Seattle, WA. World AIDS Day offers a reminder of the ongoing war against a disease that gained mainstream attention four decades ago and continues to plague millions around the globe. For four decades now, Lifelong has helped fight that battle with equity and transparency throughout Washington State.
“Lifelong, which was formed in the ‘80s during the AIDS epidemic, has decades of expertise supporting the HIV community with basic needs to support their health, like food, housing, insurance access, and sexual education programs,” Sydney Friend Sifferman wrote about Lifelong. “While they’ve expanded their programs and services in recent years to support all people living with severe or chronic health conditions, they continue to fight to eliminate HIV in Washington State.”
Workers for Lifelong load Metro Transit with meals, groceries, and cakes.
While it poses issues across all demographics, HIV/AIDS doesn’t impact all communities equally. The epidemic reflects pervasive racial inequities in public health, affecting BIPOC communities disproportionately, with Black people accounting for 19% of the state’s new HIV cases despite representing only 4% of the overall population. Meanwhile, Latinx communities — only 13$ of the population — make up 21% of new HIV infections.
“HIV medical advances have been life-changing, but too many people of color aren’t getting the care and support services they need,” said Beau Butler, Lifelong’s Prevention Program Manager.
Since its conception, Lifelong has prioritized addressing these injustices in all of its services. Their mission—or at least the values behind it — culminates once a year on Dec. 1.
“For 34 years, Lifelong has played host to the Seattle AIDS Walk, kicking off this year on World AIDS Day Dec. 1 and continuing through Dec. 8.,” Sifferman writes. “The walk raises vital funds to help support their HIV services as well as for partner organizations.”
Of course, in fighting one epidemic, Lifelong hasn’t forgotten the current virus running rings around the globe. In response to COVID-19, the nonprofit will be holding this year’s walk virtually, expanding access to those beyond Seattle’s city limits. The walk’s extensive, free-flowing time period allows participants to tune in and show support for short durations on any given day, through short runs, daily strolls, or even on walks with the dog.
Everyone has their own reason for walking. But either way, the importance of showing solidarity for those at the confluence of two global diseases cannot be understated. And Lifelong’s efforts to dismantle systems of inequity that have forced some communities to experience the impact of HIV/AIDS more harshly than others come to a head this December. Why not join them?
“I’m walking for those who no longer can,” said Butler. “2020 continues to put a spotlight on the racial disparities of our healthcare systmes, and we are reminded our work is not done.”
From Lifelong: “As an organization rooted in fighting injustice, we are committed to using all our resources to break down these barriers and serve the most disenfranchised members of our community.”
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. According to LifeWire, a nonprofit that offers support to victims of domestic violence, there has been an uptick in domestic abuse that correlates with the need to stay home during the pandemic. “Quarantining at home with an abusive partner is very dangerous,” explained Rachel Krinsky, Executive Director of LifeWire. “Domestic abuse is based in power and control; and when people are trapped at home together, power and control are just much more intense. And so, survivors are more isolated, they are more controlled, they are more vulnerable to coercion– all of those mechanisms of abuse are much more intense, and so there is more frequency and severity of abuse of all kinds.” The opportunities survivors used to have to get some distance from their abusive partners have slimmed as many individuals are not going into work right now.
LifeWire offers emotional and logistical support to families that suffer from domestic abuse.
LifeWire is a Seattle-based nonprofit that offers a variety of services to both men and women who are in an abusive relationship. Professionals listen to individual survivors and help them identify resources and develop a plan to build a safer life for themselves. LifeWire provides temporary housing for victims believing that “no survivor should have to choose between staying in an abusive relationship and becoming homeless.” Staffers also provide therapy and facilitate support groups for victims to recover from past traumas. The emotional and logistical support that the nonprofit provides to help victims break free from abuse is in high demand right now. Rachel Krinsky explained: “We have folks coming back to us who hadn’t needed services in a long time– yet on the flip-side, we have people who have not been reaching out to us because they have not been able to find windows to do that.”
Temporary housing provides refuge to survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
Furthermore, the economic struggles brought on by this pandemic especially impact victims who financially depend on their abusive partner, making it increasingly difficult to become independent. LifeWire has experienced an overwhelming increase in demand for emergency funding, rental assistance, food assistance, and other kinds of services. The nonprofit has shifted all services online, with the exception of temporary housing. It continues to provide therapy, support groups, individual advocacy, legal advocacy, and financial support amidst the challenges of this pandemic. LifeWire provides temporary housing that offers people their own bedrooms and shared communal living space. With safety precautions put in place to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, there have not been any outbreaks in temporary housing units thus far.
LifeWire also works to prevent domestic abuse by giving educational presentations on healthy relationships to high school students and college students in the Bellevue area. These presentations help students identify toxic relationships and open up a conversation about domestic abuse. LifeWire continues to give these presentations via video conference. “I think it’s just really important for all people, and for young people, to understand that healthy relationships don’t involve cohesion and control,” said Rachel Krinsky, Executive Director of LifeWire. “They involve people getting to care for each other, but they don’t involve intense jealousy and they don’t involve harm. There’s a lot of complexity there and that’s why we need to have those conversations– with each other, and in families, and in friend groups– and that’s why we encourage people to talk about these issues.”
Andrea and her newborn baby moved into LifeWire’s shelter during the pandemic.
From LifeWire:
If you find yourself suffering from domestic violence, do not hesitate to call LifeWire’s 24-hour helpline. If you would like to support LifeWire as they strive to meet the increasing demands of their services during this time, you can do so here.
LifeWire’s missing statement: “Our mission is to end domestic violence by changing individual, institutional, and societal beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that perpetuate it. Domestic violence is a human rights issue. LifeWire envisions a world in which every person lives in a safe environment, free from oppression and with the opportunity to thrive.”
Seattle, WA. Artist Meenakshi Sinha uses her Facebook page, The Giving Canvas, to auction paintings in support of nonprofits, offering bidders an opportunity for to be donors, too. Every cent of each purchase goes directly into a fund for different specified foundations, most of which are located in or around Seattle. During coronavirus, which has made money and time harder to come by, her contributions have become even more crucial.
“The pandemic has had an economic downturn, so people are not as upcoming with their money as they used to be,” Sinha said. “But on the other hand there is more demand from nonprofits. They’ve been asking for my paintings this year more so because everything is virtual anyway, so I’m getting more requests for donating to their auctions as well as to host auctions for my page.”
Meenakshi Sinha auctions paintings — like this one — on The Giving Canvas.
Although it’s been difficult to meet the one-painting-per-week agenda, Sinha and her artistic prowess have continued to grow throughout the pandemic, providing donors with ornate canvas paintings of natural environments, while offering foundations important funds to maintain their much-needed work during a global pandemic.
The most inspiring and beautiful aspect of The Giving Canvas, though, isn’t as much the art as it is the human interaction — at least according to Sinha.
“Every auction has its own beautiful story,” she said. “I am always surprised at how often connections are made and people kind of find a connection, either to the painting or the nonprofit and so on.”
One of the more recent examples of this took place on Sep. 23rd, when Sinha auctioned off an encapsulating 24-inch by 24-inch stretched canvas painting called, “A Place of Joy.” The auction’s nonprofit beneficiary, ImmunoMomentum, provides important funding for research on childhood cancer.
ImmunoMomentum was started by the parent of a young girl who is now in remission after undergoing chemotherapy. The fund directly benefits data and research on cancer treatment for labs in Seattle Children’s Hospital.
As with any of her paintings, bidders flocked to The Giving Canvas Facebook page for a chance to support the cause and come away with a work of beauty. In this particular case, the winner of the bidding was a mother whose son was in the middle of his final round of cancer treatment at Seattle Children’s.
“The person who bid said, ‘I want to bid on this because I’m looking at this auction from Seattle Children’s Hospital, and my son is getting his last treatment of chemo,’” Sinha said. “He is looking at the painting with me, and he’s really attracted to the colors of this painting. He really wants me to bid on it.’
“They finally won, and the person took the painting home and then sent me a picture of the painting with their son, and what they said was, ‘This was such a great way for us to mark this day as the day that he’s getting his last treatment.’”
“A Place of Joy” by Meenakshi Sinha
Even more than the artwork — which would be quite sufficient on its own — The Giving Canvas is a platform of poignancy and joy. During coronavirus, when normal life seems to have slipped away. Sinha’s artwork provides a splash of brightness and livelihood for the city of Seattle.
From The Giving Canvas:
“Hello! I am Meenakshi Sinha and I live in Kirkland, WA. I offer my art on this page to raise funds for various causes. Thank you for visiting!”
Seattle, WA. Local nonprofits are in need of volunteers and now you can volunteer without leaving your home. Check out some COVID-safe ways to help your local community. Volunteer Match is a great place to find opportunities that are curated by interest. The organization has thirty categories including the following: Advocacy and Human Rights, Seniors, Arts and Culture, Health and Medicine, Environment, LGBTQ+, Crisis Support, and Homeless/Housing.
Types of virtual volunteering include the following:
Website design or support
Data entry
Email marketing or management
Fundraising phone calls and outreach
Social media promotion and management
App development
Volunteer tracking
Copywriting, blogging, or editing
Graphic design, photography
Marketing or branding assistance
Video creation
Virtual assistance, staff support
Nonprofits are also in need of funding. One way to help is by organizing a grassroots fundraiser for your favorite nonprofit. Unique fundraising options include: virtually teaching an art class, giving a makeup tutorial, hosting a cooking class, or any other skills you may have and would like to share. You can publicly host them via video conference, inviting your friends, family, and whoever else wants to join. You would ask for donations in return for your skill sharing. This way you can enjoy doing what you love; all while supporting a great cause.
If you’re passionate about mental health, consider getting involved with a program called The Longest Day (TLD). It’s an organization working to create a world free from Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. The Longest Day (originally named for the organization’s focus on fundraising on the summer solstice) has developed some out-of-the-box fundraising options that are available year-round.
Hosting a virtual wine-and-art night is a creative way to fundraise.
With The Longest Day, volunteers may participate in virtual activities like attending monthly committee meetings, making phone calls to participants, writing thank you cards, reaching out to connections, assisting with the marketing of events, participating on the TLD social media pages and more.
The Longest Day’s mission statement: “To eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.”
The Northwest Abortion Access Fund advocates for women’s right to safe abortion methods.
If Advocacy and Human Rights sparks your interest, the Northwest Abortion Access Fund (NWAAF) is seeking volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors to oversee the operations of the organization. Volunteers fight for the rights of Northwest women who want an abortion and cannot afford it. Board meetings occur once a month, and board members also engage in various NWAAF projects and attend a weekend-long undoing racism training.
Between January 1, 2011 and July 1, 2019, states enacted 483 new abortion restrictions, which account for nearly 40% of all abortion restrictions enacted since the Roe v. Wade court case. Access to abortions is becoming increasingly difficult, and volunteering with NWAAF is the best way to get involved and have your voice heard.
The Northwest Abortion Access Fund’s mission statement: “To fund abortion and break down barriers to abortion access for people in the Northwest. Vision We envision a world where people can easily access safe, legal abortion care with respect, dignity, and compassion. Values Trust & Respect, Autonomy, Internationality, Reproductive Justice, Racial Justice, Economic Justice, Culture Shift.”
Host a virtual cooking session as a way to stay connected as a community.
Another local organization you can get involved with is the Lambert House LGBTQ Youth Community Center. Volunteers age 23 and older serve as role models and informal mentors for LGBTQ+ youth in Seattle, who often do not have other LGBTQ+ or supportive ally role models in their lives. There are a number of roles available including group facilitation for those with previous experience and training, or Discord and Minecraft, which temporarily replace their in-person drop-in program. There are also some volunteer opportunities for LGBTQ+ and ally youth aged 22 and younger to serve on a committee planning a social event for the LGBTQ+ youth community. These events give the LGBTQ+ youth of Seattle the opportunity to connect with one another and build self-esteem in a hate-free environment. They typically occur 3-4 times a year, and take 2-3 months of weekly meetings to plan. The Lambert House LGBTQ Youth Community Center mission statement: “The Lambert House empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth and their allies through the development of leadership, social and life skills.”
These are just a few of the hundreds of virtual volunteer opportunities you can find on Volunteer Match. You are sure to find one that suits you. Happy hunting!
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.
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. Nine leading Seattle arts organizations have received welcome news at a critical time. On October 20th, 2020 the Friday Foundation announced philanthropic gifts totaling more than $9 million to honor the lives and legacies of late art enthusiasts Jane Lang Davis and Richard E. Lang (pictured above).
“These gifts are a shining example of what community support for art and art institutions looks like, and it reflects and furthers the incredible legacy of the Langs,” said Amada Cruz, director and CEO of the Seattle Art Museum. “The gift to our Closure Relief Fund was the single largest gift to that fund, and it arrived at a crucial moment in April as we faced the crisis directly, enabling us to support all museum operations.”
Aaron Fowler’s “Into Existence” exhibit, Seattle Art Museum.
The Langs believed in the power of the arts to embrace new ideas, foster quiet reflection, and promote community. The gifts are intended to inspire others to discover and engage with Seattle’s many cultural communities and opportunities in the visual and performing arts and find lifelong engagements as the Langs did themselves. Whether it is attending a concert or performance, volunteering with an organization, or discovering art, the hope is to remind the Seattle community that there are so many places and organizations for people of all ages to find inspiration.
With lights dimmed in most theaters and museums this year due to COVID-19, these gifts enable five major Seattle arts organizations – Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, and the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington – to acquire or present new works for audiences to enjoy from home or in person when it is safe to do so.
“My mother and stepfather were dedicated to the arts, to Seattle, to the stability of these critical civic gems, and to the inherent promotion of human connection,” said Lyn Grinstein, daughter of Jane Lang Davis and president of the Friday Foundation. “Through the Friday Foundation, these gifts will help fulfill these wishes, by funding new activities and initiatives, as well as provide stability through financial assistance to operations hard hit by the pandemic shutdown.”
The Langs, who lived in Medina, are best known for their internationally recognized art collection with a focus on Abstract Expressionism. Richard joined the Seattle Art Museum board in 1972 and served until his death in 1982. Jane, who died in 2017, joined the SAM board in 1985 and in 2000 became a lifetime trustee, and served for a time as the chair of the Honorary Trustees. Always true to her devotion to abstraction, emerging artists, and the newest work, Jane was an early and active member of the Contemporary Art Council (CAC), advocating for and supporting Seattle Art Museum’s early initiatives in its contemporary collections and exhibitions. She served on CAC and all its subsequent forms for four decades and was an active participant in all major fundraising campaigns.
To continue the Lang’s legacy, the Friday Foundation is funding The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Acquisition Fund for Global Contemporary Art at the Seattle Art Museum with a $2 million gift. Amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Friday Foundation also gifted the Seattle Art Museum an additional $2 million in emergency funds to help offset economic losses when the museum closed to visitors in March. Amanda Cruz, SAM’s director and CEO stated that “This endowment will help shape the future of SAM’s collection, as we continue our focus on emerging artists from all over the world. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of the Friday Foundation.”
The Seattle Opera
Christina Scheppelmann, general director of the Seattle Opera, said, “This extraordinary gift from the Friday Foundation allows us to create the Jane Lang Davis Creation Lab, which cultivates the next generation of storytellers in opera. This new multi-year initiative will contribute to the operatic repertoire at large — and bring new stories to our community — by supporting the talents of a diverse group of composers and librettists (ages 18-30). Opera needs new and varied perspectives to thrive into the future—and to complement great works of the past. The impacts of this gift will reverberate in Washington State, and far beyond. We are humbled by this investment in the future of opera.”
“The Langs transformed the arts landscape throughout our region with their stewardship, advocacy, and extraordinary support,” said Sylvia Wolf, John S. Behnke Director of the Henry Art Gallery. “With these gifts, their impact will live on, in perpetuity. The Henry has a long tradition of inviting artists to consider the museum as a laboratory for new ideas. This extraordinary gift will allow us to expand this practice and to deepen our service to artists, audiences, and the field at large. It will also connect our UW community and students of all ages with living artists and their creative processes. We are deeply grateful to the Friday Foundation for establishing the Henry’s first endowed fund specifically geared towards supporting newly commissioned work.”
In addition to the $2 million SAM acquisition fund, the new endowments include $1.5 million to support the development of the Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program at the Seattle Symphony, $1 million for the creation of the Jane Lang Davis New Works Fund at Pacific Northwest Ballet, $1 million to support the launch of the Jane Lang Davis Creation Lab at the Seattle Opera, and $1 million to support the creation of the Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis New Works Fund at the Henry Art Gallery.
The Seattle Symphony
“The Seattle Symphony is honored to receive this grant from the Friday Foundation recognizing the legacy of Richard and Jane,” said Seattle Symphony president and CEO Krishna Thiagarajan. “The Symphony is known for its imaginative programming, from our [untitled] series to our just-launched The Essential Series. The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program allows us to expand this transformative work by creating a pathway for sustained success within our bold programming choices, while also giving us the possibility of re-envisioning the concert experience for audiences within and beyond Benaroya Hall.”
Peter Boal, artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet, said, “Through the gift of the Friday Foundation, Jane and Richard Lang’s legacy continues by helping the creation of new choreography. Because of this generosity, Pacific Northwest Ballet will be able to fund an original new work every season. When I choose the commission every season, I will recall Jane’s willingness to embrace risk and innovation in order to bring inspired art and dance into our lives.”
In addition to the new works, other Friday Foundation gifts announced today include $270,000 to ArtsFund’s COVID-19 Arts Emergency Relief Fund, and $100,000 each to ACT – A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Rep, and the Seattle Chamber Music Society.
“The Langs understood the transformational power of the arts – a power we need today more than ever,” said Michael Greer, president and CEO of ArtsFund. “Their vision and legacy, honored by these gifts from the Friday Foundation, will have an immediate impact on arts and culture in our region and will resonate for years to come. These gifts serve as a significant reminder of the impact of philanthropy, and how we can and must all work together to secure the future of cultural organizations that help our community thrive. These generous gifts are inspiring and set a profound example for us all.”
Pablo Schugurensky, adviser to the Friday Foundation, said, “As well as sustaining and strengthening these nine institutions, we hope these gifts spur others to join the arts community, inspired by the examples of Jane Lang Davis and Richard E. Lang and their deep commitment to the arts and their love for Seattle. Whether it is creating art, enjoying a performance, attending exhibitions, or supporting artists and art organizations in their city, we all have an important role to play.” This gift honoring the Langs’ legacy is the first of several. Additional announcements will be made in 2021.
Seattle, WA. Life for community colleges has not been easy throughout the course of COVID-19, which has thrown a particularly heavy wrench into an already overwhelming workload for students, many of whom are juggling school, jobs, family obligations, and now a global pandemic. Still, Seattle Central College has taken the novel coronavirus in stride, keeping students engaged in a supportive scholarly community with a variety of remote resources.
A student at Seattle Central College fills out a ballot.
“We have increased the frequency of messages to students and set up several virtual forums to update them on the changes,” Roberto Bonaccorso, Seattle Central College’s Director of Communications, said via email. “One key initiative has been to offer chromebooks and WiFi hotspots to students who lack the equipment at home. Our resources for these are limited, but we are reaching out to local partners to help.”
One of the more particularly devastating impacts of COVID-19 has been the toll its taken on the international student population. With pandemic restrictions still looming overhead, alongside stringent ICE policy directives, international student enrollment dropped nearly 40%, from 1,034 students in 2019 to 625 this year.
Still, Seattle Central has done everything in its power to transition equitably and effectively to 100-percent online instruction for all students in under two weeks, providing accessible resources for every student capable of attending. Of course, having undergone such unprecedented challenges itself, the school knows life isn’t easy for anyone right now.
A computer lab sits empty at Seattle Central College during COVID-19.
With widely available counselors — both academic and therapeutic — and a faculty dedicated to flexibility, students have a broad assortment of support systems as they juggle work and school amidst the uncertainties of a pandemic and an ongoing battle for racial justice.
“Since we know many students will need help in person, we have set up meetings for student services by appointment and held walk-in access for two weeks before and after the start of the quarter, with strict safety protocols,” Bonaccorso said. “[The pandemic] demonstrated that our college is strong, resilient, and that we can change quickly when we need to.”
Moving forward, Seattle Central College is focused on building back better, exploiting this opportunity to review safety protocols and investigate the need for more collaboration across departments. Staff and management have considered potentially reevaluating physical infrastructure and institutional policy, pinpointing strategies to maximize equity and safety for all students.
“This crisis has tested us, but I’m confident Seattle Central College will emerge leaner, stronger, and more focused to help all our students reach their goals and to succeed in work and life.”
From Seattle Central College:
“For more than 50 years, Seattle Central has been educating the citizens of Seattle and the surrounding region with the best programs of their kind anywhere, including college transfer, career training, continuing education and basic studies.”
Seattle, WA. Although the COVID-19 crisis forced FEEST Seattle to pause nearly all of its usual activities, the youth-led, health justice organization quickly shifted gears to bring much-needed nourishment to the homes of students in South Seattle and South King County through a grocery delivery program. As Community Engagement Manager Leigh Thomas explained, pandemic-related school closures and job losses have amplified food insecurity, especially for the low-income, youth of color served by FEEST. “We saw a gap in families getting groceries,” Thomas said, “and we decided to bring the food to the students.”
Staff, donors, and volunteers rallied to fill this gap by purchasing and delivering groceries to over 600 families that requested assistance between March and June of 2020 (see above photo of FEEST staff and volunteers purchasing groceries). Currently, FEEST is offering grocery assistance in the form of pre-paid gift cards for eligible families in the Sea-Tac, South Seattle, Skyway, Tukwila, White Center, Burien, and Delridge areas. More information about this program can be found on the grocery gift-card page of the FEEST site and those who would like to contribute can do so through the donation link.
Youth gather around the table at a FEEST community dinner (pre-COVID-19).
Founded in 2008, FEEST is a non-profit organization focused on bringing Seattle youth of color together to build community and organize around issues of food access and health justice. Prior to COVID-19, community dinners, where young people prepared and shared a meal, were the heart of the organization’s mission “to set the table for young people to transform the health and equity of their community by gathering around food & working towards systems change” (see photo above of teens at a FEEST dinner). According to the organization’s leaders, “the FEEST kitchen creates space for young people to reclaim their health, celebrate ancestral food traditions, and share radical joy. In addition to the practical skills youth learn in the kitchen, breaking bread together builds lasting community connections that become a foundation for long-term organizing.”
In the past, this organizing has generated several successful youth-led campaigns. Motivated by the belief that “all students deserve to have access to fresh, hot, nutritious, and culturally relevant meals whenever they need them” (FEEST website), a group of FEEST youth leaders worked directly with school administrators to add new, healthy, culturally relevant foods like squash curry and lentil stew to the lunch menus at Highline Public Schools. FEEST youth also created two innovative healthy snack pilot programs that brought free, nutritious snacks to students at Evergreen and Chief Sealth High Schools. Watch FEEST youth talk about their participation in FEEST and their roles as “food justice leaders” in the video below.
This school year, Thomas shared that FEEST plans to continue the grocery gift-card program, and also to bring back some additional programs, beginning with a “youth fellowship program” where students will discuss social justice issues that concern them, and identify causes that they would like to rally around. The best way to support FEEST at this time is to donate, which can be done through the link here.
FEEST is an organization led by youth of color in South Seattle and South King County working to improve health in our schools. Focusing on the need for more healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food at school, FEEST centers young people as leaders toward concrete changes in our food systems. Youth are in the lead at FEEST because change is not effective unless those most impacted by health inequities are the decision makers. When young people lead the way with creative solutions, the whole community benefits. Fierce youth who speak truth to power are essential in a time when our communities are constantly under threat by a political system that directly threatens our survival.
We seek health justice: the elimination of all barriers for people to live physically, mentally, socially, culturally healthy lives.
Our mission is to set the table for young people to transform the health and equity of their community by gathering around food & working towards systems change.
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