Federal Way Community Caregiving Network Programs
Emergency Services (ES) Program – a first line of support for emergency housing and those who are about to become homeless and transportation assistance.
The ES program provides funds for rental help, limited motel stays, gasoline vouchers. Clients come to our walk-in facility, located at the Church of Good Shepherd at 345 S. 312th Street (Tuesdays and Fridays: 10:00a.m.-11:00a.m.). A volunteer interviews each client and an assessment is made. Each client must initially meet the following criteria: - Live within the Federal Way School District or NE Tacoma. - Has not been helped by FWCCN Emergency Services in the last 12 months. Rental assistance is based on the actual rent the client pays plus the client situation. Guidelines are as follows: Maximum - $150.00 Families/single parents with children and total rent over $400.00. Maximum - $ 75.00 Singles and couples without children or families/single parents and rent under $400.00. Motel Assistance for Families with children: 2 nights maximum.
Community Suppers Program – served to all who are hungryMeals are served on the following schedule:
1) Mondays - Steel Lake Presbyterian Church, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
2) Thursdays - Calvary Lutheran Church, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
3) Saturdays - Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Supper Outreach Services (SOS) - coats, hats, gloves, blankets, tarps, and person hygiene supplies are distributed to people who attend the Suppers.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
The FWCCN is recognized by community leaders - civic, business, and faith community - as an important part of the human services infrastructure in the city of Federal Way. Our rent assistance and shelter assistance programs served over 1800 non-duplicated clients in 2010. In our community supper’s programs, we served nearly 9000 people. As the US economy worsened since 2008 we found that the number of people who needed our help increased nearly 50% across all programs. The number of families in need continues to grow; we are seeing people who have never had to ask for assistance in their lives.. We are turning away one family for every family we serve. Support of the community - churches, businesses, government, and individuals - remains strong, but we can no longer serve the increased numbers as we had in the past. The Board of Directors feels we can do better, and it is looking for new sources of funding to extend and expand our rent assistance services.
Our number one objective is keeping families in their home - preventing homelessness for families. We need higher levels of funding so we can provide more assistance to each family seeking assistance so they can spend more time looking for work and keeping their kids focused on building their futures. Staying in your home is a critical element to family stability. It is the key to work, education, health and wellness, stable communities, a stable and prosperous Washington State.