Giving Tuesday 2025 for DRCC

We can't believe it's the end of the year and Giving Tuesday is upon is already.  Time flies when you are fighting the good fight, handing out leaf bags to all of our Duwamish Valley neighbors, hosting our local job and resource fair, preparing for seasonal king tides known to flood our neighborhood homes...or the non-stop advocating for deserved clean air for our community members. Whatever the cause, we stay busy, but always grateful.  We thank you for your tremendous support to us, our community partners, and to the beloved people of the Duwamish Valley.  No amount is too small or less important.

In 2026, DRCC will be going into our 25th year of service, which will bring a lot of reflection and continued movement forward.

We are also proud to announce the purchase of property in the heart of the Duwamish Valley.  This historic acquisition will serve as the future home of the Duwamish Valley Youth and Climate Resilience Hub, a community-driven space dedicated to empowering youth, advancing environmental justice, and building climate resilience for generations to come.

The property is located near the banks of the Duwamish River, once a symbol of industrial pollution and environmental harm, which will now be transformed into a place of growth, opportunity and healing.  “We bought this land because our community deserves more than survival, we deserve the space to flourish and thrive,” said Paulina López,  Executive Director, DRCC. “This hub will be a space where our young people lead, where ideas grow, and where our community can shape its own climate future and be safe”.

DRCC’s vision for the future Youth and Climate Resilience Hub is one that provides:

• A safe and welcoming gathering place for community members

• Workshops and training on climate leadership, green jobs, and environmental restoration

• Community gardens and green infrastructure that promote food sovereignty and climate adaptation

• A base for organizing, storytelling, and local decision-making in the face of climate challenges

For decades, the Duwamish Valley has been a place of economic disinvestment that has borne the burden of environmental neglect. The transformation of this land is part of a broader vision to reclaim spaces for community well-being and self-determination .  

DRCC anticipates sharing more about the future of this site in 2026. In the meantime, community members, partners, and supporters are invited to to celebrate and join with DRCC in envisioning how this space can contribute to an empowered Duwamish Valley. 

Our MISSION: 

The Duwamish River Community Coalition exists to elevate the voice of those impacted by the Duwamish River pollution and other environmental injustices for a clean, healthy, equitable environment for people and wildlife . We promote place-keeping and prioritize community capacity and resilience.

DRCC was formed in 2001, following the designation of the Lower Duwamish Waterway as a federal Superfund site. Our purpose is to ensure that information about the Cleanup is transparent and accessible to the impacted community, and that their opinions about the cleanup plans are heard by Responsible Parties and the Environmental Protection Agency.       

In the years since, we have expanded our mission to include the many issues that come along with living in an Environmental Justice community. Our North Star continues to be community--our work, projects, and direction are always guided by community priority. Our current projects include our Clean Air program, Duwamish Air Improvement Study for Youth, Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition, Flood Community Advisory Group, and Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, among others. All of these projects reflect the concerns of our community. We listen to community needs; organize and collaborate with community to develop solutions; provide pathways to policy-makers; and whenever possible, hire from within the community in order to build capacity and share power. DRCC’s strength lies in its recognition of our neighbors as ourselves; we depend on one another and are never stronger than when we work together towards our greater good–a healthy, resilient, welcoming Duwamish Valley.