About Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness, Part 1
Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness (LCP) will be the recipient of our offerings on December 20 and 24. This non-profit organization, established in 2015, grew out of the work of the Lake City Taskforce on Homelessness, a group of advocates, faith communities, human service agencies, neighbors, and people experiencing homelessness working together to form a neighborhood network of care. Today, Lake City Partners operates several programs:
The Winter Shelter provides a cooked, dinner, safe, warm overnight shelter in a local church, and breakfast to 20 guests during the winter months October – March. Trained staff assist guests with steps towards housing, bus tickets, information and referrals, and compassionate companionship. An additional 10 vulnerable people are sheltered in a motel each night during Covid.
God’s L’il Acre Day Center offers laundry facilities, showers, a community kitchen, internet and phone access, information and referrals, a food closet, personal storage, blankets and clothing, toiletries, bus tickets, and a safe place to stay for an hour or so.
A Housing Outreach specialist reaches out to people on the streets of Shoreline to connect them with housing and essential services.
The Leaves of Remembrance Project serves to honor community members who were lost while living homeless with an annual memorial service and the placement of permanent memorial leaves in the pavement in select areas around the city. Last year, LCP assisted 124 households get into housing. Last winter, the winter shelter served 141 different guests, with an average length of stay of 26 nights. 25 of last year’s shelter guests exited into transitional or permanent housing.
Lake City Partners’ work is made possible by a small, dedicated staff and hundreds of volunteers. To date, the UUC congregation has supported LCP by providing dinner and breakfasts for shelter guests as well as financial support from last year’s Second Sunday Plate. Some of our church members serve on the LCP Board. Other funding for LCP is provided by the cities of Seattle, Shoreline, Kenmore and Bothell, King County, faith communities, and private donors.
An exciting new program is on the way, as final preparations are underway to open a new 24/7 enhanced shelter in January! Next week’s Gateway e-newsletter will describe this new shelter in more detail. Volunteers are currently helping to paint the new facility. You can sign up here: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/9040B45A8AA2AA2FB6-draft1
For more information about Lake City Partners, visit lakecitypartners.org or attend the discussion group about LCP during the virtual social hour after the Sunday service on December 13 and 20.