Dwellings Housing Hope Newsletter Spring 2016 This is my first Dwellings message to you as Chief Executive Officer – in fact – this is the first Dwellings message you have received from anyone other than our founding Executive Director! I am truly privileged and honored to follow Ed and to have been named Housing Hope and HopeWorks’ second Chief Executive Officer since their foundings in 1987 and 2011. I have served on Housing Hope’s staff for nine years, including the past seven as Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Executive Director. I also served on Housing Hope’s Board of Directors for the previous nine years, including as President of the Board. I am a native of Snohomish County, having been born in Everett, attended Everett Public Schools and earning a BA degree at the Albers School of Business at Seattle University. I then enjoyed a 24 year career in banking including 10 years as President before becoming the Executive Director of the Everett Public Facilities District during the creation of the Everett Special Events Center (now Xfinity Arena) project.
In this edition Generations of Hope Campaign update..............2 Society of Hope.............4 Volunteers of the year...................5 Family Success Story.................5 Team HomeBuilding Update .............6 Save the Date Voices of Hope concert Sun., April 24 Stanwood
All of this has been wonderful work that I enjoyed immensely – but none compares to our work here of ending homelessness and poverty for residents of Snohomish County. This is at the same time the most challenging and most rewarding work of my career.
Stone Soup Annual Gala Weds., May 11 Tulalip Resort
I believe we have assembled the strongest Board of Directors and the most capable staff that can be imagined. We’re poised to continue making a tremendous impact in Snohomish County. Because of your support, three current highlights are:
Fill the Sky with Hope Sat., June 25 Harvey Airfield
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We have completed Monroe Family Village that is now serving 47 homeless and very-low income households with children; Our child development program is preparing 100% of our children to be ready for kindergarten; and We are creating jobs and training employees through HopeWorks’ three enterprises: GroundWorks Landscaping, ReNewWorks Home & Decor, and CafeWorks.
Windermere Foundation Golf Tournament Weds., July 20 Legion Memorial Park
Did you know Many companies match charitable giving, sometimes dollar for dollar! Check if your company matches gifts to make your gift stretch further.
The result is more homeless families are being housed than ever before, more children are overcoming the trauma of homelessness than ever before, and more families are escaping poverty than ever before. This is because of you! Together, we are creating stronger families and stronger communities in Snohomish County, and I am so excited to continue this work with you. I invite you to contact me at 425-347-6556 ext. 240 or fredsafstrom@housinghope.org if you E-newsletter & would ever like to reach me. I would love to hear from you! duplicates
Prefer electronic updates? Email sarahaner@ housinghope.org
Thank you so much for all of your support. Fred Safstrom, CEO Tel: 425.347.6556
Fax: 425.353.5546
www.housinghope.org
Equal Housing Opportunity
Generations of Hope Campaign Update Homes - Jobs - Children The Generations of Hope Campaign is currently at $6,283,000, or 67% of our $9.4M goal. Our steering committee is hard at work to help us raise the remaining $3.2M, of which they’re directly responsible for $555,000. It’s been exciting to see several of the campaign projects come to completion, such as the Tomorrow’s Hope playground, Monroe Family Village, the hiring of an additional child specialist half-time and the opening of CafeWorks, much of which you can read more about throughout this newsletter.
Homes An update on current construction
Monroe Family Village Now Open! Last fall, we officially opened our newest and largest development, Monroe Family Village! The property features 47 total residential units, including 37 affordable rent units for low-income families, and 10 service supported homeless housing units for families who are transitioning out of homelessness. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this new property are our plans to have it serve as a regional service hub for families in the Sky Valley area. Instead of having to travel to Everett for services and life skills classes, east county families will be able to get what they need right where they live!
Coming Soon: Twin Lakes Landing We’re getting ready to break ground on our newest property: Twin Lakes Landing! Over the next 10 years this 50 unit north county center will serve over 200 low-income families in Arlington, Camano Island, Marysville, Tulalip and Stanwood, while keeping them close and connected to their schools, places of worship and community. This innovative new development will provide adult life skills classes and child development services, job training programs for families experiencing homelessness and will help our neighbors achieve family and housing stability, living-wage employment, and a better future.
Jobs
Updates from HopeWorks Social Enterprises
CafeWorks CafeWorks is the newest social enterprise project from HopeWorks, and is a partnership between HopeWorks, Cocoon House and Housing Hope. Through this partnership, teens from Cocoon House and Housing Hope will gain culinary, customer service and cafe management skills in a supportive learning environment. CafeWorks supports HopeWorks’ mission of creating jobs with purpose, awhile offering great coffee, pastries and sandwiches. The cafe is located at HopeWorks Station at 3331 Broadway in Everett, and is open from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Meeting and community space is available to rent, too! Visit cafewrks.com for more information.
A new look for HopeWorks Social Enterprises! Thanks to financial support from Boeing Employees Credit Union, HopeWorks and Housing Hope staff have been working with design and branding firm Phinney Bischoff over the past year to create new brand identities and logos for each of the social enterprises. Thanks again to BECU!
Spring is the perfect time to consider GroundWorks for your landscaping needs! If you’re starting to think about your spring lawn and garden care, be sure to check out GroundWorks Landscaping Services. Great service, great prices, and supporting jobs with purpose! Visit groundwrks.com or contact stevestackpole@hopewrks.org more information.
Children
Updates from our ChildHope Initiative
Big News: 100% of our students enter kindergarten ready to learn! Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center is licensed to serve 112 children in an environment that is dedicated to serving parents and children who are experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty. We are very proud that this past year, 100% of our four and five year olds at Tomorrow’s Hope were objectively measured as being ready for kindergarten! This is huge news to celebrate!
Looking for quality childcare? Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center is currently accepting applications for children between the ages of 1 month and 5 years old. Please call 425.212.3255 for more information.
Society of Hope: Make a Forever Gift The challenge of homelessness has only gotten worse since we started Housing Hope more than 25 years ago. As a founding and current Board member of Housing Hope, I work to ensure that the agency has the means and focus to serve the neediest segment of our homeless neighbors in Snohomish County. I became involved in Housing Hope when I completed law school in 1987. My mom, Shirley Morrow, had been working with Ed Petersen in a group that was examining the increase in homelessness in Everett. She suggested that I might be able to help with the legal aspects of starting a non-profit agency, and that I could continue my family’s commitment to helping the homeless. Now, more than 25 years later, Housing Hope continues to be my passion and avocation, the means for me to attempt to abide by the Golden Rule to “love thy neighbor.” A legacy gift provides the opportunity for me to help continue the critical work of Housing Hope even after I am gone. For me there is no better legacy. Todd Morrow
The Society of Hope was formed to recognize Housing Hope supporters who Vice President and Founding Member have made a planned gift as a way of leaving a legacy or honoring a loved one Housing Hope Board of Directors or friend. For more information about Housing Hope’s legacy giving and the Society of Hope, please contact nategreenland@housinghope.org
Community of Hope & Family Success Story Our annual east county Community of Hope Dinner was held on March 11 and hosted a record crowd of 200 Housing Hope friends and supporters. Raising over $39,000 for East Snohomish County, the dinner was a success! At the event, guests heard from Lacy and Quat, and their success in Housing Hope. Lacy had always faced the challenges of mental health issues, but, she did not always face them alone; she had her friend Quat by her side during her high school years. After graduating and having her first child, Lacy fell out of touch with Quat and was increasingly pulled into a darker place by her own mental health issues; by the birth of her second child, this dark place was forcing Lacy to put her children in the foster care system. Then Lacy found Housing Hope and reconnected with Quat. Their friendship soon turned into something more. When Lacy gave birth to her third child, Quat took on the role of supportive father. Determined to better themselves and their situation for their child, they have been taking many classes through College of Hope, and are excelling in each one. Quat has started interning at ReNewWorks Home and Decor, and Housing Hope case managers agree, they are two of our most resilient and determined residents.
Volunteer Spotlight
In 2015, 502 Housing Hope volunteers gave 4,502 hours of their time, worth a value of $123,985. To honor the work of our top volunteers, we announced our volunteers of the year. Donna Leder, Arlington: Donna has been a dedicated and impactful volunteer for HopeWorks, giving many hours to ReNewWorks Home and Decor. Jade Phillips, Everett: Jade is one of our most dedicated teen volunteers, and volunteers regularly with children at our New Century Village property. Smokey Point Community Church, Arlington: Smokey Point Community Church is a strong partner of Housing Hope in the north county community. Recently, the church paid for and installed a playground at our Arlington Triplex property, and spent hours helping with interior and exterior painting projects at our Maple Leaf Meadows property. ___
Interested in volunteering? Join Team Hope! Contact Jana at janaphillips@housinghope.org Pictured above, from left to right: Jade Phillips, representatives from the Smokey Point Community Church, Donna Leder
Lithtex NW Mailed from 98226
5830 Evergreen Way Everett, WA 98203-3748
Housing Hope Mission Housing Hope shall promote and provide affordable housing and tailored services to reduce homelessness and poverty for residents of Snohomish County and Camano Island.
Board of Directors
Staff
Aaron Adelstein Bud Alkire Tom Berquist Chris Blakely Laura Brent Jeff Capeloto Dr. Harold Dash Patty DeGroodt Sarah Duncan Chris Gray
Chief Executive Officer, Fred Safstrom Chief Strategic Officer, Ed Petersen Housing Director, Bobby Thompson Director of Social Services, Elizabeth Kohl Director of Resource Development, Kelsey Taylor Director of Human Resources & Administration, Todd Fast Director of Finance, Tricia Baran
Nik Halliday Kristina Jorgensen Heather Logan Jennifer Marvin Todd Morrow Pat Sisneros Vikki Strand Dave Thompson Barb Yates
We’re hiring! Do you know someone who would like to work for Housing Hope? Refer them to our website or call Human Resources directly at 425-347-6556 x300
New ways to give! Visit housinghope.org or scan this QR code with your smart phone. to access our NEW secure online donation page!
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Team HomeBuilding Update Recently, Team HomeBuilding completed its newest community, French Creek Bluff, in Snohomish. 10 low income families worked diligently to build each other’s homes for over a year. Congratulations to the new owner-builders, and thank you to the volunteers who helped these families make their dream of homeownership possible! Work is also progressing at two sites in Monroe; 13 townhomes at Monroe Main Street and 7 homes at Heggar Plat.
2016 Corporate Leadership Partners We are honored to thank and recognize a special group of supporters businesses or their foundations that provide $25,000 on an annual basis.