Cascade People's Center Update

A group of 50 very concerned neighbors gathered Wednesday evening to discuss the status of the Cascade People's Center fight for survival.

We heard from Program Manager Myla Becker that the Center was counting on $75K of funding from the City, but no one from the Council has stepped up yet to champion CPC's inclusion in the 2009 budget. The budgeting process is in its final days, and the Council will meet for the last time on the budget Monday, November 17th 9:30am at City Hall.

Time is short, but you can still make a difference by e-mailing or calling a councilmember between now and Monday morning. Friends of the Center will go to the meeting at City Hall on Monday to show their support, but there will be no public comment period.

Other efforts are in process should the City funding not come through:

1. CPC is holding a membership drive to give people a stake in the Cascade People's Center. Contact Ashley for info at cpc-partner@lcsnw.org
2. If you'd like a little less commitment but still want to help out, CPC is taking donations through its parent organization here, just make sure you specify that the donation is for CPC.
3. Mark your calendars—CPC is having a Fundraiser Dinner at Southlake Grill on December 8th. Tickets will be on sale soon, stay tuned.
   

And if the CPC raises enough funds to make it to March, the 3rd annual auction will be held March 13 at the Armory. The auction is CPC's biggest fundraiser of the year and would likely allow the Center to keep the doors open through all of 2009.

Wednesday's group also brainstormed other ways of raising funds which should bear fruit in the near future. I'll keep you updated as they are announced.