Children’s Home Society of Washington, Lake City Future First and Lake City Neighborhood Alliance began a community-focused partnership in summer 2016 to create a strategy that helps improve the quality of life for children and families in Seattle’s Lake City.

From this strong collaboration and support by the Wells Fargo Foundation, a comprehensive, resident-driven neighborhood plan was launched in 2018 called Build Lake City Together. The revitalization plan covers community needs ranging from affordable housing, social services, green spaces, economic development and social cohesion.

To strengthen these efforts, Lake City Future First has decided to migrate its leadership and concentrate its work with oversight by Children’s Home Society of Washington under the Build Lake City Together action plan. In mid-January, Chris Leverson joined Children’s Home Society of Washington as project manager to help make the Build Lake City Together action plan a reality.

The goals of the Build Lake City Together action plan align directly with Lake City Future First’s in many critical areas. By bringing together Lake City Future First’s successes since it formed in 2014 and Children’s Home Society of Washington’s 25-year history and leadership within the Lake City community, we can work together to build the capacity and strengths of Lake City so all benefit.

Build Lake City Together needs significant support to ensure that it is inclusive, truly responsive to the broader needs of the neighborhood and brings us together to achieve a community that values all who live, work and play here.

Working to form several work groups in multiple areas to address community needs, Build Lake City Together will need all of us to support Lake City’s future. It has been an incredible honor for LCFF and CHSW to serve Lake City and now we look forward to making a bigger impact in this amazing and robust community.

To review the Build Lake City Together neighborhood plan, click here. For more information, please contact Chris Leverson at 206-445-8520 and chris.leverson@chs-wa.org.

Jennifer Parsons is the marketing communications manager for CHSW.