It’s time again for Solid Ground’s Annual Luncheon. This year it is at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center
(800 Convention Place, 6th Floor, Rooms A & B) from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. tomorrow (May 21). It is one of the organization’s most important outreach and fundraising tools, raising critical support for its 27 programs working to end poverty in Seattle/King County.

This is our 10th year of breaking bread, sharing passion for this work, and recommitting to making a more just and caring community. The Luncheon fertilizes our efforts to address the real needs of hard-working people. Guests at the Luncheon will be asked to make a gift of at least $150.

Keynote speaker Bryant Terry is an eco chef, food justice activist, author and currently a fellow of the Food and Society Policy Fellows Program, a national project of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For the past nine years he has worked to build a more just and sustainable food system using cooking as a tool to illuminate the intersections between poverty, structural racism and food insecurity.

At the luncheon, examine hunger in the community and successful strategies to make healthy food more available, affordable and equitable. “Growing Community to End Poverty” - the theme of the event - will feature Solid Ground’s Marra Farm Giving Garden (which is how I first heard about Solid Ground - then the Fremont Public Association), Lettuce Link, Operation Frontline, Apple Corps and other aspects of its anti-hunger work. They will also unveil plans for a new Community Farm in the Rainier Valley.

If you can’t make it to the luncheon this year, you can also contribute via a match pool. So far, $27,400 has been raised to match gifts of $250 or more at the luncheon, which is very close to the goal of $30,000.

To reserve your spot at the 2010 Luncheon, please contact Anna Ramos at annar@solid-ground.org or 206.694.6857.

Carrying on a tradition began by Fred Rogers in 1997, PCC Natural Markets and KCTS 9 are teaming up for the annual Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood  Sweater Drive.  Beginning Monday, January 11, through Sunday, February 7, collection bins will be stationed at all nine PCC locations, including Fremont (600 N. 34th St), as well as inside the KCTS station lobby.  Items will benefit Wellspring Family Services, which helps thousands of families in need in Seattle and King County.  The organization can really use children’s clothing but any new or clean, gently used sweaters and coats are appreciated.  For a complete list of PCC locations, click here.

The 38th annual Fremont Fair is upon us, June 20th and 21st, and any Fremont residents who have lived through one of these weekends knows what a great party this is, and how many people crowd into Fremont to celebrate our quirky neighborhood and the Summer Solstice.  But, did you also know that the Fremont Fair is the largest fundraiser of the year for Solid Ground?

From the Fremont Fair’s website:

And while Fremont Fair continues to emphasize good times, don’t forget about the good work it does by raising awareness and understanding of the needs of low-income people in our community.  Produced by The Workshop, benefiting the programs of Solid Ground, all donations received during this FREE event go directly to fund their programs that provide shelter, food, advocacy and care for low-income families and individuals throughout Seattle and King County.

The Fremont Fair is driven by volunteers like you, who want to have fun and make a diffenerence in your local community.  Kelly Ward, the volunteer coordinator over at Solid Ground, sends along this note:

We still need lots of volunteers to be greeters at the fair entrances.  Every year we raise around $36,000 at the fair and this is largely because we have smiling, happy volunteers at each gate to say hello and thank people for coming.  Shifts range from 2.5 - 4 hours on June 20th and 21st.  You can read more about volunteering at the fair and sign up for a shift at: http://www.fremontfair.org/volunteer

So head on over and become a part of making this year’s Fremont Fair happen!  You’ll have a great time, and help address the issues of food and shelter for our neighbors who need you.