In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting a few of the many women who have been instrumental in helping Plymouth provide permanent homes and critical support to those in need. These women made such an impact on Plymouth that we’ve named buildings in their honor.

Bertha Pitts Campbell, a revered racial justice advocate, was a committed activist and organizer in Seattle for many years. She was a charter member of the Christian Friends for Racial Equality, worked with the Seattle Urban League, and was the first Black member of the board of directors of the YWCA of Seattle-King County.

Campbell was also one of the founders of Delta Sigma Theta, a national Black public service sorority, whose Seattle chapter is still active in volunteering at Plymouth. Campbell died in 1990 at the age of 100. Bertha Pitts Campbell Place, located in the Central District, a historically Black neighborhood, has 100 units for residents, three apartments for live-in staff, an on-site health care space, and an outdoor community space.

 

Kristin “Kris” Benson, a Housing Case Manager at Plymouth for eight years, was a fierce advocate for our unhoused neighbors and regularly went above and beyond to serve Plymouth residents with care, dignity, and respect. Her generosity of spirit, genuine kindness and never-failing humor left an impression on every person she met. Kristin Benson Place, which opened in 2021 in the Uptown neighborhood near Seattle Center, honors the legacy of our late colleague with 91 studio apartments and a ground-floor arts space of our partner, Path With Art.

 

Sylvia Odom chaired the Plymouth Congregational Church task force that led to the founding of Plymouth Housing Group in 1980 (which soon became a nonprofit unaffiliated from the church). Sylvia’s passion for serving those less fortunate touched thousands of lives—not only the residents who have walked through Plymouth’s doors, but our staff, volunteers, and greater community. The building named in her honor, Sylvia Odom’s Place, opened in Belltown in February 2016 with 65 studio apartments for individuals who have gained stability after homelessness and are ready for greater independence.

 

Marcia Almquist and her husband Bob, like Odom, were instrumental in Plymouth’s founding, putting in long hours of hard work to get Plymouth’s first properties move-in ready. Marcia was honored to serve Plymouth residents and valued the interactions she had with them. She was also a founding member of Plymouth’s board, only rolling off the board when she or Bob’s staff positions required it. Read more about the Almquists’ legacy here. Bob and Marcia Almquist Place, situated in the Chinatown-International District, opened in 2020 with 102 studio apartments, three staff apartments, community meeting rooms, street-level retail space, and an outdoor plaza with a public art installation.

 

Anne Simons, along with her husband Langdon Simons, supported and volunteered with Plymouth for decades. Anne was passionate about ending homelessness. She often came with fellow residents of Horizon House, the retirement community where she resided in her later years, to serve dinner to the residents of the building named after her and her husband: the Langdon & Anne Simons Senior Apartments, which opened in Belltown in 2008. Simons, as it’s called, is equipped with 95 studio apartments designed for seniors and military service veterans (55+), many of them partially or fully accessible.

 

Pat Williams dedicated her life to affordable housing. As a friend and supporter of Plymouth Housing Group for over 20 years, she played an instrumental role in the design and construction of the majority of Plymouth’s properties. Pat helped us grow our housing portfolio to the 1,000 units (and counting!) that we have today, providing homes for thousands of people over the years. The Pat Williams Apartments in South Lake Union opened in 2013 with 84 studio apartments for individuals who experienced homelessness, plus a Recovery Support Program with daily support for substance use disorder.

 

Plymouth extends our deepest appreciation to these and other individuals who contributed time, service, and funding toward our mission. Click here to browse and learn more about Plymouth’s 17-and-counting buildings.