Vision House luncheon raises almost $700,000 to fight homelessness

Pictured: John Camerer, Vision House Co-Founder; Melissa Gehrig, Executive Director; Ninevah Lowery, Jack and Jill Foundation; Geoff Tamman, Board President; Susan Camerer, Vision House Co-Founder and Presenting Sponsor – Camerer Real Estate, Windermere; Bob Goff, Author and Guest Speaker.

This past Monday, May 8, 2023 the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue had almost 700 guests eager and attentive to consider their legacy. 

The Vision House Luncheon featured speaker and New York Times bestselling author Bob Goff, who spoke on the joy of neighbors and community coming together to be a safety net - a safety net of care and support we all desperately need - especially local moms and kids at Vision House.

The goal of this event was to raise support for families experiencing homelessness in the greater Puget Sound area, and that is exactly what was done. Funds are still coming in, but so far almost $700,000 has been raised to help provide safety and healing for families.

Executive Director Melissa Gehrig shared about the continuum of care that Vision House provides for families.

“Families are in crisis and just getting them housed is not enough. We can’t just put someone in a house and expect them to be successful in keeping it.” 

Gehrig shared that the Vision House program includes case management, accountability, and time with licensed mental health counselors. This strategy has enabled Vision House to have a success rate historically of 90-92% in moving families to permanent housing.

Jacob's Well in Shoreline

Vision House is a nonprofit organization providing transitional housing, childcare and supportive services to families experiencing homelessness. Since its beginning in 1990, the faith-based organization has served more than 1,400 children, women and men experiencing homelessness, each receiving the support they need for achieving independence and self-sufficiency. 90% of participants who complete the program move into permanent housing. 

Headquartered in Renton, the agency is debt-free, owning and operating 46 units of housing and two childcare facilities in Renton and Shoreline (Jacob's Well); and two Diversion Centers in Renton and Burien – with a third planned for Shoreline.