Community News! August 2025
NEWS, STORIES, AND RECENT ARTICLES FROM AND ABOUT COO PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY
This is a condensed version of our monthly newsletter distributed August 8. Get all the news every month by signing up for the monthly newsletter.
A Message from COO’s Governance Group and Director
Dear Communities of Opportunity partners,
We are navigating through challenging times that deeply affect our communities and the people we work with.
The threats and attacks our communities are facing, such as ICE raids, information breaches, cuts to programs, and more, are real and have a direct impact on the daily lives of our organizations, colleagues, families, and our children.
Above: Community members and King County Councilmembers at the July 15 announcement of the “Welcoming King County” motion. Link to that announcement from our list of resources.
The Governance Group and staff of Communities of Opportunity are committed to continuing to be a source for organizations to find information, training, and other resources that can help navigate the quick changes in this climate.
Despite these challenging times, we cannot disengage from our long-term investment in building the power our communities require to transform systems and policies for a healthy, self-determined, and thriving life.
We acknowledge that while larger organizations can take bigger risks or have the capacity to pivot quickly to different strategies, such as understanding and following the “Do not obey in advance " principle, we know that this level of risk can’t be taken by those in more vulnerable positions, and we want to protect our most vulnerable.
We have heard that our community partners want to know and share trusted sources of information about what is safe for their communities, what constitutes a smart strategy for their organization, as well as what funders need to hear from funded partners.
For that, we are sharing the following list of resources that can be helpful to you and your organization.
Please reach out to us if you have resources you can share or need, or if you have questions or suggestions.
Thank you,
Communities of Opportunity Governance Group Co-Chairs Bilan Aden and Aaron Garcia
COO Director Elsa Batres-Boni
News from COO
COO and St. Joseph Fund Announce Partnership
A new pilot partnership between Communities of Opportunity (COO) and St. Joseph Fund (SJF) will support more community power-building opportunities in King County. St. Joseph Fund will be COO’s newest funding partner.
The partnership means COO can expand its Place-Based and Cultural Community Partnership strategy to further strengthen community capacity, partnership development, and projects in south King County. The funded projects, to be selected later this year, are intended to present the greatest opportunity to close the gaps in health and well being.
Register Now! COO All-Partner Convening, “For Those Yet to Come”
Oct. 8, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and Oct. 9, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Highline College
Tending the soil of our collective present and futures.
A Communities of Opportunity (COO) convening for connection, learning, and building.
Our Fall convening is a participatory gathering rooted in care, imagination, and practice. This event invites all COO network partners invested in sustainable, just, and intergenerational futures to come together in dialogue and creative exchange. If you’re part of a funded partner organization, we hope you can join us for both days.
Come To the Free “Solidarity Social” Film Screening
Sunday, Aug. 24, 3:30 – 8:30 p.m., Seattle University
As part of the 2025 Cascadia Cooperative Conference, COO is co-hosting a free film screening and networking event featuring three films about cooperatives and the cooperative economy. This free event is for anyone interested in the cooperative economy and building economic & social solidarity – you don’t need to be attending the conference. Q&A will follow the films, with some of the films’ producers, and free food will be provided.
Reminder! Lunch and Learn, Voces del Tēpatl: Carrying Conference Lessons into Community Action
Monday, Aug. 25, noon-1 p.m.
Learn from a cohort of regional executive directors who attended the Hispanics in Philanthropy and Native Americans in Philanthropy conference (HIP-NAP) in New Mexico in June. You’ll hear from Edgar (Entre Hermanos), Liz (Southeast Seattle Education Coalition), Maria (ELLA), Roxana (Alimentando El Pueblo), and Sandy (Colectivo Legal Del Pueblo). They were supported by COO's Learning Community to attend as a collective.
If you'd like to request interpretation services, please register by Aug. 11 and indicate that when you register.
Learn More and Register for Voces del Tēpatl
New Videos Available! June 26 Co-Op Event on Vashon Island
Our event videos from the June 26 Cooperative Learning event at the beautiful and historic Mukai Farm & Garden on Vashon Island are now available.
Full event video -- about 1 hour
This conversation, “Financing Cooperative Ownership,” brought together the co-op community for a discussion about financing cooperative ownership, public banks, and financing mechanisms for collective and community ownership.
This session is part of the "Self-determination, democracy, and solidarity: King County cooperative learning series." Communities of Opportunity (COO) Learning Community is continuing this site visit and conversation series in 2025 -- exploring King County cooperative businesses, the regional cooperative ecosystem, and models of cooperative housing, worker-owned enterprises, and cooperative infrastructure.
COO Featured in the 2024 Best Starts Report
Best Starts for Kids submitted the 2024 Annual Report to the King County Council last month, demonstrating the impact of the investment in 365 community-based organizations operating 609 programs. Like last year, there’s also a shorter, “pretty” color version with photos and stories, the Community Report.
As a Best Starts investment area, COO was featured in both.
The full Best Starts Annual Report. COO is mentioned in numerous places, with some partner highlights in the Building Community Power section starting on Page 30
The Community Report, “A Year In Review.”. Brief highlights of COO partner accomplishments are on Page 16.
You can also take a look at the new Data Dashboard.
Community News!
Converge Media Spotlights Ethiopian Community in Seattle
Leaders from the Ethiopian community, the City of Seattle, LISC Puget Sound, Washington State Department of Commerce, the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, and more came together June 28 for a special forum hosted by Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS). The event, "Our Homes, Our Legacy: Celebrating Community Power & Resilience," gathered the community to uplift immigrant and refugee voices and deepen collective efforts around housing justice, anti-displacement, and culturally-rooted development.
Converge Media was there, and captured this story of hope and inspiration, as the community comes together to address the need for affordable housing.
MPOP’s Midnight Supper Club Protects the CID
Our funded partner MPOP – part of the LGBTQ+ South King County Collaborative – is helping to protect massage parlor workers and mitigate crime in Seattle's Chinatown-International District. They’re hosting the "Midnight Supper Club" to prioritize safety and listen directly to the needs of massage parlor workers and residents of the CID at large.
Chief Seattle Club Will Open Its Fifth PSH Facility Next Month
In September, Chief Seattle Club will open Sweetgrass Flats, an 84-unit permanent supportive housing (PSH) facility located in Seattle’s Yesler Terrace neighborhood. The facility will provide stable housing for Native peoples who are exiting chronic homelessness. This is the fifth permanent supportive housing facility that Chief Seattle Club has opened since 2022. Read more about Sweetgrass Flats and the partners who made it happen.
Candidates Address Disability Rights at Forum
Our funded partner Disability Rights Washington and other community organizations hosted a Seattle candidate forum July 14 about disability issues. Candidates for the District 2 City Council seat and the two citywide seats attended and shared their perspectives.
Cascade PBS attended and wrote this story: How Seattle City Council candidates would tackle disability rights | Cascade PBS
Partners Win Capital Funding from Best Starts
Congratulations to these 9 organizations who have been awarded Capital Program Grants from Best Starts for Kids! They include our funded partners Indian American Community Services, White Center Community Development Association, and Voices Of Tomorrow.
Read about the funded projects and how they'll serve King County children, youth, and families on the Best Starts blog.
More Partner Funding, from PHPDA
The Pacific Hospital PDA Health Equity Fund recently announced more than $4 million awarded to local organizations. Congratulations to the newly funded organizations, including our funded partners Seattle Indian Health Board and Voices Of Tomorrow.
Read about all the funded organizations.
Partner Events: Election Edition!
Our partners helped get voters more engaged in the primary election. They have registered voters, hosted candidate forums, provided in-language information on voting, and more.
Now that the primary election is over and we (mostly) know who will be on the ballot for elections across King County, it’s time to save the date for these candidate forums coming up in the fall.
King County Candidate Forum: September 25 at 6-8 p.m. on Zoom, hosted by the King County Alliance for Human Services
Seattle Candidate Forum: October 9 in the evening (time TBD) in person at El Centro de la Raza (1660 S Roberto Maestas Festival St, Seattle, WA 98144) hosted by the Seattle Human Services Coalition
Also watch for a forum by South Seattle Emerald.
Partner Events
King County Play Equity Coalition Play Day
Sunday, Sept. 7, Noon – 3 p.m., Tukwila Community Center
Play Day is a day for youth and families to come and try out a bunch of sports and activities, as well as free food, live music, and giveaways. Last year, more than 400+ families came. More information/Registration
Check out our Community Calendar for information on more community events, such as
Aug. 12: Fired Up! Washington Bus and ConnectSea
Aug. 16: Celebrate Little Saigon; Soul On the Water
Aug. 17: Burien Women’s Coach Symposium
Aug. 23: Rainier Beach Back2School Bash
Aug. 30: UTOPIA’s ManaFest
Visit our Community Events Calendar for lots of partner events.
We also share dozens of Instagram stories from partners every day on our Instagram page.
Do you have an event you’d like us to share? Please send it to us!
Other Community News
Birth Doulas Lead to Better Birth Outcomes
The effectiveness of doulas on birth outcomes for birthing people of color was documented in a recent study by the University of Washington in partnership with Open Arms Perinatal Services. Read about the study.
Other Opportunities
Regional Human Services Coalitions Survey for VSHSL
Members of Human Services Coalitions and their partners across King County: You’re invited to participate in a survey about the Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy. The input will inform an upcoming funding opportunity. Please participate in the survey – which should take about 8 minutes – by Aug. 13.
King County Citizen’s Elections Oversight Committee
Apply by Aug. 13
The Citizen’s Elections Oversight Committee is a 16-member committee of volunteers who have interest or expertise in elections. They produce an annual report to the King County Council on their observations, findings, and recommendations on election-related matters.
Job Opportunities
A Supportive Community for All: Human Resources Director and Case Manager
AARP Washington: Associate State Director-Outreach & Engagement
Centro Cultural Mexicano: Program Manager (bilingual)
Chief Seattle Club: Chief Communications Officer
Front and Centered: Policy Coordinator (full-time)
Healthier Here: Several positions including Payroll & Accounting Specialist Job Opportunities
King Conservation District: Education Coordinator
Lavender Rights Project: Several positions including Community Engagement Manager
Magic Cabinet: Senior Program Officer – Innovation, apply by noon Aug. 11
Northwest Justice Project: Staff Attorney, King County Seniors – apply by Aug. 22
South End Stories: Director of Education and Teaching Artists – open until filled
Washington Conservation Action: Communications Director – open until filled
Washington immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN): Hotline Manager
King County Elections: Administrative Specialist II – open till filled, priority application by Aug. 7
See more job listings on these sites that collect multiple opportunities:
Housing Development Consortium’s job listings from housing organizations
Philanthropy Northwest’s searchable list of positions in development, communications and more
King County, City of Seattle, State of Washington, and other government jobs at www.governmentjobs.com
About This List: These job announcements were current as of Aug. 7, 2025. Please check the employer's site for the most current information. We also share job opportunities every day on our LinkedIn page.
If you have a job to share in next month's issue, please send it to us by the third week of August. Thanks!