Resource Roundup: December 22nd, 2021
Pioneer Square Business Stakeholders-

The Alliance for Pioneer Square team is working diligently to keep the Pioneer Square community informed regarding new resources and opportunities available to them. This roundup is part of a series of weekly messages capturing new resources and opportunities. Find each weekly email to date on our website.

*Please see this roundup's new resources and opportunities highlighted in RED*

What's Happening

  • *NEW* Earlier this month, Mayor Durkan announced that the ORCA Recovery Card Program, which provides free ORCA cards to essential workers in Chinatown-International District and Pioneer Square, will extend through December 31, 2022. 

The program supports small business recovery by assisting employees in traveling or returning to work, helps people save money on transportation and encourages them to take transit more which helps the city meet sustainability goals. Those who received the card during the summer can continue using the same card free of charge for another year to help get them to where they need to go affordably and efficiently. The city recognized the benefits of the ORCA Recovery Card with 91 percent of people using transit more frequently than they did before receiving their ORCA card, according to a survey conducted by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

Eligible individuals and businesses that did not receive an ORCA card can visit the Recovery Card Program website or email [email protected] to request one.


  • Public Health – Seattle & King County has announced it is formalizing enforcement mechanisms to penalize impacted businesses that are willfully out of compliance with the vaccine verification requirement. Read more details about enforcement here. 

In partnership with Public Health – Seattle & King County, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has assembled the required signage, a 20-page toolkit, and training resources to prepare for a successful implementation of the policy.
Worker and Business Resources

  • *NEW* The Seattle Office of Economic Development is partnering with Seattle Good Business Network and Shunpike to match 25 vacant downtown Seattle storefronts with pop-up shops and art installations. Funded through the American Rescue Plan, these projects will benefit neighborhoods, small businesses, artists and property owners by creating vibrant and engaging streetscapes that encourage the public to visit downtown Seattle, support local businesses and support local artists—particularly entrepreneurs and artists of color. 

There is no cost to participate and the program will provide working capital to each small business and artist featured. Seattle Restored storefronts will be open from December 2021 through April 2022, providing flexible short-term activations that run for two to four months. Applications for Seattle Restored are open on a rolling basis until storefronts are filled. Visit Seattle Restored for more information, eligibility, requirements, and to apply.

For additional questions, translation or interpretation, technical assistance, disability accommodations, materials in alternate formats or accessibility information, please contact the Seattle Office of Economic Development at (206) 684-8090 or email [email protected].


  • Got a small business? Neighborhood online marketplace? Add it to Shop Your Block! Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) is relaunching Shop Your Block to connect shoppers with local Seattle Small Businesses! Update your listing or add your small business to the the Shop Your Block map. On the map, customers can search for retailers and other small businesses nearby by business name, neighborhood name, or product keywords.

  • The Small Business Administration announced changes to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program including increasing the COVID EIDL Cap and implementation of a Deferred Payment Period.

EIDL applications will close Dec. 31. Don't wait, apply while funds are still available! OED is providing free technical assistance to businesses applying for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, please email [email protected] or call (206) 684-8090. The SBA Seattle District Office’s hosted a webinar on How to Navigate SBA COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Programs. The webinar covered a variety of topics including small business resources available from the City of Seattle an Overview of and recent changes to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and more. Click here to view the recorded event.

Reopening Resources


  • The Pioneer Square Business Owners & Managers Facebook group is an opportunity for business owners and retailers to participate in an online forum and share resources, support, and stories. We invite you to join group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.


Partner Efforts
  • The Downtown Seattle Association is offering a $25 credit toward a trip with Lyft or Uber to one of four downtown Seattle locations. If your ride is less than $25, the remaining amount stays in your account and can be used for a second qualified ride. If your ride is more than $25, you are responsible for paying the difference. One voucher per account.

For Lyft, learn more and get your code here or you can also enter LIGHTSDELIGHTS in the Lyft Pass section of the ‘Payment’ tab in the app menu. For Uber, learn more and get your code here. Voucher name is Downtown Seattle Holiday Lights & Delights. This program runs until midnight Dec. 31, 2021.

  • Now in its seventh year managing Occidental Square and Westlake Park, The Downtown Seattle Association is continuing to seek input on what’s working and ideas for improvement. Take this parks survey and you can be entered to win a $150 Intentionalist gift card. Please share your feedback by Friday, January 7th at 5 p.m.

Other Neighborhood Updates
Donation Pick-up of $1400 worth of goods from American Life Insurance company.
*NEW* A huge thank you to everyone who donated to the Alliance for Pioneer Square and Pioneer Square Residents’ Council coat and supply drive in support of the Purpose Dignity Action’s JustCare program.

Thanks to your generous donations, a collection of over 30 women's coats, 60 men's coats, warm hats and gloves, scarves, blankets, hygiene supplies and more will be distributed directly to individuals formerly living in Pioneer Park who received temporary housing and services last year.

A special shoutout goes out to the following:

  • Cheers to American Life Insurance (known to us as "Hawk Tower") for their generous donation/shopping spree of needed items totaling $1400.

  • To Shawn O'Donnell's at the Smith Tower, Cone & Steiner, and Cafe Umbria for hosting neighborhood drop off boxes.
  • To our resident homes: The Florentine, The Gridiron, The Nolo, The Wave, The Terry Denny, and The Corona for hosting boxes and encouraging residents to donate goods.

This will further the JustCare program’s mission to engage in outreach, service provision, and temporary housing to the unhoused individuals in Pioneer Square.
Additional Resources


  • The Alliance is coordinating with the Butler Garage on 114 James Street, to provide free parking on Saturdays throughout the year. Park for free every Saturday with a dated proof of purchase from a Pioneer Square business. Free parking is available from 11am to 8pm each Saturday in 2021.

  • Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood. 

Please let us know how we might best support you. Feel free to contact any of us with comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.
Sincerely,

The Alliance Team

ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE