May Community News

by J Peter Shapiro (outreach@46dems.com)

This is an expanded version of the article that appears in the May Demogram.

This month’s column features some splendid organizations that are providing much-needed services to low-income and homeless people in our Lake City community. They are working hard to help achieve many of the social justice goals of our Platform. They deserve our admiration and support.

Neighborcare Health joins other providers at McDermott Place

Neighborcare Health is opening a primary care clinic at McDermott Place, just south of the Lake City Fred Meyer. This rounds out a collaboration of several agencies serving low-income and homeless people at that facility:

• The Low-Income Housing Institute provides apartments for previously homeless veterans and others. LIHI offers its residents programs to help them maintain stable housing, gain access to education, and obtain employment.
• North Helpine runs a food bank and emergency services office in its new headquarters at McDermott Place (see the November 2009 “Community News” column).
• RotaCare (a non-profit coalition of Rotarians and health professionals) provides acute health care through a volunteer staff at the facility.
• Americorps helps provide outreach to the surrounding community to link residents with these newly available services.

Lake City Task Force on Homelessness marks its 5th year

The Lake City Task Force supports neighborhood solutions to end homelessness in the Lake City area. The group represents local residents (people living inside and outside), many community organizations such as Meadowbrook Community Council, North Helpline, the Seattle University School of Nursing practicum program, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, faith-based communities, and advocacy groups. The Task Force celebrated its fifth anniversary earlier this month.

Project THRIVE comes to Lake City

Project THRIVE (Treatment, Housing, Resources and Interventions for Veterans Empowerment) is creating a new service continuum for homeless veterans, a few blocks from McDermott House at the Community Psychiatric Clinic, 11000 Lake City Way. Many veterans return from serving our country with hidden injuries. Project THRIVE will operate a new veteran's resource center and provide services in supported housing for homeless veterans with dual disorders of mental illness and chemical dependency.

According to the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 2,000 homeless veterans in King County. CPC will initially be providing 45 units of supported housing for the project, and plans to construct a new housing facility for homeless veterans within three years. Project THRIVE is funded by a five-year grant from the U.S Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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For more information about these organizations, visit our web page that provides links to Advocacy and Action Groups. Or give me a call at (206) 524-9386.