Showing posts with label social services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social services. Show all posts

NUHSA announces 2020 Human Service Awards

Wednesday, November 25, 2020


The North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) is proud to announce its 2020 Human Services Award winners. 

Each award recipient has demonstrated a significant contribution to the health and welfare of our North King County community and has supported or advocated for a strong and accessible health and human services system, strengthening our community through their initiative and leadership. 

New this year is the Youth Human Services Leadership Award to honor the young people in North King County who are advancing the conversation on health and equity and taking action to support the well-being of our community.

Nominees and winners will be honored virtually at NUHSA's 2020 Human Services Awards celebration and annual meeting on December 8, 2020, 5:00 – 6:30pm. 

We are pleased to welcome King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski who will provide introductory remarks. 

To join in the event, register in advance here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctce-rrDwqHdJgDax-XwavTc4T_KMTZYj3

Outstanding Human Services Program

West Side: Shoreline Community Court and Resource Center
East Side: Babies of Homelessness

Nominees:
Center for Human Services Family Support Department
Hunger Intervention Program
North Sound RADAR
Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park

Human Services Champion of the Year

West Side: Karen Tynes, Community Advocate
East Side: George Ahearn, EastWest Food Rescue

Nominees:
Maria Cisneros, Family Liaison, Northshore School District
Theresa LaCroix, Executive Director, Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center
Dallas Wood, Program Director, Hunger Initiatives, YMCA of Greater Seattle

Youth Human Services Leadership Award

Black Lives Matter Shoreline

NUHSA’s Annual Human Services Awards have been celebrating the accomplishments of local individuals and organizations since 2008. 

NUHSA is an alliance of non-profit agencies, faith communities, city and county leadership, school districts and members of the community who advocate for a strong and accessible health and human services system in North King County, encompassing Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville. 

Through partnership and collaboration, NUHSA supports providers, funders and the community to enhance existing resources and build our capacity to effectively respond to community needs.

For more information, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626.



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Rev. Dr. Jean Kim: Mother to the Homeless

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Mother to the Homeless Rev. Dr. Jean Kim
Photo courtesy Jean Kim Foundation

By Donna Hawkey

When a five-foot-tall Korean immigrant changes the world, we should all listen.

Meet 85-year-old trailblazer and “Mother to the Homeless,” Rev. Dr. Jean Kim. She has spent 50 years of her life serving people who become homeless in Seattle, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Brier, Mountlake Terrace, and beyond. 

Before immigrating to the U.S., she spent years experiencing poverty and homelessness while witnessing the devastation of her home and her culture during the Korean War.

Rev. Dr. Jean Kim has been wearing a purple shirt with the printed words “End Homelessness” – every day - since 1997! 

Rev. Dr. Jean Kim at her 80th birthday party
Photo courtesy Jean Kim Foundation

Homelessness is Multi-Dimensional

Her family makes a harrowing escape to South Korea when she is 11 years of age. Throughout her early life, she feels a sense of homelessness beyond the physical needs of shelter; she calls this “multi-dimensional homelessness.” It encompasses physical, emotional, and social homelessness. This definition stems from her half-century of listening carefully to many homeless people and from her personal experiences, too.

Beginning with a wealthy early childhood, she ran through vast orchards on property lined with four estate homes in North Korea. However, inside those homes, she witnessed the terror of her father’s physical and emotional abuse of her mother. She says, “Emotionally, I was born homeless. Whenever my mother cried, I cried with her. I shared her tears, grief, and anger.”

During the Korean War, Rev. Dr. Kim experiences physical homelessness with the loss of all their family’s wealth. Her young life started on a path of further personal heartbreaks that never fully breaks her spirit; it serves to strengthen her resolve. She credits her faith in God for that.

“Jesus carries me on her back,” she says. Throughout her tragic and grueling life circumstances, she always brings herself back to hope through the eyes, words, and wonder of God.

Devoted to bringing dignity to lives traumatized by any of the multi-level aspects of homelessness, she works tirelessly. 

"Many suffer the dimension of “social homelessness. They’ve become estranged by their families and don’t have any relatives nearby or even a single friend to turn to in times of crisis.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

“Purple is the liturgical color for the Seasons of Lent in the Christian tradition. It can symbolize pain, suffering, mourning, and penitence. It is also the color of royalty, so traditionally, it has been used for the season of Advent in the Christian tradition.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

Transforming all “pain-stricken purple people into hope-filled purple people” is her life goal. 

Rev. Kim's first church was housed in the former First United Methodist Church in downtown Seattle.
Photo courtesy the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Miracle Creator

“Together, we can accomplish miracles.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

She created fifteen miracle missions both locally and nationally, including the seed of the idea for the very successful Mary’s Place, a family shelter. In her book, Jubilee Handbook: An Introduction to the Mission of Ending Homelessness, she provides 106 concepts she gleaned from all her life experiences and ideas for systematic ways to solve serious problems.

After traveling extensively to learn about several hundred homeless programs from congregations across the U.S., she made many lifetime friends and associates while working, studying, and raising a family. With a Doctorate in Ministry (at the age of 71), a Master of Social Work, and certification as a mental health counselor, Rev. Dr. Kim is more than well-qualified.

She has received 25 community awards, including the 2019 Snohomish County Human Rights Award. The award was presented to her on December 8, 2019, to commemorate the 71st U.N. Human Rights Day.

In 1981, before she turned 50, she also received a humanity award from the Seattle Chapter of the United Nations Association. The Korean government awarded her the Medal of Honor, and from the Presbyterian Church U.S., Women of Faith, she received a service award.

For her 80th birthday, after being inspired by her work helping homeless college students find housing, her family and friends developed an educational foundation called “The Jean Kim Foundation,” a 501(c) (3) organization.

Rev. Dr. Kim worked for ten years at Harborview’s mental health clinic and helped many homeless women that fled from domestic violence. They had no money and nowhere to live, and they needed a safe place to go, just as she had experienced in war-torn Korea. Through these eyes and her generous heart, she created her first mission, The Church of Mary Magdalene, in downtown Seattle. This church mission became the nucleus for forming the first Mary’s Place shelter.

“Homelessness for women and children is a life-threatening trauma, just like fires and tornados. Homelessness for women often means robbery, assault, rape, and even murder. Therefore, I named homelessness “the disease unto death.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

When she created the Church of Mary Magdalene, it became a uniquely spiritual place that allows homeless women to feel safe during the week without the threat of male violence. A worship service takes place every Saturday. For the sermon, the preacher and women engage in discussion rather than a traditional sermon format. Rev. Dr. Kim praises women by saying, “You are better than Biblical commentaries.”

Homeless women were given new lingerie free every quarter to allow them to feel some dignity. She says, “Wearing well-fitting, clean, new lingerie helps women to feel their image is being restored, which was created in God’s image.” Once a Seattle Times article called the Church of Mary Magdalene, “A Lingerie Church.”

She brought the healing gift of singing and music to the congregation. Eventually, they hired a music director, and the homeless choir was invited by other churches to sing at their services. Today the choir still sings together every Saturday (until the coronavirus crisis), and their choir has an excellent reputation.

A small number still meets on Saturday, despite the coronavirus threat, for weekly worship in the basement of Gethsemane Lutheran Church, downtown Seattle, under Zoom worship leadership.

Although Rev. Dr. Kim did use old hotels or motels in downtown Seattle for homeless families, the Church of Mary Magdalene never became a family shelter. But when Rev. Pat Simpson took over the mission, she named Rev. Dr. Kim’s weekly day program “Mary’s Place.”

After Rev. Simpson, Marty Hartman was hired, and Mary’s Place became an independent 501(c)(3) inspired by Rev. Kim’s original work and service. Today, Mary’s Place does outstanding leadership work to end family homelessness. But there is much more work to be done.


Public Policy and Attitude Change Needed

Rev. Dr. Kim reminds us that in 1948, the U.S. signed the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” an international document that includes proclaiming housing as a human right; but the U.S. has woefully fallen behind on adhering to this right. https://www.un.org/ruleoflaw/files/FactSheet21en.pdf

Everyone needs housing to perform a job well and to live a healthy life, so Housing First is something Rev. Dr. Kim has been working on most of her life. King County is now known as a national leader in the Housing First approach – thanks to trailblazers like Rev. Dr. Kim!

“No public will support the establishment of a homeless shelter. The public seems to want the homeless to sink into the earth or evaporate into the air. They want them to disappear. That is the attitude of the public we have in our midst.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

Political will and economic policy changes are the magic keys to ending homelessness.

“The federal government concentrated public housing in segregated inner-city neighborhoods and subsidized metropolitan sprawl. It failed to create enough affordable housing for low-income families and minorities in rapidly developing suburbs. There are four-to-five year waiting lists for housing, and people and families are cut off from decent housing, educational, and economic opportunities.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

We know that homelessness disproportionately affects people of color, so our society continues to discriminate against racial groups similar to redlining.

Many decades of disastrous budget cuts at the federal and state levels have helped cause this unnecessary plight. And now, with COVID-19 and the economic crisis, we are ready for a “volcano eruption.” --Rev. Dr. Kim. 

She believes every person will feel suffering from the financial strain of this pandemic.

“Many city governments want to dump, sweep away, or throw away homeless people just like we throw away trash, instead of solving the problem of homelessness.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

As we move to a technology-driven economy, there are fewer employment opportunities for people without training or formal education. The hourly wage for most lower-skilled jobs does not allow for sustainable living or even cover rent in a one-bedroom apartment.

“Some of you might say that we have made it in our struggles; why can’t they? People who have many problems are still housed if they have financial or family resources. People who have been messed up too deeply can’t make it on their own. They need help.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

Governments everywhere need to step up to ensure that all human beings can exit out of a life cycle of poverty. Jobs need to be created that meet people in trauma where they are at, not our perceived expectations of them. And support services are needed to get them over the bumps and sometimes giant hurdles that someone in trauma goes through to heal.  

People who become homeless have the right to be treated as equal human beings in society. It’s the right thing to do.

Public Education Needed

Contrary to opinion, due to a lack of public education, drugs or alcohol are not the primary reasons for homelessness, although that also can be a reason for homelessness. (The opioid crisis shows us the disease of addiction knows no income, ethnic, or other social boundaries.) Drugs and alcohol are sought out for stress relief for the traumatic effects of becoming homeless and the effects of living without any basic standard of human living.

“Root causes of homelessness are based on racial disparities and historic institutional racism. For instance, behavioral health services for people of color have been almost non-existent along with affordable housing.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

The lack of affordable rents/housing and low-wages or lack of employment ultimately becomes the main reason people become homeless. And it can result in poor health, depression, addiction, and shame. It’s one of the worst human tragedies in modern times. For these people, it feels like “God has walked away and left them hopeless and spiritless.” --Rev. Dr. Kim.

While chronic homelessness does exist, most people are homeless only once, if they receive the necessary and critical services needed. Studies show criminalizing homelessness costs more. For example, one day in jail that costs $87 is compared to one day in a shelter at $28.

(This is a fundamental concept of Shoreline’s Community Court; to provide targeted support services to help people.)

Her Legacy is Published

In the last few years, Rev. Dr. Kim has been encouraged to write and publish what she has learned throughout her over 50 years of experience. She has published a four-book series available on Amazon. 

These books are the bible of homelessness solutions, including her years of serving the homeless and her compelling autobiography. They’re for anyone who desires to become more informed, or are in a place of public policymaking, or curious about a remarkable women’s life. She is currently writing a summary of these four books translated into Korean.

Please consider reading about her work; a healthy society depends upon listening to humanity leaders. We can all work together on solutions no matter who we are. Rev. Jean Kim indeed teaches us that!

Read her hundreds of solution ideas and many that she implemented with much success. She gives us lots of purple hope and reminds us that God loves us all and that Jesus walked the path of homelessness, too.

Rev. Dr. Kim resided in Lake Forest Park during the years 1989-1998.

All proceeds from her books are donated to six homeless missions in the Seattle, Lynnwood, and Edmonds areas, including the Jean Kim Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Its mission is to break the chain of poverty through education. http://www.jeankimfoundation.org/

This article was written from reading Rev. Dr. Kim’s books, websites, and various communication between us. More to come about Rev. Dr. Kim personally and her work. Thank you Rev. Dr. Kim for your time, education, patience, and editorial assistance. It is an honor to be introduced to you!


Update: "Jean Kim is with Jesus where there is no more pain or sorrow." My mother (Jean Kim) passed away peacefully on July 3, 2021 at 3:35am. - Sam Kim



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Inside Health Institute is in the running for the BECU People Helping People Award

Saturday, November 21, 2020


BECU People Helping People Awards

The award is an annual program that recognizes local nonprofits BECU members care about and support. Members nominate local organizations to receive a grant of up to $50K. Finalists are selected among the applicants and the community votes to determine the People's Choice Award recipient.

Inside Health Institute

Founded on the belief that everyone deserves excellent health, Inside Health Institute's goal is to offer holistic care to all people with all ranges of chronic illnesses in a comprehensive care setting. They integrate holistic approaches into all areas of healthcare with an emphasis on offering these approaches to underserved populations, and also partnering with people and organizations who support these populations.

Nominated by a Shoreline resident, who said:

"My son is an adult with Down Syndrome. You can help him and others in our community by voting for Inside Health Institute for the People Helping People Award. This nonprofit has run the Get Fit program for adults with developmental disabilities.They have done amazing programming pre and during the time of covid that has made a difference in his life. This award will allow IHI to continue programming."

Vote HERE



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Lake City Partners in the running for BECU's People's Choice award

Wednesday, November 18, 2020


Choose Lake City Partners for BECU’s People’s Choice Award! 

CLICK HERE to vote today and help us win $40,000! 

Lake City Partners is a finalist for BECU’s People Helping People award. The proceeds from this award will support our shelter, day center, and street outreach programs - so please vote now! Learn more at https://lakecitypartners.org/



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Correction - update - Donna Hawkey wrote the story on Stanley Machokoto

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Stanley Machokoto

Donna Hawkey is the author of the story about social worker Stanley Machokoto in Monday's edition of the Shoreline Area News. (Social Worker Hero Stanley Machokoto)

Your sleep-deprived editor managed to tangle up the first two stories in the Facebook and Twitter editions and in the untangling deleted the story completely.

The second version of Donna's story didn't have her byline. It has now been added.


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Social Worker Hero Stanley Machokoto of Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness

Monday, October 26, 2020

Standing with a group of 8 men and women, Stanley jubilantly holds their certificate over his head while they all laugh and smile at him
With much enthusiasm, Stanley accepts the 2019 North Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) Community Service Award on behalf of Lake City Partners


Story by Donna Hawkey

We have many heroes in our community; the police officer, the firefighter, the veteran, and the school teacher. The social worker belongs in that category of hero, too.

Stanley Machokoto is a Shoreline social worker who is a Housing Outreach Specialist with Lake City Partners to End Homelessness, and fondly known to the community as “Stanley.” To make a sustainable living due to our area’s high cost, he works two other jobs. 

Stanley will work sixteen hours a day because it’s hard to say no to someone who calls him at two in the morning in crisis. The teachings and wisdom of the great Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela inspire him.

His mission is “to help end the inhumane practices faced by the marginalized and disabled poor people.” Each long workday he helps fellow human beings who need extra support from the cruel reality of becoming homeless, and especially during COVID-19, it’s been a heartbreaking time.


A bearded man in winter clothes holds a rolled up sleeping bag. He is sitting in a bus shelter and the snow is visible on the ground behind him.
Stanley reaches out to one of his clients during
 a winter storm. Photo by Stanley Machokoto.

Stanley knows too well what human suffering means. He was a victim of Apartheid while growing up in Tegwani’s most impoverished tribe in South Africa.


This was a racist system that “translates to separateness in the Afrikaans language, and it made Africans of color aliens in their homeland. Millions were forced to live in impoverished townships, and they were denied the most basic human rights.
"Apartheid, under the white minority rule, held power over the entire population, imprisoned those who resisted the system; this made many South African blacks remain prisoners in their land for decades or even life,” said Stanley. 
The British ruled like this for 352 years. He grew-up where discrimination was the law.


At the age of fifteen, he said things had gotten so out of control that children were kidnapped, and gun violence killed others. It sounds like a hunt against Africans with innocent humans targeted like animals. Stanley says that growing up in South Africa, he lived in fear but could not show it, “it was a difficult experience which even wild animals could not endure.” During one of the most tragic and shameful racial segregation periods in all world history, he grew up.

In South Africa, he had access to American television and watched series such as Daniel Boone, Dallas, and Dynasty. His image of America was taken from these shows. (Here’s why some people think America is the “Golden Land” of opportunity.) He recalls when he received political asylum in the U.S. and landed in New York and San Diego in 1990. 

 “I was blown away, and everything impressed me, such as the shopping malls, movies, and concrete pools filled with blue water. I grew up in a village where thick bushes surrounded me; mosquitoes infected swamps, and muddy dirt roads were everywhere.”


A person in a wheelchair sits outside a 7-11
As a Housing Outreach Specialist, Stanley sees
needs everywhere. Photo by Stanley Machokoto

After three weeks in San Diego, Stanley was very depressed over the culture shock and language and communication difficulties. For those weeks, no one could understand what he was saying; it was extremely frustrating. But compared to his life in South Africa, he knew he wanted to stay. 

He found an entry-level job and saved several thousand dollars; he thought he was rich. Stanley came here at the age of twenty-eight but said his emotional intelligence was that of an eighteen-year-old. His upbringing, his culture and his childhood were stolen after witnessing the horrors in South Africa.

The cost of living took that money quickly, and he became homeless for a short time, and drank alcohol to ease his pain; he became addicted. 

After some minor infractions with the law, he said drug court was the best thing that happened. That process introduced him to church work through the required community service, and the pastor noticed him.

Stanley is a motivated, enthusiastic, kind man with a witty and beautiful sense of humor. The pastor offered him a job, and he said “yes” immediately, never asking what the salary was. Stanley was so thankful to be offered a job in a safe environment.

Stanley and Pastor Pam in their church robes.
Stanley is a lay leader at Prince of Peace Lutheran
Church assisting Pastor Pam Russell. He has a desk
at the church where he can meet with clients in need.
Photo courtesy Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

And when the pastor handed him keys to the church and the office, he felt like he was so trusted, which raised his self-esteem; and help send him on a healthy path leading him to today’s critical social work. 

He decided to look to education to get out of poverty and received a bachelor’s degree and has finished one class towards a master’s in social work. 

He chooses social work because all his firsthand experiences allow him to empathize with those he serves. The trauma of human suffering stays with you forever, but Stanley never lives with regret or self-pity. 

He knows there is always someone worse off than him. One day he attended an addiction support meeting and was feeling upset about some pain in his legs, and then he saw a veteran who had lost both his feet in a war, and it humbled him immediately.

Stanley understands the many subtleties of cultural differences that can make a tremendous difference in relating well to other people. He says, “you have to understand and accept that others will think differently than you.” 
For instance, he says that having a thin body is desirable in American culture, but in Africa, people will think you are sickly and hungry if you are thin.


You cannot judge someone by their looks, which means nothing compared to who they are -and what cultural and social norms they are accustomed to - or hardships they have endured in their lives. It’s essential to understand the whole person in social work, and that appears to take a keen eye, a generous heart, and a massive amount of patience.

In his job as a Shoreline Housing Outreach Specialist with Lake City Partners, he gets referrals from various places including, city staff, the police, and fire departments. Someone may see a person living on the street and take a picture and send it to him, or a person sleeping somewhere gets reported to officials.

a smiling couple sit on the lawn
A moment of community enjoyment at a summer BBQ
 for those that are homeless. Photo courtesy of Lake City
Partners Ending Homelessness

Stanley’s work is to follow-up to discover how he can help someone exit homelessness or avoid a police confrontation that evening. 

He may have to let that person know where they can park their vehicle legally to sleep in it for the night safely. One woman recently served has physical disabilities and mental health disorders which are challenging cases to help. 

He has to build trust with that person first to assist her properly.

He has lots of support tools to assist him; to help people find shelter or housing, but he still finds he has to regularly make trips in his car because people in distress sometimes need hand-holding.

That is one reason he supports an enhanced shelter idea. He could be more efficient with his time and handle servicing more people in a day with the convenience of being together in one building. The job of any social worker is a very difficult one, but rewards come when success happens.

Stanley sees the injustices each day, and he’ll always remember his roots. After growing up in the turmoil of human injustices and oppression in Africa, and experiencing the prejudices in the U.S. too, at times he has sadly felt “that being Black is the worst thing that can happen to you.”

But he believes that “when the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned everywhere and replaced by basic human rights which will be equally guaranteed to all, then peace will prevail.”


Update: The story was written by Donna Hawkey. Her byline was inadvertently omitted when the story was republished.



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Wonderland offers free developmental milestone screener for children birth to three years of age

Sunday, October 18, 2020

Wonderland Developmental Center in Shoreline has launched a FREE developmental milestone screener
for families with children birth to three years of age.


Parents no longer have to wait for a doctor's appointment to find out if their child's development is on track. 

It takes less than 15 minutes to complete this developmental screening questionnaire (using the ASQ-3 system) online, and Wonderland’s team of highly skilled therapists will follow up with results and recommendations for next steps.

They are also offering a free screening of the child’s social and emotional well-being (using the ASQ:SE 2) because they know how hard the pandemic has been on families.

If issues of concern are raised on either screener, a comprehensive virtual developmental evaluation will be offered at no cost to the family.

If you know any families with young children who might benefit from these free assessments Share this link to the screener with them.

Wonderland provides services to five local school districts.



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Make a nomination for a Human Services award from NUHSA

Saturday, October 3, 2020

The North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) is seeking nominations for its 2020 Human Services Awards in two categories: ----Human Services Champion of the Year and 
--Outstanding Human Services Program.

Submit your nomination here: https://nuhsa.org/nominate-nuhsas-2020-human-services-award-recipients-today/

During this extraordinary time, it is more important than ever to recognize and honor those who have gone above and beyond to serve others.

Do you know of an individual, organization or business in North King County (Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville) that has made a significant contribution to the health and welfare of our community?


Have they in some way supported or advocated for strong and accessible health and human services and strengthened our community through their initiative and leadership? Have they helped build the capacity of our community to address our most pressing challenges?

If so, please give the recognition these individuals and organizations deserve! Nominations are due October 15, 2020.

Nominees and winners will be announced and honored at NUHSA's 2020 Human Services Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting to be held virtually on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 5:30pm. For more information or to RSVP for this community event, email staff@nuhsa.org.

NUHSA’s Annual Human Services Awards ceremony has been celebrating the accomplishments of local individuals and organizations since 2008. 

NUHSA is an alliance of non-profit agencies, faith communities, city and county leadership, school districts and members of the community who advocate for a strong and accessible health and human services system in North King County, encompassing Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville. 

Through partnership and collaboration, NUHSA supports providers, funders and the community to enhance existing resources and build our capacity to effectively respond to community needs.




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Virtual Resource Center offers easy online access to dozens of community service providers in King County

Saturday, September 26, 2020



King County District Court provides online and telephone options while in-person resource centers are closed during the COVID-19 Pandemic

To provide King County residents with ready access to dozens of community service providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic, King County District Court is making available a Virtual Resource Center (VRC).

Operated as part of the court’s community court program, the VRC is open to anyone in the community to visit via Zoom videoconference or by telephone. Services at the VRC include access to education, work training, substance abuse treatment, transportation discounts, Public Health / DSHS, and many more.

Prior to COVID-19, King County District Court operated in-person community resource centers in Redmond, Shoreline, and Burien. To help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, the in-person options have been replaced by the VRC until they are safe to re-open after the pandemic.

“Having a community resource center with so many vital services available at one time makes a significant difference for the entire community,” said Chief Presiding Judge Susan Mahoney.

Anyone in the community can access the King County District Court Virtual Resource Center at the following days and times, when service providers are available to assist and answer questions:
  • Tuesdays, 1:30pm – 3:00pm
  • Wednesdays, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Details for accessing the VRC online or by telephone can be found at: kingcounty.gov/VRC

Service providers that would like to participate in the VRC can contact Ericka Cooley, community court coordinator for King County District Court: 206-477-4990, email: Ericka.Cooley@kingcounty.gov

About King County District Court

King County District Court is the largest court of limited jurisdiction in Washington State, processing approximately 200,000 matters per year. The district court operates at 10 locations throughout King County: Auburn, Bellevue, Burien, Issaquah, King County Courthouse (Seattle), King County Jail (Seattle jail calendars only), Redmond, Maleng Regional Justice Center (Kent), Shoreline, and Vashon Island (one day per month). [Note, courthouse hours and services are currently modified due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.]



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Shoreline's Hannah Schink celebrates 100th birthday

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

“Try to enjoy life and pass that enjoyment on as much as you can,” said Hannah Schink, who celebrated her 100th birthday on September 10, 2020.


Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its many restrictions, Aegis Living Callahan House found a way for Hannah to celebrate her special day in style.



With a safe space outfitted by the memory care community—the Aegis Living Outdoor Living Room—Hannah visited with her two children and their spouses, enjoyed a champagne toast and was celebrated with 100 cupcakes, life-size balloons and a yellow rose floral bouquet from her late husband Chester.


Before he passed, Chester ensured Hannah would have flowers delivered on every holiday and birthday for the rest of her life. He had his children promise for every holiday and birthday they would buy their mom flowers and tell her they were from him. Hannah was very proud to take a picture with her flowers from “her Chester.”
  

The Aegis Living team surprised Hannah with a special poster from her hometown Molalla, a place near and dear to her, along with a signed and framed 100th tribute.


"My friends presented a marvelous party," Hannah noted. "It was touching to have it all taken care of, and I was very thankful for my family to be there.”

Hannah is an inspiration to us all, keeping spirits high and encouraging everyone to enjoy the gift of life every day.






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Community Meeting on North King County Enhanced Shelter

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Location of proposed shelter


Community Meeting on North King County Enhanced Shelter
Meeting date: Tuesday, September 22, 2020 from 6:30pm to 9pm

The City of Shoreline and Lake City Partners have announced plans to work in partnership with King County to operate a 24/7 enhanced shelter at 16357 Aurora Avenue N. This program would help address an unmet need for single adults experiencing homelessness in North King County. In addition to providing safe shelter, it would provide case management support for each individual focused on long term housing stability.

The City and representatives from Lake City Partners (see previous article) will host a community meeting via Zoom. We will provide information about the project, address many of the concerns we have already heard, and provide an opportunity for people to ask questions and provide comments. Representatives from King County will also be on hand to answer questions.

Visit shorelinewa.gov/NKCEnhancedShelter for more information

Information on how to join the meeting and participate.
Webinar ID: 960 2490 6611
Passcode 722710

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Lake City Partners ending homelessness

Stanley Machokoto holds the 2019 Outstanding Human Services Program award at the NUHSA ceremony last year while the Lake City Partners smile. Photo courtesy North Urban Human Services



Lake City Partners has been named as the lead agency to manage the proposed 60 bed homeless shelter in the former nursing home at 163rd and Aurora. They have a long-time presence in Lake City and were recipients of NUSHA's 2019 Outstanding Human Services Program.

Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness

  • Who Are They?
  • What Do They Do?

By Donna Hawkey

Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness is no stranger to the City of Shoreline. Their work goes beyond the Lake City neighborhood. In 2019, through their Shoreline Housing Outreach program, Lake City Partners helped 73 Shoreline households get into housing, including families with children. 

Just last quarter, they assisted 17 Shoreline children whose parents are struggling. They see the growing needs of both families and individuals, and the City of Shoreline recognizes this trend. Once the infectious disease COVID-19 arrived, another level of caring for everyone’s health and safety was required.

As of January 2020, King County counted 11,751 people experiencing homelessness, a 5% increase over the previous year. 53% of those people are unsheltered. Demographically, this composes 7% of the total population and disproportionately affects people of color. 25% of the homeless individuals counted are Black. Native Americans and Alaska Natives are 1% of the total population and are 15% of the 2020 homeless count. This number, 11,751 is a single night count for King county and is likely an undercount. 
Graph from National Alliance to End Homelessness Report


This graph shows a national picture of all the financially struggling households. 

There is a small percentage of homeless; however, many more households are at risk or live in poverty. 

So households experiencing homelessness are not significantly different than other low-income families.

(40% of the US homeless population are under the age of 18 with the highest rates occurring in Western US.)

This year, Colleen Kelly, Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Director, City of Shoreline, was tasked with finding solutions for homeless individuals. While there are various shelters for families, there is little available for individuals. 

Federal Department of Commerce funds became available to King county at the same time that a local  nursing home with 60 rooms at NW 163rd and Aurora Ave in Shoreline came up for sale. The funds are available to create a shelter but it has to be operational by the end of the year. 

The nursing home is a perfect facility as the individual rooms allow for COVID-19 protection as well as being able to house people in rooms that allow for privacy and dignity to develop stability in their lives.

“The City of Shoreline is deeply committed to taking on the challenge of homelessness in our community, but it is no less committed to ensuring that all of our neighborhoods are safe and healthy,” stated Shoreline Mayor Will Hall. 
“We believe this shelter can provide a needed service to our community while also being a good neighbor.” (See previous article “Shoreline collaborates with Lake City Partners on 24/7 enhanced shelter”)


Lake City Partners had already built a relationship with Shoreline through its successful winter shelter program that runs from November through March. 

The Lake City Partners winter shelter rotates monthly among various congregations including Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Shoreline. They have been a host since the program’s inception in 2012. 

Each community church welcomes up to 30 nightly guests that include hot meals, bus tickets, and trained staff to help with a multitude of support needs. Those needs range from helping someone fill out an application for housing, determining appropriate referrals for services, and providing a crucial human connection through a caring hand and heart during the traumatic effects of becoming homeless. 

Melanie Neufeld, Director
Lake City Partners


Melanie Neufeld is the Director of Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness and a Minister at Seattle Mennonite Church. She has been forging community relationship-building in the Lake City Neighborhood and beyond for 14 years. 

She says that is how the organization evolved, and today it’s mainly word of mouth referrals. It started as a Lake City Taskforce in 2005, and in 2015, Lake City Partners to End Homelessness was established by the Taskforce.

Pastor Pam Russell, Prince of Peace, describes Ms. Neufeld as “tremendously talented, and I am in awe of how wonderful she is.”


Ms. Neufeld has worked in the non-profit sector for 24 years, specializing in social work and community development. 

Her training includes understanding shelter best practices with the National Alliance to End Homelessness. She is a Lake City resident who shows an unrelenting passion for those that become homeless and for social justice issues.

She says, “Harms need to be addressed and especially as we look through a racial equity lens. If we can’t help our most vulnerable population, how can we ever become a healthy society? COVID-19 has also given us a lens as to how we are all so connected; this disease knows no city, state, or country boundaries.”


Here are Ms. Neufeld’s answers to several interview questions.

What does the word “Partner” in your organization name stand for?

We are made up of many organizations working together. We refer to these groups as partners and they are represented on the board of directors and participate through the Lake City Taskforce on Homelessness which continues to meet monthly.

Your mission is to end homelessness. How do you do that?

We do that by housing one person, one family at a time. Affordable housing is at the forefront of solving homelessness. Without shelter, it’s difficult for a person to get restorative sleep, so how can we expect this person to go to work when they live in survival mode? And when people get the kind of services they need, a large portion of people will self-resolve to exit homelessness for good.

How did the Lake City Neighborhood initially respond about the development of the congregation of shelters?

At first, as most communities do, there are many fears about shelters. Public safety is always a top concern. As we build trust and strong relationships through community dialog and unity, we become an asset as the residents see positive results. As a community partner, I attend monthly neighborhood task force meetings and meetings with groups such as Building Lake City Together. We work together to solve the challenges towards a very worthy goal.

What are some examples of how you go about finding permanent housing?

First, we ask that person where they slept the night before and whether they can go back to that place, and we start the dialogue from there. Sometimes it is just a matter of helping that person get back to their family living outside our state, but a homeless person has no money to return.

Or that person lost their job and could no longer pay the rent, or they need to buy their car tabs. We work a lot with United Way’s Streets to Home program, which has established flexible funding that provides a bridge of solutions for various situations. There are many reasons a person becomes homeless, and there are numerous programs out there to help, but access can be difficult for someone who doesn’t own a computer or even own a mobile phone. And the system can be quite complex to navigate.

Every community is concerned about drug use and appropriate behavior. Please comment.

Let me be clear; there is no tolerance for drug use at our shelters or disrespectful behavior! We expect all residents to be home by 10:00pm. We follow the harm reduction theory, which allows for a tapering of drug use through pharmaceuticals and is overseen by their medical providers. But there is no usage of illicit drugs at our shelters. If that happens, that person is not a good fit for our program, and we quickly find them another place with the support they need.

Shelter staff


Then how do you go about finding a “good fit” for your program?


That happens in various ways, including referrals from Shoreline Police, fire and parks department. About 2-1/2 years ago, we started a program called Shoreline Housing Outreach. A full-time housing specialist, Stanley Machokoto, assists in this public work to walk the streets of Shoreline with the purpose to connect people to housing and other services necessary for survival.

How is the Housing Outreach funded, and when did it start?

The program started in May 2018. King County jointly funds it with 20% of matching funds from the City of Shoreline. Housing Outreach started with a small group of concerned citizens, including Pastor Russell, a current board member. It’s been very successful.

Was this King County’s answer to moving homeless people from Seattle to the nearby suburbs?

Absolutely not. King County is a national champion making housing the first priority, and they have done a lot in the Seattle area to establish this reputation. For instance, in Lake City, we have McDermott Place (75 apartments), which includes 38 units for veterans and Valor Apartments, 21 units for veterans.

McDermott Place by Eugene Shibayama

Mc Dermott Place is named in honor of Washington state congressman Jim McDermott, a strong and successful advocate for affordable housing. Services here include not only housing but the means to access education and employment services.

Is there a religious component to your programs?

No, there is not. It is the churches that have welcomed these shelters, and with a built-in volunteer congregation base, it’s easy to get things like emergency meals made and delivered in a flash. It’s incredible support that we require in these times and are so lucky to have.

How did Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness evolve?

We started as a group of faith-based and neighborhood organizations that saw the needs right before our eyes. Labor Ready had moved into the Lake City community, and suddenly, there was a need for showers, backpacks, and sandwiches to bring to work.

God’s Li’l Acre Day Center

That is how the program God’s Li’l Acre got started. 

Today, we oversee the God’s Li’l Acre Day Center that provides a hot shower, laundry facility, a community kitchen, internet and phone access, resource referrals, nursing care, clothing.

Beyond this work and our other programs mentioned, relationships and financial support from the Cities of Shoreline, Kenmore, and Bothell have developed due to increased community needs.

Do you think you are the right organization to manage an enhanced shelter, such as the one in consideration on Aurora Ave?

I feel we are a good match as we understand the single adult population, and we’ve had lots of neighborhood experience in Lake City. 

We are a small non-profit that has accomplished a lot with little staffing, so I feel confident we are ready and able. And I would look forward to working further with the City of Shoreline and neighbors and residents to make an enhanced shelter a safe place for all.

What would you do if you had unlimited funds?

I would buy housing, housing, housing, that is the first step. We don’t have enough of that, and with the price of housing now, I would need unlimited funds for sure.

Do you have any other future goals?

We are very concerned about a homeless person when discharged from a hospital setting and have no physical and mental health support when they leave. We have partnered with Seattle University College of Nursing and have a vision of working with hospitals to assure that released patients will get the help they need. It is very distressing for the health care workers as well, and some say it is the most stressful part of their job when they have to release a patient who has no home or family.

Leaves memorial - a leaf for each person who dies on the streets


Is there anything else you want the community to know?

Yes, the Leaves of Remembrance initiative started by Women in Black that has unfortunately grown, too. Bronze leaves embedded into city right of ways/streets with an inscription of the names of those who have died while living outside have 17 locations throughout King County. Each Leaf is to honor that person, and a website tells their story in honor of their life. 

Tree of Life sculpture

There is a Tree of Life sculpture north of Pike Place Market in Victor Steinbrueck park, the Leaves' companion. I hope one day we won’t ever need any more Leaves. 

In 2019, 58 human Leaves fell. Here is a list of the people who died.

More information about Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness here





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New Certificate helps students prepare to improve the Criminal Justice System

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Shoreline Community College campus entrance
Photo by Steven H. Robinson



The first of its kind in the nation, Shoreline Community College is launching a new Criminal Justice Advocacy Certificate (CJAC) this fall.

The fully online 15-credit certificate is designed for people working or planning to work in or alongside the criminal justice system who want to advocate for vulnerable populations and find effective ways to work with different professions to improve the criminal justice system.

The training is of particular relevance for those studying or working in the areas of sociology, legal studies, social work, psychology, counseling, healthcare, public health, law enforcement and corrections, community outreach, or community organizing.

Taught by a forensic social worker, the certificate uniquely focuses on the intersection of law and psychology. Class topics explore historical trends and current issues in crime and social justice, models of crisis intervention, de-escalation and conflict resolution, and criminal justice theory with a multicultural perspective.

“These classes explore how different professionals can work in tandem to help people in crisis who often cycle through the health care and criminal justice systems repeatedly. The curriculum is a forward-looking, systems-oriented approach to strengthening and reforming society’s responses to social problems,” said Associate Faculty Anura Shah, LICSW, MHA.

“The Criminal Justice Advocacy Certificate provides useful ways for professionals to deescalate situations and build new ways of responding to those in crisis. It’s an excellent choice for someone who wants to go into direct service work as well as for someone already working in a related field who wants to add a new advocacy-based skillset,” Shah added.


Additionally, as interest in new models of crisis intervention grows, the College is debuting a new online professional development series specifically intended to help mental health and social service professionals increase their understanding of the criminal justice system and its applicable laws. 

Registration is now open for the first course in the series, The Interprofessional Practice of Law Enforcement and Social Work, which takes place October 1-2, 2020.

The CJAC certificate classes begin on September 23 and are open to anyone who has applied to Shoreline Community College. Learn more about Shoreline’s Criminal Justice program and the Interprofessional Practice of Law Enforcement and Social Work continuing education course.

About Shoreline Community College 

Founded in 1964, Shoreline Community College offers more than 100 rigorous academic and professional/technical degrees and certificates to meet the lifelong learning needs of its diverse students and communities. Learn more at www.shoreline.edu.



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Request for Nominations: NUHSA 2020 Human Services Awards

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

The North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) is seeking nominations for its 2020 Human Services Awards in two categories: 
  • Human Services Champion of the Year 
  • Outstanding Human Services Program

Submit your nomination today!

During this extraordinary time, it is more important than ever to recognize and honor those who have gone above and beyond to serve others.

Do you know of an individual, organization or business in North King County (Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville) that has made a significant contribution to the health and welfare of our community?

Have they in some way supported or advocated for strong and accessible health and human services and strengthened our community through their initiative and leadership? Have they helped build the capacity of our community to address our most pressing challenges?

If so, please give the recognition these individuals and organizations deserve! Nominations are due October 15, 2020.

Nominees and winners will be announced and honored at NUHSA's 2020 Human Services Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting to be held virtually on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 5:30pm. For more information or to RSVP for this community event, email staff@nuhsa.org.

NUHSA’s Annual Human Services Awards ceremony has been celebrating the accomplishments of local individuals and organizations since 2008.

NUHSA is an alliance of non-profit agencies, faith communities, city and county leadership, school districts and members of the community who advocate for a strong and accessible health and human services system in North King County, encompassing Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville. 

Through partnership and collaboration, NUHSA supports providers, funders and the community to enhance existing resources and build our capacity to effectively respond to community needs.



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United Way hiring part-time workers to help end hunger in the community

Friday, September 4, 2020


Want to help end hunger in your community? 

Join United Way of King County's Part-Time COVID-19 HungerCorps Team and work to address food insecurity caused by the pandemic.

Program Overview
COVID-19 HungerCorps Member (Part-Time)
9/28/2020 - 3/26/2021 - 18 hours per week
Deadline: 9/10/2020 (Apply ASAP – spots are filling fast)

As a HungerCorps member, you will connect families with critical food resources – including school meals, food banks, and public benefits programs like SNAP and WIC – with a particular focus on low-income communities of color. You will be assigned to a food bank or nonprofit organization, where you’ll use your skills and experience to support critical anti-hunger work. Alongside a cohort of 25 other HungerCorps members, you will prepare and serve meals, pack boxes of food, engage with community members, and conduct grassroots community outreach to get the word out about available resources.

LEARN MORE




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City of Shoreline collaborates with Lake City Partners on 24/7 "Enhanced Shelter"

Saturday, August 29, 2020

The Oaks building proposed for an Enhanced Shelter is a sprawling, one-story facility on the corner of N 165th and Aurora.


The City of Shoreline and Lake City Partners have announced plans to work in partnership with King County to turn the former Oaks Nursing Home at 16357 Aurora Ave N in Shoreline into a 24/7 "enhanced shelter" for homeless individuals. The shelter will help address an unmet need in North King County for a 24/7 shelter.

The City and representatives from Lake City Partners will host a community meeting via Zoom on September 22, 2020 at 6:30pm to go over the plans for the facility, answer questions, and to listen to the community’s concerns. Representatives from King County will also attend and be available for questions. Go to shorelinewa.gov/NKCEnhancedShelter for information on how to participate in the meeting.

“The City of Shoreline is deeply committed to taking on the challenge of homelessness in our community, but it is no less committed to ensuring that all of our neighborhoods are safe and healthy,” stated Shoreline Mayor Will Hall. 
“We believe this shelter can provide a needed service to our community while also being a good neighbor.”

“After many years of coordinating services for people experiencing homelessness in the north King County area, Lake City Partners is very pleased with the opportunity to expand shelter to a 24/7 year-round model,” said Melanie Neufeld, Director of Lake City Partners. 

“Our housing outreach, day center, and winter shelter programs have built relationships with people living without homes with the goal of ending homelessness one household at a time. Last year we supported 124 households from homelessness into permanent housing. 

"The Aurora Oaks facility provides a real opportunity to create safety for people living outside during this pandemic and offers a setting to be solution-focused in the work of transitioning people into safe and affordable housing.”


When the Shoreline City Council adopted its 2020-2022 Council Goals, it made siting a 24/7 shelter to serve homeless single adults in north King County a priority. In early July, the owner of the Oaks Nursing Home notified the City that they were planning on selling the facility. Since this is an unanticipated opportunity, the City, in partnership with King County, has had to move quickly to secure the site.

Its prior use as a nursing home makes the facility particularly well-suited to provide a safe housing option. 

Separate rooms are the best way to protect both residents and staff from spreading Coronavirus or other airborne illness. 

In addition, having a shelter with individual rooms provides more dignity to individuals as they work to stabilize their health and find permanent housing. 

The facility is already fully accessible and is equipped with basic fire safety requirements, including an alarm and sprinkler system. In addition, it is on a major arterial and close to a bus stop. Being presented with a facility that needs little work to make it shelter-ready is a unique opportunity to quickly provide a resource that has been missing in our community.

Enhanced Shelter is a particular type of Emergency Shelter that serves guests seven days a week around the clock. It recognizes that individuals need to have safe and stable shelter to effectively address the challenges preventing long-term housing stability. 

Access to the shelter will be based on an individual’s ability to maintain behaviors that are safe in a community setting. 

The Shelter will also provide case management, meals, hygiene, health services, and laundry. Drug and alcohol use will not be allowed in the facility. Local first responders; social service agencies in Shoreline and North King County; and outreach staff employed by the program will refer individuals to the facility.


Lake City Partners will run the facility. This organization, formed out of a neighborhood task force beginning in 2007, has coordinated winter shelter for the last five years. Since 2018, they have partnered with the City of Shoreline to provide homeless outreach services and last winter supported the operation of the severe weather shelter in Shoreline. 

Lake City Partners works with a network of more than 600 volunteers including members of the faith community, social service organizations, homeless advocates, governmental agencies, and neighbors to provide shelter and housing navigation services to help bring stability to individuals facing homelessness.

King County is providing funding to purchase the property for use in the near-term as a 24/7 enhanced shelter, with a long-term plan to redevelop the property for permanent supportive housing. Operational funding for the enhanced shelter is expected from King County, pending approval of a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The City of Shoreline will provide additional operational funding.

The Shoreline City Council’s decision to collaborate with King County is driven, in part, by the rising number of people experiencing homelessness in Shoreline and our neighboring North King County communities. 

There is a demonstrated need for more shelter space, both locally and regionally. The annual “Point-In-Time” count in 2020 found 260 people experiencing homelessness in north King County, with 56 of them unsheltered.



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Use zoom to connect with needed services through virtual Resource Center

Sunday, August 16, 2020

When the court was live, friendly volunteers showed participants to the lobby where service providers were set up at tables. With COVID-19 the service providers are now on zoom and easily available to all. Photo by Jamie Holter.


Shoreline Community Court’s virtual resource center can help anyone in King County connect to a broad range of health and human service providers, including those connected to behavioral health, housing, legal assistance, health insurance, transportation and employment.

When: August 25th and each Tuesday thereafter between 1:30 - 3:30pm.

How to connect
  • Log on via Zoom (someone will immediately assist you): Zoom Virtual Resource Center Login Meeting ID: 930 683 3892 Password: 459890
  • Or if you do not have video on your computer/phone, call any of these numbers: 253 215 8782, 669 900 9128, 346 248 7799, 312 626 6799, 646 558 8656, or 301 715 8592.



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