| Annual Count of Homeless |
2,594 people were found without shelter in King County during the annual One Night Count on Jan. 27. People were counted sleeping in doorways or under bridges, in cars or tents, or riding all-night buses. Of those counted, 353 were in South King County cities of Kent, Federal Way, White Center and Auburn, cities served by MSC.
Manuela Ginnett, MSC's Housing Director, says the purpose of the count is to document how many people still lack shelter and to build public awareness for homelessness issues.
"Ultimately, this one night snapshot helps us to develop critical resources that work to reduce these numbers," she said.
Because of this annual count and a county-wide commitment to finding solutions to homelessness, over 4,000 housing units have been built across the county, with an additional 800 in development.
MSC staff participated in the One Night Count, which was organized by The Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness.
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Free Tax Help | |
Multi-Service Center is once again partnering with United Way of King County to offer free tax preparation services for households making less than $50,000. The service is provided by IRS-certified, multilingual volunteers, and includes electronic filing for quick refunds.
The hours this service is available at Multi-Service Center's Federal Way office are the following:
(Please note that Monday hours are only through Feb. 24, and with the exception of Feb. 20, a holiday)
- Tuesdays, 5-9 p.m.
- Wednesdays, 5-9 p.m.
- Thursdays, 5-9 p.m.
No appointment is necessary. Basic tax returns only. People are helped on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early.
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Thank You for Holiday Help! | |
Your help was instrumental in giving families a cheery holiday season this year...thank you! Here are a few examples:
· You helped feed 1,263 households through MSC's Food Bank during the week before Christmas, the highest ever served in one week.
· You donated toys for 1,862 needy children through Christmas House. A special thank you to Starbucks, REI, Woodstone Credit Union, and Orion Industries for significant numbers of new toys collected.
· You gave the gift of reading to some 180 homeless children who will stay at MSC's Family Shelter in Kent this year thanks to a Barnes & Noble (Federal Way) book drive. 790 books were collected. Thank you!
· You provided shoes to 300 people through a collection sponsored by Shoes n Feet of Federal Way. An additional thank you to the store for also donating $5,000 of brand new shoes to MSC's Clothing Bank.
You "adopted" families, provided gift cards, knitted
hats and scarves, collected food, made fleece blankets, and so much more. Thank you for your generosity! |
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New Year Kicks Off With New CEO |
 | | Robin Corak |
A new year. A new CEO. Multi-Service Center welcomes Robin Corak, the newly named CEO of the agency.
Robin is no stranger to MSC. She has worked for the agency for the past ten years, most recently as Chief Operations Officer. Known for her innovative and collaborative leadership, Robin brings an in-depth understanding of the agency's operation and vision, along with a keen passion for helping people make lasting change in their lives.
"I am thrilled to be leading Multi-Service Center into the future," said Robin, who started her new position Jan. 1. "This agency has come a long way in its 40-year history, and I intend to continue to advance the agency's reputation as a results-driven leader in human services not only in South King County, but throughout the region."
Read More Here |
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Crab Feed Sets Sail June 30
Sponsorship opportunities available now | |
 The Crab Feed & Auction is MSC's largest, most popular fundraiser and a highly anticipated community event, selling out to more than 300 guests.
On Saturday, June 30, 2012, guests will "Get Onboard the S.S. Crab Feed!" for a fun filled evening in a cruise-like setting where we raise funds to provide help, hope and change for our low-income neighbors. The Crab Feed features all-you-can-eat crab, our fun wine toss and a highly competitive "Heads or Tails" game that is always a crowd pleaser.
We're currently seeking sponsors for this spirited event.
Learn more here |
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Energy Goes Paperless |
 MSC's Energy Assistance program now houses customer files in storage on the Web. The new online system saves paper and staff time, increases efficiencies and security, and eliminates the need to store customer files in more than 50 file cabinets.
MSC's Energy Assistance is one of only a handful of energy programs in the Puget Sound area with this more efficient system. The changeover began in October, and has been well-received by both customer and staffers. Read more here about MSC's Energy Assistance Program |
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