Council News Release

2006 BUDGET: FILIPINO COMMUNITY CENTER GETS BOOST FOR NEEDED RENOVATION

SEATTLE – Councilmember David J. Della helped secure $150,000 for the Filipino Community Center in Seattle’s approved 2006 Budget. The funds will be used to complete the much needed renovation project in Rainier Valley.

“I am pleased my colleagues agree that capital funding for this Filipino Community Center is a sound investment,” said Councilmember Della. “This is only one of the ways this Council has proven it’s commitment to putting people first.”

For nearly 40 years, the Filipino Community Center has served Filipino Americans and the broader community on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Seattle’s Central Area. The Center began as a cultural and social gathering place but over time, the need for human and social services became more apparent, as the Filipino population rapidly expanded.

More than 5,000 clients visit the Center every month; many of them are low-income residents. The Center provides an array of programs such as a food bank; language classes; youth mentoring; tutoring and leadership training; summer camps; adult day programs; job and health fairs; as well as immigration, legal and tax assistance.

While the number of programs and services has grown, most of the programs at the Filipino Community Center are possible because of the contributions of volunteers. Facility renovations have been minimal since the Center’s inception.

In 2000, the Center began to plan an expansion and renovation that is now estimated to cost $1,822,000. $1,397,000 has been secured. The City’s 2006 Budget allotment leaves only $275,000 remaining capital costs unfunded.

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City Council