Congratulations to WSB Board Member, Angela Wallis – Seattle Kraken’s Hero of the Deep!

Congratulations to WSB Board Member, Angela Wallis – Seattle Kraken’s Hero of the Deep!

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The award is accompanied by a generous $32,000 grant to WestSide Baby! Angela Wallis and her daughters accept a $32,000 check to WestSide Baby from the Kraken's One Roof Foundation alongside Morgan McGinn, WestSide Baby's Director of Development and Communications. We are excited to announce that WestSide Baby board member, longtime volunteer, and Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser Extraordinaire, Angela Wallis, has been honored with the Seattle Kraken’s prestigious Hero of the Deep award for her exceptional service to WestSide Baby. Angela’s dedication, advocacy, and tireless efforts to support vulnerable families—coupled with her inspiring peer-to-peer fundraising, which has raised over $25,000 for our organization—have been instrumental in helping us meet the needs of our community. In recognition of Angela’s contributions, the Kraken’s One Roof Foundation has awarded WestSide Baby a generous $32,000 grant,…
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‘Tis the Season for Giving with WestSide Baby!

‘Tis the Season for Giving with WestSide Baby!

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We’re kicking off December with a burst of holiday cheer at WestSide Baby, and we can’t wait to share all the exciting ways you can help bring joy and relief to families throughout King County this season! The West Seattle Blog’s first annual Giving Spirit campaign has officially launched, and today, we’re thrilled to be the featured non-profit. This wonderful collaboration is a chance for you to support WestSide Baby’s Give Joy campaign, which focuses on providing essential children’s items—like warm winter clothes, hats, boots, diapers, and hygiene supplies—to local families in need. The campaign runs through December, and every donation will have a lasting impact on the lives of children and families across our community. We’re beyond grateful for the Blog’s dedication to giving back, and this partnership allows…
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Announcing Our New Director of Development and Communications: Morgan McGinn

Announcing Our New Director of Development and Communications: Morgan McGinn

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We are delighted to announce that Morgan McGinn, who has been partnering with our development team as a fundraising consultant, is stepping into the role of Director of Development and Communications at WestSide Baby. Morgan's experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications, combined with her passion for our mission, makes her the perfect fit for this position. Morgan has spent her entire career in fundraising, and most recently worked as a consultant at the Ostara Group, where she worked with clients on developing and growing fundraising programs, engaging with key stakeholders and volunteer leadership groups, and helping launch and support capital campaigns around the region. Prior to consulting, she had the good fortune to focus on major gifts, special events, initiatives and projects, and corporate and community engagement with organizations such as Seattle Opera, Seattle…
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Q&A with WestSide Baby’s New Executive Director

Q&A with WestSide Baby’s New Executive Director

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We are thrilled to welcome WestSide Baby’s next Executive Director, Allie Lindsay Johnson. We asked her a few questions, in hopes that you can start to get to know Allie. Keep your eyes peeled for other ways to connect with Allie. What is it about WestSide Baby's mission that resonates with you? So many parents have come to depend on the incredible support system that is WestSide Baby. I know just how important a parent’s support system can be. I have a 3 year old daughter and we both experienced a lot of complications surrounding her birth. She was born 8 weeks early and my husband and I stayed in the NICU with her for 9 weeks. During that time I was hospitalized for postpartum psychosis and later I experienced…
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Public Policy Changes to End Diaper Need

Public Policy Changes to End Diaper Need

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See Governor Jay Inslee sign SB 5187 here Diaper Subsidy Program in WA In 2022, the Washington State Legislature approved SB 5838, The End Diaper Need Act. This bill created a diaper subsidy program that increases the cash benefit by $100 per month for households with a child under the age of 3 receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or State Family Assistance. The funding is intended to assist with the cost of diapers as described in Chapter 100, Laws of 2022 (SSB 5838). The benefit increase is effective November 1, 2023. Washington’s program is based off a program in California but offers broader eligibility and will put more money directly in the hands of low-income families each month to buy diapers and wipes. This will be an automatic…
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Selfless and Joyful Service: A Dynamic Force for the Community

Selfless and Joyful Service: A Dynamic Force for the Community

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Volunteer in the Sorting Room of First Warehouse checking on clothes “Volunteers are the heart of our organization. We truly couldn't serve the number of families we do without them. Every child that receives our items has the volunteers to thank first and foremost. We're all deeply appreciative of the work they do.” - Kristin Monahan, Site Lead Our work progresses day after day through collaborative efforts, meaningful partnerships and relationships in the community, united by a vision to equip families with essential items towards a happy and healthy life; this especially cascades through our volunteers, steeped in selflessness and service.  A dynamic force at WestSide Baby, volunteers bring inspiration , and without hesitation, dive into the often demanding and crucial projects, such as celebrating the growth of a family by curating a colorful…
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Welcoming our New Executive Director!

Welcoming our New Executive Director!

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Welcome Michelle Introducing WestSide Baby’s new Executive Director, Michelle Hankinson! Michelle brings almost 15 years in the nonprofit sector, with significant experience as an Executive Director and Director of Operations.Michelle comes to WestSide Baby most recently from Childhaven where she was the Senior Director of Early Support Services for Infants and Toddlers and Healthy Start. In this role, she executed strategic plans to advance their mission. Michelle also participated in the Childhaven Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team to ensure equitable early interventions within communities of color. She is committed to supporting children and families holistically alongside WestSide Baby. Michelle’s community describes her as “a compassionate leader with high emotional intelligence and a deep understanding of equity and inclusion.” I am so thrilled that Michelle will be joining WestSide Baby as…
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Farewells & New Beginnings

Farewells & New Beginnings

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Gratitude WestSide Baby is deeply grateful for the ways in which you showed up for children in our community in 2022! Together we responded to growing basic needs insecurity and inequity felt most acutely by under-resourced families in our community. WestSide Baby is proud to share that over 2.6 MILLION DIAPERS were distributed to over 40,000 children last year with your help and support! In the coming months, we are excited to introduce new ways to engage with our mission, so please look out for more communication from us soon! Hello + Goodbyes A Note from the Executive Director As I approach my last day as Executive Director on January 31, I wanted to thank you for being part of the WestSide Baby community. It has been an honor to…
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Executive Director Transition Announcement

Executive Director Transition Announcement

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Message from our Executive Director, Sarah Cody Roth As we share another Community Impact Report highlighting what is possible when community comes together to address inequity, it is profoundly bittersweet to share that I have decided to transition out of my role as WestSide Baby’s Executive Director on January 31, 2023. After seven years with this incredible organization, I am thrilled to step away from a thriving organization that is ready for new leadership from our community, to ground our work ever deeper in our values and commitment to equity. Since December 2015, I have been honored to work toward ensuring families have their basic needs met and their dignity honored as part of a more just world. On my first day at WestSide Baby, as Development Director, I had…
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Take Action with From the Bottom Up!

Take Action with From the Bottom Up!

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Having enough clean diapers is foundational to a baby’s ability to grow and thrive.  From the first precious newborn diaper all the way through the potty-training years, WestSide Baby supplies families with the basics their children need. Caregivers experience tremendous relief, both financially and emotionally, knowing they are able to meet their babies’ needs.   WestSide Baby recognizes there are structural inequities that cause the basic needs gap to disproportionately affect communities of color, and unmet basic needs can lead to disparities in health and well-being for children and families of color. "In this period when we're all suffering from inflation, people are at high risk for either being homeless or actually not being able to feed their families." he says "In fact, more than half of Black and Latino households…
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