Families Together 2021 was on Wed, October 20, 2021!
Our annual fundraiser showcasing the Interfaith Family Shelter’s recent accomplishments – including our expansion into Homeless Prevention – was online again this year.
A BIG thank you to everyone who attended and supported us with a gift!
Attendees
Total number of registrants: 128 (39% increase from 2020)
Total number of attendees:111 (25% increase from 2020)
on 96unique devices (8% increase from 2020)
Funds Raised: $28,311
Your support helps our programs serve families in our community!
Are you or someone you know a restaurant / bar worker who was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020?
Help is available!
The Problem: The restaurant industry has been among the hardest hit from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Many workers had to make a difficult choice between staying home for safety, and the risk of continuing to work.
The Solution: Now these restaurant and bar workers have a valuable opportunity to apply for financial help!
What is available: Georgetown Brewing, United Ways of the Pacific Northwest, and United Way of Snohomish County are partnering to create a relief fund specifically for bar or restaurant employees in 2020.
How it works:This fund provides direct financial support to individuals who were bar or restaurant workers in 2020. Options include prepaid credit cards, rent, or utility payments for individuals or families.
It’s been a long time coming – but the Interfaith Family Shelter finally has a beautiful brand-new play structure for the children!
The previous play structure was removed in May 2019, after it became rickety and unsafe for the children. Since then, the playground has sat empty while we worked hard to find funding for new equipment.
However, in May of this year, an anonymous donor reached out to Interfaith’s Jim Dean with an astonishingly generous offer: “I want to pay for the shelter’s new playground.”
Executive Director, Jim Dean, unpacks the slide.
Young volunteers donate their time and muscle!
Jim Dean and the delivery representative pause to celebrate.
We soon received a check for $20,000, and three months later, volunteers from the City of Everett devoted a summer Saturday in August to begin installing the gorgeous new structure.
Volunteers installing the new commercial-grade Monkey Maze play structure.
Interfaith’s Board President, Frank Busichio, is ecstatic: “The children have long needed a safe, healthy environment that allows them to have fun, play and grow,” he beamed. “We are so grateful to the anonymous donor for their generous support.”
Our younger residents – who have been cooped up in the shelter for much too long during this prolonged pandemic – are thrilled. Outdoor play is essential for children’s physical health and socioemotional wellbeing. And now they finally have a sturdy and entertaining outlet for all their pent-up energy!
Under the vigilant eyes of shelter staff, who make sure to sanitize the equipment frequently and ensure health protocols are followed during playtime, they are now busy ’monkeying’ around on the brand-new Monkey Maze play structure.
Featuring one of our clients on their amazing journey to overcome homelessness, the documentary crew followed Stevie’s family from homelessness, through our Cars to Housing program, then to the Family Shelter, and finally into a home of their own.
Stevie and Chance battled homelessness during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now join Director, Rose Arce, and Field Producer, Riley Morton, for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes virtual Q&A on the making of this episode, public health, the ongoing pandemic, and homelessness in America.
Director Rose Arce
A Pulitzer prize winner and three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, Rose is based in New York City. She has produced 13 documentaries, including Her Name Was Steven and The War Comes Home. Her work with Soledad O’Brien spans 16 years, and includes co-authoring two books and producing nine documentaries.
Field Producer Riley Morton
Specializing in non-fiction films and remote-location production, Riley’s portfolio spans adventure sports and travel documentaries. He is based in Seattle, and his clients include the Discovery Channel, PBS, Netflix, National Geographic Channel, ITV, and the Food Network.
Have you seen Outbreak: The First Response yet? Click this image to watch it.
Mark your calendar: Wednesday, October 21, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Pacific Time.
(L to R) Heather, Joyce & Heidi at Barb’s Auto License Agency on July, 09, 2020.
Heather has been through a lot. The single mom of two young children was woken up by her ex-husband one morning to find out that they were suddenly homeless. “He had a substance addiction problem that he hid from us, and he had secretly drained our savings. And suddenly, we had no home.”
She has been struggling to make ends meet ever since. After a brief stint at the Interfaith Family Shelter, Heather found housing. She and her kids have now been housed for over a year.
But it hasn’t been easy, and recurring car issues were making it difficult for Heather to get to work, and for the family to get around.
Enter Heidi (a longtime Interfaith supporter) and her mom, Joyce, who were looking to donate Joyce’s 2009 Chevy to a family who could use it.
Interfaith’s Rapid Rehousing Program Manager, Sabrie Taylor, immediately thought of Heather. “I know a new car will make a huge difference to her family, right now,” she said.
And she was right! Five days later, Heidi and Joyce donated their car to Heather at Barb’s Auto License Agency in Snohomish.
Despite the face masks and social distancing, Heather was all smiles and so thankful for this very kind gesture. “You have no idea how much easier this will make my life!” she shared.
Ever since her old car broke down, the family has had to rely on public transportation. Especially with safety concerns and restricted bus service because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the new car “will make all the difference!” smiled Heather. “Now I won’t have to get the kids ready four hours before we need to be somewhere. And I don’t need to depend on my friend for rides to and from work.”
Joyce and Heidi were very happy that the 2009 Chevy has found a new home. “It’s a good car,” said Joyce, “and I am happy to help Heather’s family with this gift.”
Heidi agreed, “My mom likes this option, because she prefers the more personal benefit to someone.” She added, “We were hoping to find someone directly who needed the car, because donating and selling a car reduces its value relative to someone who needs to buy it.”
Thank you so much, Heidi and Joyce. And congratulations on your new ride, Heather!
Beep beep, beep beep, yeah!
Would you like to donate your old vehicle to one of our client families? Contact us to make it happen.
This spring, the Interfaith Family Shelter has been collaborating with a team from Soledad O’Brien productions on a public health documentary.
The film explores how local communities are responding to public health issues – including homelessness – during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The crew followed one of our client families from homelessness, to our Cars to Housing safe-parking program, then on to the Family Shelter, and finally into their new home.
Share their incredible journey and get an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at how our amazing staff help families overcome homelessness.
We offer families non-discriminatory low-barrier access to shelter and resources, regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, income, or faith affiliation.
