Giving Season in SLU

As 2024 winds down, consider taking some time for reflection, gratitude, and giving back as there is no shortage of ways to support your favorite causes in South Lake Union. From donating essential goods to volunteering your time, SLU offers a variety of impactful opportunities to make a difference, no matter the time of the year. Whether you’re passionate about helping unhoused or unsheltered families, historical preservation and education, or supporting youth activities, there’s something for everyone to get involved in spreading holiday cheer.

We’re spotlighting some incredible organizations and initiatives making an impact in the community. Here are five meaningful ways to give back and help create a brighter holiday season for all:

Empowering Youth Through Music — Seattle JazzED

Seattle JazzED is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that every child has access to high-quality music education, regardless of their background or financial circumstances. Through scholarships, free instrument rentals, and inclusive programs, Seattle JazzED empowers young musicians to grow their skills and confidence. This holiday season, your support can help provide instruments, instruction, and performance opportunities to students from underrepresented communities. You can donate or explore volunteer opportunities to contribute to their mission of transforming lives through music. seattlejazzed.org

Fulfill Urgent Needs — Immanuel Community Services

Immanuel Community Services’ mission is to alleviate the effects of poverty, hunger, homelessness, and addiction by providing community-based social services to those in need. The organization helps provide food for those who are hungry, hygiene for those who are homeless, and recovery for those who are addicted. With a limited staff, Immanuel Community Services helps more than 20,000 people per year and is always in need of assistance. Aside from monetary giving, you can donate essential needs like sleeping bags, tents, jackets, clothing, sheets, and more. ICS has an easy way to give back if you’re a Fred Meyer shopper—simply link your membership card and a portion of your purchases are donated to ICS. icsseattle.org

Community Meal Assistance — FareStart

FareStart is continues to raise funds for its social enterprise businesses (e.g. the FareStart Restaurant we all know and love is now back in action) and grow job training programs. You can donate directly online, mail a check, support through your workplace, or give stock or from an IRA or donor advised fund. In addition to cash donations, FareStart always needs community volunteers. Since 1992, FareStart has prepared more than 16.6 million meals for schools, healthcare centers, shelter, Head Start programs, and daycare centers, and you can help add to that number. You can help with community and school meal support, event staffing and admin, and even food resourcing and distribution. farestart.org

No Child Sleeps Outside — Mary’s Place

Every child deserves a safe, warm home, yet hundreds of families with children are sleeping outside in cars, tents, and encampments tonight. Each day, 50-60 families call Mary’s Place seeking help, but the organization can only provide shelter and a warm bed to one or two families each night. In 2023, Mary’s Place served 2,054 families and helped 1,355 secure stable housing. Their annual No Child Sleeps Outside campaign, running through December 31, raises critical funds to expand shelter capacity and support more families in finding safe, stable homes. nochildsleepsoutside.org

Preserving Maritime History — The Center for Wooden Boats

The Center for Wooden Boats (CWB) is a cherished South Lake Union institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the region’s maritime heritage. Through hands-on learning experiences, community events, and educational programs, CWB connects people of all ages with the traditions of wooden boat building and sailing. This holiday season, you can support their mission by donating to fund youth programs, workshops, and free public boat rides, or by volunteering your time to help maintain their fleet or assist with community events. cwb.org

Be sure to check out the DiscoverSLU Calendar for more holiday events and giving opportunities.