Cha-cha-changes at the Cascade People’s Center
We want to share with you a significant transition for Cascade People’s Center (CPC). As an ever-evolving community-led organization, CPC has responded to the needs and priorities of the community. CPC has experienced challenging shifts in their budget after losing our base of Human Services funding through the City of Seattle. Because of this loss, we’ve experienced two years of significant program deficits we attempted to offset by community fundraising, grants and through investment by Lutheran Community Services Northwest. However, LCSNW can no longer sustain the deficits incurred by Cascade People’s Center. In addition, the programming offered by Cascade People’s Center has shifted in focus and is no longer consonant with the core business and mission of LCSNW. LCSNW will be transitioning out of the Cascade People’s Center on July 31st, 2010. Look forward to more information coming to you from Cascade Neighborhood Council, CPC Advisory Council and the Seattle Parks and Recreation regarding the future plan for CPC.
As of August 1, 2010: LCSNW will transition the early learning programs: Reunion de las Mujeres, El Mundo de los Ninos, and Play & Learn to our other sites and facility management of the Cascade People’s Center will be transitioned back to Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Cascade Neighborhood Council.
We are so grateful to our community, our volunteers, partners and donors who have made the past 12 years possible. We are honored to have served the South Lake Union community and to work alongside this growing community.
We realize that this is a significant change to management at the Center and we will work to minimize the effects of the change. We have been working with the community to help with the transition. It is our sincere hope that the Center remains a focal point in the community, and supportive of the diverse needs and interests in the South Lake Union neighborhood. If you have questions, please contact us at (206) 694-5700.
Respectfully,
Lutheran Community Services Northwest Team
Janet St. Clair, Area Director
Crisann Brooks, Director of Family Support
Stephanie Green, Program Manager
Mirtha Gonzalez, Program Coordinator
Huge Thank You to Rebuilding Together Seattle and Vulcan Inc.
Thanks to Rebuilding Together Seattle and all the volunteers from Vulcan who recently came together to make critical improvements to a treasured SLU community asset: the Cascade People’s Center. More than $24,000 in materials and 300+ hours of volunteer time were put into improvements including a new kitchen (complete with new energy efficient appliances), updated bathroom fixtures, re-caulked exterior windows, a new gravel pathway along the north wall, re-graded and re-graveled outdoor pathways, repaired gazebo timbers, and beautified flower beds and gardens. Check out all the photos from the Vulcan Rebuilding Day here to see how everyone’s hard work paid off!
Cascade People’s Center’s mission is “Empowering people to grow strong, sustainable families and communities.” Cascade People’s Center (CPC) is a beloved resource for the Cascade community. We provide free programs and space and serve thousands of Seattle residents each year.
In 1998, community members rallied to save the building from being torn down. They developed a community center focused on family support and environmental sustainability. They also created a P-Patch and the Garden of Happiness. Today, we are stronger than ever with over 6,000 Center users each year. Over 70% of the work to keep the Center open is done by volunteers. The Cascade neighborhood is drastically changing as a result of the South Lake Union development. Cascade People’s Center provides a place of consistency and familiarity for thousands of low income and transitioning families struggling to find a place in the community.
Cascade People’s Center is a family and community support center which also stands for social and environmental justice in the community.
For more information email us: cascadepeoplescenter@lcsnw.org
or call: (206) 587-0320