A free concert on Phinney Ridge will raise money for a Seattle nonprofit working to prevent child sex trafficking in Washington State.
The Phinney Neighborhood Community Chorus performs its spring benefit concert on June 19 at 7 p.m. at St. John United Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave. N. Admission is free. Donations collected at the door go directly to EVERSTRONG, a Seattle-based organization that has distributed more than $6.2 million in grants to organizations supporting trafficking survivors since 2021.
The chorus, directed by Maggie McClellan, has been singing on Phinney Ridge since 1999. The non-audition choir rehearses Thursday evenings at the Phinney Neighborhood Center and performs music spanning Balkan, South African, and shape note traditions.
Past benefit concerts have supported the Seattle Times Fund for the Needy and the Downtown Food Bank, according to the group's SeattleSings profile.
EVERSTRONG, formerly known as StolenYouth, was founded in 2012 by a group of Seattle women. The organization rebranded in 2025 to shift its focus toward prevention and education. It launched its Prevention Portal in November 2025, reaching 9,584 youth across 13 states within two months, according to the organization's website.
Executive Director Sarabeth Rees leads a team developing what the organization calls Washington's first free, on-demand anti-trafficking curriculum for grades 7–12, aligned with a state mandate (RCW 28A.300.145) requiring trafficking prevention education in public schools.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has cited estimates of 500–700 children trafficked in the county each year, though the underlying research dates back several years.
How to help: Show up Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m. at St. John United Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave. N. No tickets needed. Bring a donation of any amount for EVERSTRONG, or visit everstrong.org to give online.
What happens next: The concert is a one-night event. EVERSTRONG plans to expand its Prevention Portal from 13 to 20 states and reach 20,000 youth by the end of 2026.
