Community Outreach

The Bulgarian Cultural and Heritage Center of Seattle (BCHCS) was founded in 1939 as a non–profit as a social gathering for Bulgarians and Macedonians new to the United States. In 2011 Podkrepa formally become a non-profit charitable organization in the State of Oregon.

The purpose for which this association is organized are to unite all Bulgarian, and/or Macedonian persons and their descendents in Portland, Oregon, and vicinity to provide education and cultural activities that support the above-mentioned persons and to educate the general public about this community. This organization is non-political in character, and no discussion of politics candidates shall be discussed in open meetings.

Email us at: http://www.podkrepa-pdx.com/contact-us
Visit us at: http://www.podkrepa-pdx.com/

The Center for Czech Education and Culture was established as a non-profit organization in February 2006 to promote cultural and academic exchange between the Czech Republic and the Pacific Northwest, and to foster ties between the United States and the Czech Republic in the areas of culture, education and civil society. More information about the Center and its activities can be found on its website.

President: Wayne Jehlik
Mail: 3115 NE 65th Street, Seattle, WA 98115
Phone: (206) 229-7127
Email: waynej@ccec-seattle.org
Website: http://www.ccec-seattle.org

Sponsored by the Eastside Genealogical Society, CSGIG meets approximately ten times a year at Fire Station #22 in Kirkland. At roundtable-style meetings members share problems and information and have internet hookup for research skills. Meeting dates, driving directions, meeting reports and other interesting information may be found at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com~wacsig/

Contact: Rosie Bodien
E-mail: rosie@bodien.org

The Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Washington was formed on December 10, 2000 in order to:

• Preserve and enrich the religious and cultural traditions of Bosniaks in Washington.
• Foster fraternity and goodwill among Bosniaks and the community at large.
• Organize cultural activities, such as picnics and social gatherings, and community sports.
• Provide Islamic religious education and spiritual guidance to the Bosniak community.
• Educate Bosniaks and the community at large about drugs, alcoholism, social justice, family values and morality.
• Create programs for Bosniak children and adolescents, and youth from the community at large.

President: Mr. Muhamed Saracević
Mail: P.O. Box 5126 Lynnwood, WA 98046
E-mail: Miz_seattle@hotmail.com
Phone/Fax: 425 778 – 8311

Contact Muhamed Saracević or Imam Abdullah Polovina

The Polish Home Association dates back to 1899, when the Polish Hall, a lodge of the Polish National Alliance, was started in Ballard. In 1919 the Polish community bought the present building, and in 1920 it was opened as the Polish Home. Since then it has served continuously as a place for people of Polish nationality and descent in the Seattle area to come together and celebrate common ground, while promoting such mutual interests as Polish culture, history, and education.

President: John Golubiec
Mail: 1714 18th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
Phone/Fax: 206 322 3020 / 323 4008
Website: http://www.polishhome.org

Slovenska miza / Slovene Table is comprised of approximately 50 members who live in the greater Seattle area in the State of Washington. We are for the most part relatively recent migrants of the younger generations, although we have some members who are second or third generation Slovene Americans. We also welcome as members anyone interested in Slovene language and culture. Our association includes members who hold influential positions in business, the professions, academia and other spheres of employment. Among other things the association provides a venue for professional networking and information exchange. Some of our members have short or long term plans to return and work in Slovenia. Others are interested in collaboration with our homeland in professional areas, culture and science. We are putting much effort into maintaining Slovene language and culture within the greater Seattle community, which is particularly important for those of us who are raising families. We also promote Slovenia as a tourist destination.

Our society often works in partnership with the University of Washington Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures to organize cultural events, maintain Slovene language and raise the general profile of a small but remarkable country that has much in common with the Puget Sound Region.

As an association we try to reach out to those Slovenes who have recently moved here and help them adjust to their new American environment.

Slovenska miza c/o Brooks
P.O. Box 2491
Redmond, WA 98073
E-mail: slovenska.miza@gmail.com
Tel.: 425-869-2407

During Summers 2011 and 2012, STARTALK funded both teacher and student programs for Russian language at the University of Washington. The teacher program was geared toward teachers who are working to obtain a P-12 World Language Endorsement in Russian for teaching Russian language in Washington K-12 public schools. The student program was geared toward high school and college Russian heritage language students in a four-week intensive language program meeting five hours a day. Program components included content-based learning in the arts (drama), as well as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through a partnership with the Museum of Flight, as well as interviews with professionals working at Microsoft and Boeing. The UW Language Learning Center is applying for funding to offer the STARTALK programs again in Summer 2013.

Contact: Paul Aoki
E-mail: startalk@uw.edu
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/startalk

Bridging Cultures through Education about Poland by sharing Polish intellectual, scientific, and artistic accomplishments is the UW PSEC’s mission.

Our vision is to create a leading West Coast Polish Studies Center at the University of Washington.  In pursuit of this goal, we have established an endowment fund, we sponsor the Distinguished Polish Speakers’ Series, provide student scholarships, attract visiting scholars to the UW, and build partnerships with community organizations in the Pacific Northwest.

April 2002 saw our first outreach event at the University of Washington in Seattle:  Tom Podl’s presentation on Colors of Identity: Discovering Polish Heritage through Art.  The same year we received two grants from the UW’s Simpson Center for the Humanities and the UW’s Arts and Sciences Exchange Program to organize an outreach speakers series entitled 50 Years of Polish at the UW: Celebrating Polish-American Heritage.  The series was also supported by smaller grants from Seattle’s Polish Home Association, Seattle’s Polish Home Ladies’ Auxiliary, the UW’s Slavic, History, and Jewish Studies departments, the REECAS Program, and the Seattle Public Library.  In 2004 a very generous gift from Izabella and Andrzej Turski enabled us to continue the series, now known as the Distinguished Polish Speakers’ Series.  One look at the impressive list of events organized by UW PSEC gives one an appreciation of our organization’s vitality and achievements over the past eight years.

In addition to the speakers series, we have held four UW Polish Studies Auctions, which raised over $120,000, enabling us to establish the UW Polish Studies Endowment Fund in 2005.  A year later we established the unique UW Polish Studies Fulbright Lectureship Fund, which combines funds from the Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission, the UW’s Ellison Center, and UW PSEC to bring lecturers in Polish Studies to the UW.  In 2007 we established a Student Scholarship to award financial aid to UW students interested in pursuing studies in Poland.

Please visit UW PSEC’s website at: http://www.polishstudiesuw.org/home

The Ukrainian Association of Washington was incorporated in 1976 to promote the cultural, social, and educational interests of Americans of Ukrainian heritage, to support Ukrainian cultural and scientific centers in the free world, and to promote understanding in America of the problems and concerns of the people of Ukraine, especially in their struggle for freedom. Led by a Board of ten directors, the club conducts two general meetings per year, sponsors an International Dance (February), observes the birthday of the poet Taras Shevchenko (March), and organizes the celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day (August). In keeping with its Charter, the Club has given moral and financial support to the Ukrainian Studies Endowment at the University of Washington.

President:  Petro Drohomiretsky
Mail:  3127 232nd St. SW
Brier, WA 98036
E-mail:  pdy@comcast.net
Phone:  206-355-7980
Website: http://www.uaclubwa.org/

UCCW is a community-based, social service nonprofit organization. UCCW is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors that includes five men and two women from the Ukrainian community.

Since its establishment in 1998 the Ukrainian Community Center of Washington (UCCW) has been helping refugees and immigrants mostly from the former Soviet Union overcome language, cultural, educational and social barriers. Our purpose is not only to assist and educate the Slavic community but to provide them with a sense of unity and community well-being. The Center is one of the few organizations accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals to provide immigration services to immigrants. Depending on the clients need, services are provided in English, Ukrainian or Russian languages. The center has successfully provided the following services for 14 years:

• Acting as a liaison between refugees and service providers to bridge cultural differences.
• Assisting with the immigration process.
• Providing mental health/case management services.
• Providing community education on social services and related topics.
• Providing parenting education sessions.
• Providing support and activities for elderly.
• Providing activities for youth.
• Training refugee service providers in basic cultural differences.

Executive Director: Oleg Pynda
Address: 221 Hardie Ave NW, Renton, WA 98057
Phone: 425-430-8229
Email: opynda@uccwa.org
Website: http://www.uccwa.org