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| Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Center News
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| Dear Neighbor,
We have had a busy month continuing to build support for our proposal for the MLKing Jr. Community Center.
We now expect the School Board to vote some time in January 2010. We are competing with three other proposers and have a lot of work to do to show the new School Board that they need to vote for the plan that means the most to the community, not the most cash. Read more below for about our volunteer event Saturday 12/5 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Madrona Shelterhouse to assemble materials, our plan for continued outreach, a special thanks to Director Bass and two partner profiles.
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| Four Competing Proposals
As the Central District News recently covered, there are four different entities vying for the now-closed MLKing Jr. Elementary School: Citizens for a Community Center at MLKing (CCC@MLK), First A.M.E Church, The Bush School, and Hamlin Robinson School (another private school).
The Bush School proposes turning the property into playfields for use primarily Bush, next other schools, and then other community groups and the neighborhood when not in use by anyone else (leveling all or most of the current building to do so this). Hamlin Robinson proposes to turn the school into a private school for dyslexic children. First A.M.E proposes to move a lot of their programming from their current location in the Pike/Pine corridor.
The School Board selection committee has reviewed all four proposals, and all four are still in the running. This means we need to make sure that the School Board and District staff considering the proposals hear loud and clear that:
1. People want and need a Community Center of this community, for this community and by this community;
2. No matter how well-intentioned, we have more than enough private schools in this neighborhood;
3. CCC@MLK has a viable vision and plan for creating a diverse and long-term Community Center;
4. Publicly owned property, such as Seattle schools property, if sold or leased it should be put to community use, not sold to the highest bidder; and
5. The School Board should not balance their budget on the back of our community.
Please call the School Board at 206-252-0040 or email them via Pamela Oakes (the senior administrative assistant to the School Board). Please cc Ron English who is overseeing the proposal process and us when you send your letter. We think that the School District staff will finalize the proposal finalists before the end of 2009 and the School Board will vote on proposals in January 2010.
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| Calling All Volunteers!
In anticipation of the next School Board meeting, we are calling all willing to lend a few hours to help in one or more ways:
--attend our volunteer event Sat Dec 5th 2:30-4:30 pm at Madrona Shelterhouse (yes, this weekend!);
--call people on our list asking them to attend the School Board meeting; and
--distribute materials to local coffee shops and community locations.
Don't be surprised if you get a call from us in the next few days asking for your help and to come to the next School Board meeting Dec 9th.
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CCC@MLK Testifies at School Board Meetings
Since submitting our proposal in October, CCC@MLK board members and supporters have been both testifying and attending the bi-weekly Seattle School Board meetings to show the directors the broad support for CCC@MLK's plan.
We plan to testify and attend the School Board meeting on December 9th from 6-9 pm and this is a critical meeting as it's the first meeting of the new board and the last meeting of the calendar year. If you are interested in either testifying or attending, please email us and we can let you know how to register to testify (slots are not guaranteed) and set you up with a button showing your support! It is most critical that we have supporters there for the first hour.
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Buttons, Bookmarks and Brochures, Oh My
We have created a set of materials to build our brand and support for our proposal: buttons with our website, bookmarks to distribute in cafes and other public locations, and brochures to educate more potential supporters. If you are interested in any of these materials, please let us know and we can get some to you! We'll also have materials to pick up at our volunteer event on Saturday, Dec 5 from 2:30-4:30 pm at Madrona Shelterhouse.
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| Partner Spotlight: Creative Beginnings
Creative Beginnings Preschool and Childcare currently provides daycare in the basements of two houses in Madison Valley. They started out as an in-home facility, moved on to a full center of 48 children, and then narrowed back down to 28 children. Creative Beginnings has been in operation and licensed for the past 30 years, serving families of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, varied socio-economic life styles and challenges, including homeless, DSHS and other lesser fortunate families in the community. They have cared for and nurtured children from infants through Kindergarten. Creative Beginnings' move to the Community Center would allow them to expand, increasing the number children they care for and reduce the number the of families they've had turn away in the past. Creative Beginnings has had to turn away approximately 20-25 families per month for their childcare needs. Currently Creative Beginnings and Cuddles cares for 30-35 children, the expansion would increase their ability care for 50 or more children. Creative Beginnings would also be able to participate and add to the before and after school programming that will be offered at the Community Center.
Partner Spotlight: African-American Veterans Group of Washington State
In an effort to help our men and women of the Armed forces and their families, African-American Veterans Group of Washington State will be opening a Veterans Service Office (VSO) on the site of M. L. King Jr. Community Center if the School Board accepts our proposal. It is CCC@MLK's commitment to help these incredible people and their families whether their loved ones are home or deployed. This VSO offers all their nonmilitary services to the civilian population of Madison Valley, Central Area and City of Seattle. Services that come with the VSO include a Washington State Employment Security representative on the site. Many of the men and women of this organization have been offering assists to their comrades of battles and armed service from their homes all around the Seattle area.
Having a VSO in the community will greatly assist veterans. Many men and women ending their service are less likely to go downtown to the federal and/or institutional buildings for assistance, as they prefer and are more likely to seek out help from one of their own or their neighborhood or community. They are also more likely to volunteer their time to the neighborhoods and communities that embrace and accept them. We are thrilled to think about what an asset the VSO will be to our community and the opportunity we have to be a to the men and women returning from duty protecting and serving our country.
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You Can Help Make It Happen
Citizens for a Community Center at MLK is working hard to create a viable plan for a vibrant, self-sustaining community center at the former MLK Jr. Elementary School. We have submitted our proposal to the Seattle School Board and completed a feasibility study with the architecture firm Environmental Works. We're now urging the School Board to support our plan and educating Central Area residents at community events. We're also continuing to pursue public funds to renovate and rent/purchase the school for the Madison Valley community and pursuing new partners, including arts, children's programming, community and social service organizations.
To learn more about our vision for a vibrant, self-sustaining community center, visit www.mlkcommunitycenter.org.
This is your community center, and we need your help to make it happen. We are looking for volunteers to help with many activities, including:
--Attending upcoming School Board meetings
--Grant writing and fundraising
--Proofreading and data entry
--Updating our contact list
--Graphic design/web site
--Staffing a table at events
--Helping organize and produce our exciting event series
--Assisting in nonprofit organization outreach
--Advising on architecture/renovation
If you're interested in being involved as a regular volunteer, consider becoming a member of our steering committee.
To volunteer, contact Angie Bolton via email or 206.329.1726. You can also visit our website at www.mlkcommunitycenter.org.
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| Our Mission
Citizens for a Community Center at M.L. King (CCC@MLK) is a group of citizens from the Central Area community and Madison Valley neighborhood working together to establish a community center at M. L. King Jr. Elementary School, to serve youth, families and life-long learners. The center will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by promoting interaction, growth and exchange between people of diverse ages, socio-economic backgrounds and cultures.
"I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits"
--Martin Luther King, Jr.
Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
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| Upcoming Events | Volunteer Event
Saturday, Dec. 5th, 2:30-4:30 pm
Madrona Shelterhouse
3211 E Spring St
Seattle School Board meeting
Speak out for the M.L.King Jr. Community Center!
Wednesday, December 9th, 6-9 p.m.
John Stanford Center (2445 3rd Avenue So. at Lander St.)
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Thank you!
| Thanks to your efforts, we're making the dream of a multi-use community center in Seattle's Madison Valley a reality!
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Citzens for a Community Center @ MLK
| www.mlkcommunitycenter.org kimberlyvotes@gmail.com 206.388.8674
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