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Child care subsidies help working families
Affordable high-quality child care is critically important to both the developing child and the parents who are working hard to provide for their families.
The City of Seattle may be able to help. The Seattle Human Services Department's Child Care Assistance Program helps low- and moderate-income working families pay for child care for children ages one month to 13 years. The amount of payment from the City varies according to the income of the family, age of the child, and hours of care needed. The City typically pays between 25% to 70% of a standardized rate, and the family is responsible for paying the difference.
To qualify you must:
- Live within Seattle city limits
- Be employed and or enrolled in educational/job training
- Have children under 13 years of age
- Use a provider contracted with the City of Seattle
- Not be eligible for any other child care subsidy program
- Meet income guidelines based on family size.
For income guidelines and other information on the program please call 206-386-1050.
Dannette R. Smith
Director, Seattle Human Services Department |
| $21 million for homeless services | |
 Mayor McGinn and County Executive Dow Constantine announced in late March that federal homeless assistance funds totaling more than $21.2 million have been awarded to the City and King County for 2013-2014 to continue programs that provide a range of housing and supportive services for individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The $21.2 million award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development supports 66 community-based projects for a total of 1,865 units of housing, 747 units of transitional housing and 1,118 units of permanent housing for homeless people with disabilities. The total includes funding for two Safe Haven facilities that offer supportive housing for homeless adults with severe mental illness. Also renewed is funding for the Safe Harbors Homeless Management. For details see this press release.
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| Winter shelters extended into spring | |
The Human Services Department announced the extension of City-funded winter shelters for single adults. The winter shelters were scheduled to close March 31, 2013. With the extension:
- The City Hall Winter Shelter will remain open through May 31, 2013. The City Hall Shelter serves adult men and women and is located at 4th Ave. and Cherry St. in downtown Seattle. Hours: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- The Women's Shelter at DESC Connections will remain open through April 15, 2013. The women's shelter is located at 505 3rd Ave., near the corner of 3rd Ave. and Yesler Way. Hours: 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
The extension is a result of two Council budget actions:
- The addition of $100,000 in 2013 and $102,300 in 2014 to address shelter demand for single adult men and/or women.
- The addition of $50,000 in 2013 and $51,150 in 2014 to HSD for additional shelter capacity for homeless women.
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| Funding awards for Community Organizing & Leadership Development | |
 The Human Services Department recently awarded a total of $217,000 to six community agencies serving immigrants, refugees and other communities of color as the result of a competitive Request for Investment (RFI) process. The agencies will provide community organizing and leadership development services to their communities intended to promote equity and expand opportunity. Awarded agencies include the Vietnamese Friendship Association, Eritrean Association of Greater Seattle, Entre Hermanos, Horn of Africa Services & Somali Community Services, Ethiopian Community in Seattle and Afrique Services Center.
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| New division director job announcement | In late March, the Human Services Department launched the recruitment process for a new division director who will lead the division comprised of the following program areas:
- Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
- Utility and Energy Assistance
- Homelessness Services and Supports
- Food and Meal Programs
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Facility Matters
Here is a link to the posting. We hope to complete the recruitment and hiring process by early June and have the new director on board by mid-July. |
| Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April | |
 April has been designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assault is far too prevalent in our communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control more than one million women are raped annually in the U.S., and one in five women have been raped at some point in their lifetime. Rape is not just a women's issue; 1 in 71 men have been raped, and 28% of those were first raped when they under the age of 10. Sexual assault is not just limited to rape - it includes any type of sexual contact that occurs without explicit consent. When sexual coercion and unwanted sexual contact are included in the definition, an astonishing 45% of women and 22% of men have been sexually assaulted. The majority of sexual assaults are committed by persons known to the victim. As has been demonstrated in recent highly publicized cases, sexual assaults are often linked to the excessive use of alcohol, particularly in young adults. In order to address sexual violence we must have meaningful interventions such as rigorous investigation and prosecution of offenses and easily accessible victim services. However, there must also be a concerted effort to prevent sexual assault before it happens through education, awareness and changing social norms.
The Seattle Human Services Department provides funding for sexual assault victim support services in the amount of $592,542 annually and also funds two prevention programs focused on helping youth learn to develop healthy relationships for a total of $301,920.
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| Seeking sites for Summer Food Service Program | |
 Planning is under way for the 2013 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Human Services Department is looking for program sites in order to serve as many children as possible. HSD will offer the Summer Food Service Program from Monday, June 24, 2013 to Friday, August 23, 2013. The program provides no-cost breakfasts, lunches and snacks for children and youth ages 1 through 18. The meals are served to children at approved sites where at least half the children are eligible for free or reduced price school lunches. Agencies are invited to apply to serve as meal sites this summer. For applications and eligibility information, please visit this Web site. Applications are due April 19, 2013.
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| RFQ for HIV/AIDS housing | | The Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking qualifications from agencies interested in implementing the HIV/AIDS Housing Lead Agency for Seattle-King County. The Housing Lead Agency will coordinate an effective HIV/AIDS housing continuum with funders, housing and services providers, and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). The main goals are: 1) streamline and improve the process for low income people with HIV/AIDS to access and maintain affordable housing and 2) increase the inventory of affordable housing, with and without services, available to low-income people with HIV/AIDS. The deadline for applications is May 2, 2013. For more details, see this Web site. |
| Request for Investment for preschools | | The Youth and Family Empowerment Division of the City of Seattle's Human Services Department (HSD) and the Office for Education, a division of the Department of Neighborhoods, are seeking investment applications from agencies interested in providing Step Ahead preschool services for low- to moderate-income three- and four-year-old children and their families who live in the attendance areas of Seattle Public Schools' eligible elementary schools. HSD seeks to contract with a diverse group of providers to deliver Early Learning Preschool services in north, central, southeast and southwest Seattle. The deadline for applications is April 17, 2013. For more details, please see this Web site. |
| Faith-based forums on emergency response | The Human Services Department has been working with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Parks and Recreation and other city departments on a series of forums on emergency preparedness for faith-based organizations. As major natural disasters continue to occur worldwide the level of interest in emergency preparedness in our region continues to grow. Faith-based organizations will play a critical role in responding to disasters big and small. Community members look to these institutions for information, resource services and spiritual guidance in the event of a major disaster. Forums will be held in April as follows:
- Wednesday, April 10th from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Delridge Community Center
- Tuesday, April 16th from 6 to 8:50 p.m. at Yesler Community Center
- Saturday, April 20th from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Northgate Community Center
- Wednesday, April 24th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center
For more information, please contact Tracy Connelly, Office of Emergency Management, at 206-615-0287 or tracy.connelly@seattle.gov.
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Life Lines is published monthly by the City of Seattle's Human Service Department. Our mission is to connect people with resources and solutions during times of need so we can all live, learn, work and take part in strong, healthy communities. For more timely or breaking news, visit our blog, Human Interests, or visit our Web site. If you have questions, please e-mail David Takami or call 206-684-0253. |  |
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