Looking to share your bounty this holiday season? Below are some of my favorite Seattle-area organizations who can use your time, household items, toys, and more to help improve the lives of homeless and low-income families in our area. You might also check out these tips on how to make the most of charitable giving.
Northwest Harvest’s mission is to end hunger in Washington. They partner with 375 food pantries, meal programs, and high-need schools across the state to provide nutritious food and promote good health for those in need. You can help by volunteering at the Cherry Street Food Bank in Seattle (children in 3rd grade or older are welcome to volunteer with you!). You can also host a virtual food drive or make a cash/vehicle donation.
http://www.northwestharvest.org/
1.800.722.6924
Cherry Street Food Bank: 711 Cherry Street, Seattle
Kent Warehouse: 22220 68th Ave S, Kent
Mary’s Place helps homeless women, children and families from the greater King County area. With a list of families that has double this year, the need for help is higher than ever. You or your organization might consider supporting their giving tree (donations due by December 16th) or contributing their No Child Sleeps Outside campaign. You can also volunteer your time, donate toiletries/baby items, or share your used clothing, blankets, and coats.
http://www.marysplaceseattle.org
206.621.8474
Donation Center in SODO: 9 South Nevada St, Seattle
Emergency Family Shelter: 314 Bell St, Seattle
Hopelink provides critical services to homeless and low-income families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities on north and east King County. You can help by donating food or grocery gift cards to their food bank, contributing unwrapped toys to their holiday gift room, or volunteering to help with their holiday giving events.
https://www.hopelink.org/
425.869.6000
10675 Willows Road NE Suite 275, Redmond
Each night in Seattle, nearly 1,000 young people are homeless. YouthCare builds confidence and self-sufficiency for homeless youth by providing a continuum of care that includes outreach, basic services, emergency shelter, housing, counseling, education, and employment training. Lend a hand by volunteering, hosting a drive, hiring a YouthCare graduate, or donating warm clothing to the “We’ve Got You Covered” drive.
http://youthcare.org/
206.694.4500
2500 NE 54th Street, Seattle
Drop off cold weather clothing donations at our Windermere office: 2737 77th Ave SE, Suite 100, Mercer Island
Did you know less than 50% of youth in foster care graduate from high school? Treehouse seeks to level the playing field by providing academic and other essential support foster kids need to graduate at the same rate as their peers, with a plan for their future. You can help by volunteering, hosting a drive or donating to their holiday program.
https://www.emergencyfeeding.org/
206.329.0300
851 Houser Way N, Renton
Did you know less than 50% of youth in foster care graduate from high school? Treehouse seeks to level the playing field by providing academic and other essential support foster kids need to graduate at the same rate as their peers, with a plan for their future. You can help by volunteering, hosting a drive or donating to their holiday program.
http://www.treehouseforkids.org/
206.767.7000
2100 24th Ave South, Suite 200, Seattle
Eastside Baby Corner (East King County) and Westside Baby (West King County) both collect, purchase, and distribute essential care items such as formula, diapers, carseats, warm coats, school supplies, and more for babies and children in need. You can help out by volunteering, donating, or organizing a drive.
Eastside Baby Corner:
http://babycorner.org
425.865.0234
1510 NW Maple St. in Issaquah
Westside Baby:
http://westsidebaby.org/
206.767.1662
10002 14th Ave. SW, Seattle
Since 1947, The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program has distributed more than 452 million toys to more than 209 million needy children. Consider helping out this year by donating a new toy, volunteering, or asking your organization to become a toy drop site.
https://fort-lewis-wa.toysfortots.org
Click Here for Toy Drop Off Locations
Coordinator: Gunnery Sergeant James Wells, 253.260.4826
Every year, nearly 40% of our country’s food ends up in landfills, while millions go hungry. Food Lifeline attempts to solve both problems by rescuing millions of pounds of surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, grocery stores, and restaurants. They then deliver this healthy and nutritious food to 275 food banks, shelters and meal programs across Western Washington–providing 90,000 meals every day. You can help by volunteering (opportunities are available for kids as young as 6, too!), donating funds or hosting a food drive.
https://foodlifeline.org/
206.545.6600
815 S 96th St, Seattle
Wellspring helps low-income and vulnerable individuals, children and families in Seattle and King County address issues such as mental health, family homelessness, early learning, basic needs, and domestic violence intervention. Each year they help thousands of children and families break cycles of instability, homelessness, and adversity to achieve positive, permanent change. You can help by donating to their Giving Together holiday campaign or getting your children involved in the Kids Helping Kids youth philanthropy program.
http://wellspringfs.org/
206.826.3050
1900 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle
Founded and run by a group of philanthropic women over 100 years ago, Seattle Children’s mission is to provide hope, care and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible. You can help their patients by donating a new toy or gift card, volunteering, contributing funds, or supporting one of its guilds (such as the Project Kids Cancer Cure Guild).
http://www.seattlechildrens.org
206.987.2000
4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
