Byrd Barr Place

Strong people. Strong communities. 

A historically Black organization rooted in Seattle's Central District neighborhood, Byrd Barr Place envisions strong communities, where all people have the opportunity for health, well-being and prosperity. 

Every day, we work to create an equitable future through innovative programs and advocacy that empower people to live healthy, prosperous lives. In Seattle, Byrd Barr Place provides essential services — food, shelter, warmth, water and financial tools — to help people build stability and self-sufficiency. Through groundbreaking research and community engagement, Byrd Barr Place also advocates for equity statewide to dismantle poverty and racism.

Building on a legacy of racial and social justice.

Founded in 1964 as CAMP — the Central Area Motivation Program — our original purpose endures to this day: helping people help themselves. For nearly 60 years, Byrd Barr Place has offered human services and empowerment programs to meet the needs of our communities. 

Today, we are Byrd Barr Place, named after Ms. Roberta Byrd Barr, a powerful civil rights leader, educator and journalist, who helped forge the path to self-determination for Black people and others who have been systematically oppressed. Roberta embodied the values that are the foundation of Byrd Barr Place: truth, community, equity, excellence and resiliency. We are humbled by her legacy and honored to carry forward her name. 

Our essential services fill a critical need for people.

We believe that every person deserves to live a life of dignity. This means having basic needs met: a warm home, nourishing food, and the support of community. And it means having access to the training and tools to achieve self-sufficiency, so that people can give back to their community and help their neighbors.

An example of the impact of these services can be seen in the stories of our clients: Teresa started visiting the Byrd Barr Place food bank for her family after she was diagnosed with a chronic illness requiring her to transition to a less physically demanding job. While looking for a new job that could accommodate her health condition, Teresa found herself facing eviction. She learned about our rental assistance program from a food bank volunteer. Byrd Barr Place's rental assistance program prevented Teresa's eviction, allowing her to maintain a stable home environment and nurture the growth and success of her two young children. Without the support from Byrd Barr Place, Teresa may not have been able to stay on her feet and survive this challenging transition. Now Teresa is back at work and makes time when she can to volunteer at the food bank so that she too can be a bridge to resources for someone else in her community.

Your generosity powers our mission.

Your gift to Byrd Barr Place will help people meet their basic needs so they can focus on getting themselves and their families back on their feet. With your support:

• More families will keep housed and avoid the trauma and stress of homelessness.
• The heat and lights will stay on for thousands of Seattle households.
• More children will have a stable home and enough to eat so they can succeed in school.
• Older adults and those who are homebound will have access to fresh, nourishing food.