PRESS RELEASE:

Help KCTS 9 and PCC Natural Markets collect thousands of sweaters for neighbors in need during the annual Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Sweater Drive. All donated sweaters will go to Seattle nonprofits Wellspring Family Services and Northwest Center. This is the third year that KCTS 9 and PCC have teamed up for the drive.

The greatest need is for children's items, but all new or gently used adult and children’s sweaters and coats will be accepted for donation. Collection bins will be located in all nine Puget Sound PCC stores and in the KCTS 9 lobby at 401 Mercer Street in Seattle for five weeks beginning January 10, 2011 through February 13, 2011.

“All of us, at some time or other, need help,” said Fred Rogers. “Whether we’re giving or receiving a sweater, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors—in our way, everyone is a giver and receiver."

All of Fred Rogers’ original sweaters were made by his mother, who knitted a dozen sweaters each year to give as Christmas presents to family and close friends. To help set the tone for a “comfortable” visit with his young viewers, Fred Rogers would put on a sweater and change into sneakers as a way to help children settle in for the program. His familiar red cardigan is on display at the Smithsonian Institute. Fred Rogers began the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive six years before his death in 2003, and his spirit of caring lives on today through the generosity he inspires in others.

About PCC Natural Markets: Headquartered in Seattle, WA, PCC Natural Markets is a certified organic retailer, with annual sales of $138 million and an active membership of more than 44,000. PCC operates nine locations in the Fremont, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Seward Park, Kirkland, Issaquah, Redmond and Edmonds neighborhoods. www.pccnaturalmarkets.com

About Wellspring Family Services: Every night in King County, more than 2,000 children are homeless. Approximately 40,000 children witness violence between adults each year. And 25% of the population experiences mental health issues. These are not merely sobering statistics; these are our neighbors. Since 1892, Wellspring Family Services has provided a breadth of services that address the sources of instability for families and build a community where families thrive. Wellspring helps homeless families find and hold onto a place to live, teaches abusive partners non-violent behaviors, provides counseling for at-risk families and individuals, and empowers parents to nurture their children. www.family-services.org

About Northwest Center: Founded in 1965, Northwest Center has grown to become one of the largest community service organizations addressing the needs of children and adults with disabilities in the Pacific Northwest. Its mission is to promote the growth, development and independence of people with disabilities through programs of education, rehabilitation and work opportunity. Through its programs, Northwest Center educates families, caregivers, employers, teachers and the public about how they can create inclusive environments in which all people are recognized for their abilities, not their disabilities. "It’s what’s inside that counts." www.nwcenter.org