Support Cascade People's Center

Hi everyone,

As you may know, we've been working with the Cascade People's Center for a few years now on collaborative projects with Integreated Studies. They 've been an amazing resource the faculty and students, and their place in the community is vital. We have a link to their website (on the right hand side of your screen), but this update from their director, Myla Becker is pressing:


From: Myla Becker [mailto:mbecker@lcsnw.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 5:56 PM
Subject: FW: A Call to Action: Support your Center in the heart of our City!

Hey there Cascade People's Center Supporters,In the last few days, we recently found out that the City of Seattle has decided not to fund us starting in 2008 and that the Center will most likely be forcedd to close after December (unless we can lobby and fundraise like crazy!!).

CPC is a beloved space in the Cascade community providing free programs and space for thousands of people throughout Seattle . This tragic news is particularly sad when the Cascade neighborhood is quickly being gentrified and shaped without the voice of long time residents. Also, not to mention that the City is funding $50.5 million to the South Lake Union Streetcar (notoriously know as the SLUT...South Lake Union Trolley) that runs one mile along a route that many buses already run. Funding the Cascade People's Center is a drop in the bucket for the City of Seattle and to other SLU stakeholders. The Cascade People's Center is a truly a place for the people. Ten years ago, community members rallied to save the building from being torn down and to create a community center focused on family support and environmental sustainability, and also to create a p-patch and the Garden of Happiness . Today, we are stronger than ever with over 6,000 Center users and a over 70% of the work done by volunteers. We have an eco-renovation of our building in the works as well as a proposed community compost project, proposed farmer's market, and amazing youth and family programs already flourishing. With the Cascade neighborhood drastically changing among the South Lake Union development, the Center is a place of consistency and familiarity for thousands of low income and transitioning families who are being pushed out of their neighborhood.

Not only are we a family and community support center, but we also stand for social and environmental justice in a neighborhood where the underdogs are constantly being silenced. We need your help in being heard! In the next week we will be strategizing how to keep CPC alive through a community meeting (date TBA), petitioning, a protest at the City of Seattle Office (date TBA) and phoning City Reps and strategizing funding ideas. Please keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming dates and events that we will be organizing! Also, if you have any ideas or time to contribute in how we can keep your Center open, please let me know! As always, thanks so much for your support and involvement! Please spread the word like wildfire! Viva la CPC!!