It is finally here and ready to serve the public. The Family First Community Center, a project of Seahawks legend Doug Baldwin, is up and running. The City of Renton supported its Grand Opening Ceremony on Friday. The residents showed up along with the Seahawks Dancers, Blitz, DJ Supa Sam, and Blue Thunder.
A big donation was announced by the Seahawks. The new Family First Community Center has $250,000 coming to it over the next five years through the Players Equality & Justice for all Action Fund. This was all a dream early in their NFL career of Doug Baldwin. He and another legend Richard Sherman shared a house in Renton not far from Seahawks headquarters.
There was a recognition from the beginning that the area needed help. At the time Baldwin decided to make this happen, Renton Mayor Denis Law helped. It has been ten years in the making. Baldwin remembers his own upbringing in Florida and how what he helped to create in Renton helped him in Pensacola – it was the Southern Youth Sports Association
The Family First Community Center will help families access health related resources with HealthPoint, a local nonprofit organization, providing general medical, dental and mental health services. The center will also be a place for area kids to hang out and be in a place of fun and safety.
Now, it is all hands on deck. Front and center will be the City of Renton, the Renton School District, HealthPoint and the First Financial Northwest Foundation. “My mindset is very similar to when I played. I’m still focused on what’s in front of me, being as present as I possibly can, because there’s still so much work to do,” Baldwin said. “My mind doesn’t really go towards celebrating the opening. This is where the real work can begin. I’m anxious to get these doors open and get the community in there. We’re opening right when school ends, so it’s a good time for us, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
