RBAC was recently provided $2.1 M from the City of Seattle for the purchase of property in the Rainier Beach neighborhood

You have probably heard by now that RBAC was recently provided $2.1 M from the City of Seattle for the purchase of property in the Rainier Beach neighborhood (the old Hudson Electrical Contractor’s building at 9053 MLK Jr Way).RBAC gets $2.1 for land in RB.

We are excited about this as it is a part of a ten-year journey that started in 2010 when the Rainier Beach neighborhood organized and created, with City of Seattle assistance, a neighborhood plan RB Neighborhood Plan. In this plan, residents identified their interest in using food as a way to bring the community together, create jobs, and improve the health of Rainier Beach residents among many other things. RB Development Materials 

The $2.1M is a result of a lot of people coming together. We see this not as an award but more as “earned income” for the blood, sweat, and tears of many Rainier Beach residents over the years (rest in power Yolanda Gill Masundire and Harry Hoffman). We want to thank Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan along with the workers in the City’s Equitable Development Initiative unit of the Office of Planning and Community Development; clearly, they know a good idea when they see one. It is of critical importance now that people understand the acquisition of this land is but a step towards a bigger goal of developing a Food Innovation Center and for an even bigger goal of developing a Food Innovation District in Rainier Beach.  We just wanted you to know that food justice in the Rainier Beach neighborhood is a primary missional body of work for RBAC. You can contribute by emailing us at info@rbactioncoalition.org and letting us know how you want to help.