Inspiring Support from the Community
Pike Place Market is a community of 500+ small business owners and 2,000+ workers who are feeling the sudden loss of shoppers. The Market is also home to a health care clinic, senior housing for 400 residents, senior center and social services for some of downtown’s most-vulnerable people.
Thanks to the support of more than 4,000 donors last year, we are proud to announce our investment today of $1.4 million in unrestricted grants and funds to support vital services in the Market this year. These funds will go far to support our partner social service agencies and COVID- 19 community initiatives.
But the Market’s needs will not be fully addressed by these funds. We are collaborating with our Market service partners to prioritize safety, sanitation and access to care for our neighbors and stability for workers directly impacted by this crisis. The Market needs you to shop local AND support our community.
THERE ARE THREE WAYS YOU CAN BOLSTER SUPPORT FOR THE MARKET COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW:
INVEST IN THE MARKET COMMUNITY – Help us support the Market’s social service and community initiatives, all of which are seeing an unprecedented increase in need. Your donation can provide healthy food for senior residents sheltering-in-place, support Market workers experiencing unemployment, and ensure that the Market’s food bank and health clinic can serve every person in the downtown area who needs assistance.
SHOP LOCAL – Essential food business at Place Market are open and have delivery, take out and online ordering options. Flower farmers, artists and specialty shops rely on online shoppers at this time. Please be intentional on how you spend your money to help small, local businesses survive this economic crisis.
DONATE TO OUR MARKET COMMUNITY SAFETY NET – This fund supports individuals who live, work or access services in the Market community, are facing a sudden financial crisis and need support to regain stability. Since the COVID-19 crisis emerged, the demand has skyrocketed and we anticipate the need will overwhelm our existing system.
Adapting Programs and Services
Our community partners at the Pike Place Market medical clinic, food bank, senior center, senior housing and assisted living continue to serve thousands of our neighbors on the frontline. Our team at the Pike Place Market Foundation is dedicated to providing long-term, consist funding to support our partner organizations year over year. The Market Foundation was created in 1982 to step in and fill emergency funding gaps in our community, just as we are here today to provide stability and to respond during this time of great need. Our team is working hard to both rally support and secure funding that will be necessary to help bring this community of seniors, families and workers through this health and economic crisis.
Pike Market Food Bank: The food bank distributes food to Market and downtown workers, families and seniors. They continue to service about 800 households a week.The Food Bank is actively distributing pre-packaged grocery bags containing non-perishable and perishable food items during our regularly scheduled hours:Tuesdays 9:30am-3pm, Wednesdays 3-7pm, and Thursdays 9:30am- 3pm.
Meals for Market Residents: The Pike Place Market is home to about 500 residents, most of whom are seniors. The Pike Place Market Foundation, Pike Place Market PDA and Pike Market Food Bank quickly coordinated ‘no contact’ delivery system to ensure that all residents have access to food while staying safely at home.
The Market Commons Resource Center:The Market Commons, a neighborhood resource center in the heart of Pike Place Market where residents, workers and neighbors can typically stop by for vital resources, social activities or even just to say “Hello!”. To meet needs during this crisis, staff are assisting community members via phone and email to assist with questions about how to access the safety net, about evictions, navigating unemployment filings, and making sure people have access to food. Staff are also reaching out to residents sheltering place to combat depression due to isolation.
Market Community Safety Net: The Pike Place Market Foundation funds and operates an emergency assistance fund available to anyone who works, lives or accesses services in the Market. The goal of the Market Safety Net is to support individuals who have experienced extraordinary hardship and are in need of assistance to regain their stability. Since the COVID-19 crisis emerged the demand has skyrocketed.
Neighborcare Health at Pike Place Market: Our health care partners at the Market medical clinic continue to provide essential health care visits to their 4,500+ patients during this time. They are working hard to keep patients supported, healthy and safe. Patients at the Market clinic are primarily older adults who struggle with housing stability, chronic health issues, in addition to mental and behavioral health issues.
Sharing Stories of Hope and Inspiration
Throughout it all the Market community is showing amazing signs of resilience, creativity and collaboration. Here are the stories that inspire us:
- Mike Osborn at Sosio’s Produce and Olga Sagan of Piroshky Piroshky featured by the Seattle Times for their innovative solutions to supporting small businesses, flower farmers and the Market community Safety Net Support.
- Sosio’s Produce has had incredible success with their fundraiser for Flower Farmers and for the Market Community Safety Net, as featured in this KING 5 “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” piece. They’ve already raised $40k in the past couple of weeks alone.
- Market artists like Kate Endle are getting creative with new pieces to support the Market Community Safety Net. Other Market artists have fundraisers for the Market Community Safety Net up, including Pattern & Posy, Twyla Dill, and Sabando Design!
- Sharon Shaw, lovingly known as the “Mother of the Market” has led the fundraising charge for our Market Community Safety Net. She’s raised $4,500 via Facebook Fundraising and has inspired countless others to start their own fundraisers. Start your Facebook Fundraiser now.
- Savor Seattle is delivering your favorite Market treats to your doorstep with $5 from every purchase befitting the Market Community Safety Net – they’ve already raised over $20K for the Safety Net since they started this service in Market. Learn more about the Iconic Market Box
- All in Seattle, a community resource for non-profits throughout the city, is partnering with us to help spread the word about our Pike Place Market Small Business Recovery Fund.
“The strength of the community, the generosity – it’s just overwhelming,” Mike Osborn, Owner of Sosio’s Produce at Pike Place Market.
We’ve appreciated hearing from so many of you about how you can help. Please help us get our messages out to our broader community by sharing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Thank you for your trust and support in the Pike Place Market Foundation. Together, we can sustain the future of this Market community and ensure that the Market remains a thriving place for all.
