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Celebrate Older Americans Month 2019: Connect, Create, Contribute!

May 1, 2019

Older Americans Month is an annual event that dates back to 1963, when President John F. Kennedy designated May as Senior Citizens Month. The current name and theme are sanctioned by the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This year’s theme is Connect, Create, Contribute.

We have an Older Americans Month page on the Aging King County website. You’ll see links to logos and social media badges, plus our May calendar of events. Look for information in the May issue of AgeWise King County, too.

Filed Under: Healthy Aging

Making Progress: more people moved from homelessness to housing in 2018

April 16, 2019

We’re making progress, together As the City addresses the crisis of homelessness, we are focused on helping people move off the streets and into permanent housing. More people served – 25,420 households served in 2018. An increase of 7% over 2017.

Filed Under: Homelessness

April is Fair Housing Month

April 16, 2019

April is National Fair Housing Month. National Fair Housing Month increases efforts to end housing discrimination and raises awareness of fair housing rights. The month also remembers the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, of which fair and equitable access to housing was a key factor. The Fair Housing Act also celebrates its anniversary during April. In 2018, the Fair Housing Act celebrated its 50th anniversary. Designed to protect Americans from discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on color, race, national origin and religion, the act later extended to sex, disability and family status.

Filed Under: Investment Areas

HSD Announces Results of the Homeless Outreach RFQ

April 15, 2019

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Homeless Strategy and Investment Outreach RFQ, also known as the 2019 Outreach RFQ. HSD is investing $244,400 of General Fund to support up to three full-time outreach workers to serve First Hill, Capitol Hill, and/or Chinatown-International District neighborhoods. In addition to outreach directly to people who are homeless, the staff person will serve as the point of contact for neighbors, including businesses, who are interested in maintaining or creating safe and vibrant communities and generating solutions to homelessness. Initial awards will be made from April 2019 through December 31, 2019, with renewal through 2020 contingent upon performance and funding availability. The committee recommended one agency and program for the entire amount of funding available for outreach services. The members selected Evergreen Treatment Center’s REACH program, citing some of the following reasons: • How they engage with and assist unsheltered populations and how they can successfully refer people to other services; • How they have worked with the Ballard Business Improvement Association in the past, and have a willingness to tailor outreach work in the three identified neighborhoods in this RFQ; and • Expertise in outreach to an array of people who are homeless in Seattle, including, but not limited to, people with ongoing mental health and substance use needs.

Filed Under: Funding Opportunities, Homelessness

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month & What is Denim Day?

April 11, 2019

Harmful and erroneous attitudes about rape and sexual assault pervade our society. That is the reason why Denim Day exists – it is an anti-sexual violence campaign that is acknowledged worldwide every April. In Italy in 1992, a man raped a woman who was wearing a tight pair of jeans at the time. She reported the rape and the man was convicted. The case was appealed to the Italian Supreme Court. The court overturned the conviction in 1998 due to their belief that because the woman’s jeans were so tight, there is no way she could have been raped – in their view, she must have helped the man remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women of the Italian Parliament showed up to work wearing jeans in protest of the outrageous decision. This protest sparked an annual, worldwide Denim Day campaign against destructive attitudes about sexual assault.

Filed Under: Safe Communities

2018 Homeless Exits to Permanent Housing Up 30%

February 26, 2019

The City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) released the final performance results of its homeless services programs for 2018. City-funded programs both saw an increase of households who were served (25,420 in 2018 vs. 23,768 in 2017) and in the number of exits to permanent housing (5,627) or households… [ Keep reading ]

Filed Under: Investment Areas

City Keeps Emergency Shelters Open For People Living Unsheltered

February 19, 2019

In the wake of severe and historic winter weather, the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) is extending its emergency shelter availability for people experiencing homelessness in collaboration with service providers and King County. As part of the City’s response to the most snow and accompanying freezing temperatures in… [ Keep reading ]

Filed Under: Homelessness

February 13 Severe Weather Updates

February 13, 2019

The City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) has expanded emergency resources in response to the winter weather event that is impacting the Seattle region, opening over 550 emergency beds during the snowstorms. HSD and King County Department of Community and Health services are coordinating with human services providers to… [ Keep reading ]

Filed Under: Investment Areas

February 12 Severe Weather Resources Update

February 12, 2019

The City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) has expanded emergency resources in response to the winter weather event that is impacting the Seattle region, opening over 550 emergency beds during the snowstorms. The City strongly encourages all individuals living unsheltered to utilize these shelter resources during these storms. HSD… [ Keep reading ]

Filed Under: Investment Areas

HSD Severe Weather Resources Update February 11th

February 11, 2019

The City of Seattle Human Services Department has expanded emergency resources in response to the winter weather event that is impacting the Seattle region. The City strongly encourages all individuals living unsheltered to go inside during this event. HSD has activated the following resources for people living unsheltered: Shelter and… [ Keep reading ]

Filed Under: Investment Areas