March 2019: What's new with GSC?

What makes snow beautiful to us? I often wonder whether we would find it so pretty if we weren’t able to get warm and dry. During the recent snow event, at Tent City 3, many tents collapsed, including the supply tent. Campers doubled up with friends, or stayed in the dormitory tents, and some had to move out entirely. Vital supplies were buried under sheets of ice. It was days before enough snow could be removed, damaged assessed, and the camp reset itself. Your caring and contributions are what allow us to speed up recovery from such disasters and get folks warm and dry again.

With your contributions, we continue to regularly support Tent City 3, Camp United We Stand, and Tent City 5 with items needed on a daily basis like trash bags, hand sanitizer, gas for generators, batteries, food, clothing, blankets, and office supplies. We also supply camp infrastructure including tents, tarps, microwaves, coffee makers, plywood, pallets and move supplies.

Through gleaning we occasionally receive and pass on bedding, battery chargers, clothing, laundry soap, toiletries and other items. More often though, we meet urgent and basic needs through the funds provided by our donors. Gleaned items that the encampments can’t manage such as sacks of raw rice and beans are routed to various food banks and shelters. Through gleaning we take items that would be thrown away and provide them to people who can really use them. This reduces waste for local retailers and allows store employees to participate in making a difference in people’s lives.

Tent City 3 continues to shelter a few younger children in residence who need diapers and warm clothing. During the warmer, drier months we would see one young boy riding a little toy car up and down the ramp in front of the camp’s front desk. This week his mother is just trying to keep him dry and warm.

Over the next few weeks, and even months, we will be working hard to replace damaged tents, to repair winter damage, and to bolster camp facilities against the coming spring storms. Please consider helping us in this effort with a donation today. Visit http://greaterseattlecares.org/ and select “Donate Today.” Donations can also be mailed to PO Box 77815, Seattle, WA 98177-0815. Thank you for your heart to help those experiencing homelessness, and we hope you will stay in touch with us.

Camp United We Stand at Haller Lake UMC

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Hinkofer,
Secretary, Greater Seattle Cares

January 2018 Updates

Greater Seattle Cares: What’s New?

Our GSC Board

We are excited to introduce two new Board Members. Alice Marshall is our new Board president and brings many years of experience working with non-profit organization and a whole host of administrative skills. In addition, Carola von Wrangel has joined our board. Carola also works extensively with an organization called “Food for the Poor,” that provides relief and development aid to hungry people, mainly in the Caribbean. Both Alice and Carola have been volunteering with the St. Dunstan’s meal program providing a weekly meal to camps TC3, TC5, and UWS as well as a Community meal and have developed relationships with many of our volunteers and campers. You can see pictures and read more about all the board members on our website.
We would like to thank Frances Posel and Roger Franz for their service to us. Both have provided wise guidance and we will truly miss their presence on our board.
Cindy Roat, our former president still remains in the organization with her passion to serve those experiencing homelessness. She is already drafting proposals for Greater Seattle Cares activities this year. Cindy in many ways has been our heart and soul and she continues to support GSC and all our campers.

Greater Seattle Cares: What’s not new?

With the changes to our board, the thing that has not changed is our mission to provide relief to those experiencing homelessness through providing camp infrastructure, food, supplies, access to health services and most importantly, by building friendships. If you google “Greater Seattle Cares” the following statement appears: “Greater Seattle Cares envisions a world without homelessness…” May it be so!

Greater Seattle Cares: What are our current needs?

With the drop in temperature and the recent wind and rain storms, we need to focus on cold weather needs.
Camp United We Stand Move - UWS has moved to St. Dunstan’s in Shoreline as of November 18th. Stop by and say hello or lend a hand if you are able.
Tents and Tarps - A tent used year round only lasts about a year. With Cindy Roat’s help, we are working on a schedule and budget for replacing tents as they wear out. Recently, GSC provided nine new tents to Tent City 3, but we know all the camps will be needing tents, especially during the cold weather. In addition to the tents, in order to protect the tent and to avoid leaks, durable tarps are also needed. Some of the camps are also experimenting with using canopies over the tents. The tents also sit on pallets that are covered with plywood. Once soaked through, that plywood and pallets do not last many months.
Coats and warm clothing - Now that it is cold, any cold weather clothing we can provide, especially coats, is a blessing. Keep in mind that a lot of campers are larger men. New undergarments are always appreciated.
Blankets and Bedding - It is also important to make sure the campers have ample bedding and the ability to wash it. Each camp has its own arrangements, but they sometimes need assistance with obtaining these donations. They also need occasional help with transportation to the laundry facilities and with funds to wash the bedding.
Batteries -The short days mean more flashlights will be used and that means batteries.

Current Camp Hosts and Locations

Tent City 3 - Seattle Pacific University, McKenna Hall, between W. Bertona St. and W. Nickerson St, Seattle
United We Stand - St. Dunstans Church, 722 N 145th St, Shoreline, WA 98133
Tent City 4 - Mary Queen of Peace 1121 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA 98075
Tent City 5 - Interbay Neighborhood in Ballard, 1601 15th Ave. W (cross street Garfield, under the Magnolia Bridge), Seattle, WA 98119
Licton Springs Village - Private Property belonging to the Low Income Housing Institute, 8620 Aurora Ave N just south of Seattle Fabrics
Camp Unity Eastside - Saint Teresa of Calcutta 17856 NE Woodinville Duvall Rd, Woodinville WA 98077
Camp Second Chance - Public Property in White Center, 9625 Myers Way S. Seattle, WA 98108
Nicklesville Othello -7 544 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Seattle, WA
Nicklesville Union - Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 22nd and E Union, Seattle, WA
Nickelsville Georgetown -1 000 S. Myrtle St., Seattle, WA

A Personal Reflection:

Carola von Wrangel

Our news is full of stories of homelessness, generally with the heading of “what are we going to do about the homeless situation in the Seattle area?” After New York City and Los Angeles, Seattle has the third largest homeless population. As much as it is an honor to work with GSC serving the needs of the homeless, those needs and the stories seem almost overwhelming.
Every Tuesday I serve in the Community Dinner program at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church. We glean, cook and feed over 400 people each week, including providing for several encampments served by Greater Seattle Cares. On a recent Tuesday, one of the people we serve came to me with his story: He is employed, and technically not homeless. But he pays $2000 per month for his motel room, leaving no money for food, so the hot meals he receives are such a blessing. He repeated: “SUCH A BLESSING! THANK YOU!” The man is unable to pay first and last month rent plus security deposit to get into an apartment. And as we know, rents in the greater Seattle area are prohibitive. This man stays one step ahead of homelessness because of people who care, who donate, and who serve. Carola has come to Greater Seattle Cares by way of assisting one of many programs supported by our gleaners. Our gleaners ferry thousands of goods to the camps we support, as well as programs supporting those on the verge of homelessness. These gleaned goods would otherwise be disposed of.

Thank you!

We thank you for participating in the mission of Greater Seattle Cares. Thank you for caring! And thank you for your donations of money, time, goods, and relationships. Your caring brings hope and change to those we serve. For more information please visit us on the web. Greater Seattle Cares.

PO Box 77815, Shoreline WA, 98177

Room to Grow

By Christy Houghton

Additional Property for Camp Second Chance

There were only 14 residents at Camp Second Chance before the city added another parcel of land in March, making room to grow. The site can now house up to 70 people in 50 tents or tiny houses. New residents have come from other camps, or from homeless 'sweeps', where people and their things are removed from an unsanctioned location.
By April first, the camp had already doubled in size.

A Model Camp

Camp Second Chance allows adults only, due to the relatively remote industrial area where schools and daycares aren’t very close. Everyone is expected to follow the camp's rules, including a prohibition on having alcohol or drugs in camp. If a rule gets broken once, though, there’s compassion. That person is reminded of the rules and given a second chance to stay. Sometimes, the Second Chance Community isn’t a good fit for someone in their current life situation. There's a large extra tent with three cots, so people can spend the night as guests, even if they decide not to join the community. Camp Second Chance even hires an Uber ride, so the guest has a way to get to a different place the next morning.

Eric Davis, the camp’s Program Director, founded this nonprofit transitional housing community with fifteen others. Davis shared the planned improvements and his vision for Camp Second Chance. “We’ll have electricity in April. Shortly after that, running water will be available.” A mobile shower service arrives every Tuesday now, and will soon come on Saturdays, too. Davis would like to see tiny portable houses replace the tents. Eventually, they’ll build raised garden beds. After a visit, the mayor had said that this is a model camp, and Davis agrees. It’s not all about the services, though.

Run Like a Family

“This camp is run like a family,” claims Davis. Each camper has a voice in making decisions that impact the camp, like how to spend donated money and when to purchase new items. All decisions are put to a vote, and the majority vote wins. Davis feels strongly that everyone needs to be treated with respect, with their opinion heard and valued. And, just like in a family, everyone is expected to help out with the camp's chores. Davis’ philosophy is that "we use you for what you're good at." People are assigned to roles and tasks for the camp, based on what they can do. Responsibilities include security, kitchen coordinators, and maintenance duties. When people arrive with very few personal things, the camp purchases a tent and tarp for the new residents. Camp Second Chance is a place to feel safe, where people can leave their belongings while working or looking for a job. Residents know that their things will be there with their ‘family community’ when they return, even as the family grows this year.

First Visit to a Homeless Camp

 By Christy Houghton 

I’m a new writer for Greater Seattle Cares (GSC). This is my first article. Before volunteering with GSC, my experience with the homeless came from the TV news, and seeing (and smelling) drunk and dirty people begging on the streets near Pike Place Market or Pioneer Square in Seattle. So, when I made my first visit to Camp United We Stand, an organized, self-managed transitional encampment in Shoreline, I was in for some surprises.

Safer Than My Own Neighborhood 
I live in the suburbs, where a woman can walk alone at night - alert, but unafraid. My neighborhood, though, doesn't have anywhere near the level of security that I found at Camp United We Stand. Only one entrance to the small homeless encampment; and before going in further, a camp resident politely insisted that I write the time, my name, and purpose for the visit in their guest notebook. He also warned me that no alcohol or drugs are permitted in the camp.

Wary but Welcoming 
Before my visit, I told myself that I had no business at a homeless camp, and the people there would resent my presence. I’d thought that homeless people preferred to be invisible in our society, and steeled myself for hostility or at least indifference. Then I met Christopher, Tom, Monty, and Isaac. They welcomed me to the camp with kindness, and willingly posed for pictures after hearing that I was a new writer for GSC. I learned that just like everyone else, they want to be seen and heard and respected.

Isaac and Bowser, outside of Camp United We Stand

Cleaner Than You'd Think 
Everyone I met appeared as clean as people without a shower on premises could possibly be expected to look. The camp was well-maintained, orderly, and spotless. If I hadn’t known it was a homeless camp, I might’ve asked about the campground rates.

Some Problems are Small Enough to Fix 
Christopher was one of the three resident ECs (elected Executive Council member) that week, and in charge. When he showed me the Donation Tent, Christopher pointed out that they were short on men’s pants, sizes 30-39. They also needed a stapler before Move Day. I have an extra stapler at home. I had thought that if you help the homeless, you enable the homeless problem to continue. Greater Seattle Cares helped me see that people must have their basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and safety met before they can even think about next steps to improve their lives.

Even Little Things Make a Difference 
Before volunteering as a writer for GSC, I worried that it would make me feel bad to know more about the homeless problem because it’s so big that I couldn’t make a difference. I learned that even little things make a difference. Listening to someone, and speaking with respect and warmth. Writing about real people in our community, who want to be seen and heard. I can do these things.

What’s New with GSC? January 2017

Highlighting homelessness in the Puget Sound 
Camp Second Chance gets a second chance 
When Camp Second Chance moved onto unpermitted public land on Meyers Way in July of 2016, the neighbors expected nothing but drugs and garbage. However, the exemplary behavior of this highly organized, neat and friendly camp won over first the neighbors, then the police, then the fire department, and finally the City of Seattle itself. After months of being defended against sweeps by their neighbors, in late 2016 Camp Second Chance was finally authorized as a permitted camp by the City of Seattle! Congratulations, CSC!

UW develops a first-ever on-line course on homelessness 
With Tent City 3 staying at the UW, the University has developed an on-line course about homelessness. We believe this is the first course of its kind.
Check it out at https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=W1U0EEXOhU4

In Shoreline, on the other hand . . . .

WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

In late 2015, the Shoreline City Council directed its Planning Commission to review the city’s zoning code with a view to lowering barriers for people experiencing homelessness. After an outcry from a small group of residents of Richmond Beach who feared that such amendments would bring more homeless people into their neighborhoods, the Planning Commission sent to the Council a set of amendments that will make it very difficult for any organization to host a camp. Among these is a 20-foot “set-back” rule that drops the number of churches in Shoreline with enough space to host even a small encampment from about 25 to 3. Greater Seattle Cares is asking the City Council to adopt instead alternative language that would not result in a ban on homelessness in Shoreline.

We need the City Council to know that Shoreline can be home to ALL types of people, and that everyone deserves a safe place to sleep.

Come to the Shoreline City Council meeting on January 30th 

at Shoreline City Hall at 17500 Midvale Ave N 

and speak out against these anti-homeless laws. 

For more information, contact GSC President Cindy Roat at cindy.roat@alumni.williams.edu.

Read on, for the news from the camps that GSC supports: 

Tent City 3 (TC3) 
Currently at: The University of Washington, Parking Lot 35, on the south side of NE Pacific St, just west of Brooklyn Ave. NE.
Next move: TC3’s next move will be on March 18th. The camp does not yet have a host for the next move.
Requests: TC3 is asking for zip ties and batteries. And a host site for March!

Husky Health Bridge, a service group of UW dentistry students

News: While staying at UW, the camp is receiving a lot of attention. Besides the on-line course on homelessness described above, a variety of student groups from the School of Dentistry, the School of Social Work, and the School of Pharmacy are working with GSC to provide professional services to the camp. GSC also continues to deliver supplies and to meet other immediate camp needs. For example, the camp’s coffee maker died this week. Since hot coffee is often the only way residents stay warm in the 20º weather, GSC will be delivering a new one this weekend.

Camp United We Stand (CUWS) 
Currently at: St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, 722 N 145th St. Shoreline
Next move: CUWS plans to move on February 15th to Shoreline Free Methodist Church, although the approval is still in progress.
Requests: CUWS needs a stapler, AAA batteries, standard angle brooms, dust pans, large latex gloves, Pine Sol (or some other all-purpose cleaner), and Windex

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts

News: CUWS has organized to fight the proposed amendments to the Shoreline zoning code, described above. In response to their challenge, Mayor Chris Roberts made a 1-hour visit to the camp on January 19th. Thank you, Mayor Roberts, for taking the time to come see a transitional encampment with your own eyes!








Camp Unity Eastside (CUE) 
Currently at: Kirkland Congregational Church, 106 5th Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033
Next move: CUE will be moving on the weekend of Feb. 3rd and 4th to St. Jude’s Catholic Church, located at 10526 166th Ave. NE in Redmond.
Requests: Help with their upcoming move!
News: The camp currently has 14 residents, because so many have moved into permanent housing. The camp is expected to grow again, however, when it gets to its new site.

Camp Second Chance (CSC) 
Currently at: 9625 Myers Way S, Seattle
Next move: Since CSC has been permitted by the City of Seattle, the camp will not have to move again!
Requests: CSC is in need of some clip boards, duct tape and brooms.
News: As part of the transition to being a permitted camp, CSC will soon be receiving a solid amount of public funding to install water and electricity and water, and to help pay for the Honey Buckets and the garbage service. While the camp will continue to be self-governed, the non-profit organization Patacara Community Services will become the managing agency for the camp.

Camp Second Chance

Picture from the Patacara website

 

If you would like more detail on any of these topics please contact 

info@GreaterSeattleCares.org. 

Thank you all for your support and especially your big hearts and generous spirits in doing what you can to help those experiencing homelessness.