West Seattle, Washington
08 Friday
(Added: Reader photo, from 600+ cookies baked by Tibbetts United Methodist Church ‘and friends’)
From The Christmas People, who are collecting homemade cookies through tomorrow, an update and a request:
We need a volunteer to help collect cookies on Sunday, December 24 at West Seattle Coworking, 9030 35th Ave SW, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The volunteer who was scheduled continues to be stuck at Iceland Airport due to a volcano eruption.
Home-baked Cookie response has been amazing. Residents of West Seattle have been incredibly generous. First day collection on Friday yielded over 3,000 cookies. Cookies are distributed to 10 shelters in King County area.
This week we have distributed more than 2000 lbs. of dry, staple supplies to 8 shelters. Saturday, Sunday, Monday we will deliver 1750 snacks, lunches, and dinners to 6 shelters.
To volunteer please call Rev. Fred Hutchinson, Christmas People Co-founder, at 206-719-4979 or email pialley@jps.net. This is our 25th year. We are are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit.
If you’re in The Junction shopping/dining, you might hear the holiday sounds of We Carolers 3 – they’re busking on the northeast corner of California/Alaska, raising money for local food banks, until 1 pm.
P.S. If you missed them, here’s how to donate money to local food banks: West Seattle Food Bank here, White Center Food Bank here.
(WSB photos)
Those are some of the cots on which people slept last night at the Westside Neighbors Shelter. The volunteer-and-donation-powered shelter has 38 cots … but last night had 44 people in need of a place to sleep, so some slept on the floor.
That’s why a gift from HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) is so welcome. The bank is funding four more cots, thanks to the initiative of Kamarie Wilson, who manages HomeStreet’s branch in the Pierce County town of Lakewood, who visited today to check in with shelter manager Keith Hughes.
Kamarie met Keith at a networking event, and was so impressed to hear about his work running the shelter at the West Seattle Veteran Center/American Legion Post 160 building that she says, “Keith is like a miracle.” Her enthusiasm for the shelter’s work has also resulted in a fundraising drive at all HomeStreet branches (including the one in West Seattle, at 4022 SW Alaska) – you can make a donation there and the money will go directly to shelter operations. Here’s another way you can help: Keith tells us they’re short on “single-size blankets,” L/XL coats (but not larger – they have plenty of those), and socks – they go through 40 pair a week, and that’s what they have on hand right now. You can just bring donated items there – 3618 SW Alaska.
Throughout the season, our <West Seattle Holiday Guide features a list of local donation drives that welcome your help. Some of them are about to wrap up so that the beneficiary organizations have time to get the gifts to recipients, so we’re nudging you in case you’ve been meaning to drop something off. Here are three that are about to conclude:
JOY DRIVE FOR WESTSIDE BABY AT VILLAGE GREEN: Through today, Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor) is collecting items for WestSide Baby – see this flyer for the wish list. Bring donations to Building 2 (The Hearthside).
TREEHOUSE DONATION DRIVE AT ALKI BIKE AND BOARD: Tomorrow is the last day for this drive.You can go here to see what Alki Bike and Board (2606 California SW; WSB sponsor) is collecting. One request: “Please make sure all items are NEW or in GREAT used condition.”
ADOPT-A-FAMILY ASSISTANCE: Also concluding tomorrow: West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) has adopted a family for holiday help – details here.
Some others have later deadlines, and our Holiday Guide list also includes some requests for monetary donations. Any last-minute additions? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
West Seattleite-founded, White Center-headquartered WestSide Baby is hosting a big party of sorts right now – more than 90 volunteers RSVP’d for tonight’s Sip and Sort event. The turnout included groups from Holy Rosary and Eastside-based Trupanion.
The sorting involves donated items – WestSide Baby can always use help sorting them for distribution to clients and partners, ultimately helping thousands of local families.
As featured in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide‘s “Giving Opportunities” section, you’re invited to help WS Baby this season too – you can donate diapers, new/gently used children’s clothing, and/or money, or host a “Joy Drive“ of your own! (Or volunteer.)
In that short video, you’ll see and hear the students of Skunk Works Robotics 1983, an organization we’ve told you about before, serving youth in West Seattle and beyond. As one of the West Seattle participants, Jonah, explains, “Skunk Works is truly amazing. I have learned or improved so many skills like leadership, computer aided design (CAD), communication/presentation skills and so many more. We also teach programming, fabrication, data analysis, and electrical skills, plus many other soft skills. All this is taught by building a robot in 6 weeks and then competing at multiple competitions across Washington and the United States.” Getting ready for, and going to, those competitions costs money. Skunk Works launched a fundraiser for Giving Tuesday, and while we missed the chance to tell you about it then, they’re keeping it open through the holidays – you can donate here.
If you could give a few hours Wednesday afternoon, Neighborhood House asked us to share this last-minute call for holiday-party help:
Volunteer at Neighborhood House
December 13 | 2 – 5 pmThe Winter Wonderland event is Neighborhood House’s winter celebration for children and their families living in the West Seattle High Point area. The event provides a fun space for children and their families to engage outside the preschool classroom.
We’re seeking 20 volunteers to set up the event, help with children activities, serve food, and clean up. Link to sign up: x.gldn.io/e/lQmiqI30hFb
Neighborhood House is at 6400 Sylvan Way SW.
Another holiday donation drive in The Junction – this one until 1 pm at Seattle Fire Station 32 in The Triangle (38th/Alaska). There you’ll find U.S. Marines on behalf of Toys For Tots, accepting new, unwrapped toys – and, this year for the first time, nonperishable food. In our photo are Lance Corporal Boze, Private First Class Camacho, and Lance Corporal Nguyen.
P.S. If you can’t get to this collection point, other drives with at least a few days left are listed in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – scroll down to Giving Opportunities!
Right now at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, volunteers from the Kiwanis Club await your donations of coats and warm clothing! Until 1:30 this afternoon, their booth at the south end of the market, right past the barricades at California/Alaska, is headquarters for the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Cocoa and Coat Drive – cocoa for donors! Everything collected goes to the people helped by the West Seattle Food Bank. (Our photo shows all the donations from the first filled barrel being offloaded so there’s room for more!)
Here’s an advance reminder about two one-day donation drives on Sunday:
(2020 photo courtesy WSFB, when 500+ coats were donated!)
COCOA AND COAT DRIVE AT WS FARMERS’ MARKET: As the West Seattle Food Bank – which handles much more than food – reminded us earlier this week, warm clothing is a BIG need right now. So Sunday’s West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Cocoa and Coat Drive event is just in time. Between 10 am to 1:30 pm, bring coats and other warm clothing to the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle booth at the south end of the market (California/Alaska) and have a cup of cocoa.
TOYS FOR TOTS AT FIRE STATION 32: The Seattle Fire Department is partnering with Toys For Tots for one-time collection events at five fire stations around the city tomorrow, and Fire Station 32 (38th/Alaska) in The Junction is one of them. On Sunday between 11 am and 1 pm, firefighters will be ready to receive your donation of new, unwrapped toys. This year, they’re collecting nonperishable food, too.
(WSB photos)
Every year, it’s an early Christmas present for the West Seattle Food Bank when people from West Seattle’s Nucor mill roll up with their annual special delivery.
This morning the Nucor team brought over 6,100 pounds of food donated by employees, and a giant symbolic check representing that and $9,522 in gift cards and money raised by workers and the company:
With the company match, that totals $40,806. It all will go to good use, WSFB executive director Fran Yeatts tells us, but in particular, money is one of their greatest needs right now. If you’d like to help WSFB for the holiday (or any other time), you can donate money here. They need warm clothes and socks, too! One place to drop those off is the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle/WS Junction Association Hometown Holidays coat-drive booth at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market this Sunday, 10 am-1:30 pm.
As we continue sharing community needs this holiday season, Friends of Roxhill Elementary are hopeful you can assist them in brightening the season for some of their school’s families:
Every child should have a holiday meal and present, and parents and caregivers could use less stress this holiday season. You can make a difference by donating today to Friends of Roxhill Elementary, our school’s non-profit PTO.
Bring holiday cheer and help families cover basic household needs (e.g., groceries, cleaning supplies, utilities). Our goal is to provide each family with $200 in holiday and household support this year.
While we typically have about 50 families in our community who need support through the holiday season, Roxhill Elementary School’s counselor, Ms. Amber, has shared that the need for assistance has increased this year.
“Roxhill Elementary has the most amazing community of bright, loving kids and caring, generous families,” said Ms. Amber. “I know how hard it is to ask for help, so I honor every parent that has had the courage to let me know they need help right now. This is what community is about.”
Roxhill Elementary is a small but mighty Title I school with approximately 245 students, located in the south end of West Seattle. 60% of our students are on free and reduced lunch. Over 72% of our students are from BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color). Our school has a strong sense of community. We come together to celebrate and support each other.
You can help us show every family that they are seen and cared for. Make your gift today. This is a moment when we need to come together.
We’ve been sharing news of many ways to help others this holiday season – and West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) has a very up-close-and-personal drive going on:
West Seattle Runner has adopted a family for the gift giving season. We are helping a family with 3 children and a single mom have a nice holiday. We have a wish list, and if you are interested in donating gifts to help give our family the items they are in need of, please email lori@westseattlerunner.com for what still needs to be purchased. We thank you for your consideration!! The gifts are due at West Seattle Runner by December 15th at 6pm so we can drive it out to the organizer that night after work.
The shop is at 2743 California SW. See our full list of holiday giving opportunities in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Many opportunities to give this holiday season – but usually just one asking for homemade Christmas cookies! The Christmas People just sent the announcement asking for cookies again this year; we’re sharing it so bakers can plan ahead:
The Christmas People are once again asking for home-baked cookies for distribution to homeless and other marginalized people in our midst.
Home baked cookies may be brought to West Seattle Coworking, 9030 35th Ave SW, Friday, Dec. 22 and Saturday, Dec. 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 24 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Cookies may also be dropped off at Artisan Community Kitchen, 10836 E. Marginal Way, S, Tukwila 98168 during the same hours as above.
The Christmas People also need volunteers for food prep and delivery to shelters. Contact Rev. Fred Hutchinson, cofounder, at 206-719-4979 or pialley@jps.net.
Here’s an explanation of what The Christmas People are all about.
5:59 PM: That’s the view from the loft at Kenyon Hall, where a night of music to benefit Westside Neighbors Network Shelter is under way. Four musical acts are scheduled to perform before the event ends at 8 pm, including Michael Pearsall of Pearsall Properties, which organized the event. (We’ll add video of him a bit later.) The shelter – located in the West Seattle Veteran Center – runs entirely on donations and volunteers, and it’s the only emergency shelter in West Seattle. If you didn’t or couldn’t get a ticket to tonight’s concert, you also can donate to the shelter by going here.
8:10 PM: Here’s the video we promised:
Also of note – local businesses donated raffle prizes to sweeten the deal for attendees:
Find out more about the shelter by going here.
11:16 AM: Above are the Caudles – Atticus, Leah, Dominic, and Tim. For the fourth year, they’re collecting food and coats for the West Seattle Food Bank and Westside Interfaith Network, in a drive-up/ride-up one-day event. Until 3 pm, all you have to do is roll on into the lot behind Hope Lutheran, off SW Oregon just east of 42nd SW, and they’ll happily unload your donation(s). As our daily list shows, plenty of other holiday happenings are in progress in The Junction, so if you’re going that way anyway, check your cupboard and closet to see what you can spare! (Or if you live nearby, just walk it on over.)
5 PM: If you missed the Caudles’ drive, see the list of giving opportunities in our Holiday Guide for other ways to donate coats, warm clothing, food (and more).
Lots of teamwork at today’s Kiwanis Club of West Seattle Community Pancake Breakfast, continuing until 11 am at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds in The Junction). Above – the kitchen crew. Below – Troop 284 Scouts (having breakfast before their volunteer work as servers):
Santa Claus is there too, along with U.S. Marines Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Hernandez and Cpl. Alejandro Cavazos on behalf of Toys For Tots:
If you’re going, you can bring an unwrapped toy to donate – the Kiwanis Club’s been collecting them at their weekly Farmers’ Market booth for weeks.
This is a tradition that goes back decades (prior to the pandemic hiatus) – Joel Draper found the apron he used to wear for the occasion:
The Kiwanis Club raises money for its work with youth, including Key Clubs at local high schools. Price of this morning’s breakfast: $10 at the door, kids under 10 free with a paying adult.
(WSB file photo)
One more reminder that a longtime local holiday tradition returns tomorrow morning – the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle looks forward to serving you pancakes on Saturday morning! Their Community Pancake Breakfast is back, 7-11 am at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds), with pancakes, Husky Deli ham, orange juice, coffee, at a bargain price – $8 online (go here), $10 at the door, kids under 10 free when accompanied by a paying adult! Santa will be there for photos, and you can bring Toys For Tots donations if you have new, unwrapped toys to give. It’s a Kiwanis Club fundraiser for their youth programs. They’re also having an online silent auction through Tuesday – items include some cool local business gift cards.
(Tilden School photo – Giving Tree after first day – it’s being replenished daily)
Two notes from independent K-5 Tilden School (4105 California SW; WSB sponsor) – first, a reminder that if you’re school-shopping for next year. Tilden welcomes you to its next Open House this Saturday (December 2), 10 am-noon. Head of school Dr. Jorge Olaf Nelson says, “Folks can stop by, have a coffee and a scone and meet our wonderful faculty and staff and learn about our program at Tilden School.”
Also, he shares an update on the school’s holiday-giving drive, which includes the “giving tree” shown above:
Our parents have organized a warm clothing drive which has already raised hundreds of pounds of clothes for children. WestSide Baby was blown away by our Give Joy drive and said we were “the best one ever!” For a small school we really gave in a BIG way!
By the numbers:
34 bags donated
204.9 lbs overall
34 winter coats
12 raincoats
29 pairs of warm shoes
20 sets of PJs
33 pairs of pants
10 pairs of snow pants
204 tops/sweatshirts/sweaters
42 hats
29 pairs of mittens
24 sets of socks
Plus one bagful of the following uncounted; books, toys, baby gear, scarfs, stuffies and learning toys. All items were re-bagged into the same item groupings, to help the volunteers process the donations more efficiently.Parents have also organized a Giving Tree and we are now gathering toys to be distributed soon to Mary’s Place Seattle. Such a wonderful group of dedicated parents at Tilden School. The tree is being restocked on a daily basis. We are so grateful for their kind support.
If you’d like to donate to Mary’s Place too, the link is here; you can also have your own WestSide Baby Joy Drive (as explained in our Holiday Guide) – here’s how.
WSB readers have stepped up multiple times in the past to help Invest in Youth match local students with volunteer tutors. A few more helpers are needed for this year – here’s the announcement:
Can you give 1 hour, 1 day a week to tutor a student in West Seattle? Invest in Youth, a local education nonprofit, has one more opening for a volunteer tutor at Roxhill Elementary and several openings at Sanislo Elementary.
Make a commitment to make a difference in a local student’s academic success! As an Invest in Youth tutor, you’ll be paired with a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader and work with that same student each Tuesday (2:45-3:45 pm @ Roxhill) or Thursday (3:40-4:40 pm @ Sanislo) during the school year.
No experience is necessary; just a commitment to help narrow achievement gaps and promote educational equity right here in West Seattle. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who is a high school senior or older. Tutors typically work on math skills, reading fundamentals as well as being a friend and mentor to their student. Time is spent in the classroom with other student-tutor pairs and a teacher/Invest in Youth staff member is onsite and always available to help when needed.
Invest in Youth needs your support. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reports that more than half of Sanislo and Roxhill students have not met language arts and math grade level standards. Tutors can have a big impact and it only requires one hour and one day a week of your time. Both tutors and students consistently report that the program is a highlight of their week on top of being a rewarding experience.
Register online or contact Executive Director Cindy Sackett (csackett@investinyouth.org), if you have questions.
Today is the holiday-season occasion known as Giving Tuesday – with the spotlight on donations. We feature giving opportunities year-round on WSB, including the list of donation drives in our West Seattle Holiday Guide. But we received two requests for Giving Tuesday mentions, both coincidentally on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge, so we’re sharing them with you:
SANISLO ELEMENTARY: The Sanislo PTA wants you to know that even a little gift will make a big difference for their small-but-mighty school:
Sanislo Elementary School is one of the smallest schools in Seattle Public Schools, and it is right here in the heart of West Seattle. We know our tiny school escaped the chopping block for this next year’s school consolidation push, but we are trying to prove that our tiny school (fewer than 200 students) is an important part of our community.
The Sanislo PTA is doing a GIVING TUESDAY fundraiser, and we are hoping for just $2,000 in donations from at least 30 donors. It’s a modest goal, but these funds go a long way with our small school. Our PTA funds everything from afterschool activities (improv classes, Ultimate Frisbee team, movie nights, and cultural celebrations) to basic classroom necessities (snacks, reading materials, classroom supplies).
We are a Title 1 school, which means a considerable majority of our students are from low-income families. Sanislo is certainly one of the under-resourced schools described by the district, but that doesn’t mean we can’t offer our students the support, community, and education they deserve. We believe that all students should have the opportunity to create, learn, and grow within the community that supports them.
So, help us support them. Anyone can contribute to our fundraiser at our Member Planet Donation site. memberplanet.com/campaign/sanislopta/givingtuesday_34 or through our Venmo Platform — @Sanislo-Pta .
Small schools are on borrowed time in Seattle, and we want to prove that because we have strong roots in our community and are willing to water our potential with our own generosity, our students will grow and thrive without uprooting them and transplanting them somewhere new.
The Sanislo PTA’s gardening analogy fits with the fact that the other fundraiser we were asked to share is for a garden so big it’s a public park – Puget Ridge Edible Park has a donation drive going today:
(WSB file photo)
Our story started with a Seattle City Parks acquisition levy that passed with big voter support. Our Puget Ridge neighborhood organized to apply for a grant to acquire a 3/4 acre parcel that is one of the last standing undeveloped agriculture-based land. For the past 8 years this land has been regenerated through permaculture techniques to provide free, self-harvest food to the public.
We also distribute food through our farmstand and to food banks. It is our goal to share the methods we had set forth to make this project a reality. Organizing the community to have open communications on a variety of topics through an email group was the first step to our success. Finding a few motivated gardeners with some knowledge and background was not hard. Starting awareness events and work parties began to gel a core group capable of making great progress over the years of development. The park has been a learning center for local backyard gardeners as well as schools. We have also seen similar projects started from this project. Our only real financial support has been the Seed Money Campaign.
Puget Ridge Edible Park is at 18th/Brandon.
We’ve had several questions lately about whether See’s Candies will have another holiday pop-up in West Seattle. Not that we’re seeing/hearing – but you can get their candy while giving local students some help! We featured one fundraiser last week and today we have another – the Chief Sealth International High School Mock Trial team:
That’s a team photo from last spring, after another successful year. But the program has costs to cover, and you can help by buying from their See’s fundraiser:
All proceeds will go toward tournament registration, travel, and supply costs for the team.
There are two convenient ways to order:
1. Order through our online form at tinyurl.com/csmtchocolate for pickup at Chief Sealth [flier]
2. Order online for direct shipment from See’s at tinyurl.com/csisees23The last day to order is 12/1/23. Orders should be available for pickup by 12/13/23.
Chocolate not your thing? Donations are always welcome and can be made via Schoolpay at tinyurl.com/csmtdonate
Questions? Contact by email at RLNeil@seattleschools.org
Start checking your cupboards and closets now for anything you might be able to donate to the Caudle family’s annual drive-up food/coat drive next Saturday – 10 am-3 pm December 2nd! This is the fourth year that the Caudles (Leah, Tim, Atticus, and Dominic) have organized the drive held in the lot behind Hope Lutheran Church/School (enter off SW Oregon, just east of 42nd SW).
Coat donations should be new or “gently used,” all sizes. For food donations, here’s more information on what’s most helpful for WSFB and the people they help.
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