April 2006:
Contact us:
24-Hour Crisis Line
(206) 461-3222
(866) 4CRISIS or
(866) 427-4747
(206) 461-3219 TDD
24 hours, daily
2-1-1/Community
Information Line
(206) 461-3200
(800) 621-4636
(206) 461-3610 TDD
8am-8pm, daily
Teen Link
(206) 461-4922
(866) TEENLINK or
(866) 833-6546
(206) 461-3219 TDD
6-10pm, nightly
Business Office
1515 Dexter Ave N
Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 461-3210
Fax: (206) 461-8368
8am-5pm, M-F
New Orleans Katrina Evacuees Must Request Ballot to Vote in Primary
New
Orleans residents who are registered voters and were displaced by the
hurricane are still eligible to vote in their home parish if they have not
registered to vote anywhere else. Their mayoral primary election is April 22,
and they can request an absentee ballot until April 18. Displaced voters can
return their ballot by fax if they do not have time to mail it. Call the
Louisiana Secretary of State Elections Division at (800) 883-2805 or visit
its Web
site for more information about voting.
NAMI Looking for Women Volunteers for Hofmann
House
3-5 p.m., Tuesday, April 4
NAMI Greater Seattle
802 NW 70th St,
Seattle
NAMI
Greater Seattle will have an orientation meeting to recruit women
volunteers for its new Hofmann House Project, which is similar to its first Hofmann
House Project for men. The agency is looking for about 12 women
volunteers who are in recovery from mental disorders. The volunteers will
help locate, design, remodel and furnish a permanent home for six or seven
women. They will also select the residents. To RSVP call (206) 783-9264.
Therapy Group for Women in Transition
Noon-1:30 p.m., Mondays, April
3 to June 5
Jewish
Family Service
1601 16th Ave
Explore with other women of all ages who are contemplating or experiencing a
lifestyle transition. The series of 10 workshops will help women identify personal
barriers, explore their personalities, and gain support and courage in the
process of personal change. Group size is limited to 12 members. Sliding
scale fee for each session is $7-30. Screening session required. For details,
call (206) 461-3240 ext. 3158.
WWFOR Hosts Annual Spring Assembly
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday,
April 22
Fauntleroy UCC Church
9260 California Ave, SW
Western
Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation is organizing a grassroots
organizing day called “Living our Values: Local Government and the Common
Good.” Sessions include “Jumping Into the Political Process,” “Nuclear
Weapons and Your Town” and “Counter-Recruitment: Practical and Successful Work
with Schools and School Districts.” Preregister by April 14. Suggested cost:
$15, which includes lunch. For details call (206) 789-5565.
Celebrate Earth Day With Seattle Parks & Recreation
April 22
Seattle
Parks & Recreation has planned a variety of activities as a way for
Seattle residents to celebrate Earth Day, including the Bitter Lake Shoreline
Work Party, an Alternatively Fueled Vehicle Rally at Seward Park and the West
Duwamish Earth Day where participants will work to restore the West Duwamish
Greenbelt. For details and other activities call (206) 733-9701 or visit the
Web site here.
Workshop Offered on ‘Bringing Baby Home’
6:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays
May 2 through June 6
Jewish
Family Service
1601 16th Ave, Seattle
Discover
how to keep your relationship happy after you bring your baby home in this
hands-on, interactive class for couples. Learn and practice ways to
strengthen your friendship, manage the transition and interact with your
baby. Class fee is $150 per couple, but scholarships are available. For
details or to register call (206) 461-3240 ext. 3146.
Diabetes Expo Comes to Seattle
9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday,
April 29
Qwest Field Events Center
1000 Occidental Ave
Event includes professional speakers,
access to health providers and a great deal of information about American
Diabetes Association programs. Exhibitors offer free samples and how-to
product demonstrations, free health screenings, lectures and Youth Zone - an
interactive area for children. Admission is free. For details, click here
or call (206) 282-4616.
Family & Community Resource Fair
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday,
April 8
First A.M.E. Child & Family Center
4436 Rainier Ave S
First
A. M. E. Child and Family Center will host a family fair with resource
information, food, face painting, games, prizes, entertainment and raffles. Applications for the agency’s preschool
program will be accepted for the 2006-2007 school year.
3 Independent Living Classes for College
Students Offered
3:30 – 5 p.m., Tuesdays, April
4, 18 and 25
2100 Building
2100 24th Ave, S
The YMCA, City
Year, Casey
Family Programs and Treehouse
are sponsoring three workshops to help adolescents prepare for college. The
first workshop helps students find scholarships and grants. The second
workshop explains how college works, including choosing classes and
transferring classes. The third workshop helps students choose a college that
matches career choice and interests. Workshops are free, and sign up is not
necessary. For details, call City Year at (206) 209-5010.
Celebrate the Cambodian New Year
10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday,
April 8
SW 98th St, between
14th and 16th Aves, SW
The Cambodian Cultural Alliance
of Washington will host the White Center Street Festival to celebrate the
Cambodian New Year’s tradition, called Bun Choul Chhnam Tmey. Celebration
includes traditional dance, music, games, food and booths with traditional
arts and crafts. For details, call (425) 785-0860.
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Family Services’ Transitional Assistance Program
Changing Its Focus
Hannah Newton, Crisis Clinic Resource Specialist
Family
Services’ Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) will be changing its
services starting in April. The program will still serve homeless families
and individuals living in King County, but as a transition-in-place program,
the emphasis will be on enhanced support services.
Although
there will be a reduction in the number of families and individuals served,
those served will receive more in depth services including access to
emergency housing, comprehensive case management services, and assistance in locating
and maintaining permanent housing. The people who are helped will have a
better chance of staying in permanent housing after completing the program.
“It's going
to be different,” said Kathryn Warner, who manages the program, “but I am
confident these services will help break the cycle of homelessness for those
we serve.” Warner anticipates screening approximately 200 households over the
next nine months and serving about 170.
To access
services potential clients must call to schedule a telephone screening.
If they are found eligible for services, they will be given a face-to-face
appointment with a Transitional Assistance Program Screener. Warner
said they will begin limited telephone screening for potential clients April
3.
As part of
the process of selecting clients who will be most successful in the
program, TAP will not be able to serve people who
·
Have received services from TAP in the past year;
·
Have an open bankruptcy;
·
Owe money to a housing authority;
·
Are registered as a sex offender;
·
Have a felony conviction for robbery or assault with a deadly
weapon, manslaughter, murder or kidnapping;
·
Have a felony conviction in the past three years for assault;
·
Have a felony conviction for intent to deliver a controlled
substance.
·
For questions regarding the new services contact the TAP Client
Support Coordinator at (206) 902-4271.•
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King County Section
8 Waiting List
Opens Briefly
Erika Straus-Bowers, Crisis Clinic Resource
Specialist
King
County Housing Authority (KCHA) has announced it will accept applications
for its Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program from
April 26 through May 9.
This opportunity allows eligible
applicants to qualify for a rental subsidy through the Housing Choice Voucher
program, which can be used in the private market. This program is the primary
means of housing assistance for low- and very low-income people provided by
King County Housing Authority. Currently, KCHA’s Section 8 Program provides
rental assistance to more than 15,712 residents in King County.
The waiting list has been closed
since June 2002 when the housing authority had 7,000 program applications on
file. Last May, the housing authority canceled and
cleared 4,000 people still on the waiting list, because it didn’t anticipate
having any further funds. Earlier this year the authority received more
funding, so they re-contacted the 4,000 people who had been taken off the
waiting list, to invite them to re-apply. Some of those have re-applied and
received vouchers.
Very few households remain on
the current waiting list, so KCHA is ready to expand its list of applicants. However,
because resources of the Section 8 program are limited, KCHA will place no
more than 2,500 names on its upcoming waiting list. Successful applicants
will be selected through a random drawing that will be held after May 9.
Everyone who wants to be included in the drawing must fill out an
application, regardless of whether or not they were on a previous Section 8
waiting list.
Priority will be given to
eligible applicants from the canceled May 2005 list. Applicants not placed on
the new list will be notified by KCHA following the random drawing.
Applicants must qualify for a housing preference to be eligible. These
preferences are the following:
· Households
are homeless or about to become homeless (through no fault of their own);
· Families
are living in substandard housing;
· Families
are spending more than 50 percent of their incomes on rent and utilities.
For information about the
application process, please call the KCHA Section 8 Office at (206) 214-1300.
Applications will be available at various locations around the county.
Applications can also be submitted online at www.kcha.org
starting April 26.•
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Food Policy Council Will Coordinate
Seattle/King County Food System
Information provided by Washington State
University
Washington
State University's King County Extension is working on creating a
healthier, more sustainable food delivery system for King County.
They're working with local agencies and organizations to form a Food
Policy Council, which will coordinate improving food access, nutrition
education, sustainable farming, food production, processing and distribution,
and community and economic development.
The Acting Food Policy Council
will have 15 seats representing major food systems in the county, including
grocery stores, distributors and producers. The Acting Food Policy Council
will begin to take on the responsibilities of a local food policy
council and be in a stronger position to continue to advocate for the
establishment of a Seattle/King County food policy council officially
sanctioned by city and county governments.
Once an official Food Policy
Council is established it will advise the city of Seattle and King
County on food policy in the coming decades, including where they should put
their dollars when funding meal programs. The Meals Partnership Coalition
has submitted a nomination for one of the seven open council seats in order
to represent emergency food providers.
Nominations will be opened at a
meeting April 3, where there will also be an update on the efforts and
formation of the council. More information can be found here.•
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Critical Resource Updates
Compiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource Center
It is always recommended to check Community Resources Online
for additional information and for the most current information updates of
the following resources.
Family Services’ Baby
Boutique is moving to the Family Services building at 1100 Virginia St,
Seattle. It is closed for the move and will reopen April 11. The boutique is
on the second floor and provides clothing for newborns through children's
size 16, diapers, books and toys as available for homeless families and
families in transition.
Brain
Injury Association of Washington now provides social opportunities for
adults with brain injuries to plan and attend events, form friends and help
each other. Activities include movies, dinners, walking, shopping, pool,
concerts, museums, piano and art lessons, sporting events, gardening,
bowling, hiking and more.
Catholic
Community Services – South King has added an Intake and Resource Line,
(253) 850-2523. It will be staffed from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through
Thursday. This number is for clients looking for emergency assistance for
rent, utilities or motel vouchers.
Compass
Center has opened a short-term men’s transitional housing facility at 77
S Washington St in Pioneer Square. To apply, call for a telephone screening
interview.
Family
& Adult Service Center has opened its new Family Center at 2013 3rd Ave, Seattle, which adjoins their
Adult Center. The Family Center houses the overnight family shelter and
day services for shelter residents. All day drop-in services for
homeless adults take place at the Adult Center.
Korean
Women’s Association offers the Basic Food Education Program, which helps
people apply for food stamps. This is the only site in South King County.
Family
Services’ Morningsong
Early Learning Center has moved to the site that was once Our Place
Daycare, 1307 E Spring St. The center will increase its capacity from
16 to 30 children, with ages served remaining 12 months to 5 years.
The
Pike Place Market Food Bank is closed until further notice. It will not
reopen until major repairs are completed to the facility.
Ruth
Dykeman Children’s Center – Youth and Family Services has moved to a new
address: 137 SW 154th St
Burien, WA 98166. Phone number remains the same.
Seattle
Public Library – Downtown is now known as The
Seattle Public Library – Central. The branch recently expanded its hours
to 10 a.m.-8p.m., M-Th; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., F-Sa; and noon-6 p.m., Su.
The
following winter shelter programs have ended for the year: YWCA’s
Angeline’s Women’s Winter Shelter, Catholic
Community Services – South King’s Kent Cold Weather Shelter Program, and Family
Services’ Winter Response Program. Family Services does not intend to
continue its program next winter.•
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April and May Selected Resources
Compiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource Center
This column highlights available timely
resources in the community information database that might otherwise go
unnoticed by our users. It is always recommended to check Community Resources Online
for additional information and for the most current information concerning
the following resources.
April Resource Highlights
Artist
Trust
Applications are now available for the 2006 Artist Trust/Washington State
Arts Commission Fellowship. Unrestricted $6,000 awards will be granted to
practicing artists of exceptional talent in the areas of dance, design,
theater and visual art. Grantees are required to participate in a
community-based “Meet the Artist” event developed with a sponsor in a town or
city not their own. To apply, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to
Artist Trust to receive an application, walk in, or check the Web site.
Deadline is June 2006.
Mary
Bridge Children’s Hospital – Bridges – A Center for Grieving Children
Four times annually, new families may join ongoing support groups for parents
and for children, ages 4-18, who are coping with the death or chronic illness
of a parent or sibling. To join in April, call for an intake appointment.
PlantAmnesty
On April 12, Washington State Arbor Day, about 20 certified arborists
will volunteer their time to prune majestic old trees in the King County
area. Trees can be on public or private property. To nominate a worthy
tree(s), or to find out when and where an event is taking place, contact
PlantAmnesty and request a nomination form for Arbor Day Tree Prune.
Rebuilding
Together Seattle
Volunteers provide free home repair assistance to low-income homeowners in
the city of Seattle who are unable to perform the work themselves due to physical
or financial limitations. Local businesses provide material donations,
financial support and majority of volunteers. Annual Spring Rebuilding Day
will be April 29; call or apply online now to receive or donate service.
May Resource Highlights
Bike
Works
On May 14, Bike Works will be hosting its annual Bike Swap from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Bring your outgrown or unwanted bike to Genesee Playfield (4316 S Genesee St, Seattle) and exchange it for one that
fits you better. Get there early to get a good deal!
Cinema
Seattle
The 32nd annual Seattle International Film Festival will run from May
25 through June 18. The schedule of films will be announced May 11, with
tickets becoming available to the general public May 14.
Washington
State Parks and Recreation Commission
Individual campsites at more than 45 Washington
state parks are available for reservations May 15 through Sept. 15. Phone and
online reservations may be made up to nine months in advance or as close as
one day before camping, depending on availability.
Ruby
Room
The Prom Boutique will be open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
from April 29 to June 3. The boutique provides formal gowns and accessories
to low-income, Seattle-area high school girls unable to purchase prom attire.
Referral by school counselor or community service leader required; e-mail or
call Ruby Room for more information.•
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“Resource Talk,” Crisis Clinic’s
free monthly e-newsletter, provides critical resource changes, community
events, feature articles on important health and human service topics and
updates to the annual publication of the Where to Turn Plus directory.
Click here
to subscribe or unsubscribe to Resource Talk. You may view past issues of
Resource Talk by clicking here.
Crisis Clinic offers
a variety of products to help connect people with critical resources.
Information about purchasing Crisis Clinic’s Where to Turn
Directories, Where to Turn CD-ROMs, customized reports, customized
mailing labels and holiday lists can be found online by clicking here.
Crisis Clinic
respects the privacy
of our Web site users.
For business
purposes, please e-mail us at ResourceCenter@CrisisClinic.org or call us at (206) 461-3210.
www.CrisisClinic.org
This Newsletter was last updated on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 12:48 PM
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