by Lauryn Bray
Living Well Kent Collaborative (LWKC), a community-driven coalition of residents, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government leaders united to achieve health equity through policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change, was recently allotted 70 acres of land from the City of Auburn and Auburn School District. Plans for the 70 acres include community and technology centers, affordable housing, a botanical garden, more land for farming, a food hub, and more. The organization is now tasked with raising enough funds to begin developing the land.
LWKC is a young nonprofit organization, and despite only being founded in 2014, it has had a substantial impact on many communities in and around Kent. Their goal to achieve health equity and build community through collaboration, communication, engagement, promotion, education, and advocacy has inspired the implementation of several programs such as food access, health and wellness, youth empowerment, and early learning.
As Hoda Abdullahi, director of programming at LWKC, explained, “When …