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North Helpline 

Description

North Helpline Food Bank and Emergency Services is a compassionate, nineteen year old nonprofit social service organization that works to prevent homelessness and hunger in greater north Seattle.  Our volunteers contribute over 2000 hours of their time each month, allowing us to efficiently operate with only 5% overhead, well below the industry standard according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics.       

Mission Statement
North Helpline provides the community with basic human emergency services to promote dignity, self respect and hope. Our vision is to improve community food and housing security for the people of greater north Seattle by promoting, demonstrating, advocating for, and collaboratively building an equitable and regional food and human services system, which ultimately reduces the need for our services.
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North Helpline
12736 33rd Ave NE 
Seattle 
WA
98125-4403 
(206) 367-3477 

John Klevins 
Executive Director 

Programs

North Helpline Programs

Clients come to us with diverse and complex problems and we are able to help them resolve a variety of basic human needs. We provide food, hygiene items, cold weather gear, baby supplies, and assist with housing concerns such as eviction, utility shut-offs, and move-in expenses. Through our partnerships with RotaCare and Neighbor Care we are able to supply free and reduced rate medical help.

Food Bank
Our Food Bank provides food and other basic essentials (including baby supplies such as formula and diapers) to over 850 households each week.

Emergency Services
Our Emergency Services Program provides rental and eviction support, utility shut-off prevention, and items such as hygiene supplies that can't be purchased with SNAP vouchers.

Health Care Clinic
Our Health Care Clinic in connection with RotaCare Medical Services and Neighborcare Health provides services ranging from acute care and health services screening to a long term healthcare home for managing chronic conditions.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

It is our strong belief that through partnering with other nonprofit organizations such as Rotary International, Millionaire Club Charity, and Hunger Intervention Program we have been able to achieve higher levels of success in meeting the needs of our clients.  Since moving to our present location we have been able to add many new programs such as a home delivery service, increased distribution hours, job referrals and nutrition education.

The concept of Social Venture Enterprise is of key interest to our board and Executive Director. We believe that the successful nonprofit organization of the future will be one that is financially sustainable. This sustainability will result from a combination of low operational costs, strong philanthropic donors, and innovative revenue generating projects.  For example, we would like to build a kitchen which would allow us to provide hot meals for our clients as well as job training and work experience.

North Helpline is an oasis of health and hope for our neighbors who have few options.  We are excited about our future opportunities and invite you to join us in our mission to provide the community with basic human emergency services to promote dignity, self respect and hope.

 

Evaluation


North Helpline provides food and basic human services to people living in Northeast Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Southern Shoreline.

Best practices
Like many food banks, North Helpline relies heavily on volunteer support to deliver services. Volunteers help with food collection and distribution as well as emergency service referrals. North Helpline volunteers are unique in that each one completes one month of training provided by a retired social worker and that there is redundancy built into each volunteer lead position. This helps to ensure long term sustainability of not just the volunteer program, but the food bank as a whole.

Cultural Competency and Accessibility
North Helpline is located in the diverse Lake City neighborhood of North Seattle. The new facility (opened in 2010) is home to the food bank as well as a Rota Care/Neighborcare walk-in medical clinic and LIHI owned low income housing for homeless individuals and veterans on the top floors. This makes access to nutritious food and medical care highly accessible to residents of the building, as well residents as the many surrounding transitional housing programs in the neighborhood. The food bank strives to provide culturally appropriate foods and language services as much as possible to meet the needs of their diverse clientele.

Financial Health
North Helpline is actively working to increase its fundraising efforts, including volunteers as individual donors, and cultivating relationships with the north end faith community. The board is actively engaged in fundraising and cultivating new donors as well.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2011 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/10/2009 $15,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/10/2007 $27,500.00support the capital campaign for a new facility.
12/15/2005 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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