Showing posts with label homeless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeless. Show all posts

Compass Housing: Pew Charitable Trust says that homelessness is a housing problem

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Two Worlds. Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

From Compass Housing Alliance

You've heard us say this a few times over the years, but the Pew Charitable Trust has just confirmed this with a new study just released in August.

The study shows how housing costs drive levels of homelessness and the cities with the higher costs of living have higher cases of homelessness.

"A new analysis of rent prices and homelessness in American cities demonstrates the strong connection between the two: homelessness is high in urban areas where rents are high, and homelessness rises when rents rise."

Read the full article here



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A dialogue about what homelessness is at Saint Dunstan's

Friday, August 4, 2023


Sunday August 6, 2023, 11:15am come and learn about the Three Practice way of listening with curiosity with Jim Henderson and Jim Hancock.

We'll be practicing this technique with the statement of "This is what I know about homelessness and how I learned it."

We will have community members from a sanctioned encampment participating in the facilitated discussion.

You can learn more about the 3Practices here on their website.
 

Saint Dunstan's is located at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline, WA 98133


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Tent City Camp United We Stand (CUWS) could use some help moving to their new location

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Photo copyright Marc Weinberg 2019
Did you know we have designated hosting sites in the greater Shoreline/North Seattle/ Kirkland/ Bothell area for the homeless to reside in community in a safe, protected space?

Camp United We Stand, Inc. is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization whose mission is to provide safe shelter for homeless individuals. 

We work toward this mission by operating a transient homeless encampment for the provision of shelter, the residents’ daily needs and to facilitate their transition to independent living.

This encampment was formed in 2014 in order to focus on finding housing, keeping employment, and getting the support needed to move forward.

The camp provides its own security detail 24/7 to patrol the camp perimeter. If needed, the police are called. Neighborhoods near our hosting sites have found there are fewer problems in the area when there is such an encampment as the residents intentionally attempt to be conscientious neighbors to their surrounding area by keeping their hosting site neat/tidy, and noises to a minimum.

Supply tent. Photo courtesy CUWS 2023
We are your unsheltered neighbors. Everyone has a story. So do our campers.

The homeless encampment houses up to 35 adults, some of whom work outside the camp. 

The CUWS board of directors work to provide a safe place for the CUWS residents to find their way back to the life they desire. 

They are assured of returning to the same place night after night to lay their heads. To having food and drink. To having their basic human needs met.

The camp has garbage and recycling service, porta-potties, water access (for dishwashing and showers), and weekly laundry service by a team of volunteers.

The residents are screened. No sex offenders or people with outstanding warrants are permitted. No weapons are permitted in the camp. No street drugs or alcohol are permitted in the camp. The rules for CUWS are strictly enforced.

We have a volunteer Board of Directors. If interested in more information in joining our efforts, please visit our website and contact us!

Learn more by visiting their website

Campers socializing outside
Photo courtesy CUWS
Due to city regulations, the CUWS hosting site needs to relocate each 90 days. Their current hosting site is HALLER LAKE United Methodist Church (13055 1st Ave NE, Seattle)

On the weekend of Aug 4-6, 2023 they will be relocating to

KIRKLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (106 5th Ave, Kirkland)

It takes a village to move the entire camp! Many “moving parts” in getting things packed up, loaded onto trucks, unloaded at the new location, then setting everything back up again.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS to help with the move. Any amount of time you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Click on the below link to Sign up to Volunteer if you’re able to help in any way.

Choose from either work site:
  • Current Hosting Site: Haller Lake United Methodist Church: 13055-1st Avenue NE, Seattle
    • Site moving coordinator: Justin Gore
  • Moving to NEW hosting site: Kirkland Congregational Church: 106-5th Avenue, Kirkland
    • Site moving coordinator: Isaiah
VOLUNTEER Sign-up link

We are also in need of meal delivery throughout the moving process, as the kitchen items will be packed up during the transition – so the residents will not have access to food items.

If you’re interested in providing a meal please visit the below link and sign up for the many ways you can help! We also offer a hot dinner service each Friday and Sunday night, so those slots are also available to sign up for.

Meal service sign up link

Finally, we offer a weekly LAUNDRY SERVICE for each of the residents at CUWS. If you are interested in learning more about our service, or would like to join our team of “Laundry Angels” please contact Lisa McDonald for additional information at: lisa_mcd@comcast.net


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City of Kenmore partners with Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness

Saturday, May 13, 2023

arian malek khosravi on unsplash.com
Kenmore's partnership with Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness is up and running thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. 

Anyone in the community that sees someone who is unhoused and in need of help can reach out to our two outreach specialists. 

They will connect with the person and make sure they have access to the resources and services they need to help them get back on their feet. 

Lake City Partners is looking forward to connecting and helping as many people as possible in our community. 

Feel free to contact them with referrals or for more information:



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

Friday, May 12, 2023


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.


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Give BIG campaign to support local charities and social services May 2-3, 2023

Monday, May 1, 2023

By Diane Hettrick

The annual GiveBIG campaign to encourage support of local nonprofits is culminating May 2-3, 2023. There are many local nonprofits who need your support and I encourage you to donate to your favorites at any time of the year.

Two local charities deserving of special attention are Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness and North Helpline

LAKE CITY PARTNERS ENDING HOMELESSNESS

Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness has a day center in Lake City, and an enhanced shelter on Aurora - The Oaks. In addition, they have a full-time outreach specialist.

Donate online

If mailing a check is most convenient - please do so to 16357 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline WA 98133.

Your donations would be greatly appreciated and would go towards our unrestricted funds which will be used to purchase gift cards (grocery stores, basic necessities).The gift cards are important for our outreach team as they hand them out when they first make contact with people.

Your support is crucial and our unhoused neighbors need it now! Thank you to those who have already donated and/or created your own fundraisers on the Washington Gives platform. We are grateful for your support.

NORTH HELPLINE

North Helpline is headquartered in Lake City, where they run a day shelter for unsheltered people, a food bank, home delivered food, and mail services. They hand out hygiene kits every quarter and warm coats when they have them. They have partnered with the Seattle Indian Health Board for clinic services.

Already one of the largest food banks in the area, they opened a second food bank at Bitter Lake in north Seattle. They provide food to hundreds of people every week.


Both organizations take donated goods. I invite you to peruse their webpages to see what they need.


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North Helpline Empty Bowls events raise nearly $40,000 for food banks and homelessness prevention programs

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Finding just the right bowl takes some time
Photo courtesy North Helpline

North Helpline held a multi-location "Empty Bowls" fundraiser March 24-26, 2023. (see our previous article) Pottery studios, school art classes, and individuals donated bowls.

Participants chose a bowl and purchased it for $30. The bowl was filled with soup and the money went to support North Helpline's programs.

They report:

Our 14th annual community meal was a hit!

We are so grateful for everyone in our community that came together to make our 14th annual community meal such a success.

The joy of finding just the right bowl
Photo courtesy North Helpline

Together we raised nearly $40,000 to support our two food banks and homelessness prevention programs!

Thank you to the many community partners that helped us raise essential funding. 
  • To our incredible soup donors without which there would be no meal to share. 
  • To all the amazing artisans, students, and local craftspeople that donate each and every one of our bowls. 
  • To the many local businesses, museums, and neighbors that donate to our online auction. 
  • Finally, the amazing crew of volunteers that help us plan and run Empty Bowls year after year.
Most of all, thank YOU for supporting our community meal and the neighbors we serve.



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Celebrate the volunteers and community partners behind the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter - Friday March 24, 2023

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

As was previously announced, the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter has closed for the season and permanently in its current format, that had served the North King for 4 years. 

Join us this Friday, March 24, 2023 at Saint Dunstan’s Church from 5pm - 6:30pm to recognize and celebrate the volunteers and community partners behind the Shelter - and learn how you can get or stay involved in supporting community members struggling with shelter and food insecurity. 

Brief remarks will take place at 5:45pm.

Click here for more information, as well as to RSVP.


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NUHSA: Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter is closing for the season and permanently

Monday, March 6, 2023

A statement from NUHSA - the organizing body for the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter

A warm and welcoming place in times of
cold weather.
The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will close for the season and permanently in its current format on Friday, March 10, 2023. 

This marks the end of services offered through a unique partnership between the City of Shoreline, the North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) and St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church that has provided cold-weather emergency shelter for the unhoused in Shoreline and North King County since 2019.

The Shelter had been a vision for many in our community for some time, and the urgency escalated after severe weather impacted our region in February 2018. 

In response, NUHSA convened a series of meetings with over twenty area community leaders and providers throughout the spring and summer of 2019, and in partnership with the City of Shoreline, created the infrastructure for providing a severe weather response. 

Volunteers were recruited and trained, and during its first season (December-March), the Shelter was activated on 14 nights with 2-11 guests each time.

Since then, and as word has spread, the number of guests has increased, along with the number of nights meeting activation criteria. 

The threshold for activation is a prediction of four-plus hours of temperatures at or below 33 degrees overnight or snow accumulation (or expected accumulation) of 2 or more inches. 

During this past season (November 1 through March 6), the Shelter has been open 25 nights and served up to 14 guests each time. Incredibly, 168 individuals have been served at least once by the Shelter just this winter.

This season, however, a larger share of guests have presented with more behavioral health and medical challenges, a likely result of the shifting landscape with fentanyl. 

Experience indicates that a successful shelter requires a higher level of paid, professional staffing than can be provided strictly with volunteers. 

With the creation of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), there is an opportunity to address emergency shelter in a more systemic and coordinated way that also more adequately serves our homeless neighbors. 

NUHSA looks forward to supporting KCRHA, along with our North King County cities, in developing a more robust and sustainable severe weather response for the 2023-24 winter season and beyond.

The following individuals and organizations were instrumental in the creation and success of the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter and deserve significant recognition: 
  • Colleen Kelly and Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn, City of Shoreline; 
  • Lisa Surowiec, Volunteer Coordinator and former NUHSA Board Member; 
  • Rev. David Marshall and the congregation at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church; 
  • Pastor Kelly Dahlman-Oeth, Ronald United Methodist Church; 
  • Carrie Czarnecki, Ian Williams and Stanley Machokoto, current and former Outreach Leads for Lake City Partners; and 
  • Silje Sodal, Rob Beem and Heidi Shepherd of NUHSA. 
The community also stepped up in important and powerful ways, spreading the word and donating sleeping bags and other necessities.

Most importantly, the 45 current and former volunteers who graciously and generously donated their time to make the Shelter a reality deserve our deepest appreciation. 

Volunteers came from many different backgrounds - retired and working, parents and singles, male and female. They endured sleepless nights and demonstrated extraordinary interpersonal and de-escalation skills, all the while expressing gratitude for being able to meet and help our unsheltered neighbors. These wonderful individuals displayed immense compassion and made it possible for others to be comfortable for a few short hours.

St. Dunstan's church provided a warm and welcoming place

Each activation night, two volunteers arrived in the evening to set up the shelter space, welcome guests, offer hot coffee and cocoa, along with some snacks, and then oversee the shelter until morning. An Outreach Lead from Lake City Partners assisted for a couple of hours in the evening and again in the morning to connect guests to resources and distribute bus passes and other materials.

In the end, the Shelter is not about numbers, agencies or buildings – it’s about people. 

The guests served were diverse – young, old, male and female. Working and not. With and without disabilities. With possessions and with nothing. The one thing they had in common was a desire to get out of the elements (or vehicles) and into a warm, dry and welcoming space for the night – and within the warmth of the Shelter, they were able to, even just for a short time, share resources and stories, chat, sleep and rest.

A reception will be held in the coming weeks to recognize our volunteers and partners and celebrate four years of successfully providing shelter for our unhoused neighbors. More details to come soon!

For further information, please contact Silje Sodal, NUHSA (staff@nuhsa.org) or 206-550-5626.


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Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter open Monday, March 6, 2023 at 8:30pm

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Monday, March 6, 2023 at 8:30pm

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626

The shelter welcomes donations of sleeping bags, socks, blankets, scarves, and hats.

Daytime warming center:


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The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 8:30pm

Monday, February 27, 2023

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 8:30pm

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626

The shelter welcomes donations of sleeping bags, socks, blankets, scarves, and hats.

Daytime warming center:
Aurora Commons 8914 Aurora Ave N
Open M-TH 10am-1pm



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Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter closed Sunday for lack of male volunteers

The weather was icy, with snow on the ground, but the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter was unable to open Sunday night for lack of male volunteers.

The Shelter is run and staffed by volunteers under the leadership of NUHSA (North Urban Human Services Alliance)

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133

It is the only overnight shelter in the north end.

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626

The shelter welcomes donations of sleeping bags, socks, blankets, scarves, and hats.

There is a daytime warming center:
Aurora Commons 8914 Aurora Ave N
Open M-TH 10am-1pm


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The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 8:30pm

Saturday, February 25, 2023

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 8:30pm

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626

The shelter welcomes donations of sleeping bags, socks, blankets, scarves, and hats.

Daytime warming center:

Open M-TH 10am-1pm


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The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Friday, February 24, 2023 at 8:30pm

Friday, February 24, 2023

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Friday, February 24, 2023 at 8:30pm

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-562



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Dembowski and staff visit The Oaks Enhanced Shelter in Shoreline on Wednesday

Thursday, February 23, 2023

L-R Councilmember Rod Dembowski, Executive Director William Towey, Rod's Chief of Staff
Kristina Logsdon, and Elizabeth Evans Webb

Text and photo from County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

Lake City Partners continues their amazing work at The Oaks enhanced shelter in Shoreline. 

Up to 60 people are housed and supported with services in their own rooms in this former nursing home. 

On Wednesday, February 22, 2023 my staff and I visited again, meeting with Executive Director William Towey to discuss how our north county response system is working, and what it needs to respond effectively to those experiencing homelessness. 

There is progress and reason for hope.



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Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 8:30pm

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 8:30pm

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-562



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Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter to be open Wednesday February 22, 2023 at 8:30pm

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 8:30pm.

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133.

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-562



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Attention: Members of Saint Dunstan's congregation

A notice from the Church office:

For centuries Churches when they are best serving their purpose have served as a sanctuary for their local communities. In this tradition Saint Dunstan’s Hosts the Severe Weather Shelter in times of low temperatures and harsh winter weather and we are honored to continue in this tradition.

The weather has hit temperatures that do mean that we must be open at times that match up with our Ash Wednesday Services at 7am and 7pm.

Our Ash Wednesday services will continue as planned, but please be aware that we are hosting guests overnight. We will need to share the space and respectfully walk through to the Sanctuary when you arrive.

We feel this is most appropriate as Lent is a season to remember to seek to serve God in all people, and sharing and caring where we can is the priority.



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Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter to be open Tuesday February 21, 2023 at 8:30pm

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 8:30pm.

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133.

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626



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Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter to be open Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter will be open Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 8:30pm.

The shelter is housed at St. Dunstan’s Church at 722 N 145th St, Shoreline WA 98133.

If you would like to be a shelter volunteer, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626



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