The West Seattle Giving Spirit sustains thousands of people in our neighborhoods – and orcas too, as you’ll see in today’s spotlight. Three times a week through year’s end, WSB is bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn more about, and support, some of our area’s tireless nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation. Today – The Whale Trail, which may sound like a place, but is much more than that:

Celebrating West Seattle’s Role in Orca Conservation: The Whale Trail

(Girl Scouts learning about whales at Lincoln Park)

The Whale Trail is a series of places to watch orcas or other marine mammals from shore. Their mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship for marine mammals and their environment. Their overarching goal is to recover the endangered southern resident orcas from the threat of extinction.

From 16 inaugural locations in Washington, there are now more than 130 sites along the west coast from California to British Columbia. Each site has an accompanying page on their website, and many feature interpretive panels. In 2012, the organization received a City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to place four signs in West Seattle and purchase 36 pairs of binoculars, which have been put to good use along West Seattle shores!

“When whales are near, our volunteer naturalists pass out the binoculars and help people spot and learn about the whales they are seeing.” Sandstrom says. “Watching whales from shore has played a critical role in orca recovery. When people learn the whales are endangered, the first thing they want to know is, how can I help?”

The Whale Trail was founded in 2008 by a core team of partners including NOAA Fisheries, WDFW, Seattle Aquarium, and the Whale Museum. Many members of the team first met through successful efforts to return Springer, an orphaned orca, to her pod. “Springer showed me what’s possible when people work together for the whales.” Sandstrom notes, “The Whale Trail was founded in that same collaborative spirit.”

The Whale Trail is headquartered in West Seattle. “I’m not sure I could have started this project anywhere else.” Says Sandstrom. “From businesses and community groups to our incredible volunteers, everyone has been so supportive. I feel lucky to live in a place that really embraces nonprofits.”

Leadership in Orca Recovery

Sandstrom recently served on Governor Inslee’s Task Force on Southern Resident Orca Recovery, where she championed a recommendation to license commercial whale-watching. The recommendation became law in 2019, with rules that were recently updated.

Starting January 1, 2025, all boaters must stay at least 1,000 yards away from southern residents. The distance is based on science showing the harmful impact of noise and disturbance on the orcas ability to find and catch their prey.

“When the whales return to the Salish Sea, it’s quieter,” Sandstrom says. “We can all be proud of a public process that worked! There are now nine calves under five years old, and six of those are female. Whether they survive and thrive into adulthood is up to us.”

Welcome the Orcas 2024

Join The Whale Trail next Tuesday (December 10) to celebrate the seasonal return of the southern resident orcas to central Puget Sound, and learn how to protect them. Get tickets here.

The Whale Trail is a small organization with a mighty impact! You can help by donating, volunteering, and attending events. Visit The Whale Trail’s website to learn more.

DONATE HERE
VOLUNTEER HERE
LEARN MORE HERE
QUESTIONS? Donna Sandstrom – info@thewhaletrail.org

Scroll through our archive of West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights here (newest to oldest), and watch for the next one on Monday!

The West Seattle Giving Spirit sustains thousands of people in our area. Among them, the families served by WestSide Baby, the next spotlighted organization in our holiday-season series. Three times a week through year’s end, WSB is bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn more about, and support, some of our area’s tireless nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation. Here’s how to “Give Joy,” and more, via WestSide Baby:

For nearly 25 years, WestSide Baby has been a lifeline for families in King County, providing essential items to children in need. Through the generosity of our community, we support thousands of families each year.

One of our most meaningful efforts is our Give Joy campaign, which runs through December 31st. This campaign addresses the need for warm clothing and diapers, as the colder months approach. Winter can be especially challenging for families facing financial hardship, and Give Joy helps ensure children have the basics they need to stay warm and healthy.

Over the past year, WestSide Baby has seen an increased need for our services. In 2023, we distributed more than 2.7 million diapers and this year, we’ve fulfilled more than 15,469 orders — a 14% increase over last year at this time.

As the need for our services grows, we’re calling on you to help us make an even-bigger impact. Every donation makes a difference and helps us reach even more families in need. We invite you to join us in spreading joy and supporting families when they need it most.

Donate here

Volunteer here

Questions? info@westsidebaby.org

Scroll through our archive of West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights here (newest to oldest), and watch for the next one on Wednesday!

Another cold night begins … and the West Seattle Giving Spirit sustains the Westside Neighbors Shelter, our next spotlighted organization in our holiday-season series. Three times a week through year’s end, WSB is bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn more about, and support, some of our area’s hardworking nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation. Tonight – consider this one-of-a-kind shelter:

On a freezing night in 2019, Keith Hughes opened the doors of the American Legion Hall to a handful of people with nowhere to sleep safely and stay warm. As Commander of American Legion Post 160, he was used to assisting veterans; however, he knew he also had to respond to the emergency needs of the men and women huddled outside his door.

Since then, Westside Neighbors Shelter has expanded to act as a morning warmup center year-round, with hot drinks and breakfast. From November into March, the hall becomes a sleeping room filled with cots, giving unhoused adults a place to stay warm and dry when the outside temperatures fall to dangerous levels. Hot dinners and breakfast are provided by the local community. People experiencing homelessness can shower and get clean clothing. All adults are welcome, regardless of gender, whether or not they’re a veteran.

Westside Neighbors Shelter is a volunteer-operated emergency shelter; it currently receives no funding from government sources. The shelter has only one paid employee: a security professional who watches the hall when it’s occupied overnight. Community donations of money, labor, and supplies help provide food, heat, and basic sanitation for the increasing number of people unable to find a place to live in West Seattle and Burien.

As word of this place grew, so did the number of men and women hoping for a hot meal, a shower and clean clothes, and a place to shelter from a freezing night. The number of people seeking shelter here has risen dramatically–from up to 20 per night in 2019 to up to 40 per night in 2023. “I don’t see that stopping or even leveling off,” says Keith.

Keith estimates that last winter the shelter handed out 1,300 pairs of socks, 800 stocking caps, 800 pairs of gloves, 500 sets of clothing, and 400 winter coats. “We take care of a lot of people here. I am sure it’s 500 or 600 individuals over the winter,” he says.

“We’re providing temporary emergency sheltering. Most of the people who come here are on a journey to find permanent housing solutions, and this is a stopover on the journey.”

“We don’t get a lot of feedback from people who are here for one or two nights and move on. But out of the core of longer-term clients, we have had our successes with those who have been able to find interim housing solutions, and those who have come to their own realization that they need professional help for mental-health issues, alcohol and drug overuse issues, and we have sometimes been able to help them find resources to meet their needs. Those resources are outside of this facility, because we can’t provide those resources directly here at this time,” says Keith.

Your support can keep dozens of people safe and warm every night this time of year.

DONATE HERE
VOLUNTEER HERE
WHAT’S NEEDED MOST
LEARN MORE ABOUT WESTSIDE NEIGHBORS SHELTER

Scroll through our archive of West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights here, and watch for the next one on Monday!

Today, we continue our series of spotlights to cheer on your West Seattle Giving Spirit. Last week, we invited local nonprofits to participate in this first-ever coordinated giving campaign – first-come first-served – and our partner in the campaign, Learning Communities Foundation, received enough applications to fill the spots. Three times a week before year’s end, here on WSB, you’ll be able to spend a few minutes learning about a different West Seattle/White Center nonprofit and how you can support it. Today – find out what you didn’t know about the West Seattle Food Bank, and how to support WSFB!

West Seattle Food Bank was founded by a group of concerned neighbors who responded to the urgent need for a community food bank. For more than three decades, we have provided access to food, clothing, emergency rent and utility assistance, connections to community resources, and other essential services for community members. Each year we offer comprehensive, holistic, wraparound services to thousands of neighbors in the greater West Seattle area.

With our community-centered approach, we are working toward the vision of a strong and connected community where all people have access to safe and nutritious food and living necessities. We nourish lives, so that we may all flourish together.

Other key accomplishments of our programs and services in FY2024 include:

-Served 25,000 neighbors.
-Distributed 2,608,510 pounds of food through our Food Bank Services, a 9% increase from FY23.
-Supplied food to households 103,314 times, an 50% increase from FY21.
-Expanded our Mobile Food Bank to 8 sites and served 200-275 households weekly—a 55% increase in reach.
-Partnered with 13 local schools to distribute 9,007-weekend food packages for students battling food insecurity.
-Prevented homelessness, eviction, and utility shutoffs for 2,038 neighbors, including 830 children.
-Nearly doubled our financial assistance, which surged by 244% to over $1 million.
-Connected clients to next-step services that increase financial stability, including employment search assistance, child-care resources, and mental health counseling. 
-Increased the capacity of The Clothesline, which saw a 77% increase from FY23.
-Connected 2,038 Hotline callers to supportive services.

The past year has marked a significant increase in our impact, highlighting West Seattle Food Bank’s essential role in addressing food insecurity and providing critical resources for our community. With growing needs in our community and dwindling reserves, we are facing tough decisions about how to continue providing food and housing assistance to families in crisis. By giving today, you can help us continue offering stability and compassion to every neighbor who needs it. Join us in nourishing hope!

Here’s how:
–TO DONATE
–TO VOLUNTEER
-TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WSFB

West Seattle Giving Spirit, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation, will bring you the next spotlight on Monday – you’ll be able to learn about, and lift up, another local nonprofit!