History

The Chief Seattle Club was founded in 1970 by Jesuit Father Raymond Talbott. Sr. Julie Codd kindly recalls some details of the history of the Club:

Chief Seattle Club began in 1970 when Fr. Raymond Talbott, a Jesuit missionary priest returned to Seattle after years of working among the Native American Tribes in the Northwest and Alaska.  Fr. Talbott noticed how many Native People were on the Seattle streets struggling to survive and heard the call to find a place for them to gather.  With the assistance of the Native People and several donors he founded the center which was named after the famous Chief, Sealth, on  whose land Seattle rests.    The center began offering basic services: a meal, shower and change of clothes with the added idea of encouraging the people to gain employment.  Fr. Talbott obtained a truck providing transportation for a moving and landscape business.

In 1992, Sr. Julie Codd, a Sister of St. Joseph of Peace, stopped by to visit the Chief Seattle Club, located in a small dilapidated building.  She had been working with Native People for 10 years in La Conner on the Swinomish Reservation and was interested in working among the urban Native community.
She had heard about Fr. Talbott’s work at the center but hadn’t been able to find it open, as it was only open from seven to eight thirty in the morning.  When she finally found her way to the open center, Fr. Talbott, who was 84 years old at the time, was needing to go through open heart surgery.   He asked her if she
would like to be the director for the center.  He said Joe LeClair, the vice president of the Matson Shipping Line, was going to be the Executive Director and all he needed now was the Program Director

Sr. Julie took over the center for the next 10 years.  During that time the center gradually grew, more hours were added, more services provided and many more Native people come seeking assistance.  The center moved into a building shared with Lazarus Day Center at 416 2nd Ave. in the mid 1990′s.
Jim Burns was hired as Executive Director.  He helped fundraise for the new building.  Jenine Grey was hired as Executive Secretary, after a couple of years she became Program Director and eventually took on the role as Executive Director.
In 2007 CSC moved into a beautiful newly renovated building at 410 2nd Ave. Ext. S. right door to the former location.