Community Post

Drop-In-Center update

Greetings 23rd & Union Neighbors,

I hope you are all doing well. As promised, here is an update on the status of the SPD Drop In Center on 23rd & Union:

We raised a total of $605.00 in donations from neighbors. Neighbors also donated a refrigerator, computer, microwave, coffee pot/coffee, and chairs, all in excellent condition. Thank you so much for your contributions, time, and hard work at the clean up. The Drop In Center has been used and appreciated by East Precinct officers.

The money donated is being used for the following:

Bottled water for officers
Cleaning supplies
Weekly office cleaning ($25 per week). We are paying GOTS (Get Off The Streets) clients to do the cleaning. This helps them by allowing them some positive work history, and a work reference from Kay Godefroy, SNGâ??s Executive Director. For more information about GOTS, please contact Mary Williams, GOTS Program Coordinator, at 206.323.9584 or [email protected].

Internet: Many of you have contacted me with questions regarding internet at the site. I apologize for not getting back to people sooner with information about this, but it took some time for us to figure out the best way to approach internet while taking everyoneâ??s needs into account. As it turns out, the most feasible internet option will cost $59.00 per month. It will be broadband, so I donâ??t think the computer will need any additional equipment, but we will also be purchasing a wireless router so officers are able to access internet on their laptops at the Drop In Center. We will need additional contributions before we install.

We are collecting donations to cover the costs incurred by internet and cleaning. If you are interested in donating, you can send/drop off donations at SNG (1810 E Yesler Way, Seattle WA 98122). Checks can be made out to Seattle Neighborhood Group, as SNG is the fiscal sponsor. Please make sure to include â??23rd & Union Drop Inâ?? in the memo line, for processing purposes. Also, be sure to include your address, so that we may send you a letter for charitable contributions for tax deduction purposes.

Thank You,


Sita DeGiulio Das
East Program Coordinator
Seattle Neighborhood Group
206.323.9666 (Main Line)
206.322.9330 (Direct Line)
[email protected]
http://www.sngi.org/

0 thoughts on “Drop-In-Center update

  1. no offense, but is bottled water really necessary? I work in government and I don’t get bottled water. when i worked in the private sector billing 100+ an hour, I didn’t get bottled water.

    Is this an incentive to get them to come to the drop-in center? Who requested this?

    I think providing bottled water puts a bit of a damper on fundraising efforts moving forward–in my view, the $ raised should go to essential items–internet, computers, etc, not bottled water.

  2. Note that I think pretty much all DSL routers now come with built in wireless routers. Just got DSL installed at the office a few months ago, and the cheapest router option (rental) included WIFI.

    I’m guessing the space doesn’t have a kitchen, so having bottled water is a nice convenience as opposed to going to the bathroom.. I doubt it’s going to break the bank either.

    -Nic

  3. Actually, the center does have a small kitchenette type area including a sink and a full sized refridgerator (since I was one of the two people who helped haul it over there from the donater). As important, as a city that is trying to be more “green” it would make sense to do away with the non-green aspects of plastic bottles and hauling water to and from stores (water is very heavy to haul and costs gas money, etc — trucks can’t even be filled to space capacity to haul bottled water because of the weight).

    As for the router, nicpottier is correct that most (if not all) come with built in wireless. I believe I even have an extra Qwest router with wireless at home that I could donate.

  4. Qwest has a great DSL service and wireless abilities. Has anyone considered calling for a donated service?

  5. I live a block away from the drop-in center on 22nd and I have yet to see any officers in the building or even parked in the designated parking outside the center. I know I’ve asked some neighbors on 24th if they’ve seen much activity there and they have yet to see any officers in the center either.

  6. I live a block away also, and I have asked about this. SPD says it is definitely being used, but mostly at night. I have seen patrol cars parked there; one time there were three at once.

    We won’t see them much IN the center because they are in the workroom, which is not really visible from the street.