Redesign to help homeless, abused, and more

Family Resource Center is currently reconfiguring space so that its administrative offices are right off the main A-building lobby. This remodel will greatly enhance help to the homeless, survivors of domestic violence, immigrants and more. The Center’s administration staff plays an increasingly active role in information and referral for agency clients and walk-ins. Learn More…

• Family Resource Center is one of four Eastside locations of the pilot Eastside Cultural Navigator Program.  The renovation will provide a more visible location for these culturally competent  “navigators,” who speak Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and East Indian languages.
• Homeless customers, who also seek referral information from our staff, routinely spend time in the lobby and use its free public phone. Placing our offices next door (with a friendly open counter) will provide opportunities to aid their search and help to orient all customers.
• Our staff increasingly provides information and referral to domestic violence survivors
  searching for resources and confidential safe housing. Our reconfiguration provides a better-located and confidential phone, computer and conference area, increasing safety for survivors as well as staff.

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One capital project funded: 18 agencies benefit

Family Resource Center is finishing up a campus-wide replacement of interior lights for energy efficiency.  Boring you say?  Ho-hum?  Well, yes. Unless you like projects that pay for themselves within a year or two (now you are talking!). Or, unless you like the idea of reducing costs for 18 health and human service agencies: providing dollars each year to help families that are socially, economically and physically vulnerable. Thanks to a significant rebate from Puget Power, our $33,000 project cost about $13,000, most of that paid from a grant from The Foster Foundation. Our agencies will save about $7,500 each year.  If that doesn’t wow you: consider how much “greener” we are.  Doing our part AND saving resources!?  Priceless.

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Volunteers Sought for Leadership

Family Resource Center is seeking community members for its Board committees.  Join our efforts using interests in human services, strategic planning, finance, property development or managment, marketing, fundraising, or organizing. Contact Pam Mauk at pamm@familyresourcecenter.org for more information.

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Senator Patty Murray made time during a busy week home from Washington State in February of 2007 to tour...

Senator Patty Murray made time during a busy week home in Washington State to tour Family Resource Center and learn about the unique organization and its benefits for the community.

Photo l-r: Pam Mauk, Executive Director, Family Resource Center; Senator Murray; Holly Plackett, Secretary, Board of Directors, Family Resource Center; and John Spangenberg, Chair, Board of Directors.

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Rob McKenna touts Center’s unique model

Attorney General Rob McKenna shared his support for Family Resource Center at the Center’s first fall fundraiser. “Family Resource Center is a very special and unique organization that is a model for others.” Discussing his work to stem methamphetamine addiction, General McKenna noted that the availability of a full range of health and human services is key to the 70% success rate at one treatment program. Comprehensive services has been underscored as a key component in successfully eliminating homelessness, as well. “I’ll be back next year if you want,” he noted. “I am a great supporter of Family Resource Center.”

Attorney General Rob McKenna, Executive Director Pam Mauk, Family Resource Center Vice Chair Pat Vache and Chair John Spangenberg

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300 more get medical care each year thanks to Center

Debbie Wilkinson, Director of Operations for Community Health Centers of King County, has spoken several times recently about operating one medical clinic at Family Resource Center. “Our clients as a group are socially, economically, and physically vulnerable,” she notes. At the Center, patients are not only able to get medical care (with or without insurance) but can tap the food bank, parent training classes, help for a disability and much more. “This array of services is critical to each family’s ability to bounce back from illness and move forward.” Debbie calculates that the clinic can serve 300 more people each year for an average of two to three visits thanks to the lower overhead costs provided by Family Resource Center, and, she says, “that’s significant.”

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Family Resource Center Selected as Hub
for Eastside “Cultural Navigators” Pilot

Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition members and partners have organized a pilot project for next year. The effort targets immigrants and refugees who need information about available resources as well as help accessing and navigating services. "Cultural Navigators" will be available for drop-in appointments at community hubs, and will respond and follow-up with messages left on language-specific voicemail lines. Navigators will maintain resource information useful to providers seeking interpreters, bilingual/bicultural staff, and cultural experts for consultations. Family Resource Center has been selected as the hub for the greater Redmond area. Executive Director Pam Mauk noted that the Center was designed first and foremost to make it easier for families to access community services. "This project speaks directly to our core mission, and we are delighted to further this effort."

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Como Puedo Ayudarlo?

More than a dozen staff from throughout the campus recently completed a Spanish conversation class specifically designed to help with information and referral for a growing Spanish-speaking population. Como Puedo Ayudarlo? (How can I help you?) Bienvenido. (Welcome.) Que necessita? (What do you need?) Voy a buscar ayuda. (I am going to get you help.) No es el consultorio del medico. Esta alla. (This is not the doctor’s office. That is over there.) And more. As our community changes, our customers change. At Family Resource Center, we are working on multiple strategies to make sure that all members of the community find the help they need. For example, major pages of the Center’s website have been translated into Russian, Chinese and Spanish (see the links at the top of the home page), the latter receiving multiple tinkers from native speakers from various countries: translation is not a simple art!

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Over 50,000 now get help
yearly at Family Resource Center

Recent data collection among the 18 agencies providing  services on the Family Resource Center campus has led to a demographic report with some startling numbers.

• More than 53,000 East King County residents were served by           programs at Family Resource Center in 2005
• 5% of those served are homeless.
• Half of those served are children.
• Those receiving help live as far south as Covington and Renton, as far north as Shoreline and Bothell, and east to Snoqualmie Valley.

Clients served by city and region:

Bellevue 7,659 14% Bothell 1,897 4% Carnation 670 1% Duvall 1,074 2% Issaquah 2,694 5% Kenmore 785 1% King Co. (uninc.) 2,520 5% Kirkland 3,486 7% Lake Forest Park 151 0% Mercer Island 373 1% Newcastle 134 0% North Bend 807 2% Redmond 8,469 16% Renton 1,804 3% Sammamish 1,472 3% Seattle 4,859 9% Shoreline/Northsh. 879 2% Snoq. Valley 546 1% Woodinville 1,111 2% Snohomish Co. 3,394 6% Other 3,842 7% Unknown-Eastside 4,821 9% TOTAL 53,447 100% Homeless 2,757 5%

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Center's Failing Roofs Replaced
Thanks to $240,000 in Grants

Family Resource Center completed a major roof replacement project in 2005 thanks to volunteer support and major gifts from the community.
"Our roofs have been failing in growing degrees for a number of years," Executive Director Pam Mauk noted. "We can't begin to imagine the impact of this season's rain if we were not securely waterproofed. Thanks to our new roof, we continue to serve families at our 18 agencies without interruption."

A total of $240,000 in contributions was received toward the $290,000 tear-off and re-roofing project. Corporate and foundation donors to the project include Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound, Medina Foundation, Puget Sound Energy, Microsoft, The Foster Foundation, US Bank, Nintendo and Norman Archibald Charitable Foundation. The project has also received significant support from Community Development Block Grant programs at the cities of Kirkland, Bellevue and Redmond.

Funds donated for capital repairs enable Family Resource Center to keep costs low for agencies operating on its three building campus, allowing more dollars to be used for programs.

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The Center is among “Best in America”.

Family Resource Center has been certified as a charity that is among the "Best in America."

Family Resource Center has been given permission to use the Best in America seal. The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that "have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal."

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Contact us!
Family Resource Center
16225 NE 87th Street
Suite A-5
Redmond, WA 98052
425.869.6699 phone
425.869.6666 fax

©Family Resource Center 2007.  All rights reserved.

info@
familyresourcecenter.
org