Families Together 2022 was on October 26, 2022 – and was a big success!

We raised $26,000… and counting!

This year, Families Together had both in-person and virtual attendance options. So there was something for everyone, depending on their preference.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success! The numbers are now in, and here’s what we know:

6 in-person groups of attendees joined Table Captain hosts at local venues

AND

33 unique devices logged on to join us virtually.

We have (so far) raised: $26,300 by 74 donors.

Meet our Staff!

Our amazing staff were in the spotlight this year. Meet them and learn about their amazing impact on families’ lives:

GiveBIG 2022 was on May 3 – 4, 2022.

GiveBIG is a statewide movement that supports non-profits in your community.

You have been hearing a lot about our ongoing Capital Campaign to purchase the Family Shelter. And we have made great progress toward that fundraising goal.

But even during this exciting time of change, the Interfaith Family Shelter’s programs and services that serve families in our community still need funding and support.

And that’s where GiveBIG comes in!

With the help of our generous and long-standing supporters, Interfaith raised a little over $4,968 during GiveBIG 2022!

Thank you to everyone who made a gift toward our GiveBIG campaign.

We’ve said it before: Your gift makes a tremendous difference in a family’s life!

As we continue to explore partnerships and innovative solutions to the homelessness crisis in our region, we want to pause and say THANK YOU for supporting our efforts to help families develop self-sufficiency, housing stability, and independence!

Earlier this year, the Interfaith Family Shelter was proactively selected by the Puget Sound Energy Foundation (PSEF) as the recipient of a trust-based philanthropy program.

Among a handful of other regional nonprofits, Interfaith was recognized as an “exceptional nonprofit organization leading the way in the prevention and elimination of homelessness throughout PSE’s 10-county service area.”

This unique philanthropic approach focuses on an organization’s core aspirations, principles, and best practices. It reflects PSE’s commitment to help local communities and support programs that benefit those experiencing homelessness by providing pathways to home ownership.

Unlike competitive grants, trust-based philanthropy involves an in-depth examination of carefully pre-selected candidates: a detailed analysis of their history, reputation, governance and leadership, vision and strategy, communications with community stakeholders, resiliency, and social equity all factor into this thorough assessment.

“We hope this trust-based philanthropy model inspires nonprofit organizations who are working diligently in this sector to know that they have the trust and confidence of funders like the PSE Foundation to continue their great work. We view this as the beginning of a fruitful partnership,” says Karlee Deatherage, Senior Community Engagement Representative at Puget Sound Energy.

“On behalf of PSE and the PSE Foundation, I look forward to supporting the vital work Interfaith Family Shelter does for our community members in Snohomish County without stable housing.”

The $25,000 unrestricted grant has been allocated to Interfaith Family Shelter’s ongoing Capital Campaign to purchase the Family Shelter, and enable us to continue serving families in our community in the years ahead.

We are deeply grateful to PSEF for their confidence in our programs and track record.

And we applaud PSE’s commitment to support programs that help families break the cycle of homelessness!

The Interfaith Family Shelter looked quite different until a few years ago. Although there was a playroom where the children of our clients could do arts and crafts, there were no regular staff assigned to oversee this space, and volunteer programs were generally uncoordinated and short-lived.

That all changed when Julie Brenaman took over as the Child & Family Advocate in August 2017. Today, children at the shelter thrive – yes, even during the pandemic – under a structured learning and recreation schedule that helps them keep up with schoolwork, and also promotes healthy behavioral and socioemotional development. As Julie prepares to retire, we look back on how she has transformed the Children’s Program during her time at Interfaith.

About 60% of people who enroll in our programs each year are children. And the negative impact of temporary homelessness can wreak havoc on a child’s development, self-esteem, and motivation to succeed – apart from the devastating toll that this experience also takes on academic performance. “I had previously volunteered for Interfaith. And I always wanted to work with children and support their resiliency,” shares Julie, who is a longtime supporter of the shelter. “So when this job became available, I applied.”

She had recently completed an MSW at the University of Washington and was excited to play an active role in developing and running the Children’s Program. Visitors and volunteers at the shelter are always impressed by the bright and cheery Children’s Room, the neatly organized library and art materials, and the excited faces of kids ready to put their active young minds to work.

The Learning Hour is very popular with volunteers, who help children with schoolwork and activities to maintain their academic progress while at the shelter. “The main goal is to help them avoid falling behind,” says Julie, “because kids dealing with homelessness can begin to think it’s their fault, or that there’s something wrong with them. So we focus on building a relationship with them, to make them feel valued and supported.” But the Children’s Program includes so much more than Learning Hour.

Julie has often taken children and the families on local field trips.

Over the years, many children have returned to the shelter – even after their families move on to permanent housing – to visit or drop in on Learning Hour. Some kids even carry the structure of those sessions into their new lives. Julie mentions a third grader who stayed at the shelter three years ago, who continues to say “I have to do Learning Hour” when she gets home from school.

“These kids and their parents work so hard,” says Julie. “I remember one family, where both parents struggled to find a school for their child because they were living in their car. So the daughter had terrible attendance.” But that all changed once they entered the Family Shelter. “She soon had perfect attendance again, her grades improved, and now she is almost a straight-A middle school student,” says Julie with pride.

Now, as she prepares to hand over the program that she built and coordinated for the past few years, Julie has mixed feelings. “I will definitely miss the kids and families,” she admits. “I remember each and every one of them. They have given more to me than I have ever given them. It’s an honor to get to work with people and their children, and I feel very privileged that they let me into their lives.”

But she is also excited to see the Children’s Program thrive under its new coordinator, Lynn Barashkoff. “I’m looking forward to seeing what Lynn brings to the program, especially with her background in teaching and education.” And Julie still looks forward to helping out as a volunteer because, “I’ve always loved and supported Interfaith.”

Frank Busichio, Interfaith’s Board President says, “Julie has done so much to grow and develop this program over the years. We will definitely miss her!” Julie will officially hand over the Children’s Program on June 30, 2021. She has brought so much joy to many lives over the past four years, and will be fondly missed.

And we are glad that she will still be around – and we know the children and their families feel the same!

Would you like to volunteer or help support the Children’s Program?

Contact us to find out how you can get involved!