East African Community Services

This month, to honor Black History Month, we are giving away $2,500 each week to a different local organization in appreciation of the important contributions they’ve made to our community. This week’s recipient is East African Community Services, an organization dedicated to improving the well-being of East African youth and their families in Seattle. 

King County, and Seattle in particular, has a thriving East African community. Most live in South Seattle, where East African Community Services (EACS) is based. EACS helps families with everything from passing the U.S. Citizenship test, to parent leadership training, to culturally-responsive youth education. 

Over the past fifteen years, they’ve touched the lives of thousands of East Africans in King County, many through their work with youth in after-school and summer programs. They boost academic performance, self-esteem and self-image, and promote college and career exploration. Equally important, EACS does all that while helping the youth develop a positive cultural identity while working with community members who hold shared values. 

EACS exposes youth scholars to state-of-the-art STEM programs, including computer coding, robotics, engineering, and the exploration of the natural world. Summer programs include field trips to places like the Microsoft campus, Cougar Mountain, the Pacific Science Center, and the Woodland Park Zoo. 

Moving to a new country and adjusting to a new culture is never easy. By working with families within a community to nurture whole-life development from cradle to career, EACS has developed a model with proven results. Preserving diverse cultural heritages and taking pride in differences helps create space for individuals to grow and participate in an integrated community life. 

At Pagliacci, we are proud to support EACS and the vital work they do to change lives, build community, and make our city a better place.