By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
After a renovation project that took about a year and a half to complete, Byrd Barr Place has opened its doors with a new look and some innovative changes to the services that they provide to the community.
Located just off of 18th and Cherry in Seattle’s Central Area, Byrd Barr Place, formerly knows as the Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP), has helped Black families and Central Area residents overcome racial restrictive covenants and discrimination since 1964.
Byrd Barr Place’s new design is a simplistic, open and inviting new facility. The design boasts some of the original structures and beams from the 114-year-old building yet shows off some of its modern amenities.
As you enter the historic fire house building, there is a large community gathering room to your right and reception area immediately in front of you. The “market’, formerly known as the food bank, is also housed on the first floor and it too has an open, inviting, and spacious environment. The upstairs of the building houses the administrative offices and is very well-lit as the sun shines through its large windowpanes.
With its new look, Byrd Barr Place continues to serve the community through its programs like their energy assistance program, eviction prevention program and a financial literacy program to name of few.
In addition, the organization has re-imagined how to deliver its services to some of the communities most vulnerable citizens. Specifically, as it relates to the food bank or “The Market” as they call it at Byrd Barr Place, they’ve transformed this vital service to a much more inviting experience that allows people to receive groceries while maintaining their dignity. Gone are the days of waiting in line with hundreds of other people and walking through the food bank while receiving “rations of food.” Now, people can casually walk through and pick out the things that they want and need.
“We are trying to direct a little bit away from some of the mindsets that come with food banks in terms of lining up, or buffet style, not getting to choose what foods you’re getting,” says Tafari Maynard, Director of Operations of the Byrd Barr Place, who oversees the food bank. “Rather, we are going in the direction of giving you a market, a grocery market experience where you come in, take your time choosing what items you like, instead of the traditional food bank way of doing things.”