Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Newsletter

A woman wearing a t-shirt that says "Restaurant 2 Garden" carries buckets through a community garden

Restaurant 2 Garden Supports Danny Woo Community Gardeners with Compost Made from Local Food Scraps 

The pilot project, Restaurant 2 Garden is working to create a hyper-local system where food waste from eateries in the Chinatown International District is brought to the Danny Woo Community Garden, composted on site, and distributed to the garden members who are mainly seniors and immigrants or refugees. This project was supported by a Neighborhood Matching Fund Small Sparks grant.

Read the full story on the Front Porch Blog.

Other City News

Free Summer Meals for Kids and Teens July 5 - August 25: Seattle children ages 1 through 18 years can enjoy free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks once again this summer through the Seattle Human Services Department’s Summer Food Program. Free meals will be made available at no charge to children across the city. Learn more about this year's program.

Major League Baseball All-Star Game Comes to Seattle: Seattle is hosting a week of events related to the MLB All-Star Game from Friday July 7 - Tuesday July 11 including a Home-Run Derby, HBCU Swingman Classic, and more. See a full schedule of events and learn more about the mid-summer tradition.

Mayor Harrell Delivers Downtown Activation Plan to Revitalize Seattle’s City Center: The plan details legislative, regulatory, and programmatic efforts the City will pursue to foster a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient hub for residents, workers, and visitors. See details about the Downtown Activation Plan.

Applications open for Environmental Justice Fund and Duwamish River Opportunity Fund: The Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment announced the opening of two environmentally-focused funding opportunities to support projects that benefit communities most affected by environmental and climate inequities. Read more about each of the funds and how to apply.

Native Indigenous Presentations at City Hall Park: Join Seattle Parks and Recreation and partners for a series of Native Indigenous Presentations at City Hall Park in July and August. All events are FREE and open to all. Check out a list of upcoming Indigenous presentations.

Newly Renovated Magnuson Community Center Now Open to Public: Seattle Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the reopening of the community center with a ribbon cutting event on July 6. The renovation creates a welcoming place for people to gather with a variety of activities and opportunities for classes and formal gatherings. Learn more about the expansion and opening ceremony.

Duwamish Valley Sustainability Association Youth Help Develop Seattle Climate Game: The bilingual, climate-focused game allows participants to provide input on how they would like to contribute to a sustainable Seattle. This summer, youth will bring the game to the Duwamish Valley by visiting libraries, community events, and going door-to-door. Learn more about Seattle Climate Game.

In The Community

A sign in a community garden that reads "Beacon Food Forest"

Seattle’s Pioneering Food Forest Pivots to Increase Food Security

The Beacon Food Forest started as a student design project in permaculture based on a simply radical, somewhat mind-blowing concept for urban planners: growing free food sustainably. The project’s launch in 2012 fueled massive media coverage around the world, inspiring like-hearted community-based agriculture activism. The pandemic also highlighted the need to actively boost food production for the community, especially its most underserved. The forest welcomed community partners and took another look at its mission.

Learn more at Pacific Horticulture.


Two adults and two youth stand in front of a large American Flag while onlookers take photos

Seattle Welcomes 501 New Citizens at Annual Independence Day Ceremony

Seattle welcomed 501 new American citizens at the annual Independence Day swearing-in ceremony at the Seattle Center, one of many taking place across the country. A bevy of performers and prominent speakers marked the celebration of the new citizens from 80 countries, all of them sitting outside beneath the sunshine, surrounded by American flags and red, white, and blue balloons.

Read the full story in the Seattle Times.

Share Your Feedback

Public Feedback Wanted on Initiative Aimed at Ending Traffic-Related Fatalities: Seattle Department of Transportation has recently published a draft review of their Vision Zero initiative to better understand a recent rise in serious injuries and deaths on Seattle streets. Take a short survey to help identify opportunities to reduce traffic-related harm.