Celebrate Black History Month by exploring Seattle through the neighborhoods that Black entrepreneurs and makers help shape every day. We’ve put together a curated guide of Black-owned businesses in and around Columbia City, Rainier Valley, Hillman City, and the Central District, plus easy “day out” itineraries to make supporting local simple and fun. Read the full blog to discover the list, plan your route, and find new favorites!
January at REST was a quiet return to what matters most: routine, connection, and steady steps forward. With workshops restarting, community spaces reopening, and our team growing stronger, we’ve seen again how consistency helps survivors refocus, rebuild momentum, and move toward their goals. Read the full blog to see what’s been happening inside the ERC and how your support is making it possible.
Fifteen years ago, REST began with one bold belief: survivors deserve dignity, compassion, and real pathways forward. Since 2009, that belief has looked like calls answered when someone had nowhere else to turn, advocates showing up again and again, and a community refusing to look away. In our 15-year anniversary blog, we reflect on REST’s journey from our beginnings in 2009 through becoming an official 501(c)(3) in 2011, what this milestone truly represents, and why we’re more committed than ever to the work ahead. Read the full post to celebrate with us and see what’s next.
REST’s new Signature Tea Collection is here, and it’s steeped in purpose. These six bright and cozy blends on Adagio let you enjoy a cup you love while supporting survivors, with five percent of every purchase going back to REST. In the blog, meet each tea, discover our “tea mates” pairings, and learn how this simple ritual can help create safety, steady care, and new beginnings.
December at REST was filled with moments of connection, creativity, and hope. From a Winter Wonderland Open Mic Night where guests shared music and stories, to Holiday Spirit Week activities and a caroling visit that brought joy to seniors in memory care, this season reminded us how powerful community can be. We also celebrated making Christmas morning special for shelter guests and honored our team with quarterly Value Awards. Read the full recap and see what hope in action looked like all month.
Around the time we issued our Black Lives Matter statement, we also reached out to some of our Black/African American clients and asked if they’d be comfortable sharing some of their experiences with us—so we can share them with you.
When we look at the demographics of the sex trade here in King County, we see an enormous disparity—one that reflects the commodification of Black women’s bodies. As we look to dismantle present-day systemic racism, we must understand its roots to be able to begin to unravel the centuries of legal oppression. This blog examines some of that history.
Most of the photographs representing survivors on this website are stock photography and feature models used for illustrative purposes only. With a few carefully evaluated exceptions, we do not publish or share photos of survivors at REST.
