FamilyWorks recently opened a food bank in Greenwood (in partnership with the Salvation Army) to meet a community need after a local emergency food provider closed down. We'd love to give these tickets to one of our teen parents. Thanks for the support from United Way.

Just heard the great news that one of our clients who has been homeless for the past five years has secured housing finally at age 62!! We are so proud and happy to celebrate his accomplishments.
Please, take this North Helpline success story and pass it along to anyone that might need a little hope!

Thanks to United Way, we have been able to recruit a group of young leaders referred to as "interns" who support and lead aspects of the White Center CDA's signature community events. These students attend Evergreen High School live in White Center also help with outreach efforts for events happening throughout White Center. Currently, the interns helped with the translations/interpretations by helping the CDA with the community-survey where over 500 surveys were completed by adults and youth! This team is currently developing a "get out the vote" campaign to encourage high school students to vote in this year's presidential campaign! The interns represent different countries and trusted by their peers and are sought out for their leadership abilities in their schools and community efforts!

While leading the L.E.A.P. (our employment program) here at PSKS, I've been given an opportunity to hire 4 interns within the last two weeks. The interns who've entered our program in the past have completed it with a job on the horizons. Instilling in young adults the skills to be employable has been transformative. Watching those come in feeling powerless and leave empowered by the end of the 16-weeks makes it worth all the hours we spend working hard in this field.

For 5 years, one of our homeless clients has been coming in to North Helpline regularly for sandwiches, "no cook" bags, bus tickets, and hygiene supplies. We just found out that, with our financial services taking care of some of the move in costs, this 62 year old has finally secured permanent housing!

If you ever get the honor to meet Jennifer Bisson, one of our Big Sister volunteer mentors, you would immediately be inspired by her tireless commitment and love for her Little Sister, Jada. Jennifer is a librarian with King County. Jada is a teenager living with several other adopted children. She came to us with quite a bit of a tough history, but she has turned out to be such a delightful and warm young person. She owes a lot of her positive outlook on life from her Big Sister.

We would love to honor this mentoring pair with a pair of tickets to the Beyonce concert. What a great experience for them to share together, and cherish for the rest of their lives?

Watch a short video we made highlighting Jennifer and Jada's relationship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHfdHhV4T7w

Respectfully,
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound

Hello! Rainier Valley Corps is proud to have the opportunity to contribute to the development and health of the Rainier Valley community through our Fellowship Program. Our ten brilliant, committed, and passionate Change-Makers are on the ground building community and capacity at ten grassroots organizations. Our fellows and CBO partners are addressing the critical needs of our communities ranging from immigrant and refugee services, to providing policy recommendations to city government, to advocating for the Rainier Beach neighborhood to be the next Food Innovation District. We're proud to work collaboratively with community through the generous support of United Way in advancing the kind of leaders our communities need and to building a healthy, vibrant, and thriving Rainier Valley.

United Way supports Neighborhood House in so many ways. Our stand out moment is when homeless families get the keys to their apartments & finally have a place to call home.

City Year Seattle/King County is so proud to partner with United Way! City Year Seattle places 84 full-time AmeriCorps members as near-peer mentors and tutors in 10 schools across southeast and southwest Seattle. With United Way support, we are able to provide before and after school programming for our 10 schools completely free to parents and students. We bring that support into the classroom by providing classroom teachers with a full-time AmeriCorps member to enrich their classroom through behavioral support and small group tutoring. Due to United Way support, we've been able to grow by 25% from last school year - meaning that 800 more students have a mentor and role model to look up to every day.

For the first time in over a decade North Helpline has been able to increase the amount of funds available to folks facing an eviction, utility shut off notice, or trying to move into a new home. $100 doesn't go as far as it used to, especially in Seattle. Our ability to offer the remaining $200 to prevent an eviction or utility shut off and to give people a fresh start has yielded fantastic results already since implementing the change this year. Not only are we better able to keep families in their homes, with United Way's help we are alleviating some of the stress and worry that comes with navigating the system. Thank you.

United Way plays a HUGE role in the lives of Rainier Scholars high school students, ensuring that low-income, students of color in our community defy the odds to earn admission to 4-year colleges and universities. By providing students and families with SAT prep, financial aid workshops, internships, leadership development and academic counseling throughout high school, you help scholars become the first in their family to go to and through college. CONGRATS to RS Class of 2016, heading to colleges around the country! And THANKS to United Way for creating life-changing experiences for the 650+ scholars who together we support.

United Way has been such a valuable long-time partner and funder of School's Out Washington. Through United Way funding, we're able to support professionals working in youth development programs with quality improvement practices from training to on-site coaching and peer networking opportunities. Young people in these programs benefit and experience higher engagement and opportunities to lead and have their voice heard! We'd love to provide one of our youth provider partners with a chance to hear Beyonce live in concert!

Here at Seattle Central we have just launched Learning Center Seattle - a new Open Doors option in the heart of Seattle's Central District. We would LOVE to let our first cohort of students know that their hard work is being noticed. We would enter students with high attendance in a drawing for these amazing tickets. Thank you for the opportunity to show students that they deserve something special for breaking through barriers. -

I was visiting a young mother in our Parent-Child Home Program last week and she was talking about the program. In watching the home visitor with her son, she realized how quickly he was learning. She did not realize that he could learn so much at his age, 2 years. Now she spends more time with him, reading books and playing with the toys the program provides. She also wishes her older child, now in 1st grade, had been in the program, her daughter struggled when she started school and the mom knows her son will not. Southwest Youth and Family Services provides Parent Child Home Program to 174 families thanks to United Way!

At Learning Center North we have a student who became a single mother while working with us, and just managed to not only pass her final GED test in math, but to start a cosmetology program that will set her up for success and a schedule that she can maintain while still spending time with her young child!

Working with Auburn Youth Resources I have had the opportunity to see countless homeless Young adults given housing. One of which was sleeping on the bus every night because they were unable to go home. He is now off the streets enrolled in school and working. On top of that he is a young father and I have the privilege of helping him better himself in life. Great things are being done due to people helping people by giving the resources for the less fortunate.

iGrad is a dropout reengagement high school in Kent where students are working toward earning a diploma, GED, technical certificate or degree. Thanks to support from United Way, we are able to remove barriers for students and support them as they return to education. One success story involves a young lady who is living on her own, supporting herself by working full time while trying to finish her diploma. Early on, she worked herself into financial difficulties and neglected to pay her cable bill. Without internet access, she was having trouble working on her online classes and stopped making academic progress. Fortunately, she connected with our social worker. With United Way funds we were able to help her pay part of her bill and convinced the cable company to work out a payment plan. We taught her a little about financial responsibility, budgeting, and how to access inexpensive entertainment. With the extra support we were able to provide, she's back on track and will graduate this summer!

Alexa (name has been changed for confidentiality reasons) is one of our best students although you wouldn’t know how difficult her life has been when you talk to her. She engages in class and is naturally positive despite what she has been through. Two years ago she dropped out of school after being faced with a mother that was struggling with addiction and mental health issues. Their family was facing financial burdens and not able to afford electricity for their home. Today Alexa has transformed herself; she comes to school every day and has shown that she is determined to stay positive and focused on high academic standards for herself as she has earned straight A’s ever since enrolling with the Learning Center. She has aspirations to go to college and become a psychologist, she dreams of one day visiting Japan, and she loves Beyonce. Please consider her for these tickets so we can show her that we appreciate all of the hard work she has done and all that she has overcome.
-Kipp Gallagher
Youth Advocate for Re-Engagement, Neighborhood House

Addison was 3 months old when a MRI confirmed that she had suffered a stroke while in utero. Because the stroke occurred in the right side of her brain, her entire left side was weakened. Only through Early Intervention could she reach her greatest potential. The Encompass team coached her mom on how to support her in daily routines and focus play to build strength. Addison is almost four now and she is walking independently without a walker. In fact, she spends a majority of her day running!
Rochelle Clayton Strunk
Encompass

“Our family is so grateful that we’re able to be part of Boyer,” shares Caitlin. “We found an incredible team that has not only helped our son, Charlie, but has really helped my husband and me become his best supporters and advocates. When Charlie was little, I used to really notice the differences between him and other kids. Now, it’s easier to notice the similarities.”

Boyer Children's Clinic is so grateful for our decades-long partnership with United Way of King County. Thanks to your organization - and your generous donors - thousands of children with special needs, like Charlie, have been given the best chance for the brightest future possible.

At iGrad Academy, we are using United Way funds to address barriers such as hygiene, transportation, food, etc. The hygiene support that we provide has a huge impact on the success of our students. With many of them facing poverty, certain luxuries that we take for granted like deodorant, soap, tooth paste, shampoo, and detergent aren't always available. Just last week I met with a student who informed me that he wasn't successful at his last school because he was afraid of being judged for the way he looked and smelled. After I mentioned some of the support we offer to students at iGrad, he was thrilled and had renewed sense of confidence about himself and his future here at iGrad.

Seattle Tilth is very proud to be home to Seattle Youth Garden Works, an urban farm employment training program for underserved young people. Many of these youth are unstably housed or homeless, navigating the juvenile justice system, or facing other incredible challenges.

“When I first started the program, I was really quiet. I didn’t really know that I could share my voice,” Suez said. “I know now to advocate for myself and for others, and how to be a leader”

This great work would not be possible without the amazing funding from United Way, which has changed the lives of many youth. Seattle Tilth is incredibly thankful for the good work and support of United Way. Thank you!

This year at PSKS we have worked with some amazing young people experiencing homelessness and seen people transition in some incredible ways, including those who put their knowledge and experience to work as staff here.

Many of our participants have transitioned through several of our programs. Hiring current GED students as interns has allowed us to help students stay on track go get their GED's while offering students and interns Case Management allows young people to work on basic needs at they same time as educational and professional development. Our new overnight shelter provided many job opportunities to young folks who completed their LEAP internship.

Communities in Schools of Seattle is part of the nation's leading dropout prevention organization, working in public schools to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. In Seattle last year, our site coordinators helped 9,500 students overcome barriers to success, stay on track to graduate, and aim for a brighter future. Communities in Schools partners with United Way to set up families find housing, build their financial stability and support our students. Together we have been able to help students stay in school and graduate. United Way and CIS of Seattle partner in many of the same schools working together! There are too many success stories to share just one!

Every time our YWCA Landlord Liaison Project staff connect a homeless individual or family with housing, they celebrate by ringing a bell. As of today, they've rung the bell 3,041 times! UWKC is a key funding partner for this innovative, nationally recognized program that connects homeless households with housing in the private market. Thank you, UWKC!

Through funding received by United Way Jubilee REACH has been able to impact the lives of many students in the Bellevue School District from Elementary to High school. One thing I can say we are quite proud of is the start of a Home Work Club at Sammamish High School. This is a place where students can come after school and receive help in all aspects of school work. We have volunteers that come and help and have been able to provide ACT/SAT Prep classes for the students as well. From this club there has been tremendous results in grade improvement from week to week. We meet twice a week and have averaged 60+ students per week. Not only is this for Home Work but an escape for students who don't want to go home. A safe place for them to experience love and support in ways they wouldn't find anywhere else.

Gerald Boyd
Logistics Lead/Asst. Site Manager
Sammaamish High School
Jubilee REACH

Thanks to United Way of King County, and it's donors, about 200 low-income kids from South Pacific Asian heritage are not hungry or bored during the summer months as they are provided with about 3,000 nutritious meals and fun activities through PAEP, Pacific Asian Empowerment Program!

Thanks to United Way King County, Pioneer Human Services was able to expand our Roadmap to Success job training program into our transitional housing programs in Seattle. The program helps formerly incarcerated people successfully transition back into the community and offers multiple training tracks to focus on their strengths and prepare them for employment. We have a 90% graduation rate to date.

With great thanks to the United Way of King County and its donors, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue has been able to expand our impact, serving more than 14,000 youth in our community each year. Support from UWKC allows us to deliver life saving programs like BE GREAT: Graduate, our academic success and drop-out prevention initiative, to at-risk youth throughout East King County. This year we are proud to celebrate the achievements of our Youth of the Year, David, a young man who started coming to our Clubs because he was facing a number of challenges at home and school - where his grades had dropped dangerously low. He started out coming to our Clubs just to hang out with friends, and we immediately suggested that he be a part of the BE GREAT: Graduate program. Since then, his grades have vastly improved, his attitude is positive and his relationship with his family is great. He is now a senior in high school, a daily visitor to our Clubs, a stellar leader in his community and pursuing his dream of going to a 4 year university on scholarship. This is just one of many success stories to come out of the programs that are supported through United Way of King County funding!

As Renton Technical College ABE/GED Open Doors instructors, we would like to thank United Way for donating the funding that allows us to help marginalized at-promise youth. We are able to help youth build on small successes empowering them to reach their educational goals.
We teach the GED through a social justice lens. Through poetry and digital storytelling youth hear their own voices, tell their own stories and begin to develop strong and proud identities which give them the confidence to succeed. We strive to build strong relationships and hope for the future.

Ms. Davis and Denise Lafountaine

With the support of United Way, Jubilee REACH has had a tremendous impact on the lives of Bellevue School District students and their families. Everything from help getting a Softball Mitt to tryout a new sport to dedicated Homework Club among countless other after school clubs and activities, has an impact on the lives of these students, and helps them to focus on achieving their goals. Thank you to United Way of King County for your steadfast support of this mission!