Skip to Content
Translate to:

In The News

Family First Community Center

Family First Community Center

Check out new video for Family First Community Center!

King5 Evening Magazine

Doug Baldwin unveils new community center, hosts all-star basketball game

RENTON, Wash. — He’s one of the best receivers in Seattle Seahawks history, but Doug Baldwin’s post-NFL work is what he hopes will leave a lasting legacy.

After a decade of planning and years of fundraising, Baldwin’s Family First Community Center in Renton is opening June 16.

The basketball gymnasium is especially meaningful – dedicated to his grandparents, Victoria and Junius Boling.
“My grandfather was the most influential person in my life when he was alive – he still is,” Baldwin said. “I really miss him. Miss that smile.”

The community center is a public/private partnership and is just one of the ways Baldwin is working to impact communities in Washington state. His fundraising coalition Champions of Change (founded with former teammates Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett) is also busy this month, holding its annual gala, auction and All-Star Basketball Game.

READ MORE

Renton Reporter

Local Leaders and Influencers Celebrate Community Center

Renton leaders, partners and Doug Baldwin took time to reflect on the approaching construction of the Family First Community Center and honor the journey it took to get there. The center land-use notice now stands outside Cascade Elementary School, posted after several years of work raising funds and finding partners.

An honorary ribbon cutting at the site for the new Family First Community Center was held Saturday, Oct. 26. Though not the official groundbreaking, it was a chance for Mayor Denis Law and Council President Don Persson to be a part of that celebration. Law and Persson are retiring from their leadership positions before construction starts in Spring 2020.

Read More

Renton City News

Family First Center Moves Towards Goal

It began two years ago as a shared vision between Mayor Denis Law and Doug Baldwin of the Seattle Seahawks: a family-oriented community center in the
Cascade/Benson Hill neighborhood.

Today that vision is moving towards reality as the proposed Family First Community Center has received funding from a variety of sources and is working towards reaching its funding goal.

Read More

KUOW

Former Seahawk Doug Baldwin on Depression, Life After Football, and His Mission to Build Community

Kim Malcolm talks with former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin.

After eight seasons with the Seahawks, Doug Baldwin announced in May that he’s retiring from football.

Now, Baldwin is throwing his energy into building the Family First Community Center in Renton, a place inspired by encouragement he got as a young student.

Read More

The Seattle Medium

Construction Moving Forward On Family First Community Center In Renton

The Family First Community Center recently took another step towards becoming a reality as Renton Mayor Denis Law was joined by project partners and community leaders at a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the site adjacent to Cascade Elementary School.

“This symbolic ribbon cutting tells the community we are moving forward with the construction of the Family First Community Center,” said Law in remarks to the crowd. “This new center is possible thanks to the vision and support of Doug Baldwin, collaboration between the city and the school district, and the generous support from local businesses, Rotary Club of Renton and state and county representatives.”

Read More

KIRO NewsRadio

Doug Baldwin Pitches in to Help First Responders, Seniors During Outbreak

Former Seahawks star Doug Baldwin has been active in the community since he retired from the NFL, and is now looking to provide aid to seniors and students alike in the midst of Washington’s coronavirus outbreak.
“Everybody has been impacted by this pandemic,” he told KIRO Radio’s Gee and Ursula Show. “So honestly, we’re just reaching out to people and saying ‘how can we help?’”

That includes a partnership with Safeway and Northwest Harvest to deliver groceries to seniors and people whose immune systems are compromised, “who really can’t leave their home right now, but still need food.”

Read More

Seahawks.com

Doug Baldwin Takes Action To Assist Those In Need

“We are all relying on goodwill and compassion to protect our community,” said Seahawks Legend Doug Baldwin in one of his recent Tweets. Baldwin has been advocating for the support of our neighbors in need under the new ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order.

During these difficult times, one of the larger issues for some Seattle-area families and senior citizens is access to food and health resources. Baldwin and the Family First Community Center Foundation teamed up with Safeway, NW Harvest and its network of community partners, and other local organizations to come together and bring immediate relief those adversely affected by the current global pandemic.

Read More

Seattle Medium

Safeway Donates Computers To CAYA To Help Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

Former Seattle Seahawks Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin recently delivered 18 desktop computers, as the first installment of 35 computers donated by Safeway, to the Central Area Youth Association (CAYA) to benefit kids at Leschi Elementary School as part of CAYA’s Best Start For Kids program.

The donation, on behalf of the Family First Community Center Foundation and Safeway, will enable all 35 kids in the program to have computers in their homes in order to have access to their online academic classes, one-to-one tutoring and CAYA’s after school program activities.

Read More