SEED HISTORY
In the early 1970's, Southeast Seattle became the city's preferred location for all subsidized housing. Many Southeast neighborhoods were without basic amenities such as sidewalks and curbing. The closest medical clinics were a long and inconvenient bus ride away for many Southeast residents.
In 1974, a group of business owners, residents, and community activists met and decided to find a way to turn the decline around. They started by creating a council with representatives from 30 local community and nonprofit organizations. In 1975, the council formed SouthEast Effective Development (SEED). The mission of the new organization was to improve the quality of Southeast Seattle neighborhoods, businesses, and public institutions.
SEEDArts began in 1977 as a modest undertaking that recognized the role of the arts within a community and how the arts could be used to build cultural awareness and understanding.
Since that beginning, SEED has brought over $200 million into Rainier Valley communities for economic development, affordable housing and arts programs and projects.
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