Category: Uncategorized

Reclaiming POWER

Thank you to all who joined us for June’s POWER outage where we began our discussion with the questions:

What are we uniting around?
What does it mean to have a strong social safety net?
What are the steps to ending poverty?
… What does economic equality look like?

We will be building from the answers to these questions to delve more specifically into a clear plan of action and intention to help us shape and define POWER’s work and future goals.

Join us in this collaborative process on Monday, July 2nd
5:30-6:00pm Potluck * 6:00-8:00 Discussion
at Darby’s Cafe 211 5th Avenue in downtown Olympia

Childcare will be provided by the fabulous Olympia Childcare Collective at the POWER office, 309 5th Avenue.

For more information on this event, contact us at 360-352-9716 or info@mamapower.org

We will celebrate our hard work with a barbecue on the first Monday in August!

Join POWER for our April POWER Outage: Sue the &^&$%?%#!

Monday April 2nd

Darby’s Cafe * 211 5th Ave SE * Wheelchair Accessible

5:30pm – 6pm Potluck * 6pm – 8pm Presentation

Welcome Scott Crain, a legal services attorney who last year used a lawsuit to stop a budget cut that would have financially devastated thousands of families with disabled family members. He will join us for a conversation about using lawsuits as a social justice tool and how we can work together to help our communities.

For more information, contact 360-352-9716 or info@mamapower.org

Childcare provided by the Olympia Childcare Collective at the POWER Office, 309 5th Ave SE.

Join us for May’s POWER Outage: Mama Care Fair!

Monday, May 7th

Darby’s Cafe * 211 5th Ave SE * Wheelchair Accessible

5:30pm – 6pm Potluck * 6pm – 8pm Rest and Relaxation!

Join us for a little rest and relaxation. After the kids head over to childcare, mamas will be pampered with foot baths, desserts, massages, and more delights. We want to recognize how hard you work and give you a little of the care you deserve!

For more information, contact 360-352-9716 or info@mamapower.org

Childcare provided by the Olympia Childcare Collective at the POWER Office, 309 5th Ave SE

Poverty Scholars Visit Olympia!
Willie Baptist & John Wessel-McCoy
Friday, March 23rd
Olympia Center, Room 103
222 Columbia St. NW

On Friday, March 23rd, two Poverty Scholars will visit Olympia from
the Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
Willie Baptist is the Poverty Initiative’s Scholar-in-Residence, a
formerly homeless father with over 40 years of experience organizing
among the poor. John Wessel-McCoy is a project organizer with the
Poverty Initiative, which is dedicated to raising up generations of
religious and community leaders committed to building a movement to
end poverty, led by the poor (http://www.povertyinitiative.org/).

Join us from 1:00pm – 2:00pm for a special potluck lunch meeting with Willie Baptist and John Wessel-McCoy where we will discuss our poor people’s movement in Olympia. This event will be specifically for POWER members because we want to hear from you what you think is important in this community!

From 2:30pm – 4:00pm, Willie and John will be giving a talk on the
book, “Pedagogy of the Poor” (http://pedagogyofthepoor.org/).

Join us at the Olympia Center, located at 222 Columbia St. NW, Room
103. This event is free and open to the public, but donations are
welcome to help cover the cost of airfare for Willie and John.

Childcare provided by the Olympia Childcare Collective at the POWER
Office, 309 5th Ave SE.
We hope to see you there!

For more information on POWER and this event, contact
info@mamapower.org or 360-352-9716.

The sun will come out…… to support POWER!

Saturday, February 18th 2pm

Capitol Theatre * 206 5th Ave. SE Olympia

$10 suggested donation, pay what you can but keep in mind that it is a fundraiser!

The film will screen at 2:30 and will be a sing-a-long, join us at 2:00 for a costume parade, to learn more about the work that POWER does and to have your picture taken as Orphan Annie!

Proceeds benefit Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights, which advocates for a strong social safety net while working toward a world where children and caregiving are truly valued, and the devastation of poverty has been eradicated. If you would like to volunteer, contact Sfirah at 360-352-9716 or by email at sfirah@mamapower.org.

Know Your Rights with Child Protective Services

Monday, February 6th
5:30pm – 6pm Potluck * 6pm – 8pm Presentation
Darby’s Cafe * 211 5th Ave. SE, downtown Olympia
Childcare provided by the Olympia Childcare Collective

Child Protective Services was created to protect children from abuse, but nearly 90% of dependency cases these days are established due to “neglect”, which is vaguely defined. These policies allow for children to often be placed in foster care because their parents are poor or because a report is made by someone who does not understand the family’s culture.

Sharon Amamilo, an attorney who works with parents who are involved in CPS dependency cases will present information for parents who want to know what their rights are, what to do if CPS comes to your door or your child’s school, and what resources are available for parents and children to prevent a dependency case from being opened in the first place. 

For more information, contact Sfirah at 360-352-9716 or at info@mamapower.org.

Rights and Resources for Pregnancy & Childbirth

 Monday, March 5^th

5:30p – 6p Potluck * 6p – 8p Presentation

Darby’s Café * 211 5^th Ave. SE, Downtown Olympia

From the moment you find out you are pregnant and throughout your pregnancy and birth, you have choices no matter who you are. Come and share what you know and learn more about the resources that are available in this community so that everyone can welcome their children to the world in the way they want to.

For more information, contact Sfirah at 360-352-9716 or info@mamapower.org

Childcare provided by the Olympia Childcare Collective, Wheelchair accessible

Join us for January’s POWER Outage: 

Alternatives for Living in a New Economy

The declining economy, the rate of foreclosures, and changing family demographics have led us to think differently about the way we live as a household unit. This POWER Outage will be focused on how we can think outside of the single-family dwelling unit and create ways for us to live together in order to survive together. Members of La Casa de Hueso, Olympia’s Family Collective, will bring information on diverse collaborative households from across the world. The house members have direct experience in collaborative living, travel and touring experience, and advanced research in the field of collaborative living. The event will be in a world café setting, meaning active participation from the guest, realizing their dream of living in a new economy and steps to make it happen.

Darby’s Cafe, 211 5th Ave SE, Olympia, WA

Potluck from 5:30p – 6p * Discussion from 6p – 8p

Wheelchair accessible and childcare provided by The Olympia Childcare Collective.

Join us for ArtPOWER!

POWER will be hosting ArtPOWER, our annual arts and crafts sale, Saturday, December 3rd from noon ’til six!

Come support local artists! 50% of proceeds go to artists; the other goes to POWER in our work toward a world where children and caregiving are truly valued and the devastation of poverty has been eradicated.

Musical performances by Vince Brown and Quinn Russell!

We’re still looking for arts and crafts donations! Please contact us if interested at 360-352-9716 or poweroutletplugin@gmail.com

“Upcycled” Gifts

Recycled gift ideas for the holiday season!

Join us for this month’s POWER Outage while we make gifts using “upcycled” materials! We will have materials available to demonstrate creative and cost effective gift ideas for the holiday season.

Monday, December 5th at Darby’s Cafe, 211 5th Ave in Downtown Olympia. Potluck from 5:30pm – 6:00pm * Discussion from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

Wheelchair accessible and childcare provided by The Olympia Childcare Collective.