Interfaith Coalition provides basic necessities to Whatcom people in need, with a focus on housing for homeless families and access to affordable health care for all. Counties Served: Whatcom

2401 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225

206-838-5700

http://interfaithcoalition.org

The City of Seattle Human Services Department and Public Health-Seattle and King County provide one-stop access to several benefit programs for low-income to moderate income families and individuals through the PeoplePoint: Bridge to Benefits initiative (formerly Help for Working Families). The assistance provided includes food assistance. This relates to the Food Stamp Program.

The Project Share program provides payments on utility bills for low-income Seattle City Light customers through voluntary contributions. A grant from Project Share is generally made in conjunction with the customer's co-payment. A grant from Project Share can substantially reduce or eliminate the customer's light bill crisis.

The YWCA of Seattle · King County · Snohomish County serves nearly 60,000 women and families every year with programs to end homelessness, create jobs, care for children and youth, and prevent violence. Without a home, it's difficult for employers to reach job seekers for an interview. Without a job, it's nearly impossible to get a home. Not having both is a crisis for women and families. The YWCA works with women in need to address multiple challenges and move toward independence, self-sufficiency, safety and dignity for them their families. Its programs focus on these key areas: Clothing Services, Children, Youth & Families, Domestic Violence & Violence Prevention, Employment & Self-Sufficiency, Health Care Access and Housing & Shelter.

Lutheran Community Services (LCS) offers multiple programs to provide assistance to refugees through its Multicultural Community Services Seattle Office. These programs include a Reception & Placement Program to welcome refugees at the airport, arrange accommodations, provide food and furniture, and orient the refugees to daily life in their new home. Case managers—able to speak the refugee’s language—help newly-arrived refugees process paperwork and secure governmental assistance, enter employment programs, attend ESL classes, and generally find solutions to any problems that arise in the resettlement process; an Immigration Counseling and Advocacy Program (ICAP) to provide low-cost immigration counseling to Seattle’s refugee and immigrant populations. ICAP counsels refugees and immigrants about their rights and responsibilities pertaining to their immigration status, helps clients with all immigration forms and applications, and represents clients before the INS. ICAP staff also provides translation and interpretation services; public notary services; attorney referrals; immigration and passport photos; and fingerprinting services. In addition, ICAP engages in advocacy for the preservation of immigrants’ rights in the legal system at all levels of government; the Social Services Project provides social services to refugees who have resettled in the Puget Sound region. These services include free immigration assistance (especially green card applications after one year of residence), assistance in applying and qualifying for low income housing programs and advocacy for refugees with health clinics, public schools and other public and private agencies. The project also provide mental health counseling for families who may have difficulty adjusting to life in the US, and assist families in locating resources for childcare; the Holiday Gift Program, on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, LCS coordinates a gift giving program, in which the neediest refugee families can receive gifts of furniture, household items, clothing and food. Families let LCS know what their greatest needs are, and they find individuals, organizations, churches or businesses that are willing to provide these items in new or good condition.

Horn of Africa Services (HOAS) is a multi-lingual, multicultural nonprofit organization offering individual and family counseling and referral services. They respond to health, employment, housing and educational needs within communities from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and neighboring countries who are living in the Greater Seattle area. HOAS provides services by bilingual staff speaking in Amharic, Oromo, Tigrigna, and Somali.

Horn of Africa Services conducts 'Job Readiness' workshops, monthly legal clinics, and an annual gift giving program for needy families. In addition, Horn of Africa Services has successfully produced seven citizenship videos in four major East African languages to disseminate information and help prospective individuals prepare for U.S. naturalization testing. The organization has programs including information and referral, advocacy and counseling, citizenship classes, ESL, Outreach, a legal immigration clinic, job training and placement, youth services and an East African Self-reliance Project.