Dear Friends and Neighbors,

What role does the Queen Anne Helpline fulfill that other public and private organizations don't? Why are our services so important to the people we help? We've been talking a lot about this lately, both in the office and with outside partners and clients. The answer brings our impact into sharp focus:  we are hyper-local so we can target needs specific to our community and respond immediately to emergency situations. Our key stakeholders tell us it's the impact of our rapid response that differentiates us from most other agencies. Hyper-local and rapid response means we can have a critical impact on people in serious need when it is most needed. When someone has an eviction or utility shut off notice, they need help quickly. And while we often partner with other agencies to maximize our impact, in emergency situations there is not always time for clients to navigate a complex social service system and go through a lengthy application process.

Consider Lucy's story. Lucy, who is 76, came home from a hospital stay to find a utility shut off notice-her power was being cut that very day. She called us, feeling panicked and confused. We immediately called the power company, pledging the funds to prevent the shut off. This quick response not only kept her power on, it also avoided the $100 fee to turn the power back on, and just as importantly, we took care of the emotional stress Lucy was under. Or Brian's story. After a job loss his mounting medical bills led to an eviction. Brian, a single father with a 7-year-old son, had no safety net -- he was sleeping in his car while his son stayed with friends. The irony is that Brian had quickly found a new job but wouldn't be paid for several weeks. When he came to the Helpline, Brian broke down in tears describing his desperate effort to shield his son from their temporary homelessness.  He told me he felt he was failing as a parent. We immediately went to work. With our ability to cover his first two weeks of rent, he found a room with a small kitchen and that night he reunited with his son. They are now in their own place, Brian is working full time, and they are getting their lives back together.

These dramatic examples are evidence of the critical and very real difference the Helpline makes in the lives of the people we serve every day because of our smart, quick, and efficient approach. Our experience over 33 years has proven the benefits of providing immediate assistance. This approach extends beyond just seniors or the families we help; it costs far less to keep someone in their home than to support them when they are homeless, so we all benefit. Hyper-local and rapid response. I am sharing this because I want you, our supporters, to know that just doing good is not enough for us -- we are always striving to have the greatest possible impact and stretch our dollars further in everything we do at the Helpline. We always have been and always will be about neighbors helping neighbors -- thanks to all of you.

Best, 

Lisa Moore, Executive Director