Winter Drive: Heart of Washington
This annual donation drive aims to demonstrate gratitude, care, and community joy to the farmworkers and their communities in Washington. During the coldest and darkest part of the year, we invite our urban communities to show up for the rural communities that feed us all. Join us this October and November in gathering culturally responsive food, household goods, hygiene items, and new books for readers of all ages.
Not able to make an in-person donation? Consider making a financial donation of any size—100% goes towards our grocery fund. We are hoping to raise $5,000 by the end of November for groceries. Heart of Washington donations will be arriving to communities within the first two weeks of December, ensuring that they reach families and individuals before the holidays.
Every action ripples out. Thank you for joining us.
DONATE
Culturally Conscious Food
We have specific food requests, please honor them. Adhering to the specific asks, honors the heritage and cultures of the community. It has been requested by our community partners. Food is tradition. Food is healing. Food is love.
Food Items:
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Beans (dry or canned)
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Canola/Corn/Olive Oil
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Fideo/Thin Pasta
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Rice
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Canned Tuna
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Chicken or Tomato Bouillon
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Flour
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Tortillas (corn or flour)
Food Donations Drop-Off Location
Oliver's Twist
Dates: Ongoing
Location: 6822 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Public Drop-off Times: Please check restaurant hours and be kind to staff. They make this work possible!
Warm Winter Clothing
Farmworkers work outdoors year-round—including in the upcoming heavy rain, wind, and snow. Providing warmth is providing care and safety to farmworkers and their families.
All clothing items must be clean, gently used, or new, please do not give us items that are torn, dirty, or heavily used. Please, no used socks.
Clothing Items:
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Coats (all sizes)
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Sweaters/Sweatshirts/Hoodies (all sizes)
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Hats
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Gloves
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Scarves
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New socks
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Work boots
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Emergency Hand & Feet Warmers
Clothing Donations Drop-Off Locations
Village Theatre’s KIDSTAGE
Dates: 10/23/2023 - 11/18/2023
Locations: Hunt Family Theatre (120 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027) and
Cope Gillette Theatres (2730 Wetmore Ave, Everett, WA 98201)
Public Drop off days/times: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays from 4:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 11:00am-3:00pm
Seattle Children's Theatre
Dates: 11/16/2023 - 12/31/2023 (through the production run A Very Electric Christmas)
Location: 201 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Public Drop off days/times: Drop off 30 minutes prior to any public performance. If you are not attending the performance, please let the front-of-house staff know that you are dropping off donations for WashMasks. Please be respectful and kind to the staff-- they make this possible!
WashMasks Family Day Event: We will be in the lobby, with an information table and an art table to make thank you cards and letters of solidarity for farmworkers.
When: Saturday, November 18 before 1:00 pm & 4:30pm performances
Seattle Yarn
Location: 2701 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
On the corner of California Ave SW and SW Lander Street
Across the street from Hiawatha Park, near Admiral Junction
Public Drop off days/times: Please check for hours and be kind to staff -- they make this possible!
Household & Hygiene
Farmworkers are rarely provided PPE and other sanitation supplies (many have lost handwashing stations as Covid protections lift). Farmworkers deserve clean and safe working and living conditions.
Household & Hygiene Items:
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Diapers
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Period products (napkins or tampons)
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Deodorant
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Soap/Body Wash
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Shampoo/Conditioner
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Laundry Detergent
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Household Cleaning Products
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Toilet Paper
Household Donations Drop-Off Location
Donation Box Location TBD. If you (or your business, local coffee shop, bookclub, or church) are interested in hosting a donation box, you can sign up via our volunteer form.
Books
Young people and children deserve to see themselves, their cultures, and their languages represented in stories. This mutual aid is majority-run by artists, creatives, and arts educators. We believe that representation matters and that creative joy is a human right. You can either shop for a book directly from our wishlist on Bookshop (it will ship to us!) or drop off one of the requested books at one of the locations below.
Book Donations Drop-Off Locations
Seattle Children's Theatre
Dates: 10/12/2023 - 10/31/2023 (through the production runs of Goodnight Moon and A Very Electric Christmas)
Location: 201 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Public Drop off days/times: Drop off 30 minutes prior to any public performance.
Seattle Repertory Theatre
Dates:
Location: 155 Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98109
Public Drop off days/times: Drop off 30 minutes prior to any public performance or between 5:30-7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 28 at the WashMasks’s Those Who Feed Us event.
VOLUNTEER
Heart of Washington is WashMasks Mutual Aid's biggest donation drive each year. This work doesn't happen without community. We are in need of volunteers of all ages. From organizing items, to grocery shopping, to cardmaking, to donation delivery-- there are SO many ways that you can participate. Fill out our volunteer form to sign up to help. We hope you join our community in showing up with care and creative joy for the families and individuals who feed us all.
Please note: We ask that any drivers confirm that they have a valid driver’s license and car insurance. In protection and solidarity of vulnerable communities that are under-insured or at high risk for COVID, we ask volunteers to be masked when among community members or working an indoor event. Help us protect both urban and rural community members who have comorbidities or cannot financially risk sick days.
Call for Artists
WashMasks is planning an artist market fundraiser event Tuesday, November 28 at Seattle Rep as part of a community fundraiser for Heart of Washington grocery funds. If you are interested in tabling at the WashMasks Artist Market, please fill out Artist Vendor Form by Friday, November 3.