NUHSA honors Human Services programs

Keynote speaker Susan McLaughlin, Interim Director,
King County Dept. of Community & Human Services.
Photo by Mike Remarcke

The North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) is proud to announce its 2025 Human Services Program Award recipients and nominees! 

All have made a significant contribution to the health and welfare of our North King County community and have supported or advocated for a strong and accessible health and human services system, strengthening our community through their initiative and leadership.

Recipient and nominees were honored at NUHSA's 2025 Human Services Awards celebration on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00pm at Bothell City Hall.


Outstanding Human Services Program

Award presented to Manos Unidas by emcee Sarah Arndt and Brook Buettner, Executive Director of RCR and NUHSA board member
Photo by Mike Remarcke

Manos Unidas

Manos Unidas is a home-based program in Kenmore, serving North King County and expanding in the Puget Sound area. Its goal is to improve access to evidence-based information, training, and advocacy tools for Latinx families and educators, strengthening connections between home, school, and community. 

The program focuses on families with children ages 0-5 who have disabilities or suspected developmental delays, especially if at least one family member speaks Spanish. 

Manos Unidas recognizes families as key educators and works to increase children’s learning outcomes by leveraging technology and virtual networks. The program offers weekly home visits with video resources, mentoring families, helping them access early intervention services, receive diagnoses, and navigate school transitions.

Nominees:

KCSARC Prevention Team - Chris Johnson, Hannah Pepin, and Jessica Cowles

The King County Sexual Assault Resource Center Prevention Team is recognized for creating lasting community change by educating, partnering, and empowering others to prevent sexual violence. 

Their work goes beyond raising awareness—they equip thousands of students, parents, and educators each year with practical skills and foster a sense of collective responsibility. 

Their approach is grounded in equity, inclusion, and respect for youth experiences, and they facilitate open conversations about consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships. 

In 2024, they launched a Youth Advisory Council to elevate youth voices in prevention efforts. Despite challenges, the team’s innovative and compassionate work has transformed how schools and communities address sexual violence, building trust and making prevention a central part of community life. 

Their courage and commitment have normalized important conversations that were once difficult to have.

Hope Rising Clinic

Hope Rising Clinic, a division of Wonderland Child & Family Services, stands as the only clinic in Washington State offering comprehensive services for children from birth to age 13 affected by prenatal substance exposure (PSE), including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The clinic’s innovative approach includes launching a speaker bureau featuring board members and parents, amplifying advocacy and education efforts.

Serving approximately 100 children annually—many in foster care or adoption programs—Hope Rising Clinic provides vital family and caregiver support. 

With 70% of foster children impacted by PSE, the clinic’s mission is to reach every child and family in need. Despite PSE affecting four times as many children as autism spectrum disorder, it remains under-diagnosed due to stigma and limited resources. 

Hope Rising Clinic is transforming community response to this silent epidemic by working to remove shame and stigma, advocating for families, and collaborating with local agencies. 

Family resource coordinators assist with educational plans, addressing gaps in recognition and support for PSE. With long waitlists at other diagnostic centers, Hope Rising Clinic’s work is essential in ensuring timely, compassionate care and advocacy for affected children and families.

KidVantage

Emcee Sarah Arndt presents award to Jack Edgerton of KidVantage
Photo to Mike Remarcke

KidVantage (formerly Eastside Baby Corner) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children from birth through age 12 thrive by providing essential care, safety, and health items to families facing economic insecurity, systemic inequities, or family disruption. 

KidVantage has grown from a small operation in someone’s home to three hubs serving the Central Puget Sound region, including one in Shoreline. 

KidVantage helps the helpers in our community and collaborates with nearly 80 school districts, health and human service organizations, early learning centers, and food banks. 

Through these partnerships, counselors, nurses, case managers, and teachers can order customized weekly supplies—such as clothing, diapers, shoes, school supplies, and more—for children and families in their programs. 

The organization also supports expectant and postpartum mothers with maternity wear, personal care goods, and mother-infant support items. Most of the goods distributed by KidVantage are donated by community members, collection drives, and events, while crucial supplies like baby food, formula, car seats, and diapers are purchased to ensure availability.