8th Annual Closer to Home Breakfast sets new fundraising, attendance records
On October 17th, more than 500 supporters gathered at the Washington State Convention Center for Bellwether’s 8th Annual Closer to Home Breakfast. Together with nearly 50 sponsors and generous Challenge Fund donors, they raised over $350,000 to advance Bellwether’s work of building affordable homes that give residents access to opportunity.
Shirley Franklin, the former Mayor of Atlanta and the first African American woman to serve as a mayor of a major Southern City, delivered the keynote address. In her address, Franklin emphasized that affordable housing is at the center of a holistic approach to community building. She remarked that Seattle is a city that others look to for how to solve big problems – whether technical or political. With a blend of humor, insight, and pragmatism, she called on Seattle to harness its innovative spirit and solve the affordable housing crisis.
Bellwether Housing extends a special thanks to our sponsors. Colliers International Seattle Multifamily Team was the keynote sponsor. Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Walsh Construction Company were visionary sponsors. Dozens of other companies supported the event’s success.
This record-setting Closer to Home Breakfast comes at a time when Bellwether Housing is preparing for a phase of major growth. In the next five years, Bellwether plans to build 1,000 affordable homes on land we control.
(Event photos by Alec Miller.)