Announcing the passage of William (Bill) Foster Co-Founder of 23rd & Cherry Fellowship Hall

The idea behind the 23rd & Cherry Fellowship Hall was originally thought of in 1980, from a small group of people who were meeting at the Central Area Community Alcohol Treatment Center. Two members of that group, Bill F. and Rufus T. found and rented a small store front on the corner of 23rd & Cherry Street to host meetings themselves.

On the 1st of July 1981 we moved into our new freshly painted home. Incidentally, our new home was the old home of the "Blue Bird Tavern" a rather infamous watering hole of the area. Ironically, many of us had been frequenters of the Blue Bird before beginning a life of sobriety.

The reason the site at 23rd & Cherry was chosen lies mainly in the forward thinking of Bill and Rufus, as They recognized that there was not a site in the predominately black central area of Seattle where people could recover in a clean and sober environment. Thus, the 23rd & Cherry Fellowship Hall became the first predominately black fellowship hall in Seattle, Washington.

The fellowship, under the guidance of strong board of directors, has over the years been a focal point in the continued sobriety of persons of all races, creeds and colors. The Hall was officially deemed a non-profit organization in the state of Washington, on the 4th of August 1981.

Over the last 42 years Bill Foster has been an intrical part of the 23rd and Cherry Fellowship Hall, leading it forward in it most challenging times.

Because of Bill’s leadership, 23rd & Cherry Fellowship Hall is one of the oldest Black owned institutions remaining in the Central Area and servicing people of all races.

The Board of Directors, Membership and all the hundreds of thousands recovering alcoholics and addicts and their families are tied to the dedication this man William (Bill) Foster has given.