Upthegrove announces $500,000 in County funding for Family First Community Center

November 15, 2022

King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove on Tuesday announced that he had secured $500,000 for the Family First Community Center in Renton in the County’s 2023-2024 budget. The funding will help close the gap of the remaining $1.75 million needed to finance construction of the center.

“In 2017, Councilmember Reagan Dunn and I secured seed funding for the Center, and it’s exciting that the County is now stepping in to help shepherd the Center to completion,” Upthegrove said. “As a basketball referee, I have seen how sports can transform the lives of young people, and I’m excited that the Renton community will have this amazing center for all to enjoy.”

The Family First Community Center was the vision of former Seahawk Doug Baldwin and former Renton Mayor Denis Law. The project is a partnership between the Family First Community Center Foundation, HealthPoint, the City of Renton, and the Renton School District. The Family First Community Center Foundation (Doug Baldwin as Executive Director) and HealthPoint will partner in operating the facility.

“The City of Renton thanks Councilmember Upthegrove for this funding in the county budget, which will bring the Family First Community Center closer to the funding it needs,” said Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone. “The idea envisioned by Mayor Law and Doug Baldwin was a community focused facility to help young people in need, and it has been my privilege to work on making it a reality.”

Upthegrove will present a ceremonial “big check” at the November 21 Renton City Council meeting at 7 p.m.