Byrd Barr Place

About Byrd Barr Place

Byrd Barr Place (formerly Centerstone of Seattle) is committed to helping people help themselves. We nurture a more equitable Seattle by providing programs that enable people to live healthier, prosperous lives. We offer support for basic human needs—home heating assistance, housing assistance, healthy food access, and personal finance education—so everyone has a strong foundation to break the cycle of poverty. And we support community engagement and partnerships to better understand the root causes of poverty and displacement in Seattle. Our name honors Roberta Byrd Barr—a passionate, fearless advocate, and a presence in Seattle’s Civil Rights movement. Roberta led marches to demand de-segregation in schools and fought to provide the next generation a better, more equitable future. Our name is a recognition of the Black leaders that committed their lives to fighting for what is right, and we are re-rooting ourselves in the values that have defined the organization since its founding in 1964—compassion, resilience, and equity.