September is traditionally a time of celebration at Real Change. Each year, we come together to honor the incredible community that makes Real Change possible day in and day out.
This week, please join us to celebrate 28 years of meaningful community and impactful change.
We cordially invite you to Challenge to Change, marking the 28th anniversary of a place that means so much to so many. Challenge to Change is a call to action, a promise of hope and a celebration of the work, love and care that our community offers every day.
It is also an important fundraising event for Real Change. The organization needs this money to make our programs possible year round. Our critical goal is to raise $175,000 by the end of Sept. 30. We still have $133,078.89 left to go.
When you make a gift to Real Change, you are powering programs that change lives, advocacy that changes our region and a newspaper that changes hearts and minds. So, please join us in the Challenge to Change, and make a gift of any size today.
You’re invited to two special events where we’ll celebrate the incredible award winners who have challenged us to change all year. Keynote speaker Renaissance, of 350 Seattle, will address intersectional organizing, the criminalization of poverty across King County and how we need to challenge to change.
Every day, individuals walk through the doors of the Vendor Center in Pioneer Square, open to new opportunities and hopeful about the future. We meet them where they are, offering low-barrier work to hundreds of people each year. Change is built into every aspect of our work.
This year’s honorees include individuals who embody this spirit of change and inspire us every day. You’ll get a chance to hear from them directly at the events and learn more about their dedication and perseverance.
Vendors of the Year Eric Whitlock and Rhead were nominated by community members like you and voted on by their peers. They both represent the values of Real Change and are leaders in our community.
Change Agent of the Year Leroy bravely shared his personal story of the impact of the inequitably enforced helmet law, leading to the county repealing that law. His story is an example of the power we have when we work together.
Editorial Excellence award winner Carolyn Bick, a talented reporter who works with the South Seattle Emerald, pursues investigative stories about the Seattle Police Department that lay bare the shortcomings of this entrenched institution and its watchdogs. Their detailed, exhaustive reporting blows past the public read out, reconstructing events and timelines that the powerful might rather see obscured.
Volunteers of the Year Patrick “Mac” McIntyre and Jackson Ryan have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the work of Real Change. Mac’s clever and delightful crossword puzzle designs are widely popular, and vendors this year sold a book compilation of classic and new puzzles. Jackson is a familiar face to many in our community; from greeting vendors at the sales desk to supporting signature gathering efforts for House Our Neighbors!, Jackson really does it all. This award is a small way to say a big thank you to these two incredible individuals.
Please join us to celebrate these leaders, activists and journalists who shape Real Change every day. And please make a donation to ensure the mission continues.
You have been central to this work, and we hope you can join us to celebrate!
Thank you for all your support. Together, let’s respond to the Challenge to Change.
Warmly,
Your friends at Real Change
P.S. The online event is free and open to the public. A suggested donation of $150 per person supports our low-barrier work, which is available to anybody who needs it.
When you make a gift of $250+ in honor of our 28th anniversary, your gift will be DOUBLED by a generous matching fund, and you’ll receive a limited edition long-sleeve shirt while supplies last.
Read more of the Sept. 14-20, 2022 issue.