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Seattle Human Services news and events

HSD Announces Availability of Funding to Establish a Seattle-based Coordinated Regional Network of Services for Victims and Survivors of Gender-based Violence

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HSD’s Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) is seeking applications from agencies interested in providing survivor-centered, gender-based violence victim services for the diverse communities and geographic areas of Seattle.

Seattle logo with the words Love Shouldn't Hurt written across it

The purpose of this RFP is to establish a Seattle-based coordinated regional network of services under the umbrella of gender-based violence (GBV) for survivors of interpersonal violence including domestic violence (DV), sexual assault (SA), and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE).

Service strategies included in this RFP are

  1. Mobile Flexible Advocacy,
  2. Shelter and Housing,
  3. Therapeutic Services,
  4. Civil Legal Aid, and
  5. Specialized Services for Marginalized Populations.

The term “gender-based violence”, as referred to in this RFP, is defined as, “any form of violence that is rooted in rigid gender roles that reinforce the power imbalance between men and women. Any time anyone does not conform to what’s expected of their gender, they run the risk of being targets of violence.” For this RFP, domestic violence, sexual assault, and commercial sexual exploitation are defined as forms of GBV.

Approximately $10,908,306.00 in HSD General Fund is available through this RFP. HSD intends to fund approximately 30-40 proposals. Initial awards will be made for January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023; and up to a period of four years (2023-2026).

For more information, and all RFP materials, please visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding-and-reports/funding-opportunities. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 Noon PDT, on Monday, August 8, 2022.

Questions?

Please contact Michelle Smith, Funding Process Coordinator, via email with any questions about this RFP or to request an accommodation for the information session: Michelle.Smith2@Seattle.gov

HSD Announces Availability of Funding to Increase Licensed Capacity in Preschool and Child Care Facilities Across the City of Seattle

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**Updated June 23, 2022 to reflect an amendment to the funding availability

Photo of Back to School Corner with books and tables in an empty child care facility
Photo by Pavel Verbovski

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the availability of up to $5,000,000 of Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery (CLFR) Funds and up to $1,000,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to increase licensed capacity in preschool and child care facilities across the City of Seattle. Providers interested in applying for this RFP must have experience in:

  • providing developmentally and culturally appropriate early learning programming;
  • working with Seattle children and families most disproportionately impacted by the effects of COVID-19; and
  • working with Seattle children 0 – 5 years old.

The American Rescue Plan Act states that “the pandemic and the necessary actions taken to control the spread had a severe impact on households and small businesses, in particular low-income workers and communities and people of color.” As a result, CLFR funds should provide “assistance to those households, businesses, and non-profits in communities most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”

At the national level, mothers of children aged 12 years and younger lost jobs at a rate three times greater than fathers of young children between February and August 2020. Throughout the pandemic, women, particularly women of color, have experienced higher levels of unemployment, threatening to undo decades of progress towards gender equity. Early learning programs are vital to an equitable COVID-19 recovery. Seattle Ordinance 126371 allocated CLFR funding to be invested specifically toward child care capital improvements.

In working with community to identify the challenges of participating in the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP), the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) received feedback from partners citing the following as ongoing challenges for sustainability: (1) the lack of available and licensable space as a barrier to SPP program expansion, and (2) organizational capacity related to board development, fundraising plans, human resources, and financial management.

HSD is supporting the expansion of early learning facilities and environments by investing in the capacity of licensed early learning programs across Seattle:

  1. Nonprofit and for profit, center-based providers and preschools are eligible to apply for $25,000 (min) to $2,000,000 (max)
  2. Nonprofit and for profit, home-based agencies are eligible to apply for $10,000 (min) to $75,000 (max)

For more information, and all RFP materials, please visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding-and-reports/funding-opportunities. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 Noon PDT, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 July 19, 2022.

Questions?

Please contact Ken Astrein, Funding Process Coordinator, via email with any questions about this RFP or to request an accommodation for the information session: childcarefacilities@seattle.gov

HSD Seeks Consultant to Conduct Comparable Worth Wage Analysis of Human Services Work in Seattle and King County

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**Updated May 11, 2022

The City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD), in partnership with the Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC) is seeking applications from individuals, teams, and organizations interested in conducting a comparable worth wage analysis of the City of Seattle and King County human services sector.

Governments at all levels rely on the skills and expertise of nonprofit organizations to support well-being in communities so that individuals can reach their potential at every stage of life. Recruiting and retaining effective, experienced human services workers is essential for meeting the goals shared by funders and human service providers. These goals include supporting people to build well-being in communities across Martin Luther King County. Significant pay gaps create hurdles for recruitment and retention of human services workers.

Human service providers and elected officials agree that human services workers are significantly underpaid for the difficult work they do, which puts the whole sector in a precarious position. The people who take care of our children, provide healthcare in community-based clinics, help people without homes connect with resources, engage our elders, support our youth, and care for people with disabilities are often paid at such low levels that they qualify for public support programs themselves. A 2017 report on nonprofits in New York State revealed that pay was so low that 60 percent of those working in the sector were utilizing or had a family member utilizing some form of public assistance benefit such as Medicaid or food stamps. Their pay does not reflect the education required, difficulty, or value of their work to build economic, emotional, physical, developmental, and social well-being for all community members.

Substantial literature on job gendering in economics and sociology indicate that one of the reasons such work may be undervalued is the extent to which care work and the field of human services is associated with feminized labor. Because this work has historically been accomplished by women and people of color, gender and racial discrimination may have had an ongoing impact on human services sector pay.

One policy strategy to address this issue is basing salaries on a comparable worth analysis. This type of analysis looks at wages and benefits paid in jobs and industries that require equivalent levels of skill, education, responsibility, and difficulty as those found in the nonprofit sector. This can provide an opportunity to correct low wages found in the nonprofit sector by providing an alternative to continuing to align wages with a market rate that has been historically suppressed by gendered and race-based discrimination.

Approximately $496,000 in HSD General Fund is available through this RFQ from City Council add CBA HSD-002-B-001. HSD intends to fund one proposal. The award will be made for the period of August 1, 2022–September 30, 2023 July 15, 2022–June 30, 2023. The final report will be due no later than January 31, 2023 October 31, 2022.

All materials and updates to the RFQ are available on HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding-and-reports/funding-opportunities. Completed applications are due by 12:00 Noon PDT, on May 31 May 24, 2022.

Questions?

Please contact the Funding Process Coordinator Ann-Margaret Webb via email with any questions about this RFQ at ann-margaret.webb@seattle.gov.

HSD Announces Funding Opportunity to Provide Behavioral Health Support to Young People

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Positive young black guy laughing near graffiti wall with rainbow flag
[Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels]

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from organizations to provide behavioral health support to young people. Eligible services through this Request for Proposals (RFP) include non-residential behavioral health support through clinical treatment and/or non-clinical, culturally specific approaches. Organizations must have documented experience:

  • engaging Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) youth and/or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth of color;
  • providing culturally appropriate behavioral health services; and
  • engaging with Seattle’s young people between 8 and 24 years old.

This RFP is investing $938,841 from HSD General Fund. Initial funding will be for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2023. Contract renewal for an additional three years will depend on agency performance and funding availability.

Depending on the number of applications received, HSD intends to fund six to eight proposals. Each applicant is limited to one proposal. For collaborative programs, only the agency identified as the lead should apply. If an agency is also partnering in another application, the services provided, and budget requested should be clearly defined and not duplicative.

This is an open and competitive process. For more information, and all RFP materials, please visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding-and-reports/funding-opportunities. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 Noon PDT, on Monday, May 16, 2022.

Questions?

Please contact Tan Mei Teo, Funding Process Coordinator, via email with any questions about this RFP: tan-mei.teo@seattle.gov

HSD Announces Farm to Table Support Services Funding Opportunity

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A young boy lifts a prepackaged bag of produce off a table full of bags
Preschool student picks up his family’s Good Food Bag. Photo provided by Tilth Alliance

*Updated April 19, 2022

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from organizations and farmers interested in food equity for Seattle Preschool Programs serving low-income children and families. This Farm to Table Support Services RFP invests in healthy, local, sustainable, culturally relevant food access and education in approximately 50 Seattle Preschool Programs located across the City of Seattle serving 2,000 children ages 3-5 years old. This RFP investment has two program components:

Component 1- Nutrition Education: Increase education on healthy, nutritious, and culturally relevant foods for children, families, and staff in Seattle Preschool Programs:

  • Increase nutrition awareness
  • Reduce health disparities among preschool children and their families
  • Increase connections and relationships between farmers, children, and families
  • Increase education about water consumption

Component 2- Farm to Family Food Bags: Increase access and consumption of fresh and local produce to Seattle Preschool Program children, families, and staff by providing take-home Farm to Family Food Bags including:

  • Food that is culturally relevant
  • Food sourced from Washington State farmers
  • Food sourced from farms owned and operated by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers and business owners, immigrants and refugees, and women

Applicants may apply for one or both program component(s). All funded organizations in both program components will be required to participate in a community-based program evaluation designed by program participants and facilitated by a community-based evaluator.

Three images, left to right, showing animals on a farm, boxes of fruit stacked up on a table, and a hand holding a single carton of fresh, green beans
Photo provided by Farmstand Local Foods

This RFP is investing approximately $839,815 from the following sources: $766,158 in Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) funding and $73,657 in City of Seattle General Fund. Initial funding will be for the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. 

While it is the City’s intention to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2026 program year, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability. HSD seeks to contract with a diverse group of providers to help ensure that the result of HSD’s Farm to Table Support Services investment is that all people living in Seattle can meet their basic needs.

This is an open and competitive process. For more information, and all RFP materials, please visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding-and-reports/funding-opportunities. Completed application packets are due by 4:00 p.m. PDT, on Thursday, May 5, 2022.

If you have any questions, or would like to receive a copy of the RFP in the mail or by email, please contact Pamela Maskara, Funding Process Coordinator, at pamela.maskara@seattle.gov.

Support Survivors of Violence

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Victim support advocate volunteers needed – Training will be provided

Smiling, young Black woman pictured with quote "I started volunteering because I wanted to know how to help survivors of domestic violence" with additional text about accepting applications for new volunteers through March 17, 2022.

The Human Services Department would like your help! HSD’s Safe and Thriving Communities Division is seeking help recruiting community volunteers to become trained support advocates to victims of domestic violence and other crimes. Victim Support Team (VST) volunteers offer support to survivors in a unique time of need, and their commitment and impact make this program a vital part of the City’s response to violence. 

About becoming a Victim Support Team volunteer:

  • VST Community Volunteers come from all backgrounds and walks of life.
  • No experience in social work or counseling is required.
  • Free onboarding, training, and mentorship will be provided as a part of the program.
  • The Victim Support Team provides short term advocacy, safety planning, and referrals to culturally relevant resources.
  • VST volunteers operate in-person on the weekends as a mobile crisis response team, and during the week offering remote phone advocacy.

Benefits of volunteering with VST:

  • Make an important impact providing compassionate and non-judgmental support to survivors.
  • Join a professional community of practice that includes experts in the field of victim advocacy.
  • Gain skills and knowledge in survivor advocacy and build community connections and relationships.

More information and application materials are available online, please visit VST Volunteer Opportunities – HumanServices | seattle.gov today:

  • Applications are open now, deadline to submit is March 17, 2022
  • Must be 21+ and pass an SPD background check

HSD Announces Funding Awards to Address Reentry Services and Rerooting Programming

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The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the Supportive Reentry RFP which closed November 5, 2021.

Last year, thanks to the recommendations of the Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force, $1,383,000 in City of Seattle General Fund was allocated to funding culturally appropriate reentry services and rerooting programming for BIPOC currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. The Equitable Communities Initiative Task Force is a diverse group of people of color and community leaders representing a cross-section of industries, including environmental justice, who came together to spearhead the process of developing recommendations for a $30 million investment into our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Initial funding is for the period of December 15, 2021-December 31, 2022.

In response to this RFP, HSD received 26 proposals totaling $5,885,112 in requested funds from agencies. The 26 proposals were forwarded to the rating panel to be read and rated individually, and then as a group. This rating panel was comprised of community members and staff who were of, and/or work with, the focus and priority populations of this RFP. Raters held content expertise in community-led solutions to supportive reentry programs for BIPOC Communities in the City of Seattle, King County, and Washington State. Raters were age, gender, and ethnically diverse and represented multiple cultures and communities.

The top nine rated proposals were recommended for funding, although none of the agencies received the full amount requested. Read more below about a few of them:

  • Arms Around You
  • Boys & Girls Club of King County
  • Chief Seattle Club
  • Community Passageways
  • Creative Justice
  • East African Community Services
  • Freedom Project
  • Northwest Credible Messenger
  • University Beyond Bars

Arms Around You (AAY) is an organization that works “to increase public safety and reduce recidivism by helping the most vulnerable people become self-sufficient, productive, contributing members of their communities.” Their proposal’s strengths included the diverse range of men, women and young adults they serve, their by and for model, and their strong use of qualitative data. AAY offers services in education, therapy, substance abuse treatment, legal assistance, and job placement. They also offer six different social enterprise businesses where trainees can receive real job training that they can use immediately upon graduation from one of the programs.

“We’re excited to be chosen,” shared Avon Curtis, AAY’s Chief Executive Officer. “We applied for this funding because we wanted the opportunity to support the re-entry community in a more meaningful way,” and grassroots organizations like this often face challenges in getting funding. As a Black female-founded and led organization, 83% of AAY staff are Black women, and 100% are BIPOC women.

When a member of Chief Seattle Club’s Re-Entry Program is first released from prison, Jeremy Garretson is there with a “Day One” package. He takes them to get a fresh set of clothes, a cell phone, and a bus pass. Once the basics are settled, it’s time to make a plan. Garretson works with each member individually to determine personalized next steps for employment and either transitional or permanent housing.

The Club’s Reetry Program will serve 120 members annually and will connect individuals reentering communities to housing, mental health support, employment, and cultural support like healing through drumming and sweat lodges. Their Reentry Manager is Northern Arapaho and is himself, formerly incarcerated. He has “yellow badge” access to all prisons and visits at least two prisons a month to build relationships with AI/AN community members who are incarcerated.

The Freedom Project uses a three-pronged model centered on healing circles. The circles are facilitated using trauma informed approaches, including compassionate communication. All three components were built on requests from community members. The other two are: community-based support, focused on systems navigation, and housing support. The applicant also focused on eradicating anti-blackness.

Northwest Credible Messenger‘s proposal described a healing-centered, community/home-based, culturally-responsive, and customized approach. The organization has a strong emphasis on restorative justice principles and described several established community partnerships including University of Washington (which supports internships, data capacity and more) and the State of Washington. Their application described using cognitive therapy and getting to the root causes of issues, as well as focused on workforce readiness and engagement of positive adult models. Northwest Credible Messenger believes that “communities have the solutions they need.”

Avon Curtis agrees. “We advocate for individuals… but they have to do the footwork to get there. We want to be here to put our arms around you but you have to be responsible for yourself.”

When asked about the impact this type of funding from the City has, she shared that they are looking forward to getting a bigger office and that this investment is going to open up more doors for her organization. But the important thing is “it’s going to make the community safer because there are organizations like ours. Working together collectively. When you work together it makes a much stronger community.”

She also believes that having the City fund programs like this does more than just reduce recidivism. “We go inside to build the relationship with you. And when you leave we are still here. And that’s huge.” Because when you’re building a relationship with people who may have been failed by the system, you need to that earn that trust.

For more information about this RFP, please contact Natalie Thomson, RFP Coordinator, at Natalie.Thomson@seattle.gov.

Looking Back at 2021 as We Look Forward to 2022

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Our Mission 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 continued to hold a greater sense of urgency in 2021. Over this past year, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) continued to be one of the largest contributors to Seattle’s safety net, and our staff and community of human service providers continued to be a part of the front-line response to COVID-19. HSD also worked to advance our Mission by adapting programs and rising to challenges to ensure all of our communities have access to the opportunity to thrive. And we couldn’t do it without the partnership and efforts of friends and community members.

As we take on new bodies of work in 2022, we move forward committed to helping people grow up and grow old with opportunity and dignity and will work to support and empower diverse communities across Seattle. We are proud to share some of the highlights from 2021, and we are grateful for the help and hard work many of you provided us to realize these achievements.

COVID-19:

Round sticker design with text I got my COVID-19 Vaccine #BestShotSeattle
  1. Aging & Disability Services (ADS) helped 14,000 clients secure COVID-19 vaccine appointments and 1,350+ in-home vaccine screenings. Staff also assisted in standing up 120 vaccine clinics in SHA building and other community-based locations.
  2. Wellspring reported distributing 70 checks totaling an additional $81,200 in cash assistance from the Hospitality Worker Emergency Relief Fund. The cumulative dispersed amount for the Fund is 1,520 checks totaling $2,023,00 in cash assistance. The total amount dedicated to the Fund is $2,170,000.
  3. Seattle Relief Fund provided over $16 million in direct cash assistance for vulnerable low-income residents impacted by COVID-19.

Preparing Youth for Success:

Tilth Alliance staff and two SYEP interns standing out in a field
  1. Seattle Summer Food Service Program distributed 82,903 meals including lunches, breakfasts, and snacks at 39 sites throughout Seattle, including parks and Seattle Public Schools.
  2. Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) supported 328 paid youth opportunities through its Earn and Learn program and employment internships, which ranged from environmental work to media production and much more.

Supporting Affordability and Livability:

Ad graphic with text including "We're here to help." seattle.gov/UDP
  1. HSD provided funding for 214,549 food bank visits (duplicated) and 1,457,972 meals through meal programs (at PSH, ES, and Community meals).
  2. 7,183 new Utility Discount Program (UDP) customers were enrolled.

Promoting Public Health:

  1. ADS staff helped lead the large-scale transition of the state’s “Get Care” Database which involved training and supporting 132 individuals and 32 agencies.
  2. The nationally recognized Mobile Integrated Health Program partnership continued to increase the service area for Health One and added a second Seattle Fire unit to respond to referrals, and announced the launch of a third unit in 2022.

Addressing Homelessness:

City employees assisting with Exhibition Hall shelter operations
  1. As the Homeless Strategy & Investment (HSI) division moved towards its year-end sunset the team held steady on its commitment to increase access to safer spaces and to keep COVID protections in place across shelters. In 2021, a net 380 new shelter beds were created by year-end, with 350 new 24/7 non-congregate shelter spaces in the last quarter. Currently the City funds approximately 2,800 total shelter spaces, a 700-shelter unit increase over levels at the end of 2020. Additionally, 92% of City-funded shelter spaces are now 24/7 enhanced with wraparound onsite services – this compares to 75% pre-pandemic (Q4 2019).
  2. The team has also been working to close out over 160 contracts that the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) will take on starting this month.
  3. And over the course of a nine-day severe weather shelter activation that ended January 3 in response to prolonged cold temperatures and snowy conditions, HSI staff, in partnership with service providers, the KCRHA, volunteers, and City departments, provided a total of 2,116 overnight stays across six emergency shelters for people experiencing homelessness.

Promoting Healthy Aging:

  1. 2,351 people were reached via 22 Age Friendly Seattle virtual events in 2021 as the program continued to support learning and social connection through online programing including Civic Coffee Hours, Close to Home programs, an African American Elders’ Candidates Forum, Memory Sunday Brain Health & Dementia Awareness, and more.

Supporting Safe Communities:

Seattle Great Wheel lit up in purple at night
  1. Work continued in 2021 to stand up our new Safe and Thriving Communities (STC) Division. We hired STC’s first Division Director and acquired two SPD services: Crime Victim Advocates and Victim Support Team. And the Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) continued its work after moving into the division.
  2. STC staff conducted several funding processes to invest in community, including:
    • $500,000 in Regional Peacekeepers Collective
    • $600,000 to mitigate increasing gender-based violence during the pandemic

As we look ahead, please join us in celebrating these tremendous contributions and looking forward to what we will achieve together in 2022!

ICYMI: City of Seattle Provides 9,392 Cash Assistance Grants to Income-Eligible Families through the Seattle Relief Fund

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Additional 3,300 Seattle immigrant and refugees received cash assistance

Last week, the City of Seattle in partnership with several nonprofit organizations announced that it has provided 5,257 individuals and 4,135 households with direct cash assistance through its Seattle Relief Fund. This fund was created to support vulnerable income-eligible Seattle residents who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the Omicron variant now here in King County, we know that COVID-19 is far from done with us, which is why we continue to launch programs to aid residents, households, and small businesses that continue to feel the impacts from this pandemic,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “Nearly 50 community organizations focused on equitable outreach both in-person and over-the-phone to help thousands apply for this crucial funding, and now, more than ever this cash assistance will help pay for groceries, bills, and housing.”

Of the applicants, 5,585 adults received $1,000 awards, 827 two-adult households received a payment of $2,000, and 2,980 households with children or adult dependents received a payment of $3,000. The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) both managed the Seattle Relief Fund, with the planning process starting in July of this year and the official application having launched on Monday, October 25. In the three weeks that the application was open, the program received 63,672 submissions.

Seattle-based tech nonprofit organization Scholar Fund (SF) managed the application process. According to SF’s analysis of the applications, a majority of households who received funding (61.1%) experienced a death, hospitalization, or long-term health impact or crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A vast majority of awardees (92.4%) experienced some form of recent housing instability, including the inability to pay rent/mortgage and/or having to move out of their home. Also 82.7% of all applicants reported a lost a job or loss of income as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

As many of our neighbors continue to be impacted by the pandemic, it is a priority of City Council to get relief directly into the hands of COVID-19-impacted households and individuals. This week, thousands of individuals directly experienced the Seattle Rescue Plan policy and values in action and received much needed direct cash relief as year three of life with COVID-19 fast approaches. It was an honor to secure this funding for Seattle residents and artists, and I want to thank the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, the Human Services Department, and our community partners for their quick work to both stand up a process and efficiently award funds.

Seattle City Council President M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide)

The SRF’s design and implementation by both City departments was rooted in collaborative innovation with the community. SRF integrated feedback and ideas from dozens of community-based organizations throughout all phases of the project, including determining eligibility, formulating the application, and launching the outreach and engagement campaign.

“We were honored to help with the disbursement of money through the Seattle Relief Fund. Through the process, we witnessed first-hand the number of people financial assistance could positively impact,” said Vivian Hua, Executive Director of Northwest Film Forum, a Seattle Relief Fund community organization partner. “The SRF community outreach efforts were innovative, smooth, and offered a replicable model for centering communities that are often difficult to reach.”

“The overwhelming response that we received from our Seattle Relief Fund outreach activities indicates the impact that COVID-19 continues to have on those living in the Seattle area,” said Violet Lavatai, representing APICAT another SRF community partner. “APICAT for Health appreciates having the opportunity to partner with the City of Seattle, Mayor Durkan, HSD, OIRA, Scholar Fund, and the other community organizations involved in this effort to support individuals and families during this holiday season. Our collective effort serves as a reminder of what can be accomplished when we work together.”

The source of the Seattle Relief Fund dollars was from a $25 million appropriation dubbed the Seattle Rescue Plan, passed by Mayor Durkan and the Seattle City Council in June 2021. The intention of SRF was to prioritize Seattle residents who have disproportionately experienced the economic and public health impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, including self-employed artists/cultural workers, people unable to access state unemployment/federal stimulus funds, and those who had no health insurance or are experiencing housing instability or mental health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The work done on the Seattle Relief Fund activates a critical safety net for those most impacted by the pandemic. HSD connects people to resources and solutions during times of need, and SRF provides a significant infusion of resources that support a more equitable recovery for Seattle’s most vulnerable and low-income. This collaborative effort is also a great example of HSD’s focus on building partnerships between public agencies and the community that lead to innovative solutions that support people’s right to thrive.

Tanya Kim, HSD’s Acting Director

The Seattle Relief Fund application was available online in six additional languages (Amharic, Chinese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese), with 30.7% of all forms submitted in those languages. Additionally, of all applications awarded, 78.4% of recipients identified as BIPOC.

“I continued to be so inspired by the commitment and innovation across the city and our communities. Together, we stepped up to launch this important program, reaching applicants in all but two Seattle ZIP codes. It’s such a great feeling to know that families will have a brighter holiday,” said Cuc Vu, Director of OIRA. “Seattle once again shows its leadership as a welcoming city that continues to center the needs of our most vulnerable communities. Big thanks also to Scholar Fund who quickly processed and reviewed the over 63,000 submitted applications. This is government and community collaboration at its best!”

Prior to the Seattle Relief Fund, OIRA disbursed $5,807,000 in direct cash assistance specifically to low-income immigrants ineligible for federal stimulus payments. These immigrants received financial aid from last year’s Seattle COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for Immigrants (SDRF) and were able to apply through a separate recertification process that began August 2021. OIRA again partnered with Scholar Fund, which sent out text and email notifications and even made phone calls to last year’s awardees. Of the original 3,705 who submitted SDRF applications in 2020, 89% were eligible for continued aid. Individuals and households who received payments as part of the 2021 SDRF recertification process were not eligible to apply for the Seattle Relief Fund.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the City of Seattle has worked quickly to launch COVID-19 testing sites, vaccination clinics, and relief programs including rent relief, expanding shelter for people experiencing homelessness, grocery vouchers for working families, and financial assistance to small businesses. Residents and businesses can find a list of existing COVID-19 relief resources and policies at this website: seattle.gov/covid-19.

City of Seattle Nightly Severe Weather Shelters Open at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall and Compass Housing Pioneer Square to Serve People Experiencing Homelessness

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**Click here for a new post with the latest info and updated flyer (12/30/2021 – 1/2/2022)

*Post last updated on 1/3/2022

Severe weather shelters are closing on 1/3/2022. Together, with contracted severe weather shelter providers and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, the City was able to make sure that on approximately 2,100 (duplicated) occasions between December 25th and January 3rd, people in our community didn’t have to sleep outside in severe cold, snow, and freezing temperatures.

In anticipation of increasing low temperatures and potential snow over the coming days, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD), will open emergency Severe Weather Shelters from Saturday, December 25th through Wednesday, December 29th. Forecasts will be monitored to assess emergency shelter needs for people experiencing homelessness beyond the morning of Thursday the 30th.

The Salvation Army and Compass Housing Alliance will manage operations and staffing, with support from city staff and partners.

The shelters, located at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall and Compass Housing Alliance Shelter in Pioneer Square, will open nightly at 7pm starting December 25th. They will continue operations through Wednesday, December 29th, providing an additional 180 – 200 emergency shelter spaces for individuals experiencing homelessness.

  • This severe winter weather shelter location is now closed: Seattle Center Exhibition Hall – Operated by Salvation Army
    • 301 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA 98109
      • Enter though main entrance off Mercer Street and go down the stairs. Serves 150 people, all genders, 18+ years, non-aggressive leashed dogs and cats under owner control allowed. The Seattle Center campus hygiene station will be accessible. The Armory opens daily at 10am for day warming.
      • Served directly by Metro Bus routes 3, 4, 5, 8, 16, 28, RapidRide E Line, and nearby routes include: 1, 13, and RapidRide D Line.
  • This severe winter weather shelter location is now closed: Compass Housing Alliance Shelter in Pioneer Square
    • 210 Alaskan Way South, Seattle, WA 98104
      • Enter at the corner of So. Washington and Alaskan Way. Serves 80+ people, all genders, 18+ years, service animals only at this location. Day Center also available at this location.
      • Served by nearby public transit services (1-3 blocks away): Seattle Streetcar, Link Light Rail, routes 21, 29, 55, 56, 57, 101, 102, 111, 113, 114, 120, 121, 115, 150, 162, 177, 190, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 550, 554, RapidRide C, ST 590, ST 592, ST 594, ST 595, ST 577, ST 578, PT 410, PT, 415, PT 417, PT 422, PT 424, and Washington State Ferries.
  • This severe winter weather shelter location is now closed: Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes (Operated by Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle)
    • 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 (enter on 5th Ave).
      • Open 7:00 am to 7:00 pm as needed through January 2, 2022.  Meals by Operation Sack Lunch, Occupancy: 25-30 guests.  
  • West Seattle (Operated by American Legion Post 160 and faith-based network volunteers) 
    • 3618 Southwest Alaska Street, Seattle, WA 98126, 206-932-9696  
      • Occupancy: 16 guests, adults 18+, now open 24/7 through severe weather
  • God’s Lil Acre (Operated by Lake City Partners). 
    • 12517 33rd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
      • Night shelter open 9pm – 9am, day center open 9am – 5pm, Occupancy: 15-20 guests
  • Seattle Mennonite Church (Operated by Lake City Partners). 
    • 3120 NE 125th St, Seattle, WA 98125, 206-361-4630
      • Night shelter opens starting 12/26, 9pm – 9am, Occupancy: 25-35 guests    

Emergency shelter spaces will follow COVID-19 safety and screening protocols for guests, including added air filtration, physical distancing, and increased sanitation and hygiene. Providers will also follow public health isolation protocols for any symptomatic guests.

Community members seeking places to come inside during the day are encouraged to utilize public spaces available for all, such as Seattle Public Libraries and the Seattle Center Armory. Day centers (including the one operated by Compass Housing in Pioneer Square), existing programs open and offering support year-round for people experiencing homelessness. Year-round service provider day centers are identified on City’s Hygiene Map, which can be filtered to show day center locations across the city. HSD will continue to share updated lists as additional day and center or warming locations are identified by agencies involved in emergency response functions.  

City coordinated warming locations open for severe weather this December:

Daytime Warming Locations

Note: As of January, 2, 2022, many severe weather day warming locations closed. The following locations no longer offer daytime warming center functions and have closed or returned to normal operations as of 1/2/2022

  • Day warming has ended at Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes (Operated by Seattle Urban League)
    • Address: 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104.
    • Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (overnight shelter 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Day warming has ended at International District/Chinatown Community Center
    • Address: 719 8th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104.
    • Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday (Jan. 1): 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (5 p.m. is normal closing); Sunday (Jan. 2): 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (normally closed).
  • Day warming has ended at Magnuson Park Building #406
    • Hours: Monday and Tuesday 12 noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday (Jan. 1) and Sunday (Jan. 2): 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (normally closed).
  • Day warming has ended at Northgate Community Center
    • Address: 10510 5th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Phone: 206-386-4823
    • Hours: M-F: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday (Jan. 1) 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (normally closed), Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (normally closed).
  • Day warming has ended at Rainier Beach Community Center
    • Address: 8825 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118. Phone: 206-386-1925
    • Hours: Monday-Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday (Dec. 31) 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (normally 6:30 p.m.), Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm. 206-386-1925 NOTE: Rainer Beach Community Center will be CLOSED Saturday and Sunday 1/1 – 1/2/2022
  • Day warming has ended at Lake City Community Center (added on 12/30)
    • Address: 12531 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125.
    • Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Note: as of Thursday, December 30th, all Seattle Parks programs and facilities will be closed except for the Parks operated warming centers listed above. Seattle Public Libraries: All library branches will be closed today 12/30, but plan to open tomorrow, 12/31.

If you are in need of shelter, call 2-1-1 or 1-877-211-9274. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority Cold Weather Shelter notice provides addition resources and guidance. Parents or guardians caring for one or more child 18 years or younger can get help identifying emergency shelter by calling the Coordinated Family Intake Line at 206-245-1026 between 8am – 11:30pm, 365-days a year. In addition, the YWCA’s women and family shelter intake line can be reached at 206-461-4882. For an emergency, call 9-1-1.

The Homelessness Outreach and Provider Ecosystem (HOPE) Team is coordinating outreach and shelter referrals into the City’s temporary severe weather shelters, and other City funded shelters, in partnership with our contracted outreach providers. The HOPE Team, along with SPD and SPR staff members, will also help people connect to transportation options for individuals travelling to shelter locations. Available staff from the Seattle Fire Department’s Health One team will conduct welfare visits to people living unsheltered and support efforts to distribute weather supplies including handwarmers, emergency blankets, hats, and gloves, and to share shelter location information.

Severe weather operation and response updates from other HSD Divisions include:

  • Home Delivered Meal programs are tracking the weather and coordinating any delivery changes with drivers and clients to ensure all clients have sufficient meals during the weather event.
  • Medicaid case management program staff have been alerted to weather issues that could impact clients through the holiday weekend and into next week. Updated case lists will be distributed to assist teams with identifying and contacting clients most in need of planning and resources.
  • Other aging network programs, including Senior Centers and Congregate Meals programs, have been operating hybrid models (in-person, virtual, delivery) due to the pandemic. Severe weather and holiday schedules may impact operations.

The City and HSD have been working hard to stand up new 24/7 enhanced shelters and tiny house villages over the fall and winter, opening 350 new non-congregate shelter spaces in the last three months alone. The City anticipates funding over 2,800 total shelter spaces by the end of the year, a 700-shelter unit increase over last year’s levels (Q4 2020). Additionally, 92% of City-funded shelter spaces are now 24/7 enhanced with wraparound onsite services – this compares to 75% pre-pandemic (Q4 2019).

Emergency Severe Weather Shelter Guests:

Shelter Census 12/25 12/26 12/27 12/28 12/29 12/30 12/31 1/1 1/2 Total 
Compass Housing 28 81 54 51 55 53 41  *21  32 416
Exhibition Hall 59 107 132 142 142 134 118  157 130 1,121
City Hall X X 30 52 55 70 62  68 *60 397
West Seattle X X 12 11 11 16 15  18 15 98
Seattle Mennonite Church X 10 14 15 13 10 6  7 9 84
God’s Lil Acre X 0 0 0 0 0 0  0 0 0
Totals 87 198 242 271 276 283 242  271 246 2,116
(duplicated)
Capacity 180 265 351 371 371 371 371  379 379 
* Indicates a preliminary count that may be updated later as it was taken prior to midnight instead of the morning of closure