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Seattle Human Services news and events

HSD Announces RFQ Awards for Expanded Neighborhood Outreach

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Today, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) announced funding awards to three outreach agencies—REACH, Seattle Indian Center, and Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle—in response to the 2021 Expanding Neighborhood-Specific Outreach Expedited Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

A young man kneels on the sidewalk and holds a small cat while speaking with a man sitting on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign asking for help.
Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

The cumulative awards total will equal $768,000 and add seven full time equivalent employees (FTEs) in underserved neighborhoods in Seattle: three FTEs covering West Seattle, Delridge, South Park, and Rainier Valley vicinities; two FTEs in the Lake City area; and two FTEs in Northwest Seattle.

This RFQ funding process was a competitive, closed process, open only to homeless outreach and engagement programs with existing HSD contracts.

Funding for the RFQ is allocated from one-time dollars from the General Fund to hire additional outreach workers who are representative of BIPOC communities. The FTEs will expand homeless outreach services to neighborhoods with growing needs and will address the complex needs of individuals experiencing homelessness including accessing shelter, behavioral health services, and substance use disorder resources. The newly funded homeless outreach FTEs are contracted from March 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. 

Funding from this RFQ is allocated as follows: 

Agency   FTEs  RFQ Award Amounts  Neighborhoods  
 REACH   3  $329,144.00  (2) West Seattle, Delridge, South Park, and Rainier Valley vicinities;  (1) Northwest Seattle   
Seattle Indian Center   2  $219,428.00  (2) Lake City vicinity    
Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle   2  $219,428.00  (1) West Seattle, Delridge, South Park, and Rainier Valley vicinities;  (1) Northwest Seattle  

Homeless outreach and engagement providers work in partnership with the City of Seattle’s HOPE Team to provide a strategic and comprehensive scope of services to unsheltered individuals living in Seattle.   

ICYMI: Update on More Than 350 New Shelter Beds Coming Online, Including Opening of Hotels, Tiny House Villages, and An Enhanced Shelter for Women

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On February 23, the City of Seattle provided an update on details of more than 350 new spaces of enhanced shelter programs at hotels, tiny house villages, and a new women’s shelter in addition to the new permanent housing resources for people experiencing homelessness and facing significant barriers to housing.

Since 2017, the City has invested significant resources towards 24/7 enhanced shelters and tiny home villages as the most effective programs to move individuals towards permanent housing. In 2021, these enhanced shelter resources will provide more capacity and safe shelter during COVID-19 and beyond. The hotel programs are temporary and coupled with robust rapid-re-housing and permanent supportive housing will ensure clients in the hotel shelters will have direct access to housing.

“In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic upended every aspect of our homelessness response. Yet in Seattle, we came together to craft a public health-driven response that limited outbreaks amongst our most vulnerable residents. During the pandemic, we took unprecedented steps to – deploy hygiene resources, stand up shelter, housing, and a new Regional Authority, and now we are taking additional actions to bring more people inside into safer places and transition more individuals to permanent housing,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “While I look forward to more federal resources to help cities address this humanitarian crisis, many of our partners are standing up resources at an immensely challenging time for organizations and staff.”

In late November, these efforts were approved by City Council. They build on the City’s year-long work to de-intensify shelters, create new enhanced shelter space, and stand-up tiny house villages in response to the pandemic. The Mayor’s 2021 budget supported 2,300 existing spaces, of which 2,100 will be in enhanced shelters and tiny home villages. In 2017, the City had 964 basic shelter beds, 749 enhanced shelter spaces, and 255 spaces at sanctioned encampments.

New Temporary Hotel Shelters

Two hotels—the Kings Inn in Belltown and the Executive Hotel Pacific downtown—will serve as temporary 24/7 enhanced shelters.

The Chief Seattle Club (CSC) will operate a 24/7 enhanced hotel shelter at the Kings Inn, providing 66 non-congregate hotel rooms with wraparound services on site. CSC will provide case management and housing navigation services to help American Indian/Alaska Natives facing high barriers find housing. CSC’s shelter operations will ramp up this month and will be ready for clients in March.

The Executive Hotel Pacific, which has been previously utilized as a COVID-19 recovery space for first responders, will also open as a 24/7 hotel-based enhanced shelter. The program is projected to utilize up to 155 non-congregate hotel rooms. It will include case management and housing navigation services designed to meet the needs of people facing barriers to housing with an expected opening date in March, assuming the finalization of a contract with the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) as the shelter operator.

The hotels will be leased for up to 12 months, including a one-month set-up and ramp-down process. The City’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) oversaw the procurement and licensing process, working with the Human Services Department (HSD) to identify key program needs. This includes; hotel size and location; floor plans for rooms and common areas; cost; COVID-19 safety; speed of program activation; and facility maintenance. The hotel rooms will include microwaves for clients and both programs will ramp-up operations over time, reaching full program capacity in the spring.

The City continues to identify additional sheltering sites.

Rapid Re-housing and Permanent Supportive Housing

Both temporary hotel programs will be supported by robust rapid re-housing resources, which are projected to serve up to 230 households to exit individuals into permanent housing. In the second half of 2021, at least 600 new permanent supportive homes will open, supplementing the new rapid re-housing opportunities. In addition, the City will continue to work with the County on additional resources in Seattle with the County’s new .1% sales tax authority. 

New Tiny House Villages

Three new tiny home villages were approved as part of the 2021 budget. A new tiny house village in the University District will be operated by LIHI and is expected to provide up to 40 tiny houses. The village is on Sound Transit property that the agency will later develop into transit oriented development. The village will open as soon as April, pending finalizing a lease and service agreements.

A second tiny house village location is planned for North Seattle. The program will host up to 40 tiny houses and will open this Summer. Community engagement, program design, and provider service agreement will be completed prior to the village’s opening.

The City is continuing to seek additional locations for its third tiny home village that is fully funded in 2021.

New Enhanced Shelter

On February 12, a new shelter for women opened at the First Presbyterian Church, adding 60 new shelter beds. The City funds this shelter through Catholic Community Services, which sub-contracts operations to Women’s Housing, Equality and Enhancement League (WHEEL). The shelter began as an overnight shelter during February’s snowstorms, but will become a 24/7 enhanced shelter for women experiencing homelessness in the coming weeks. Case management and housing navigation services will be provided. The space includes showers, a dining area, nurse’s station, case manager’s office, and storage. Until recently, First Presbyterian Church hosted an enhanced shelter for a number of years until the program moved to a new site in Pioneer Square.

Referrals

Referrals to these new shelter resources will be coordinated by HSD’s Homelessness Outreach and Provider Ecosystem (HOPE) Team. The announcement of new shelter resources coincides with enhancements to the shelter referral process made in collaboration with the City’s contracted outreach and shelter service providers to improve the efficiency and accuracy of service connections. The HOPE Team will work closely with service providers to provide technical assistance to match persons currently living unsheltered to shelter and housing programs that best meet their needs. Last month, Mayor Durkan’s Innovation and Advisory Council announced a new project between Seattle IT, the HOPE Team, and Tableau to strengthen real-time data for outreach providers to make shelter referrals and build the path towards better service matching for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Funding 

HSD ran a competitive process to generate proposals to operate the new hotel shelter resources. Operators will be responsible for operating the shelter and programming within the hotels, with the goal of moving clients directly to housing before the end of the hoteling period. The majority of costs will be paid for by a one-time $26 million Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The City continues to advocate the federal government for additional ESG award funds in the next COVID-19 relief package to meet the high-level of need.

Next Steps 

The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) will work with HSD and the Mayor’s Office to engage neighborhoods, businesses, and organizations near the hotels, villages, and new women’s shelter to offer program updates, answer questions, and to establish ongoing communication. Residents and property managers are encouraged to contact CommunityUpdate@seattle.gov for more information. Shelter service providers will host community meetings leading up to program openings. The new tiny house villages will organize Community Advisory Committees (CACs), which allow members of the community, village residents, and shelter providers to meet and discuss the village on a regular basis.

HSD Releases New Funding Opportunity to Support Safe Communities in Seattle

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Technical assistance is available to support community-based organizations as they develop their proposals. Priority will be given to agencies led by the focus populations and organizations with an operating budget under $1,000,000.

Photo by Serge van Neck on Unsplash

Protests against police brutality, especially in Black communities, spread across the United States and internationally after the death of George Floyd. Like in many cities, calls for racial justice and community-led solutions to ending violence, led by Black organizers allied with multi-racial and multi-cultural coalitions, echoed and converged with ongoing efforts in Seattle. Through this organizing, legislation to increase funding to reimagine community safety was passed in Seattle.

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from community-led groups working to end violence and to reimagine safety in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led communities, with a specific focus on Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Pacific Islander, and Immigrant and Refugee communities. The purpose of this funding is to build the capacity of groups working toward community-led solutions to end violence and to increase safety.

The Community Safety Capacity Building RFP is investing approximately $10,400,000 in one-time funds for the contract period of July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022 and up to 40 proposals may be funded. All organizations working to create conditions for safety, including ending violence and reducing crime, are encouraged to apply, and priority will be given to Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Pacific Islander, and Immigrant and Refugee-led community groups, as they are most impacted by racism, systems of oppression, and harm from violence and the criminal legal system. Services must take place in Seattle.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is open to organizations that meet the standard HSD Agency Minimum Eligibility Requirements and any additional requirements outlined in Section IV of the Guidelines. If your organization does not meet the minimum eligibility requirements, obtaining a fiscal sponsor that does meet the requirements is allowable. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) are allowed to apply in this RFP. In addition to sending it via traditional HSD funding opportunity channels, this information will be shared via network groups such as the Regional Gun Violence network, Gender Based Violence Network, etc. and through community organizing networks like the Black Brilliance Project (researchers have said they will circulate), Change Team caucuses, City RSJI initiative, and CANOES. It will also be shared through OCR, OIRA, and DON.

All organizations that meet the minimum qualifications will be interviewed. Interview questions and criteria will be provided at least one week prior to scheduled interviews.

HSD seeks to contract with a diverse group of providers to help ensure the result of this investment is that all people living in Seattle are free from violence. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 p.m., Noon on Friday, April 9, 2021.

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. HSD will not provide individual notice of changes; and applicants are responsible for regularly checking the web page for updates, clarifications, or amendments.

Questions about this funding opportunity may be sent to Natalie Thomson, Funding Process Coordinator, by email at natalie.thomson@seattle.gov.

Technical Assistance

Based on feedback from stakeholders HSD is partnering with technical advisors,  Kevin Baker, Baker Consulting and Yasmin Habib, Habib Consulting, to provide optional help sessions intended for community-based organizations to receive additional support as they develop their proposals.

Baker Consulting and Habib Consulting may assist by clarifying application and budget questions, thinking through proposal development ideas with applicants, and reviewing proposal drafts. Technical advisors will not write proposals for applicants.

Applicant help sessions may be scheduled by appointment between March 1 and April 5, 2021. Technical assistance will be conducted virtually. Applicants are strongly encouraged to schedule help session appointments as early as possible. A high volume of requests close to the application deadline will result in limited availability of the technical advisors. Should availability become limited, priority for the help session appointments will be given to organizations led by the focus populations and organizations with an operating budget under $1,000,000. To schedule your help session appointment, contact kevin@thebakerconsulting.com or habibconsultingllc@gmail.com using the subject line:”Requesting Help Session for Safety RFP.”

2021 Supporting Youth and Young Adults for Success RFP

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The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from a diverse group of agencies with experience:

Youth and Young Adults in Classroom
  • actively engaging and working with low income young people from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities in Seattle between the ages of 14 and 24;
  • developing and providing year-round supportive services;
  • using an anti-racist approach that supports positive cultural identities; and
  • preparing young people to get and keep good paying jobs.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is investing $3,732,398 from the HSD General Fund and HSD intends to fund up to 18 proposals. This RFP is competitive and open to any agencies that meet the standard HSD Agency Minimum Eligibility Requirements and any additional requirements outlined in Guidelines Section III. Program Requirements. All eligible proposals will be rated and interviewed. Initial funding will be for the period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Contract renewal for an additional three years depends on performance and funding availability.

HSD seeks to contract with a diverse group of providers to help ensure the result of this investment is that all youth in Seattle successfully transition to adulthood. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 p.m., Noon on Monday, April 5, 2021.

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. HSD will not provide individual notice of changes, and applicants are responsible for regularly checking the web page for updates, clarifications, or amendments.

If you have any questions or would like to receive a copy of the RFP in the mail or by email, please contact Ann-Margaret Webb, Funding Process Coordinator, via email at ann-margaret.webb@seattle.gov.

Information Sessions and One-on-One Help

HSD will offer two webinar information sessions. Any agency interested in learning more about this RFP is encouraged to attend a session and ask questions; but the webinar information sessions are not required.

Baker Consulting will provide help to applicants as they develop their proposals. Priority will be given to agencies without access to professional grant writing support or who have not received funding from HSD before. BakerGuidelines2Consulting may help agencies understand application and budget questions, think through proposal ideas, and review proposal drafts. They will not write proposals for applicants. Help sessions will be scheduled by appointment and will be held between March 1 and April 2, 2021. Applicants are encouraged to schedule appointments as early as possible by emailing Kevin Baker at kevin@thebakerconsulting.com.

Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Now Accepting Applications for 2021 Internships

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SYEP logo featuring the Seattle skyline

HSD staff are excited to let you know that the Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is continuing to prepare for job readiness trainings and employment opportunities this summer despite the uncertainty that COVID brings.

Applications for SYEP 2021 internships are now open, and will close on Friday, April 2, 2021. We anticipate the program will be six weeks, running July 7 through August 17, 2021. Depending on the public health guidelines, the summer program will either follow a “learn and earn” model (where we recruit employer partners to provide short virtual training sessions), an “in-person internship” if possible, a “virtual Internship” where participants work remotely, or a “hybrid” model that combines all of these.

SYEP supports young people (ages 16 to 24) from qualifying-income households and communities that experience racial, social, and economic disparities. The goal is to increase youth and young adults’ ability to pursue careers that pay well and are meaningful to them.

SYEP now offers three components for youth and young adults: a stipend-based school year exploration and learning experience, summer internships with local nonprofits and Seattle city departments, and private internship opportunities for Seattle Promise students.

Want to apply? Visit our program website at www.seattle.gov/syep today!

Scenes of interns at Port of Seattle in 2017

Severe Weather Shelter Update

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City of Seattle in partnership with King County is opening additional severe weather shelter spaces in City Hall tonight starting at 8 p.m. This shelter will be open 24 hours through Monday morning – Please share our updated severe weather shelter flyer for the latest!

There is also a new COVID Response Day Center
at Lake City Community Center (12531 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125) which opened today at 9 a.m.

**Regular Hours (through June):
Tuesdays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Additionally, the First Presbyterian shelter (1013 8th Ave, Seattle 98104) told us they’re now open 24hrs through the weekend!

The temporary shelter spaces will meet COVID-19 safety protocols recommended by Public Health-Seattle & King County and the Centers for Disease Control which call for COVID-19 screening for guests, expanded space to allow physical distancing, hygiene access, and increased sanitation guidelines.

For general information about the temporary shelters, call 206-735-9461. If you are in need of shelter, call 2-1-1 or 1-877-211-9274. For families with minor children, call YWCA’s late night shelter 24-hour intake line at 206-461-4882. For an emergency, call 9-1-1.

City of Seattle Opens Severe Weather Shelters at Bitter Lake and Garfield Community Centers, Seattle Center

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**Cross-posted from the Homelessness Response Blog

Click above to download the flyer

In preparation for forecasted below freezing temperatures and snow over the coming days, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD), in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), is opening Bitter Lake and Garfield Community Centers as 24-hour coed severe weather shelters on Thursday, February 11, at 8 pm. Both locations will remain open through the morning of Monday, February 15. The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) will operate both locations with support from HSD and SPR staff.

These two shelter locations will provide an additional 86 COVID-safe emergency shelter spaces for individuals experiencing homelessness. Bitter Lake Community Center (13035 Linden Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133) has shelter capacity for 45 individuals and Garfield Community Center (2323 East Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98122) will have capacity for 41 individuals.

OSL will provide three meals a day and showers will be available for shelter guests. Service animals will be allowed at both community center locations.

The temporary shelter spaces will meet COVID-19 safety protocols recommended by Public Health-Seattle & King County and the Centers for Disease Control which call for COVID-19 screening for guests, expanded space to allow physical distancing, hygiene access, and increased sanitation guidelines.

On Tuesday, February 9, the City opened Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109) as a daily severe weather shelter though the morning of Monday, February 15. Fisher Pavilion has capacity for 78 adults, accommodates all genders and is operated by The Salvation Army and Compass Housing Alliance. Overnight guests at the shelter may remain during the day.

King County has opened the Jefferson Day Center (420 4th Avenue, Seattle 98104) as a men’s only severe weather shelter that can accommodate 25 men. The temporary shelter opened Tuesday, February 9 and will remain open through Saturday, February 13 and is operated by The Salvation Army.

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.

SPR is lending passenger vans to the HOPE Team and staff members will work with the Seattle Fire Department’s Health One in conducting evening welfare visits to people living unsheltered and will help with transporting individuals to available shelter resources. Transportation will be limited due to COVID-19 protocols. The HOPE Team has a supply of weather supplies to distribute including handwarmers, emergency blankets, hats, and gloves.

For general information about the temporary shelters, call 206-735-9461. If you are in need of shelter, call 2-1-1 or 1-877-211-9274. For families with minor children, call YWCA’s late night shelter 24-hour intake line at 206-461-4882. For an emergency, call 9-1-1.

**Download the Severe Weather Shelter Flyer – February 11, 2021

2021 Geographic Specific – Delridge, Georgetown, South Park – Food Bank Services RFP

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Volunteers distributing food at a food bank facility

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from agencies to provide Geographic Specific Food Bank Services to low-income individuals and families in Delridge, Georgetown, and South Park neighborhoods including, but not limited to:

  1. Basic food bank operations (required); and
  2. Home delivery of culturally relevant foods, meal programs, weekend hunger or backpack programs, nutrition education, and social service navigation assistance (e.g. Community Connectors or similar services that assist individuals and families to attain self-sufficiency) as parts of broader culturally appropriate food bank operations.

This Food Bank Services RFP shall fund a total of $113,808 in 2021 ($111,686 in Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) funding and $2,122 in City of Seattle General Fund) from July 1 – December 31, 2021. A total of $227,616 ($223,372 in SBT funding and $4,244 in General Fund) is available to support year-round work for a contract period of January 1 – December 31, 2022.

While it is the City’s intention to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2023 program year, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability. It is intended that this funding be integrated with the larger Food and Nutrition RFP scheduled for release in 2023.

This is an open and competitive process. HSD seeks to contract with a diverse group of providers to help ensure the result of its Geographic Specific Food Bank Services investment is that all people living in Seattle can meet their basic needs. Completed application packets are due by 12:00 p.m., Noon on Wednesday, March 24, 2021.

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. HSD will not provide individual notice of changes, and applicants are responsible for regularly checking the web page for updates, clarifications, or amendments.

If you have any questions or would like to receive a copy of the RFP in the mail or by email, please contact Amaury Ávalos at amaury.avalos@seattle.gov.

**This RFP was previously published in February 2020 before being postponed due to COVID-19 protocol.

Mở Đơn Đăng Ký 2.17 Triệu Đô-La Hỗ Trợ Tiền Mặt Trực Tiếp Cho Người Lao Động Ngành Dịch Vụ Bị Ảnh Hưởng Bởi COVID-19

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Seattle (Ngày 11 tháng 01 năm 2021) – Vào Thứ Hai, Thị Trưởng Jenny A. Durkan đã đưa ra thông báo rằng 2.17 triệu đô-la hỗ trợ tiền mặt trực tiếp hiện sẵn sàng để cung cấp cho người lao động ngành dịch vụ sống và làm việc tại Seattle và bị mất việc hay mất thu nhập do COVID-19. Những người cần hỗ trợ có thể truy cập trang web này để tìm hiểu liệu họ có đủ tiêu chuẩn hay không và đăng ký nhận hỗ trợ. Nguồn quỹ này là một phần trong thông báo vào tháng 12 của Thị Trưởng và Hội Đồng Thành Phố về việc cung cấp tới 5 triệu đô-la hỗ trợ tài chính mới cho các doanh nghiệp nhỏ và người lao động ngành dịch vụ bị ảnh hưởng bởi các hạn chế gần đây do COVID-19. Hơn 1 triệu người đã nhận trợ cấp thất nghiệp ở tiểu bang Washington kể từ khi đại dịch bắt đầu. Chỉ riêng tại Seattle, hơn 600 nhà hàng và quán bar đã buộc phải đóng cửa vĩnh viễn vì đại dịch.

“Trên khắp cả nước và tiểu bang Washington, rất nhiều người đã mất việc làm và sinh kế của họ bị gián đoạn nghiêm trọng – hơn 1 triệu người đã nhận trợ cấp thất nghiệp ở tiểu bang Washington kể từ khi đại dịch bắt đầu. Chỉ riêng tại Seattle, các doanh nghiệp nhỏ được yêu thích nhất của chúng ta đã bị buộc phải đóng cửa vĩnh viễn, bao gồm hơn 600 nhà hàng và quán bar,” Thị Trưởng Durkan cho biết. “Các khoản cứu trợ khẩn cấp này nhằm đưa ra sợi dây cứu sinh cho những người lao động ngành dịch vụ bị ảnh hưởng nhiều nhất trong thời gian gần đây. Mặc dù các khoản cứu trợ này là khoản viện trợ cần thiết, nhưng cuối cùng, Quốc Hội cần phải thông qua gói cứu trợ người lao động do COVID-19 thực sự đáp ứng được quy mô của nhu cầu trong cộng đồng của chúng ta. Mỗi ngày trôi qua khi chính phủ chưa hành động, số doanh nghiệp nhỏ phải đóng cửa vĩnh viễn ngày một tăng, và ngày càng nhiều người lao động bị mất việc làm”.

Human Services Department (HSD, Sở Dịch Vụ Nhân Sinh) của Thành Phố Seattle đã ký hợp đồng với Wellspring Family Services để quản lý và phân phối 2.17 triệu đô-la hỗ trợ tiền mặt trực tiếp dành cho người lao động ngành dịch vụ với sự hợp tác cùng Seattle Hospitality Emergency Fund (Quỹ Khẩn Cấp cho Ngành Dịch Vụ của Seattle). Thông qua quỹ này, người lao động ngành dịch vụ gặp khó khăn về kinh tế do mất việc làm hoặc mất thu nhập do COVID-19 có thể hội đủ điều kiện nhận tới 2,000 đô la cho mỗi gia đình. Một cá nhân có thể nhận được 1,000 đô-la, với thêm 200 đô la cho mỗi người phụ thuộc, lên đến 2,000 đô la cho mỗi gia đình. Những người nhận hội đủ điều kiện phải là người bị cho thôi việc hoặc đang đi làm nhưng bị giảm số giờ làm việc trong ngành dịch vụ và kiếm được ít hơn 60% area median income (AMI, thu nhập trung bình khu vực) để đủ tiêu chuẩn. Người nộp đơn phải sống tại Seattle và làm việc tại một doanh nghiệp ngành dịch vụ ở Seattle. Điều này có thể bao gồm các cửa hàng nhượng quyền thương mại hoặc chuỗi cửa hàng đặt tại Seattle, với trụ sở chính ở nơi khác. Người lao động làm việc theo yêu cầu không hội đủ điều kiện, nhưng tài xế giao hàng cho nhà hàng hoặc quán bar thì hội đủ điều kiện. Sau khi tính đủ điều kiện được thiết lập, sẽ có một quy trình lựa chọn có trọng số để ưu tiên những người nộp đơn có người phụ thuộc và có thu nhập thấp hơn 50% AMI. Để tìm hiểu thêm và nộp đơn đăng ký, vui lòng truy cập trang này và kết nối với Wellspring.

Photo of closed and boarded up Oddfellow Cafe on Capitol Hill
Photo by Nick Bolton on Unsplash

Wellspring đã giúp đỡ các thành viên cộng đồng trong khu vực Seattle gặp khủng hoảng kể từ năm 1892. Theo Giám Đốc Dịch Vụ Nhà Ở của Wellspring, Nawiishtunmi Nightgun, “Khi mọi người không có mạng lưới an toàn, Wellspring xuất hiện với tư cách là người bạn đồng hành và người hướng dẫn về nguồn lực trợ giúp. Khi đại dịch bùng phát, việc mở rộng các dịch vụ thiết yếu của chúng tôi cho những cá nhân và gia đình trong hoàn cảnh kinh tế tồi tệ này là hoàn toàn hợp lý”. Kể từ tháng 3, Wellspring đã hợp tác với các đối tác cộng đồng ở các quận King, Pierce và Snohomish để cung cấp gần 10 triệu đô-la hỗ trợ tài chính cho những cá nhân và gia đình bị ảnh hưởng bởi cuộc khủng hoảng COVID-19.

LƯU Ý: Thông tin trang web chỉ bằng tiếng Anh. Chúng tôi xin lỗi vì sự bất tiện này.

Luật tiêu chuẩn lao động của Seattle đưa ra các biện pháp bảo vệ người lao động hữu ích mà người lao động nên biết khi vượt qua thời điểm khó khăn này. Những biện pháp bảo vệ này bao gồm (trong số nhiều biện pháp khác) yêu cầu chủ lao động cũ của một cá nhân phải trả tất cả các khoản bồi thường còn nợ cho họ (như tiền lương cuối cùng) cũng như cho phép tích lũy và sử dụng thời gian nghỉ ốm và nghỉ an toàn được trả lương do bệnh tật khi một cá nhân trở lại làm việc. Để biết thêm thông tin về các quyền này và những quyền khác, vui lòng truy cập trang web của Office of Labor Standards (Văn Phòng Phụ Trách Các Tiêu Chuẩn Lao Động).

Cư dân và các doanh nghiệp có thể tìm danh sách các nguồn lực trợ giúp và chính sách cứu trợ COVID-19 hiện có trên trang web này.

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Está abierta la inscripción al programa de ayuda económica de $2.17 millones para los trabajadores del sector turístico afectados por la COVID-19

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Seattle (11 de enero de 2021) – La alcaldesa Jenny A. Durkan anunció este lunes que ya se encuentra disponible un fondo de $2.17 millones para brindar ayuda con dinero en efectivo a los hospitality workers (trabajadores del sector turístico) que viven y trabajan en Seattle y han perdido sus empleos o parte de sus ingresos debido a la COVID-19. Las personas que necesiten asistencia pueden visitar este sitio web para saber si reúnen los requisitos para solicitar estos recursos. Esta financiación forma parte del anuncio realizado en diciembre por la alcaldesa y el Concejo Municipal para ofrecer una nueva ayuda económica de hasta $5 millones a las pequeñas empresas y los trabajadores del sector turístico afectados por las últimas restricciones debido la COVID-19. Más de un millón de personas han obtenido beneficios por desempleo en el estado de Washington desde que comenzó la pandemia. Solo en Seattle, más de 600 restaurantes y bares han tenido que cerrar de manera permanente debido a la pandemia.

“En Washington así como en el resto de los estados, muchos trabajadores perdieron sus empleos y debieron enfrentar severos cambios en sus vidas. De hecho, más de un millón de personas han obtenido beneficios por desempleo en el estado de Washington desde que comenzó la pandemia. Únicamente en Seattle, las pequeñas empresas de mayor preferencia, que incluyen a más de 600 restaurantes y bares, han tenido que cerrar sus puertas de manera permanente”, afirmó la alcaldesa Durkan. “Estas subvenciones de emergencia están pensadas para brindar un sustento a los trabajadores del sector turístico más afectados recientemente. Si bien constituyen una ayuda necesaria, en última instancia, el Congreso debe aprobar un paquete de ayuda para los trabajadores afectados por la COVID-19 que realmente satisfaga las necesidades específicas en nuestras comunidades. Cada día que pasa sin que se tomen medidas, hay más pequeñas empresas que cierran sus puertas definitivamente y hay más trabajadores que pierden sus puestos de trabajo”.

El Human Services Department (HSD, Departamento de Servicios Humanos) de la ciudad de Seattle firmó un convenio con Wellspring Family Services para administrar y distribuir el fondo de $2.17 millones en ayuda con dinero en efectivo, en colaboración con el Seattle Hospitality Emergency Fund (Fondo de emergencia para la industria hotelera y gastronómica en Seattle) destinado a trabajadores del sector turístico. Mediante este fondo, los trabajadores del sector turístico que han sufrido problemas económicos por la pérdida del empleo o la reducción de sus ingresos debido a la COVID-19 pueden ser elegibles para recibir hasta $2000 por familia. Una persona podría recibir $1000, con un monto adicional de $200 por cada familiar a cargo, hasta un máximo de $2000 por familia. Para reunir los requisitos de inscripción, los beneficiarios elegibles deben haber sido despedidos, o bien estar enfrentando una reducción de las horas de trabajo en la industria hotelera y gastronómica, y ganar menos del 60 % del area median income (AMI, ingreso promedio del área). Los solicitantes deben residir en Seattle y haber trabajado en una empresa del sector turístico en Seattle. Esta condición puede incluir franquicias o cadenas ubicadas en Seattle con sede central en otro lugar. Los trabajadores temporales o independientes quedan excluidos de este programa, pero los conductores de entrega a domicilio de restaurantes y bares son elegibles. Una vez determinada la elegibilidad, se llevará a cabo un proceso de selección ponderado que priorizará a los solicitantes que tengan familiares a cargo y ganen menos del 50 % del AMI. Para obtener más información e inscribirse, visite esta página y comuníquese con Wellspring.

Photo of closed and boarded up Oddfellow Cafe on Capitol Hill
Photo by Nick Bolton on Unsplash

Wellspring ha brindado ayuda a los miembros de la comunidad del área de Seattle en situaciones de crisis desde 1892. Según Nawiishtunmi Nightgun, Directora de Servicios de Vivienda de Wellspring, “cuando las personas no cuentan con una red de seguridad, Wellspring actúa como un acompañante y facilitador de recursos. Cuando comenzó la pandemia, tuvimos que ampliar nuestros servicios esenciales para asistir a personas y familias durante estas circunstancias económicas extremas”. Wellspring ha trabajado desde marzo junto a colaboradores de la comunidad en los condados de King, Pierce y Snohornish para brindar casi $10 millones en asistencia financiera a personas y familias afectadas por la crisis de la COVID-19.

También resulta útil conocer las leyes y normas laborales de Seattle que ofrecen protecciones a los trabajadores para atravesar estos tiempos difíciles. Estas protecciones incluyen la obligación de un exempleador a pagar la totalidad de la remuneración adeudada al trabajador (como liquidación final), además del acumulado y el uso de licencia paga por enfermedad y asuntos de seguridad, debido a ausencias por enfermedad (entre otras), cuando la persona vuelve a trabajar. Para obtener más información sobre estos derechos y otras cuestiones, visite el sitio web de la Office of Labor Standards (Oficina de Normas Laborales).

Los residentes y las empresas pueden encontrar una lista de los recursos de asistencia por la COVID-19 y las políticas vigentes en este sitio web.

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