1. Color for Cash!—Looking for a calming element during this trying time? Try coloring! O Bee Credit Union is hosting a Color-for-Cash contest through the end of May in which you can not only enjoy the benefits of coloring, you can win a cash prize and also help give back to those in need. Just go to their website, fill out an entry form, and you’ll be directed to Washington-inspired coloring pages. Choose a page, download it, color it in, post to Facebook or Instagram and tag the O Bee Credit Union account. That’s it! You could win one of six cash prizes ranging from $250 to $750 for a total of $3,000. And O Bee will match the $3,000 in prize money, donating the same amount each to the Thurston County Food Bank and Nourish Pierce County.
2. Flowers for mom at Pike Place Market—This season, stop by the Pike Place Market Flower Festival to grab a beautiful bouquets for your mom or motherly figure this Mother’s Day. The 12th annual flower festival will be drive-thru only this year, so shoppers must submit their orders online first before picking up. The festival takes place Sunday, May 9th from noon to 4 p.m. at Pike Place Market. Pike Place Flowers is also offering local delivery from its First Avenue shop. The Market will also offer the Pike Box, including a selection of fresh, local produce. Visitors are also encouraged to donate to the Market Safety Net to support local businesses too.
3. Shop at your local QFC — Support Together Against Hunger, a virtual food drive for Food Lifeline. KIRO 7 and QFC grocery stores are teaming up to help feed hungry families. There are many local food banks in the Puget Sound helping out families by providing meals and services during these tough times. Nonprofit Food Lifeline is the fourth-largest hunger relief service and provides meals to families across the country. You can donate online at the Together Against Hunger food drive at kiro7.com/together. For every dollar donated, Food Lifeline can provide five meals for people in need.
4. Visit your local farmers market—The Olympia, Ballard and University District farmers markets all opened to serve their communities in the past few weeks, but with a few changes to business operations. Many vendors will be offering services, but with no-contact guidelines for customers. Shoppers will also not be allowed to handle produce and will be encouraged to wear a face mask when visiting the markets. Ballard farmers market will also be open Sundays and offer drive-thru services, and the U-District market will be open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Be sure to check out the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market website or their FAQ page for additional details.
5. Support the Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County Resiliency Fund — The Habitat for Humanity SKC Beyond the Build Luncheon was scheduled to take place April 3. One of the organization’s largest fundraisers of the year, those dollars are desperately needed to create strength, stability and self-reliance through having a shelter. So Habitat for Humanity SKC has announced the creation of a resiliency fund that will support families in danger of losing their homes and ensure that their operations continue as planned in order to help address additional needs. If you are able, you’re asked to consider giving what you can to this critical and unanticipated need.
6. Make an appointment to adopt a pet — The Seattle Animal Shelters counters may be closed, but their adoptions are still possible! To keep our community safe and healthy, as well as to ensure permanent homes can still be found for our furry friends, animal adoptions are now temporarily available through a new appointment-based system. Visits can be coordinated so that social distancing guidelines are strictly followed. Schedule an appointment and find your forever animal today!
7. Learn more about your favorite animals— Local zoos are closed to the public during the stay-at-home order for a few more weeks, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t virtually interact with your favorite wildlife. Local zoos, such as the Woodland Park Zoo and Point Defiance Zoo, have numerous activities to get involved in. At Point Defiance’s website, you can download fun coloring pages about animals, learn more about your favorite animals and their habits or get some summer program ideas for the children.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
