(ANOTHER UPDATE: This G-Map shows all 27 participants announced as of Saturday evening.)

(LATEST UPDATE: Go to the West Seattle for Japan FB page and follow the link to “Info” to find the latest list of participants … )

(Poster added Tuesday am, republished with permission; design by Jeff Gilbert, Feedback Lounge)
Followup to our Friday report with West 5 proprietor Dave Montoure‘s announcement he was organizing a Japan-relief event for next Sunday (March 27) – he said he would announce details via Facebook and Twitter, and a poster appeared late tonight on the West 5 FB page; see it here (*morning update, we now have permission to republish it; see it above*).

Participating businesses (each business name is linked to its website) as listed on the poster: West 5, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), Shadowland, Easy Street Records & Cafe, Mission, Porterhouse, Beveridge Place Pub, Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor), Bin 41, The Bridge, Mashiko, Spring Hill, Cherry Consignment, Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, Fresh Bistro, Meander’s, JaK’s Grill, West Seattle Produce, Wing Dome.

The poster says “donating for relief” and notes that donations go to Peace Winds Japan and KnK International; the notation on FB says, “Support these businesses on Sunday, provide relief to Japan.” P.S. The event has its own Facebook page – “like” it here.

ADDED 11:47 AM TUESDAY: We’ve received the official news release for this event – read on:Read More

West Seattleites continue reaching out in many ways to help the earthquake/tsunami survivors in Japan. On Thursday, we reported efforts including the “flash mob” planned by West Seattle Montessori (WSB sponsor); Friday, we reported on West 5 proprietor Dave Montoure‘s plan – a multi-venue benefit one week from tonight (update – he now says 14 businesses are in, with room for more); last night, there was a vigil on Alki; and this morning, we have word of a block-sale benefit in two weeks – and you are invited to donate! From Shelley Lebert:

The Garage Sale will be held Saturday April 2nd and Sunday, April 3rd, 2011, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The address for dropping off donations and of the garage sale itself is: 3014 45th Ave SW.

People must write their suggested asking price on the item and we will have the discretion to lower the price if need be to sell the item. There will be several homes on this block hosting this event, and Admiral Starbucks will provide coffee carafes and we will have Rachel’s home-baked cookies! All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross for the people affected by the earthquake/tsunami and checks will be made out to them. …

More from Shelley after the jump, including plans to pick up donations if you can’t bring them over, plus a suggestion for kids:Read More

(Photo courtesy Troop 282)
Remember that this month and next, donations to your local food banks count for extra because of the Feinstein Challenge (explained here) – and one way you can give is via a door-to-door drive that local Boy Scouts are conducting the next two Saturdays, plus a Cub Scout collection site today. First – if you get info about Scouting For Food left at your door today, consider putting out a donation next Saturday. Rick McMinn with Troop 282 explains:

Boy Scouts of America teaches the value of community service and the importance of helping others in all of its programs. “Doing a good turn daily” is a cornerstone of the Scouting program.

For the next two Saturdays boys from West Seattle will be in the neighborhood “Scouting for Food”. “Scouting for Food” is a program of the Boy Scouts of America in conjunction with local food banks conducted throughout the country each year. Scouts will be distributing door hangers this Saturday, March 19 and returning next Saturday, March 26th to collect food donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. Non perishable food donations such as peanut butter, baby formula, packaged meals and canned goods (especially tuna, soups, stews, meats, fruits and vegetables) would be greatly appreciated. Simply take the door hanger and use it to remind yourself to dig out of your cupboards or shop for the above items and put them out for the scouts to collect in the morning on March 26th.

Second, here’s a way to drop off donations this morning:

Cub Scouts from Den 7, Pack 284 will be at West Seattle Morgan Street Thriftway from 8:30-10:30 Saturday morning collecting food as part of their annual Scouting for Food. All proceeds and food will benefit West Seattle Food Bank. Our goal is to stuff a pickup truck full to overflowing. Anyone missing this time slot but still want to donate can contact me and I’ll make arrangements to get donations picked up. 206.383.2352

We heard from Karla, who wondered if there had been a proposal yet for a West Seattle-wide fundraiser on behalf of Japan. We told her that we would be thrilled to help sponsor and promote one, but it might be a good idea to put out the call first to see who would be interested in participating and what kind of idea had the most traction. So she’s set up an e-mail account, and here’s the pitch:

I’m looking for feedback from the West Seattle community on joining efforts to raise funds or donate items for the Japan earthquake/tsunami, as doing this in an organized way may be more impactful.

Examples:
* Having a restaurant event “Dine out for Japan” with participating restaurants.
* “Bottoms up for Japan” for pubs, bars, taverns.
* Something similar for coffee shops
* Discounts from shops around the Alaska, Morgan and Admiral Junctions.
* Organize with schools or at least provide ideas on how to donate items and then make a teachable moment about empathy
* Encourage WS residents to find out if their companies match donations, and to follow up

Ideas are welcomed, of course. Let me know what you think!

You can contact Karla directly at westseattleforjapan@gmail.com Obviously she’ll see comments here, too.

Two notes from the Alki Community Council this morning: First, a reminder of tomorrow night’s monthly meeting, 7 pm, Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds), with agenda items including the May 22nd “car-free day” Summer Streets as well as emergency preparedness (checked West Seattle Be Prepared lately?). Second, a volunteer opportunity, reported by David Hutchinson:

In its agreement with Seattle Parks & Recreation, the Alki Community Council made a commitment to provide volunteer assistance in maintaining the landscape beds at the Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza. On Saturday, March 26th, Phil Renfrow, Parks Senior Gardener, will be at the Plaza to supervise the replanting of these areas. If you enjoy working out of doors in a beautiful setting, you are invited to drop by and lend a hand. If you plan on coming, please contact Eilene at 206-933-8352 or email us at libertyplaza@msn.com.

The new plants are being purchased using the Parks administered maintenance fund, created through the sale of the engraved bricks & bronze plaques. Last year the ACC turned over more than $35,000 to supplement this fund. There are currently 73 bricks and 2 plaques left for sale. Orders received by the end of March will be installed by Parks this spring, probably in late May or early June. Orders received after that date will be installed later this fall. Brick order forms can be picked up at the Plaza or downloaded at www.sealady.org/brickform.pdf . For additional information on the plaza project, see www.sealady.org.

(Y staff Nate Sander, Katie Taylor, and Anne Powell displaying youth art that you can bid for)
Tonight, an update from the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) as its Partners With Youth fundraising campaign continues. As we’ve continued to expand school and community coverage in the past year, we’ve honestly been surprised to bump into the Y at almost every turn – they sponsor and facilitate programs at schools, community centers, and other facilities, not just their own, and not just athletics. So here’s the latest:

Every year, West Seattleites have stepped up to help their neighbors by giving to the Y’s Partners With Youth Campaign. The Y couldn’t meet its mission of building a strong community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility without the generosity of this community.

This year, we still have a long way to go to reach our goal (we are at $118,000 on our goal of $200,000) and the need is greater than ever, but you can help – visit www.westseattleymca.org/donate and make an online donation to the Y. Your donation will stay right here in West Seattle to help kids and families have access to quality child care, educational programs, youth sports, swim lessons, and more.

You can also support the campaign by bidding on some fabulous youth art – these pieces were created by students in our Community Learning Center program at West Seattle Elementary. If you would like to place a bid for one (or both) of these pieces, send your bid amount to kmtaylor@seattleschools.org.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

After a soul-searching board meeting last night, the board of Family Promise of Seattle – this area’s only shelter program aimed at keeping homeless families together – made a momentous decision: They set a tentative date for reopening their program.

Almost seven months have passed since their surprise hiatus – first reported here – and decision not to reopen until they had raised enough money to operate for half a year, $90,000.

They don’t have the full $90,000 yet, but as one board member put it last night, they are “within spitting distance” – with funding on hand plus pledges equaling an estimated $75,000.

The Family Promise model, which is employed nationwide, calls for a local branch to partner with area churches – the churches provide nighttime shelter and food for the homeless families, on a rotating basis, one church, one week, then on to the next, while the organization works with the families as they search for jobs and other assistance. (There is no proselytizing, however, and the families who get help are not obligated to participate in faith activities at the host churches.)

Typically, Family Promise local branches also rely on partner congregations for a significant share of their funding. This branch hopes to add to that, and guarantee their organization’s sustainability, by creating a business network, spearheaded by the newest board member, Libby Carr, known well in West Seattle for her successful leadership of the project to raise money to design and build the Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza.

The motion passed unanimously by the Family Promise of Seattle board last night – meeting in the library of a partner church, St. John the Baptist Episcopal in the Admiral District – has a couple of caveats. Provided they finish raising the $90,000 and provided they have enough partner churches still interested in hosting homeless families, they will reopen the program on June 1st.

The money has come in sums big and small. They have organized many fundraisers, proud of recent successes including a Taco Night at Alki Tavern that brought in $400. They are looking ahead to hosting a major fundraising gala – possibly with “sock hop” as its theme. And they’re thinking about other enterprises such as creating and selling a cookbook, which has the potential to bring in thousands more.

Bottom line though, came from board member Lynne Downs, when they went around the table for everyone’s honest sentiments on whether it was time to call it quits, or keep going. “29 weeks we’ve been closed – we get about 5 calls a week from families looking for help – that’s 145 families. If each of those families has two children, that’s 290 children who are homeless.”

Others agreed that they just couldn’t give up, as wearying as the six months of working to raise reopening money has been. They are hopeful that reopening will also bring a new “rush of support” from the community, when it happens – many hands make light work.

“We know we have a lot of people in our community who are concerned,” one board member offered. “It hasn’t translated into dollars – but I think the dollars are waiting.”

They will need a steady, if modest, supply of those to keep going, once those doors reopen so that homeless families can stay together while trying to get back on their feet. And they need to verify – starting with a meeting next Monday – whether they have enough congregations still ready to get back to the business of helping host homeless families.

You can help in myriad ways – either with the aforementioned dollars, or with your time (they are hoping to add to the board, after a small, dedicated group has kept chugging through these months of “hiatus” to raise money and strategize). Contact information is on their website.