March, 2013

In This Issue:
LIHI at HHAD
Home Depot Foundation on Vet Housing
Job Search Mentoring for Residents

Help End Homelessness

Need Housing?

 

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LIHI Turns Out at Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day! 

 

LIHI Residents and Staff at Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day.  From left to right: Richard Hilliard, LaJeanne Jones, Charleen James, Sharon Lee, Chelsea Millin and James Hvizdalek.

This year's Housing and Homelessness Advocacy day was a huge success thanks to all those that came out to voice their demand for housing for all. On February 11th, 650 advocates went to Olympia to take action on housing and homelessness issues. LIHI played a big role in speaking up for housing for all. Among a LIHI delegation two dozen strong were 12 residents representing 6 LIHI properties, including: Frye Hotel, Cate Apartments, Bart Harvey, Arion Court, Glen Hotel, and Arbor Manor. Each resident gave compelling personal testimony to lawmakers about their experiences with homelessness and the positive impacts of affordable housing.

 

The LIHI delegation met with representatives from 12 legislative districts, attending nearly 40 face-to-face meetings with their lawmakers. We are proud to report that LIHI represented one of the largest, if not the largest, delegations among attending organizations!

 

Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day is sponsored and coordinated annually by the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance. For advocacy action you can take right now, please see their website: http://www.wliha.org/advocacy/state 

  

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Home Depot Celebration of Service
 Home Depot volunteers at LIHI/CADA joint project renovating one of four low-income veterans' homes in Seattle's Central District in September, 2012.

LIHI to Host Home Depot Foundation Information Share on Local Efforts to House Veterans     

  

The Home Depot Foundation is committing to invest $80 million over the next 3-years to nonprofit organizations addressing temporary and permanent housing solutions for veterans. On March 20th, LIHI will convene a meeting in Seattle with The Home Depot Foundation, public officials and nonprofit groups to share information on providing housing for veterans and their families.

 

Jackie McLean, Director of the Department of Community and Human Services, will present King County's new Regional Veterans Initiative and nonprofit organizations will share their efforts on housing veterans.

 

If your organization wishes to attend, please email or call Aaron at (206) 443-9935, ext. 149.

 

The Home Depot Foundation's mission is to ensure that every U.S. Military Veteran has a safe place to call home. 

You can find out more about The Home Depot Foundation at: www.homedepotfoundation.org 

  

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Volunteers Help LIHI Residents with Job Search Skills     
by Dakshina T
Reprinted Courtesy of Real Change
  

In the study room at Greenwood Public Library, Maggie (not her real name) who is 38 and lives in the nearby Cate Apartments, and Carrie Danielson, a 33 year-old Western Washington University graduate, chat and laugh like old friends.

 

Actually, the women have known each other for just five weeks. They were brought together by a partnership between Western Washington University's Woodring College of Education and Seattle's nonprofit Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI). The program pairs tenants of its buildings looking to gain job skills with university students and faculty who have studied adult education. LIHI owns and operates the Cate Apartments.

 

The program, which started in the fall, was renewed in January when a group of students were honored for their work as mentors. Western Washington University President Bruce Shepard, Washington Speaker of the House, Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, and LIHI's Executive Director Sharon Lee, delivered the awards.

 

Danielson volunteered at the suggestion of a former professor. She received a master's in the Adult Education Program in 2008 and wanted to make the best use of her after-work hours.

 

"It has been an enriching experience for me as well," Danielson said. "It feels great to befriend a fellow woman in need and help her build a new career profile."

 

Danielson is helping Maggie realize her dream of a career change from a hair stylist to an office administrator. The two meet once a week for an hour or two to discuss resum� writing, online job applications and interviewing.

 

Maggie immigrated to Seattle from Iran seven years ago. Last year, when the salon where she was working asked her to come to work for just two days per week, she decided to call it quits. Determined to make a career shift, she earned a certificate in Business Technology from Shoreline Community College, which took her about a year. But even so, getting a job has proved much more difficult than she thought.

 

"I am so happy that I got to meet Carrie and now I feel really confident and positive about achieving my dream," she said.

 

"Maggie is always excited about learning and that makes my task simple and easy," Danielson said.

 

The one-on-one program has been found to be more effective than group forums involved in developing skills, according to Sarah Tapp, volunteer coordinator at LIHI. The individualized program caters to the specific needs of the residents, she said.

 

"We fix up an initial meeting to introduce the pair, and then the volunteer decides on a roadmap to assist the resident for a 10- to 12-week schedule keeping his/her goals in mind," Tapp said.

 

The program is available at ten LIHI sites in Seattle. Still, there are not enough volunteers available to meet the demand. About 12 residents are currently on the waiting list, and Tapp says the list will be even longer if she does her pending outreach program at the sites.

 

VOLUNTEER YOUR SKILLS AND TIME WITH LIHI TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS GAIN TECHNOLOGY AND ONLINE JOB SEARCH SKILLS.  Email [email protected] today! 

 

  

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Low Income Housing Institute | 2407 1st Avenue | Seattle WA 98121 | 206.443.9935 | www.LIHI.org | [email protected]
 

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