will win a fabulous grand prize! The cost to play is $50 per team. More information is available atnochildsleepsoutside.org.
Other fun events, including Dick’s Drive-in Burger Box Bingo to benefit the No Child Sleeps Outside campaign, will be announced soon!
About Mary’s Place:
Mary’s Place believes that no one’s child should sleep outside. They provide safe, inclusive shelter and services to support women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness. The organization focuses on an innovative strategy of combining flexible funding, emergency shelter, and resources for transition into housing to bring families out of homelessness. Visit MarysPlaceSeattle.org to learn more.
Seattle, WA. For 30 years, FareStart has offered food industry training and employment opportunities to individuals experiencing homelessness or poverty. During that time, their employees’ work has always gone directly back into the community, cooking and preparing meals for others in need across the greater Seattle area. Up until now, nothing has been able to stop FareStart or its employees — not even a pandemic.
FareStart kitchen employees prep sandwiches to deliver to the community.
“The pandemic has brought together the community, not just within the Farestart walls,” Stephanie Schoo, Marketing and Communications Director at FareStart, explained. “We’ve seen an outpouring of support from restaurant partners and donors and volunteers and other nonprofit organizations that are all wanting to join together to make sure people get the help that they need.”
Initially, the pandemic took its toll on the Seattle-based nonprofit, forcing an abrupt shutdown of restaurants and catering facilities in and around the community. With its largest employers unable to function through an economic shutdown, FareStart quickly shifted gears, re-deploying its workers and resources into efforts to provide emergency meals to underserved individuals.
Since then, FareStart has helped orchestrate over 1.5 million emergency meals to shelters, housing facilities, and Seattle Public School sites across the city.
Wayne, an employee at FareStart, prepares emergency meals during COVID-19.
“We were able to see right away the impacts of COVID — folks who are low-income, or even students that used to be getting meals in one place could no longer get those meals,” Schoo said. “We want to make sure those meals get to high-need communities.”
Recently, Farestart launched its COVID-friendly education program to begin providing those experiencing homelessness or poverty with culinary courses once again. The online training also reintroduced former students who lost their jobs at the start of the pandemic.
A little over a month later, on the morning of Oct 29th, fourteen students went on to graduate from FareStart’s inaugural remote learning program.
“Creating a virtual curriculum is very new territory for us,” Schoo said. “This has been a stressful time for all of us, no matter your background or socio-economic status, And to have students stick with the program and come back reinvigorated — I think it speaks to that resiliency and hope.”
From FareStart:
For those looking to support FareStart in guiding clientele through gradual workforce reentry programs, or perhaps provide reheatable meals to students without easy access to school lunches, it’s not difficult.
“People in poverty struggle to escape the cycle they are in and often face other compounding barriers to getting and keeping a job. At FareStart, we help people overcome those barriers by teaching them work and life skills they need to succeed in the foodservice industry — and in life.”
Seattle, WA. TeenTix has adapted its programming to accommodate for COVID-19. (Pictured above are some smiling teens at a TeenTix event before COVID-19.) One of TeenTix’s main offerings is the free TeenTix pass, which enables any teenager to purchase $5 day-of-show tickets to an event with any of TeenTix’s partner organizations in the greater Seattle area. The TeenTix Events Calendar shows all of the upcoming arts events that teens can attend with their TeenTix pass. Currently, the TeenTix Events Calendar contains all virtual events, many of which are free for the public to view. However, if an event requires a registration fee or ticket for viewing, these tickets will be available for $5 for those who have the TeenTix pass.
Through increasing access to local art events, TeenTix’s mission is to “build a bright future for [the Seattle region] by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, and patrons.” Despite the unforeseen circumstances COVID-19 brought about, including virtual events on the TeenTix Events Calendar has allowed the nonprofit to “go outside its usual partners,” even reaching as far as Philadelphia. Executive Director Monique Courcy shares that the organization has “thought more about geographical boundaries” and how TeenTix can “go even further with arts organizations” moving forward.
A TeenTix event before the COVID-19 pandemic
TeenTix’s New Guard program has also pivoted in new ways this summer. The New Guard: Teen Arts Leadership Society is a leadership program that allows teens to engage with teen arts audiences and assist with the development of TeenTix programs. The New Guard’s tasks include fundraising, planning teen-centric arts events, engaging in discussions about arts equity and social justice, and building a community of teens who love the arts.
The New Guard participants meeting prior to COVID-19
According to Courcy, “Zoom has been [the New Guard’s] best friend” this summer. Last spring, New Guard participants planned the Teen Arts & Opportunity Fair. More recently, participants produced a summer mentorship program that connected professional artists of color with groups of young artists of color. Members also have the opportunity to produce art for the upcoming Teeny Awards, an award show in which teenagers vote for awards to give to arts partners. This year’s Teeny Awards will be conducted online later this fall.
The TeenTix Press Corps has also transitioned its programming online. The Press Corps program allows teens to explore and practice art criticism and journalism. As a result of COVID-19, Press Corps participants are meeting through Zoom and finding virtual art pieces to review and critique. An essential part of the Press Corps is the TeenTix Newsroom, which consists of a group of teen writers who review events put on by TeenTix Arts Partners and publish their work on the TeenTix blog. The TeenTix Newsroom is led by the Teen Editorial Staff. The 2020-2021 Teen Editorial Staff is pictured below.
The 2020/2021 TeenTix Teen Editorial Staff. The top row from left to right features Mila Borowski, Triona Suiter, and Lily Williamson. The bottom row from left to right features Lucia McLaren, Eleanor Cenname, and Anya Shukla.
A TeenTix Newsroom meeting over Zoom. This year, 37 new writers and 6 new editors are joining the TeenTix Newsroom.
A TeenTix Press Corps workshop prior to the COVID-19 pandemic
This summer, TeenTix also conducted a free Arts as Activism series, in which black artists were invited to discuss their work or the work of other black artists. Courcy shares that this series was meant to “talk about how activism is related to art.” Each event in the Arts as Activism series focused on a different genre of art, including theater, dance, and performance art. Attendees learned about the history of social justice movements and how art is intertwined with both past and present ones.
From TeenTix:
To support TeenTix, people may donate today or provide monthly contributions by joining the TeenTix Honor Society.
TeenTix exists to break down the barriers that prevent teens from accessing art in our community, such as ticket or admission cost, not knowing where to look for events, navigating transportation around the city, and feeling insecure around arts-going if there’s no one in their lives already championing the arts.
TeenTix builds a bright future for our region by empowering young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, critics, influencers, advocates, patrons, and leaders.
Seattle, WA. Mary’s Place is offering the same services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as it did before the virus. These services include emergency family shelter, meals, clothing, medical services, housing specialists, and many more programs and resources. Nevertheless, COVID-19 has shifted how many of these offerings are administered. Specifically, protocols have been put in place to protect guests, staff, and volunteers from the virus. Chief Communications Officer Linda Mitchell says that Mary’s Place is still “making changes every day.” Health and safety protocols include requiring all staff, guests, and visitors to wear masks in common areas and regularly wash hands. Mary’s Place is also conducting daily health assessments of guests and staff, increasing cleaning schedules and protocols, and identifying isolation areas should someone exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about Mary’s Place’s commitment to health and safety, people may visit the organization’s COVID-19 page on its website.
Watch the video below to learn about Mary’s Place’s goal of giving children, and their families, a place to stay while they work on getting housing.
Another significant change Mary’s Place has made is how its food programming is carried out. According to Mitchell, “a lot more people have been in [Mary’s Place shelters] and eating meals” which has led to a need to “increase food supply.” Before the pandemic, Mary’s Place relied on food recovery services to provide meals for guests, but these services have been hit hard due to COVID-19. To remedy this, Mitchell shares that Mary’s Place has “gotten creative with corporate partners” and “partnered with local restaurants” to obtain food for the influx of guests. Since local restaurants shut down earlier this year in light of the virus, many have turned to local organizations like Mary’s Place to provide meals for those in need. Some corporations are also buying food from local restaurants to deliver to Mary’s Place.
As far as volunteers go, Mitchell reports that Mary’s Place has paused its in-person volunteer program as a result of COVID-19. Thus, Mary’s Place has adapted how volunteers assist with programs at the organization, particularly those related to children and education. Groups of students at Mary’s Place receive virtual tutoring through Zoom, and some engage in “talk time” in which they work with volunteers to improve their English skills. Since school is starting up again, Mary’s Place is also working to keep children connected to educational resources, get their necessary equipment set up, and provide general support for students as they begin online schoolwork. Click here to see the ways you may safely volunteer and support Mary’s Place.
Children at Mary’s Place preparing to go to school. Through Mary’s Place’s services, children receive all kinds of school-related support from staff and volunteers.
Since 1999, Mary’s Place has aided hundreds of women and families in moving out of homelessness and into more secure living situations. Mary’s Place currently has six family centers across King County, as well as a Women’s Day Center in downtown Seattle. Across its shelters, Mary’s Place provides 680 beds for those in need of shelter. On average, Mary’s Place helps families move into stable housing in just 90 days.
In addition to food, shelter, clothing, and medical services, Mary’s Place possesses additional resources. The Baby’s Best Start program allows moms with newborns to recover and bond with children in a private and nurturing environment. Popsicle Place provides care for medically fragile children and their families. Housing specialists work with families to create and achieve housing and financial goals. And while parents work with housing specialists, the Kids Club provides children with age-appropriate activities, homework assistance, and more. People may learn more about these programs and others on Mary’s Place’s website.
Children reading at Mary’s Place. Through the Kids Club, children receive age-appropriate activities and homework assistance.
Looking ahead, a big event coming up at Mary’s Place is its SHINE Virtual Gala on October 23. The gala will feature a live singing competition, live and silent auction, and the opportunity to order meal packages from local restaurants. Registration for the SHINE Virtual Gala is available now, click here to learn more.
From Mary’s Place:
To support Mary’s Place, people can make financial donations, donate items off of its Amazon Charity List, or make face masks to donate. Mary’s Place also accepts donations of medical supplies and clothing, particularly underwear at the moment. While volunteer opportunities are currently limited, people may volunteer by creating inspirational cards or setting up Zoom meetings with guests. People can learn more about volunteer opportunities here.
Mary’s Place provides safe, inclusive shelter and services that support women, children, and families on their journey out of homelessness.
Seattle, WA. Town Hall Seattle officially shut its doors on March 11th in light of the COVID-19 virus. Since then Town Hall Seattle has transitioned online, Lusink shares that the organization has been able to “adapst pretty quickly” and livestreams are being received well by the public. Town Hall Seattle is offering the community livestreams nearly every day with guests in various fields, including the arts, sciences, and civics. The people that will be featured in these livestreams include disability activist Alice Wong, author Mychal Denzel Smith, comedian Michael Ian Black, and many more. Tickets for these online events cost $5 for the general public and are free to those 22 years old and younger. For households with three or more people viewing the event, tickets cost $15. Director of Marketing and Communications Jordan Lusink shares that purchasing household tickets allows the public to “support [Town Hall Seattle] a little more if multiple people are watching.” More information on upcoming livestreams is available here.
Recordings of livestreams are also available on Town Hall Seattle’s YouTube page. Below is one of Town Hall Seattle’s recent recordings of Richard Scholar’s conversation with Kathleen Cain regarding the history and significance of French words in the English language.
Another featured participant for the livestreams is disability activist Alice Wong,
Disability activist Alice Wong will partake in a livestream with Elsa Sjunneson about disability activism in the 21st century on 9/9 at 7:30 PM.
Author Mychal Denzel Smith will have a livestream about “life after the American dream” on 9/22 at 7:30 PM.
Comedian Michael Ian Black will discuss toxic masculinity and “how to be a better man” in his livestream on 9/30 at 6:00 PM.
Town Hall Seattle is a nonprofit that acts as a gathering place for the Seattle community to engage in conversations about a variety of topics. Since 1998, Town Hall Seattle has “matured into a nationally unique artistic and civic hub in the heart of Seattle.” Town Hall Seattle regularly works with rental partners to “level the cultural playing field and amplify the voices of diverse communities.” The organization’s staff also collaborates to create over 200 programs every year that span the arts, sciences, and civics. Aside from its numerous events, Town Hall Seattle also maintains a landmark historic building that was originally the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist, in Seattle. The building was constructed in two stages from 1916 through 1922 and the congregation was its only occupant until it was later sold to Town Hall Seattle in 1998.
Images of Town Hall Seattle’s building throughout time, designed by architect George Foote Dunham.
A more recent photo of the interior of Town Hall Seattle’s building.
Town Hall Seattle was already taping many of its programs, so Lusink shares it was “really easy to pivot to a digital stage.” The organization’s only exception to non-in-person programming was its weekly livestreamed concerts with Earshot Jazz through June and July.
A promotional photo for one of Earshot Jazz’s livestreams with Town Hall Seattle.
Lusink points out that there “hasn’t been a lot of support for arts and cultural organizations” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, despite arts organizations often being the “first things people turn to when times are tough.” Nevertheless, Lusink shares that it is “interesting to see what the community looks like in a digital space” and encourages people to check out Town Hall Seattle’s upcoming events, as “a lot of important conversations are coming up.”
A pre-pandemic image of people gathering at Town Hall Seattle.
From Town Hall Seattle:
To support Town Hall Seattle, people are asked to check out its calendar of events. Town Hall Seattle is also a member-supported organization, so people may show support by becoming members today. Membership prices start at $30 for students and seniors and $45 for general members. Town Hall Seattle also accepts financial donations.
A vibrant gathering place in the heart of Seattle, Town Hall fosters an engaged community through civic, arts, and educational programs that reflect—and inspire—our region’s best impulses: creativity, empathy, and the belief that we all deserve a voice.
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