Champions of Change Announce Benefitting Partners for 2023
Doug Baldwin, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett announced today the benefitting partners of their Champions of Change All-Star basketball game and gala. Two of the named organizations are well-established and respected in the Puget Sound region, and two will be introduced this year, addressing current voids in service and community. Each offer services based in dignity, with an understanding that basic needs are intrinsically linked. For this reason, low-barrier access and connected care are central to the operations of all four of the benefitting organizations.
Family First Community Center – This center opens on June 26th, and will serve people of all ages in a new 21,000 SF state-of-the-art facility in the heart of the Benson Hill/Cascade community of Renton. The served area was annexed to the City of Renton in 2008, and historically has been lacking resources and a community gathering space. Family First Community Center is a joint project of Doug Baldwin and the City of Renton, and prides itself on being the first community center in Washington State with a health clinic that offers medical, dental and behavioral health services all under one roof. They plan to offer a holistic approach to a person’s wellbeing by offering a range of programming for recreation, education, wellness and togetherness. Home - Family First Renton
Odessa Brown Childrens Clinic – Since 1970, Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) has offered quality care with dignity at their Central District location. Their second clinic location in Othello is closer to the 75% of OBCC families who have moved to south Seattle and south King County for more affordable housing. OBCC provides medical, dental, behavioral health, sickle cell disease care, sports rehab, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology and nutrition services for babies, children and teens — regardless of a family’s ability to pay. They provide coordinated, whole-person care that addresses root causes of illness — social, economic and environmental. Odessa Brown Children's Clinic (OBCC) - Seattle Children's (seattlechildrens.org)
One Love Community Fridge – One Love Community Fridge (OLCF) is a grassroots non-profit that partners with community groups, schools, local and regional farms, chefs and food purveyors to tackle head-on the twofold problems of food waste and food insecurity. OLCF works to eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition, and the stigma associated with both, through an integrated, multi-generational, and inclusive movement that centers access to food, nutrition education, and sustainability. The Community Fridges’ services go beyond what most in the food pantry network are able to do by offering 24/7 access (importantly including evenings and weekends), and freshly crafted meals from local businesses, which is made possible by the direct donation-to-distribution model. This program began in New York City and is currently working to expand to Seattle. In partnership with Champions of Change, OLCF will bring together a network of local chefs and farms to distribute food in the same accessible way with the assistance of local, trusted community groups. One Love Community Fridge
Pioneer Human Services - Founded in 1963, Pioneer is a robust nonprofit, operating a broad range of over 50 programs across Washington state. Pioneer assists people reentering society from prison or jail as well as those who are overcoming substance use disorders and mental health issues. They provide treatment, housing, job skills training and employment to individuals released from prison or jail, and those in recovery, in Washington State. Their mission is to be a social enterprise that partners with communities to transform society by honoring the humanity of people, reducing the impact of discriminatory mass incarceration and empowering people to live safe, healthy, productive lives through inspiration, affirmation and by overturning barriers. Pioneer Human Services | Providing a chance for change
Doug, Cliff and Michael look forward to sharing more about the work of their benefitting partners in the months to come, and specifically at their fundraising events on June 22-23. In addition to each of the organizations receiving funding, there are already plans for collaboration among them to enhance their services and make even greater impact in their communities.
