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.
GiveBIG is a movement to support non-profits that provide vital and essential local services.
A big thank you to everyone who helped us meet – and exceed – our donation target!
This year, all donations went toward our Rapid Rehousing program that helps families at the shelter achieve permanent housing… and stay housed.
Our case managers diligently work one-on-one with clients at the shelter to figure out personalized solutions to their situation.
Whether this includes finding and applying for housing, managing and resolving prior debts, or improving job and skills options, the goal is simple: get clients back on their feet and into a home of their own.
And after they move out of the shelter, Rapid Rehousing subsidizes rent through a family’s crucial first year in their new home.
The result: Independence and self-sustaining home stability.
Rapid Rehousing is clearly the solution to regional homelessness.
Miracle House officially opened for business on 09 February, 2020.
Following a lovely ceremony and blessing by our new faith partner, Marysville United Methodist Church, supporters and well-wishers had the opportunity to see our brand-new extension at a brief ‘open house.’
Interfaith Family Shelter Board President, Frank Busichio, and MUMC Lead Pastor Jenny Smith, cut the ribbon to officially open Miracle House. MUMC liaisons (from left) Steve and Jackie Johnson, and Interfaith’s Executive Director, Jim Dean (right) look on.
MUMC churchgoers signed a beautiful framed “Welcome Home” picture at all three church services that same day, which now graces the mantelpiece at Miracle House. A thoughtful and loving gesture of support for families in need.
The MUMC Tween youth group took it on themselves to decorate both bedrooms, with bright and cheery sheets, and made the beds up for the first families to move in… complete with adorable stuffed animals on each bed to welcome children residents.
We are so excited for this new chapter in Interfaith’s growth, and for the opportunity to partner with MUMC as we unite to help families overcome homelessness.
In case you could not attend, here’s a quick virtual tour of Miracle House.
All through the month of February 2020, the Interfaith Family Shelter is showcased in the street-facing window of the Community Foundation of Snohomish County in downtown Everett.
Our window display interweaves Valentine’s Day themes – beautiful paintings created by children currently residing at the shelter, and our staff – with information about who we are and how we serve the Snohomish County community.
Administrative Manager, Sarah Olsen, assembles hand-crafted paintings and decorations.
You can stop by the Community Foundation’s office on Rockefeller Ave. in downtown Everett anytime during February 2020 to admire our display
Interfaith’s Jim Dean and Mary Grace Antony provide an overview of how Miracle House will serve the Marysville and Snohomish County communities.
Miracle House is set to launch very soon, and was featured on the front page of North County Outlook (Jan 08, 2020).
In an interview and photo tour of the property, Jim Dean and Mary Grace Antony explained why Miracle House will be a valuable resource to families facing homelessness, as well as the City of Marysville.
Catch up on all that has been going on at the Interfaith Family Shelter.
This just in!
Read about our brand-new play structure at the Family Shelter, and how Facebook birthday fundraisers are the perfect way to raise money in these socially distant times! Also, details about our upcoming annual fundraiser: Families Together 2020 is online, free, and an exclusive conversation with two of the documentary filmmakers from Soledad O’Brien Productions.
Read about our new Homelessness Prevention Program. Also, the Interfaith Family Shelter is featured in an upcoming documentary from award-winning journalist & producer, Soledad O’Brien.
Previews how we are responding to COVID-19, discusses the benefits of Donor-Advised Funds, and reviews our Annual Fundraising Drive: Overcoming Homelessness – One Family at a Time.
As the year draws to a close – and new opportunities for growth and expansion open up – it’s a great time to reflect on how far the Interfaith Family Shelter has come.
Not just in the past year, but in the last five years.
Today, the Interfaith Family Shelter serves more families than ever before.
And this brings us a little closer to our vision: that no child sleeps unsheltered in Snohomish County.
And the average shelter stay per family has decreased, which means two things:
We are able to get more families off the streets and into permanent housing. Last year, 80% of our client families moved from the shelter into a home of their own!
Shorter stays means that we are able to serve more families over the same time period. As residents become stable and independent faster, the shelter can accommodate even more families facing homelessness.
Cars to Housing extends our services to families living in their cars, helping them transition from their vehicles into homes of their own.
We hope to make a greater impact over the next year, as our Cars to Housing program and Miracle House extension expand the reach of the Interfaith Family Shelter.
With support from our community, faith groups, donors, and volunteers, we look forward to helping even more families overcome homelessness in the years ahead!
Jeremy and Jazmine Barefield had no idea what to expect when they showed up to the Marysville United Methodist Church on a rainy Friday evening.
“I thought that maybe someone had a few toys or clothes to gift for the kids,” said Jeremy, when asked why he thought that their former case manager Sabrie Taylor had asked them to make the drive to Marysville.
The family had moved from the Interfaith Family Shelter into their own apartment about three years earlier. They had their hands full with both parents working full-time jobs and five little children, ranging from 10 through five years old.
Little did they know the wonderful surprise awaiting them!
Kass and Kim Clark of Marysville United Methodist Church had recently bought a new car, and had made the generous decision to donate their old vehicle. “We’re at the point in life where we can choose to give away this older car,” said Kim, “rather than sell it or trade it in.” His wife, Kass, admitted to getting sentimental when she looked at the 2006 Saturn Vue. “It’s a great little car,” she said, as she clutched a folder containing all the ownership documents and maintenance receipts. “I’ve taken good care of it all these years; every oil change and mechanic visit is in here,” she added, tapping the binder.
Interfaith’s Rapid Rehousing Program Manager, Sabrie Taylor, invited the couple into the church foyer from the rainy parking lot. “These guys are special to me,” she shared with the small group, as she introduced the Barefields. “They are the first family that I moved into Rapid Rehousing, and I am just so proud of how far they have come! They really do deserve this.”
As the couple looked quizzically at each other and at the donors, Kass revealed the suprise: “We want to give you our old car as a gift. We hope you like it and that it will be useful to you.”
You could have knocked the Barefields over with a feather. Jeremy’s face broke into an immense grin as he repeated, “Thank you! Thank you so much!!” again and again.
And Jazmine broke into tears, “This is so wonderful, you guys! You have no idea how much this helps us.”
The couple shared how they had been struggling without a second car for some months. With just one vehicle, two working parents, and five kids, they had to make some tough decisions. “We wake the kids up and get everyone bundled into our car at 5 a.m., just so we can drop Jeremy off at work,” said Jazmine. “It’s been tough.” She paused, and then said with a smile, “But it’s gonna get a lot easier now.”
Pastor Jenny Smith at Marysville United Methodist Church was all smiles, as she watched the vehicle trade hands. “As soon as I heard that the Clarks wanted to donate their vehicle, I thought of our brand-new partners: the Interfaith Family Shelter,” she said. “I am so happy this all worked out. It’s wonderful to be able to bring joy and happiness into a family’s life at this time of year!”
(L to R) Kim Clark, Jeremy & Jazmine Barefield, Kass Clark, and Pastor Jenny Smith.
Thank you so very much, Kim and Kass, for your generous gift! And thank you to Pastor Jenny Smith and our very own Sabrie Taylor for making this happen.
Do you know about our partnership with Marysville United Methodist Church, and brand-new extension of the Family Shelter in Marysville?
We offer families non-discriminatory low-barrier access to shelter and resources, regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, income, or faith affiliation.
