I quickly learned the falsity of this view. Sure, there was lots of evidence of money but working and volunteering in health and human services made crystal clear the diversity of people, even in the 80s.

More than 20 years later, with even greater density and variety of people, that myth of a uniformly well-off Eastside is even less true, yet the myth still sticks.  And, moreover, it hurts.

Nearly 5% of families live in poverty in East King County. That’s more than 20,000 people. It hurts when our community assumes its needs are met.  It hurts when funding moves elsewhere. Hunger feels as badly here as anywhere, as does homelessness or domestic violence.

This misconception has long been called The Eastside Myth by agency staffs. It is just one of a number of myths that keep us from creating the community we all want: healthy and thriving.

The Eastside Human Services Forum (www.eastsideforum.org), one of our partners, has chosen to take on the important work of combating such never-true myths, as well as growing the understanding of available services and those who use them. We look forward to sharing the results.

Wilson is assistant police chief for the City of Redmond, responsible for daily operations of the police department, including management of the organization’s budget and leadership development.  Full Article.

“Domestic violence occurs in all communities, cultures and income levels.  Our community is not immune to this problem,” Together Center’s newest Board Member and Redmond Assistant Police Chief Kristi Wilson said recently.

One of Together Center’s key messages is that human services are not just for the poor.  People of all income levels utilize community supports such as those on the Together Center campus.  Domestic violence, among other areas of need, impacts people of all cultures, all ethnicities and all income levels.

We recall one Eastside woman with two young kids who visited our door week after week in tears, unable to find a safe place to live despite abuse by a husband.

On another day, the ostensibly wealthy wife of a software professional sought help, terrified at any moment that her husband was stalking her.  Days later: the same scenario with a different mother.  For these women, refuge was found with a great deal of perseverance, but the odds are poor.

LIFEWIRE, which offers safe housing, tells us they must now turn away 34 of every 35 women who seek emergency refuge in shelter with them.

A well-known Group Health Cooperative study showed that domestic violence rate for women in King County is nearly twice that found in national studies (44% had experienced at least one incident).  And interestingly, their study pool included primarily white, higher educated and employed women.

People like many of you and me.  People who belong to Chambers of Commerce.  People who operate businesses nearby.

It’s true. People of all income levels utilize health and human services, including help with domestic violence.  With your support of community services, assistance may be available for everyone when they really need the help.

 (For information and referral to community services, call 211. The LIFEWIRE hotline is 425-746-1940.)

This would be a difficult conversation for any of us.

Now, picture trying to have this conversation in a foreign language. Imagine trying to convey the specifics of this delicate situation and then to understand the response, follow directions to other agencies, and perhaps map out how to use the public transportation system to get there. You begin to get the idea of how difficult it is for many Eastside immigrants and refugees when, like the rest of us, they need some help.

Their dilemma has been an issue for human services staff for numbers of years.  A coalition of interested groups launched ERIC, the Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition, to develop strategies to assist. A directory in five languages and English, Helpful Connections, was first distributed to help.

A second major strategy was developed with Together Center’s assistance as the Eastside Cultural Navigator Program, operated by Chinese Information & Services Center.  The center is one of two Eastside locations for this program. Crossroads Mini City Hall in Bellevue is the other. Navigators assist limited and non-English speaking individuals and families in accessing appropriate services and navigating through service systems.  Bilingual and bicultural staff assist in Spanish and languages of India at the Center, and in Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), and Russian at Crossroads and partner locations.  (See photo: Spanish language navigator Alejandra Villarreal (r), with Russian language navigator Irina Chermeshnyuk.)

Thanks to this program, assistance is given by navigators for the most everyday of problems. How do I apply for a job? How do I enroll a child in school? Where can I learn more about nutrition?  Help is also given for needs that many would want to speak about only privately. Preferably in one’s own language.

Learn more…

Today,  Barrett and Tom from Congregations for the Homeless picked up the last of several large boxes of hats, scarves and gloves.  They were especially surprised to learn that most of the pieces are brand new and still in packaging. This made quite an impression.

Thank you, again, to those helping to make this drive a success.

Transition Academy informed us that 9 of 10 graduating this year from their program for developmentally disabled students have paid employment lined up.

Child Care Resources reported that they planned to be much busier on the campus in the coming year.  They plan to double the child care providers they impact with training and other tools.

Friends of Youth’s Homeless Youth Service Center has increased the number of youth they shelter at night from 15 to 20 at least until April, thanks to a grant.  That’s a big help to vulnerable young people in these cold months.

We are excited by all that our agencies can achieve in these economically difficult times.

Pam Mauk

Together Center Immediate Past Chair Barb de Michele noted, “Grace Reamer is well-known to many of us on the Board of Directors for her work supporting the efforts of human service agencies.  She is a community leader with superb experience and skills and knows well the importance of partnerships.”  Read more.

LifeSPAN supports families in developing a safe, secure and quality future for their relatives with disabilities.  Through planning, people are able to help their family members with disabilities to set a course for the future, have financial security, live in a place of their own choice, participate in a caring and hospitable community and have their wishes supported by family and friends.

“One of our most meaningful tools is networks for each person with a disability,” Willey told the Together Center agencies. “Each person has a network of 4 to as many as 16 people to provide social supports and provide avenues to share mutual interests and pursue a quality future.”

The LifeSPAN office is staffed part-time.  Call 425-883-9867 for more information or visit www.lifespan-wa.org.

Young Women Empowered (Y-WE) empowers young women leaders through intergenerational mentorship, intercultural collaboration, and creative programs that equip girls with the confidence, resiliency, and future-planning skills they need to achieve their personal goals and improve their communities.

Y-WE provides mentorship and empowerment programs for teenage girls in the Pacific Northwest. Annually, they serve a diverse group of 130 girls, ages 14-18, and 70 women, ages 19-70+, to build ongoing mentorship relationships; gain tools to create successful futures; participate in service and philanthropy projects; confront social justice issues; and gain leadership skills. The organization is open to girls from all walks of life. Currently, 90% of the youth are from families that recently immigrated to the USA. 85% of the youth and 50% of the adults are women of color. In addition to cultural and ethnic diversity, their youth and mentors represent a myriad of family, sexual orientation, religious, political, and educational backgrounds. Both the girls and the mentors learn that they are powerful leaders whose voices are valued and vital. Learn more…

Leadership Eastside (LE) applies advanced leadership principles to help people rediscover the joys of working together while increasing their value to their organizations and their community. With its focus on adaptive leadership, crossing boundaries and active community engagement, LE is a catalyst for building a vibrant and vital Eastside by equipping, informing and connecting leaders to meet the most critical community challenges. Read more…