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The mission of Congregations for the Homeless is to help end homelessness in East King County, Washington. We do this by assisting men successfully make the transition from homelessness to permanent housing. Our agency has three major parts:
All work together to give a single man the path to a stable productive life.
Donovan’s Story
I am touched by all the men I meet but when a men moves from our emergency shelter to the year-round shelter and then to stable housing it is quite an accomplishment. What makes this story even more powerful is that this story doesn’t end there. This young man’s work ethic landed him a job at a local company and his desire to help others and pay it forward has led him back to Congregations for the Homeless as an employee. Donovan entered the Emergency Winter Shelter in 2012. He was one of the younger clients at the shelter, in his mid twenties; he was a quiet, thoughtful young man, extremely articulate and very driven to move forward. I was touched by his story of how he had come to the shelter. Donovan had spent the last couple of years taking care of his ailing grandmother who raised him and she died just months before. After her death he was unable to pay the rent on his own and was having a difficult time finding work, so Donovan found himself at the emergency shelter. Donovan looked more like a college student then a shelter resident; he was always nicely dressed and was never without his backpack. I was impressed with his motivation to find employment. Before long he was entered the year-round shelter where he demonstrated his commitment to paying old parking tickets and getting his drivers license reinstated. He worked day labor until he was able to find a full time job. After working for a couple of months and working weekly with his case manager Donovan was able with the help of CFH to move into his own apartment where he is doing amazingly well. His budgeting skills are strong, and his dedication to building a career is admirable. Donovan is a success story and CFH believes so strongly in his future that we recently hired Donovan as a site manager for the very shelter he entered a year ago, and for the Day Center. His future now filled with hope and support.
He likes to spend free time with his wife (and his cat), and enjoys hiking.
Men looking for clothing for interviews and employment have found that the best place to go is Goodwill. So we are also looking for gift cards for Goodwill to help out the guys as they move forward with employment. Thank you for your compassion for the men, and your helpful gifts! On Tuesday, January 15, the CFH Day Center, located Bellevue First Congregational Church, opened its doors, and it is now open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. We welcome Henry DelleChiaie as the Day Center Manager.
The men are able to shower, use laundry facilities, get a meal, bus tickets, use computers for job searches; and a case manager is on-site each Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. If you would like to donate a meal for the men in the Day Center, sign up on our calendar by clicking HERE. You will find suggestions of what to bring, and available dates. Donations of other items would be greatly appreciated. Henry is looking for socks and underwear for the men, laundry soap, kitchen knives, and "basic" supplies like jelly, juice, and coffee creamer to have on hand. Contact Henry at 206-605-9337. 4th Annual Fundraiser Luncheon Plan Save the Date! CFH is looking forward to the coming year, with plans and projects in the works to help homeless men return to stable and independent lives. On October 2, 2013 we will be hosting our 4th Annual Fundraiser Luncheon at Bellevue First Presbyterian Church, from 11:30-1:00, and we want you to be a part of it. Mark your calendar, and plan to attend! Details will follow in the coming months, but you can count on inspirational stories, a tasty lunch, and the company of people who share your concern for the homeless in our community.
Our newest case manager, Ann Keller, comes to CFH with a background in Spiritual Direction and Chaplaincy, and experience with integrating art and imagination into spirituality. She has served both inmates and the homeless, working for the the King County Jail and Operation Nightwatch. She will be working with the men at the Day Center and EWS, as well as men in the transitional shelter. Ann loves to bake, and uses outdoor activities, like hiking, camping, and jogging, to burn off the results of her baking!
The Eastside Winter Shelter opened in November, and will continue until March 15. According to Chad Mon Wai, the shelter manager, there have been 40-47 men using the facility every night, and they have seen a total of about 150 different men so far this season. The men get a meal in the evening and a warm, safe place to sleep. There were gifts for all the men at Christmas, and Chad is planning a backpack drive before the shelter closes. Immediate needs include socks, warm clothes, paper coffee cups, and plastic forks and spoons. Email Chad about donations. On December 20, 4 men from the transitional shelter and Barrett Compton moved into the newest CFH house in the Cherry Crest neighborhood. The upper floor remodel is complete, and remodeling of the lower level is continuing so that one more man can move in. David Greenwood, house manager for the CFH Factoria House, is the contractor for the remodel.
Amazon Produces Results for CFH You may be surprised to see the Amazon.com logo on the front page of a CFH Newsletter but there is a good reason why. You can now purchase items from Amazon.com directly from our website...Why, you may ask? For every dollar you spend, Amazon will donate a portion to our non-profit. What a great way to get a little help from our corporate friends. Please share this with your family, friends and neighbors...Happy Shopping |
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Home | News Archive | Get Help | Services | Donate | Volunteer | About Us | Resources | Contact Us www.cfhomeless.org | www.eiscc.net |
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GiveBIG will help homeless men on the Eastside! Congregations for the Homeless is once again participating in the Seattle Foundation’s
annual GiveBIG campaign, which will be held on May 15. It’s a wonderful way to stretch a contribution, because the foundation
adds a percentage to each donation made that day. Watch for further details, and plan to donate to Congregations for the
Homeless on May 15!
Every man comes to our program with his own story to tell; our goal is to meet them where they are on their journey and offer tools to assist them in moving from homelessness to a more stable, self-sufficient life.
CFH is happy to announce that Dan Buchanan has been hired to be a full-time case manager. Dan brings experience in individual, family and group counseling, development of behavioral support plans, teaching students with learning disabilities, and employment assistance for individuals with disabilities. Dan also spends time mentoring refugee families in south King County, assisting them in acclimating to the area, and finding success with school, work, and other areas.
CFH makes a big effort to use your generous donations as efficiently as possible. Right now, we need sleeping bags for the men in the year-round shelter, and the most cost-effective way to get them is through Big 5. Big 5 gives us a deep discount, so your gift card donation will go a long way. 
