Many items are regularly needed at the shelter, but are often not covered by other funding.
Have something that isn’t on this list? Call our Administrative Office at 425-252-6672 or the Shelter at 425-303-9774, ext. 208, and we will let you know!
Tami had been homeless on an off for several years, was 4 months pregnant and had a young daughter. She was in a transitional housing program with her husband and daughter until it ended after one year. She was attending Everest Community College for her Medical Assistant Certification. She successfully completed and received her certification. She did her externship at a medical clinic, got hired, and worked there for about 1 year until personal issues caused her to lose her job.
Tami, her husband and young daughter were living in the woods until it got too cold, forcing them to stay in a vehicle. Her husband moved in with his family. Tami, pregnant and with one child called everywhere to find shelter and other resources. Some of the agencies had long wait lists and others were not taking any applications. Tami kept calling The Family Shelter until she was screened for the next opening, waiting about 2 weeks for a room. Tami received TANF and looked into applying for Social Security Disability benefits due to mental health issues that make job retention very difficult.
After staying in the shelter for 3 months, Tami was referred to a program for the Chronically Homeless. This provides supportive living, including rapid rehousing during which the client typically pays 30% of their income towards rent. This program also includes ongoing case management services until the client becomes more independent. The Family Shelter will also continue to keep up with Tami on her family’s progress.
Tami and her daughter moved out of the shelter into their new apartment and Tami is very hopeful that after her baby is born, she can start the process of building a new life with her 2 children and learning how to become more independent and avoid homelessness in the future. The Family Shelter was a big part of making a difference in Tami’s life. giving her the encouragement and resources she needed to move forward in a positive and healthy way.
Learning Hour provides educational & recreational classes to keep children at the shelter engaged and academically motivated.
Our on-site Learning Hour program helps children stay on top of schoolwork and homework. Overseen by Julie Brenaman, Learning Hour also keeps kids engaged and occupied with arts and craft activities and recreational events.
Pumpkin carving and Christmas-cookie decorating, anyone??
We also have weekly art classes and other creative activities to give adults and children alike a creative outlet and respite during this stressful time in their lives.
Do you have any of these items that our families and Learning Hour program could use?
Paints (acrylics, watercolor, oils)
Canvases & brushes
Coloring pencils, chalk & crayons
Children’s books & learning materials
Food-coloring & decorating items
Seasonal arts & crafts items (e.g., Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc.)
Please call our Child & Family Advocate, Julie Brenaman at (425) 303-9774 ext. 208 or fill out this form.
“I came to the shelter being consumed by all I had lost, but I was shown that I had the key to unlock the door to my future, and that of my children.” ~ Sandra*, mother of 3. (name changed for privacy)
There is no underestimating the power of one voice in telling a nonprofit’s story. As staff, volunteers and advocates, we can (and should!) share about the work that we do. But in the end, the most effective voices are those who have lived our story.
As the keynote speaker at Always a Time to Bloom, our October 2015 fundraiser dinner, Sandra’s words were a powerful testament to both the real struggles that homeless families face, and the importance of safe havens like The Family Shelter that give families a place to breath, regroup and move forward.
Each year, we invite someone who has lived at our shelter to be the keynote speaker at this event. It’s always powerful, but this year, Sandra’s well-prepared words and courage to share deeply were especially moving. She was able to give an individual face and voice to the nameless statistics that so often accompany discussions about homelessness. She also illustrated to everyone in the room just how important it is to have the support of the entire community. None of us can do it alone. Judging by the tears in the room (mine included!) she inspired many of us to deepen our commitment to ending family homelessness.
“I came to the shelter being consumed by all I had lost, but I was shown that I had the key to unlock the door to my future, and that of my children.” ~ Sandra*, mother of 3. (name changed for privacy)
As the keynote speaker at Always a Time to Bloom, our October 2015 fundraiser dinner, Sandra’s words were a powerful testament to both the real struggles that homeless families face, and the importance of safe havens like The Family Shelter that give families a place to breath, regroup and move forward. Judging by the tears in the room, she inspired many of us to deepen our commitment to ending family homelessness.
Many thanks to Sandra for her courage in sharing her story.
Facing Homelessness ~ In Sandra’s Words:
“I am a native of Edmonds, WA, and in 2015, I moved into the Interfaith Family Shelter with my 3 kids. For the previous couple of months, my son and I slept in a cab of a truck, usually in the Walmart parking lot, while my teenage daughters stayed with various friends of theirs to finish out the school year.”
Sandra’s brave act of speaking out, and standing up to be counted, gives a face to the blind statistics:
“38% of homeless have mental health issues that are not being treated; I am one of the 38 %….I am also included in the almost 90 % of homeless women who have experienced severe abuse by an intimate partner. And even though I have been clean and sober since August of 2008, the wreckage created from a severe drug addiction takes years to repair, so I also include myself in the almost 40 % of homeless who have substance abuse in their life.”
She shares about all that she has lost:
“Having shelter, a place to go, is one of the basic necessities of life, along with food, water, and companionship. To not have this is a feeling impossible to put into words—the guilt, the shame of having innocent children be in this situation is so heavy, this is the kind of thing that can be so overpowering it can build a locked door, blocking a future for myself, my kids. As we walked in to the shelter that first day, all of us in one room, our thoughts were full of what we had lost, how we had got to this place.”
…And the unexpected blessings she gained while living at the shelter:
“I came to the shelter being consumed by all I had lost, but when I left, I could think of all we had gained while living there. The most important to me is for my family to experience the goodness of others, and to experience firsthand that everyone makes mistakes in life. We all might need a hand up, and by offering someone else a hand, it only enriches our own life, as well as the life of another. Without the Interfaith shelter, I do not know where we would be today. But, I know that because of the love, and support shown to me, I recently moved in to a 3 bedroom apartment with my kids.”
She acknowledges the bridge to stability that was built and will continue to grow:
“I never felt looked down upon for my past, for the reasons I came there. While I was not judged for the poor choices I had made in the past, these choices were addressed and goals were set to ensure that my family would not become one of the thousands of chronically homeless in this country….I was shown that I had the key to unlock the door to my future, and that of my children.”
The success of families like Sandra’s depends on the generosity of our supporters. Help us continue to provide essential shelter to families by contributing to our 20th Anniversary Campaign.
The season in coming to an end in The Family Shelter’s garden, but not before the kids get a chance to learn about all of the yummy vegetables that fall brings (look at those huge zucchinis!) During our summer children’s program, they got a chance to spend lots of time in the garden and really take ownership over the growing process. Hey- we may even have a few future master gardeners among us!
There is a critical shortage of affordable housing in our area (and around the country.) According to a recent report, an average of only 31 affordable and available rental units exist for every 100 extremely low income renter households. How can we end homelessness when adequate affordable housing simply doesn’t exist?
Interfaith Housing Partnership Puts Housing Within Reach for Working Families
The Interfaith Housing Partnership (IHP) puts affordable housing within reach for working families in our community. Families who are living at The Family Shelter and who have income from employment can apply for the program. While in IHP, participants receive a monthly rent subsidy ranging from $50-$150, allowing their rent to be no more than 30% of their income. $150 may not sound like much, but this is often all it takes to place a family’s rent within the affordable range.
The Faith Community Rallies in Support
Since its inception in 2006, IHP has been supported primarily through annual pledges of support from local faith groups. We of course welcome and appreciate support from individuals, but it is important to acknowledge that the backbone of this program is an inter-faith community of congregations committed to making a difference in the lives of families experiencing homelessness.
A Path Toward a Bright, Stable Future
While in the program, families work with a case manager who helps them gain the skills to move toward independence by staying employed, increasing income and continuing to meet the needs of their children. As a family moves further toward independence, their subsidy is gradually reduced to zero. With the skills and support they’ve gained along the way, they are often well on their way toward a bright, stable future.
One Family’s Journey
A number of years ago, a single father with two children came to live at The Family Shelter. Through job loss, family crisis and broken down vehicles he persisted in locating housing. The rent was almost within his family’s reach, but not quite. He needed a little help, so shelter staff recommended him for the IHP program. During his three years in the program, he maintained housing, found a better paying, more stable job and a reliable car. He went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree, supported by his employer. With the help of IHP, he was able to move his family through a difficult period in their lives and achieve the stability and security he had always dreamed of for his children.
[highlight]What Can I Do?[/highlight]
~ Talk to your congregation about pledging an annual rent subsidy
~ Introduce us to a friendly landlord. We are always looking for good placements for our IHP families.
A new school year can be daunting for any child. New classroom, new teacher, new friends. Starting the school year while living at a homeless shelter often means added anxieties: do I tell my teachers where I’m living? What about my friends? Will I stick out if I don’t have new clothes and the right school supplies?
Thanks to the congregation of Everett United Church of Christ, every child who stays at The Family Shelter this school year will have the supplies they need to help them enter their new classrooms with confidence.
Children at the shelter need new school supplies year round. Families come to us with very few resources and their children may be starting a new school mid-year. The congregation at UCC has pledged to provide all of the necessary school supplies for the entire year.
Last week, the kids started receiving their backpacks. It was a day filled with pencils, notebooks, rulers and plenty of smiles.
There is nothing like the satisfying crunch of fresh snap peas on a hot summer day. Or carrots, or green beans or corn on the cob.
“Mr. Tim” has been the lead volunteer at our shelter garden for a number of years. When he is around, you can always expect to see a few little ones trailing along, helping and learning. Earlier this season, he and a small helper added another row of peas to the large garden. The kids at the shelter will get to eat them for snacks during our summer program.
We offer families non-discriminatory low-barrier access to shelter and resources, regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, income, or faith affiliation.
rett United Church of Christ, every child who stays at The Family Shelter this school year will have the supplies they need to help them enter their new classrooms with confidence.
