Thank you to everyone who has joined us in this season of celebration, as we recognize 40 years of the Pike Place Market Foundation and $40 million invested in the Market community! We express gratitude to all of you, for being on this journey with us.
As we celebrate this incredible landmark anniversary, we’re looking back on our history and honoring the staff, service partners, volunteers and supporters who have helped nurture a thriving community at Pike Place Market.
Check out some of the highlights from our four decades of partnership in the Market, and visit our website to read more!
When the 1971 vote to save Pike Place Market from the wrecking ball helped establish and preserve the historic district, the Market’s governing charter also mandated that the neighborhood’s unique community and traditional character be preserved as well. Pike Place Market Foundation was founded to help fulfill that vision and provide consistent funding and partnership to social service agencies in the Market.
As time went on, it became clear that there was a need for other service offerings that were not in the scope of existing agencies. The Market Foundation worked in partnership to help construct an assisted living facility in the neighborhood, fundraise for major Market renovations, and begin building our own food access program and emergency grants.
Everyone knows that the Market Foundation really loves to go hog wild! The 2001 and 2007 “Pigs on Parade” campaigns made a huge splash, but also served a higher purpose in re-engaging Seattle and educating locals on the importance of the Market. In partnership with the Pike Place Market PDA, the Market Foundation introduced a levy proposal that passed with a 68% vote and netted $73 million for the Market’s infrastructure renovation.
The Market Foundation broke new ground, literally, in raising more than $9 million to develop the last remaining lot in the historic district. The new MarketFront expansion also included an opportunity for social service expansion, and we opened The Market Commons: our resource navigation center right in the Market neighborhood.
In 2020 when the Market plunged into shutdown, COVID-19 exposed deep gaps in our social and health and systems. The Market Foundation remained steady in adapting our already established support services, while also launching emergency programs as new needs arose in real-time. We raised and invested more than $4 million in grants and emergency programs during our Power of Pike Place Recovery campaign.