Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Ready for some great news? Last Saturday’s annual Taste of Queen Anne set an amazing fundraising record. Our incredible community raised $233,000 to support our vital programs preventing homelessness, blowing out our prior record of $165,000. These are critical dollars that will help us expand our financial assistance and supportive services to more fully meet the needs of our clients. We also drew a record crowd of over 300 making for a fun, action-packed night. We couldn’t have done this without the extraordinary caring and generosity of all of you. A big shout-out to the village who made the Taste such a success:

  • All of our business sponsors, with a special thanks to Title Sponsor HomeStreet Bank and Matching Gift Sponsor Metropolitan Market
  • The hardworking, committed volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event happen
  • The fantastic restaurants who donated a yummy array of delicious food
  • Each of the 39 table hosts who made this our most successful Gala ever
         
The single moment that captivated everyone in the room last Saturday was the powerfully heartfelt personal story shared by former Helpline client Rick Littleton. Rick’s comments were so stirring I’ve excerpted them below.
 
Something else that made this year’s Gala so powerful was a keen awareness by all of us of the times in which we live. Supporting the Helpline’s work is a chance for all of us to engage in a positive manner to the homelessness crisis that literally surrounds us. We are proof that our community is serious about acting for good. Together we are rolling up our sleeves to solve the revolving door of homelessness. Seattle’s rapid growth means more longtime area residents living in what was affordable housing, many of them seniors or families, are suddenly faced with rent increases of 50 percent, or even more. They come to us because an injury meant unpaid time away from work, or because a car broke down, or because of a new costly prescription, and without a safety net suddenly they are not able to pay their rent or utility bill. Working closely with partners to maximize our impact we respond with compassionate, fast, and easy to access financial assistance. We focus on whatever it takes to keep someone from becoming homeless in the short term, and then we focus on preventing the situation from happening again. Ending the revolving door of homelessness .
 
We are living in troubling times but I have hope because I have seen how our communities respond – with kindness, with caring, with action. There is power in unity, and collectively your support is having a tremendous impact for so many people .
Thank you, so much, for all you do.

Warmly, 
Lisa
Lisa Moore, Executive Director
Welcome Sabrina Ali, our new Case Manager!
Sabrina is a new case manager to the field who has been working with clients to increase their self-sufficiency and confidence. She has experience supporting youth and young adults experiencing homelessness serving as a case management intern at PSKS in Seattle. Her background also includes a wealth of experience working as tutor and mentor to low-income students. Sabrina believes it takes a strong support network of family, friends and neighbors to not only survive but thrive. That is what brought her to the Queen Anne Helpline. She enjoys working on a small but mighty team, assisting clients in meeting a wide array of needs. She
loves working at the Helpline alongside a supportive staff and an all-star cast of volunteers.
Sabrina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. She is currently in the process of obtaining her Masters in Social Work from Simmons College. When she’s not studying, you can find her reading, practicing yoga or on a scavenger hunt around the city.
Supportive Services Expansion
The Queen Anne Helpline expanded its services over a year ago to include Case Management in an effort to further support our neighbors who are chronically financially stressed. As our clients have needs that are growing and changing, we have again expanded this program to provide an array of supportive services to address the needs of each individual client. We meet each client where they are, whether that means assisting them in applying for local utility discount programs, disability applications, signing up for SNAP benefits, or searching for employment. Our goal in expanding our supportive services is to promote housing and financial stability and increase self-sufficiency, ending the revolving door of homelessness.
Volunteer Spotlight: Terry Payseno
I grew up in Tacoma and have lived in the Puget Sound area all of my life. I moved to Seattle in 2008 and LOVE this city and LOVE my career as a Real Estate broker at Coldwell Banker Bain! When I moved to Queen Anne in 2015 I fell in love with our community and all that it has to offer. I have purposed my life to always give back to the universe and have always volunteered for great charities and foundations. After moving to Queen Anne, I wanted to focus my efforts on a local level and learned about the Queen Anne Helpline. The atmosphere of the Helpline and the genuine concern for our clients is amazing! I volunteer at the front desk on Thursday afternoons and have met wonderful and interesting clients. When a community can reach out and help those around us in need, it truly makes us stronger and united as a whole. Thanks
Queen Anne Helpline!!!!
Board Member Spotlight: Rebecca Mann
For the last five years, I’ve worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. I’m a senior program officer and lead the research initiative within the Financial Services for the Poor team, where my colleagues and I work on building robust, open, and low-cost digital payment
systems in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Previously, I was an attorney at Herbert Smith, a London law firm, and I also went to graduate school in the UK. I grew up in Wollongong, a beautiful coastal town south of Sydney in Australia. I’m married to James, an international public health worker from DC, and we are devoted supporters of West Ham United Football Club. You will likely see us out running around the crown of Queen Anne: we are keen joggers and our first date was the Seattle Marathon in 2013! The Queen Anne Helpline tackles a problem I feel strongly about, in an area that I care about. I recently attended a lecture by Matthew Desmond (author of Evicted), who completely convinced me of absolute centrality of housing to families facing poverty. I am also impressed by the caliber of the staff and board, and was keen to join the board in order to learn from the people who do such a good job in improving the lives of my community and neighbors!
Client Story: Rick
I am 72 years old. I’ve lived in Queen Anne for the past three decades. I grew up in the
1950s and no one thought that senior citizens in the next millennium would have to work
into old age to survive. I’ve always worked, but have struggled to find full-time, reliable
employment. I took temporary and odd jobs to stay afloat, and generally made it. Having
employment – and especially reliable and permanent employment – gets tricky at my
age. There came a time when I and my bank account ran into some thin spots. I had to
reach out to get a rent check to my landlord to avoid adding to the homeless population
in Seattle. I searched on line for assisting agencies and saw the Queen Anne Helpline.
It was hard to ask for help, because it was somewhat humiliating and I felt like a failure.
When I approached the Queen Anne Helpline, I was respectfully and warmly received.
The staff did the proper assessment of my situation and found that they could provide
some help. With the partial support from the helpline, a couple of odd jobs, and social
security, I was able to assemble the rent check and did not have to set up housekeeping
under the Aurora Bridge. One strong feature of the Queen Anne Helpline was – and is –
“Accessibility.” The Queen Anne Helpline is in the neighborhood. It is welcoming. It is
reachable by telephone, by the Internet, and by just dropping in. The staff listens and
provides guidance and, is some cases, offers actual food and clothing. I do believe in
paying it forward so have made a couple of financial donations to QAHL. The Queen
Anne Helpline is a life ring, is that spare key, and is the temporary handhold that is good
to have in our Queen Anne village.

I am grateful that the Queen Anne Helpline was there when I needed it. And, the reason
it was there for me and for others is that people like you care enough to support the
Queen Anne Helpline.

Thank you.
Upcoming Events

Altruette launch party at Stuhlbergs benefiting the Queen Anne Helpline! Give a hoot
and come and check out Altruette’s unique owl charm designed with the Helpline in
mind. Thursday, November 9th 5:30pm– 9pm. Stuhlbergs, 1801 Queen Anne Ave. N. Hope to see you there!
Thanksgiving Groceries for Seniors 2017
 
Each year Queen Anne Helpline organizes a way to provide local low-income seniors with a substantial bag of groceries containing traditional Thanksgiving items. These bags are delivered straight to the recipients' doors the day before Thanksgiving. Our goal is to serve at least 100 elder neighbors!
 
The bags include nonperishable items such as cans of vegetables, stuffing, and cranberry sauce; there are also perishable goodies like sliced turkey breast, fresh fruit, bread rolls, and a slice of pumpkin pie. To supplement the Thanksgiving meal we also put in a few extras like oatmeal and juice. A local Girl Scout Troop will be making holiday cards to include in each bag.
 
We can't offer this annual service without the help of our neighbors -- that's where YOU come in! There are several ways to be involved: from purchasing food items to packing the bags to delivering the bags. We will also gratefully accept cash to purchase the turkey, pie, and bread rolls. All Saints Church is a valuable partner in this program, taking responsibility for filling 50 bags! Each year we are humbled by the support we receive from the community for this program; we hope you'll join us this year!
Here is the link to indicate how you’d like to participate: Thanksgiving Groceries Sign Up
Holiday Gift Cards for Clients in Need
 
This year we want to provide some sort of holiday assistance to families and individuals in our service area. The previous model of soliciting gifts to be donated and then hosting an event to distribute those gifts became unmanageable. Instead we’ve decided to solicit gift cards to be donated, and we will distribute to clients who indicate a need.
 
We agreed that gift cards to either Target or Fred Meyer are the most useful, as they allow clients to purchase food and/or other items (clothing, household goods, etc.). We will limit the denominations to either $25 (for individuals) or $50 (for families), to keep it simple. Clients will be able to request, and receive, them between November 27 and December 21.
 
So – here is another way for you, our wonderful neighbors, to be involved! If you’d like to purchase Target or Fred Meyer (only) gift cards, in $25 or $50 denominations, you may drop them off at our office on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays between 10am and 4pm (if you require a different timeframe, please give us a call).
 
On behalf of our clients, THANK YOU!!
Volunteer Opportunity
We have an exciting new volunteer opportunity to serve weekly in our Clothing Bank!
This role includes managing our inventory of donated clothing, food, and supplies and
organizing and stocking our clothing boutique areas for men and women. The weekly
hours are very flexible, but would occur anytime Monday through Thursday during
regular business hours. This is a great opportunity to provide a dignified and
compassionate experience for those shopping, organize and keep our inventory
relevant, seasonal and tidy – and join our fun team! Please contact Claire at
Claire@queenannehelpline.org if interested!
Wish List

Hygiene Products:
  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Body lotion
  • Deodorant
  • Razors
  • Body wash
  • Toothpaste

Clothing Bank:
  • Men's and Women's warm clothing, especially sweaters, sweatshirts, and pants in
larger sizes
  • Scarves, hats, wool socks and gloves

Please remember we accept adult sizes only and greatly appreciate clean, gently used
items.
Our mission: To improve the lives of our neighbors by providing emergency assistance for housing, food 
and basic needs.

Queen Anne Helpline is so grateful for all of our volunteers, donors and supporters - you make our work possible and help improve the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors. 
 
Please consider making a donation to help support local families, seniors, and individuals. You can donate here 
or visit our website:


Queen Anne Helpline
311 West McGraw 
Seattle, WA  98119
206-282-1540
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