Human Services Commission · Wednesday, July 16, 2025 · City Council Digest

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of June 18, 2025

packet pp.3–4

▶ Watch from 1:20 Open packet at p.3 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 06-18-25 Human Services Commission Minutes Page [0000] CITY OF ISSAQUAH Human Services Commission 6:30 PM Senior Center, 75 NE Creek June 18, 2025 MINUTES Way

4. AGENDA ITEMS

Pride Across the Bridge: Human Services Non-Profit Organization Presentation (I)

Director · 20 min · Axton Burton (they/them), Executive

Topics: Equity

▶ Watch from 1:49

Reclaim: Human Services Non-Profit Organization Presentation (I)

20 min · Jennifer Kirk (she/her), Executive Director

Topics: Equity

▶ Watch from 37:35

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

Action · 10 min · Jaime Fajardo, Human Services Commission Chair

Topics: Elections

▶ Watch from 1:13:21

5. REPORTS

Chair and Commissioner Reports

Topics: Boards & Commissions

Youth Report

packet pp.5–6

Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

• Community Closet Clothing Swap: Issaquah’s Community Closet Clothing Swap was a two day event May 27/28 at the Pickering Barn that provided our community with free clothing and shoes. The event had 500 visitors, approximately 250 bags of clothing donations form 86 donors ran by a total of 22 volunteers for 152 hours.

Staff Report

2396 segments .txt ↗

0:02 ↗ drum we have.

0:03 ↗ >> All right, we're good to go.

0:06 ↗ >> All right. Well, good afternoon. Uh, it

0:08 ↗ is our human services commission. It's

0:10 ↗ Wednesday, July 16th at 6:34.

0:15 ↗ Um, we will proceed.

0:18 ↗ Um, everything called to order. Um you

0:22 ↗ do have most commissioners Manny Manny

0:26 ↗ Commissioner Min

0:28 ↗ was still a waiting for Commissioner

0:29 ↗ Huma.

0:30 ↗ >> Correct.

0:31 ↗ >> Um

0:32 ↗ JD is present. Um Commissioner Ray,

0:36 ↗ Commissioner Trish. Um I think we're

0:41 ↗ going to be excusing Commissioner Lorie

0:43 ↗ Edwards. What I understand?

0:44 ↗ >> Correct. Yes.

0:45 ↗ >> Okay. And then we're going to be waiting

0:48 ↗ for the new commissioner Bo. It's either

0:51 ↗ today or uh maybe

0:54 ↗ >> yeah he had some medical um stuff that

0:56 ↗ he was dealing with last week so he said

0:57 ↗ he will try to join us virtually but he

1:00 ↗ may not so he may join us

1:01 ↗ >> we will note that

1:03 ↗ all right public comment

1:06 ↗ public comment

1:09 ↗ >> nobody is in attendance for public

1:11 ↗ comments online or in person and I did

1:13 ↗ not receive any

1:15 ↗ >> thank you Hannah

1:17 ↗ um and then we have next item on the

1:20 ↗ approval of minutes from June 18th,

1:24 ↗ 2025. Any additions or corrections to

1:27 ↗ the approval minutes that were sent out?

1:32 ↗ >> I move that we uh approve the minutes as

1:36 ↗ >> I second.

1:39 ↗ >> Okay. Noted.

1:47 ↗ All right. We will move forward to

1:49 ↗ number four agenda items. Pride pride

1:51 ↗ across the bridge human services

1:54 ↗ nonprofit organization. Uh unfortunate

1:57 ↗ they cannot make it today. Um so we were

2:01 ↗ going to have to reschedu

2:03 ↗ um sounds like there was some illness

2:05 ↗ and we want to make sure we respect that

2:07 ↗ and we will be coordinating a

2:09 ↗ rescheduling appointment with uh uh

2:12 ↗ pride across the bridge.

2:15 ↗ Um, Axton Burton, the executive

2:17 ↗ director, they send their apologies. Um,

2:19 ↗ where they are just were hit very

2:22 ↗ suddenly. Um, they were planning to come

2:24 ↗ even this morning and then this

2:25 ↗ afternoon they were hit pretty bad. So,

2:27 ↗ unfortunately, um, they they said

2:29 ↗ they're uh, very excited to meet the

2:31 ↗ commission and share more about their

2:32 ↗ organization. And so, we'll reschedule

2:34 ↗ here in the fall. So, we'll prioritize

2:36 ↗ getting them on the calendar. So,

2:38 ↗ apologies for that last minute change

2:40 ↗ and thank you all for your flexibility

2:41 ↗ with that.

2:42 ↗ >> Is it the facts and burden?

2:43 ↗ >> Correct. Okay,

2:46 ↗ >> any questions from the group,

2:49 ↗ >> comments?

2:50 ↗ >> I will note right across the bridge,

2:52 ↗ they are a new organization um in our

2:55 ↗ region actually and they're a new funded

2:57 ↗ human services organization. We

2:59 ↗ partnered with them um last year. Uh Ray

3:02 ↗ Manahan was a part of a great um panel

3:05 ↗ and Pride across the bridge was a big

3:07 ↗ part of that uh with at the garage two

3:10 ↗ years ago, huh?

3:10 ↗ >> Was it two years ago?

3:11 ↗ >> Was it two years ago? Yes, I think so.

3:13 ↗ maybe last year,

3:15 ↗ >> last year.

3:16 ↗ >> It's hard.

3:17 ↗ >> It's bluring in. So, um so very excited

3:19 ↗ to have them learn more about their

3:20 ↗ organizations and services they provide.

3:23 ↗ Um but we will have to postpone that.

3:25 ↗ Well, thank you.

3:30 ↗ >> All right. And our next group, we had uh

3:33 ↗ repayment human services nonprofit

3:36 ↗ presented by Jennifer Kirk, executive

3:38 ↗ dire. I know from talking to the group,

3:41 ↗ they're going to be showing up online.

3:43 ↗ Yes. So, Jennifer, she's going to be

3:44 ↗ joining us online for uh online

3:47 ↗ presentation. She has a PowerPoint for

3:48 ↗ us. I did tell her of the last minute

3:50 ↗ change if she wanted to. She wasn't um

3:52 ↗ supposed to be in until like after 7:00.

3:55 ↗ So, I did ask her to join us at 6:45.

3:58 ↗ So, hopefully she'll join us at 6:45.

4:00 ↗ So, we will um come back to the second

4:02 ↗ item when she joins us and we can just

4:04 ↗ move forward and

4:06 ↗ >> come back to it.

4:07 ↗ >> Yeah.

4:08 ↗ >> Any thoughts, comments around that the

4:10 ↗ group?

4:13 ↗ All right.

4:14 ↗ >> Thank you again for your flexibility.

4:17 ↗ >> Yes.

4:18 ↗ >> Yes. Um and then the next thing we have

4:22 ↗ is um election of chair and vice chair.

4:26 ↗ Um this is a very important roles. Um so

4:30 ↗ we do need to have a conversation as a

4:32 ↗ group in terms of electing chair and

4:34 ↗ vice chair and want to make sure we have

4:37 ↗ some discussion around that before we go

4:39 ↗ into nomination.

4:42 ↗ So, are you interested in continuing on

4:45 ↗ in your role or do we have term limits

4:47 ↗ or um

4:48 ↗ >> we currently don't have term limit? Um,

4:51 ↗ so it's either um we certainly can ask

4:55 ↗ Mary and Hime to ask it to continue if

4:57 ↗ they're interested. Uh we like to give

4:59 ↗ folks an opportunity to try it out. Um I

5:02 ↗ think giving folks longer than a year

5:04 ↗ sometimes helpful. Um but um but totally

5:08 ↗ open to I haven't talked to anybody

5:10 ↗ prior to this meeting to see if there

5:12 ↗ was interest anywhere else. Um so

5:14 ↗ definitely want to have an open

5:15 ↗ conversation. I mean, Manny, maybe you

5:18 ↗ want to start off by saying if you are

5:19 ↗ interested in continuing in your role or

5:23 ↗ if you're ready to pass the torch or

5:28 ↗ please be honest.

5:34 ↗ >> And with that, I'm actually going to

5:37 ↗ push pause on this.

5:38 ↗ >> More conversation

5:39 ↗ >> more conversations to come. Thank you

5:40 ↗ again for your flexibility. And I'm

5:42 ↗ gonna welcome Jennifer Kerr. Hi, Jen. So

5:45 ↗ good to see you.

5:47 ↗ >> Hi guys

5:48 ↗ >> here and see us all.

5:49 ↗ >> Thanks for having me. Can you hear me?

5:51 ↗ Okay.

5:52 ↗ >> Beautiful background by the way. I

5:54 ↗ appreciate

5:55 ↗ >> Thanks.

5:56 ↗ >> our vibes.

5:59 ↗ >> Well, Jennifer, I don't I um I want to

6:02 ↗ welcome you to our human services

6:04 ↗ commission here. Thanks for joining us

6:06 ↗ online. Um you came in right actually we

6:10 ↗ are ready for you to start your

6:11 ↗ presentation if you are ready to go. Um,

6:15 ↗ so I think you have access to share your

6:17 ↗ screen if you're ready for that. Um, if

6:20 ↗ you need, please take your time.

6:23 ↗ >> Um, it says only or meeting organizers

6:26 ↗ and presenters can share, but it's not

6:28 ↗ giving me access.

6:30 ↗ >> Great. Let me see if I can.

6:32 ↗ >> Yeah.

6:36 ↗ Do you guys have you have AC in that

6:38 ↗ space? I hope.

6:40 ↗ >> Okay.

6:40 ↗ >> It's very pleasant.

6:43 ↗ Good.

6:50 ↗ >> All right. Just give it a second. I

6:52 ↗ think I was able to give you

6:53 ↗ presentation access.

6:55 ↗ >> Okay.

7:00 ↗ >> While she's pulling that up, who here

7:01 ↗ has heard of Reclaim?

7:04 ↗ Anybody familiar? Okay, that's okay.

7:07 ↗ >> Yay.

7:07 ↗ >> Hi, there's a few newbies here.

7:10 ↗ >> Hi, guys. Are you able to see this?

7:13 ↗ >> Yep.

7:14 ↗ >> Okay.

7:16 ↗ Yeah. I don't know that I've met any of

7:18 ↗ you guys in this space other than

7:19 ↗ Hannah.

7:21 ↗ >> Yeah.

7:21 ↗ >> I'm not sure.

7:23 ↗ >> You want to follow around and just say

7:25 ↗ your name, Commissioner?

7:27 ↗ >> I can start first. My name is Haime

7:29 ↗ Fardo. I'm the chair to human services

7:31 ↗ commission. I would say I've been the

7:33 ↗ commission for coming up on three four

7:35 ↗ years and lived in Isqua since 2007.

7:40 ↗ Is there

7:44 ↗ vice chair?

7:45 ↗ >> I'm Manny Brown. I am vice chair and

7:49 ↗ I've uh been here

7:53 ↗ six years now.

7:55 ↗ >> Long time.

7:56 ↗ >> Yeah.

7:56 ↗ >> Six years. Wow.

7:57 ↗ >> I live in the Isqua area and uh

8:01 ↗ >> for 80 years.

8:03 ↗ >> Yeah. Four.

8:07 ↗ >> That's funny.

8:09 ↗ Yeah. 30 years.

8:13 ↗ >> Wow.

8:16 ↗ >> Um, hi Jennifer. My name is Daty

8:17 ↗ Ramirez. Um, I one of I'm one of the

8:21 ↗ newer members. I've been in the Human

8:22 ↗ Services Commission for about three

8:24 ↗ months now. It's my third meeting. Um,

8:27 ↗ I've lived in Isqua for nowhere near as

8:30 ↗ long as Manny. Um, I've been here for

8:32 ↗ about two and a half years. Um, but I've

8:34 ↗ really enjoyed living here. Um, so I'm

8:37 ↗ really excited to hear what you have to

8:39 ↗ present today and learn about reclaim.

8:41 ↗ >> Awesome.

8:42 ↗ >> Yeah.

8:42 ↗ >> Hi, I'm Meline Fish. I've been a

8:45 ↗ commissioner I've been a member of this

8:47 ↗ commission for a couple years now and a

8:49 ↗ longtime ISQL resident and I'm excited

8:51 ↗ to learn more about Reclaim.

8:53 ↗ >> Awesome.

8:54 ↗ >> Hi, Jennifer Ray Man. I too am a newbie

8:57 ↗ with this wonderful group. Um, and have

9:00 ↗ lived in Isqua for a little over five

9:03 ↗ years. Um, and prior to this I was on

9:06 ↗ the um, equity board for four years. So,

9:10 ↗ it's great to stay close to the

9:12 ↗ community.

9:16 ↗ >> Um, my name's Trish Flor. Um, I've been

9:20 ↗ in the Isqua area, well, is school

9:24 ↗ district for 38 years.

9:27 ↗ >> Wow.

9:27 ↗ >> I beat you.

9:29 ↗ And and um I uh I think I've been on the

9:35 ↗ um commission just a year after you

9:38 ↗ something like that.

9:39 ↗ >> Yeah. I I joined during co Right.

9:41 ↗ >> Yeah. When I came on so about five

9:43 ↗ years.

9:43 ↗ >> Yeah. Yeah. And um very involved in the

9:46 ↗ community. Um I started working with

9:49 ↗ your um prior uh Snowqualami Valley

9:53 ↗ Shelter Services, right?

9:55 ↗ >> Yep.

9:55 ↗ >> Oh, okay.

9:56 ↗ >> Is that the name?

9:57 ↗ >> Yep. same agency. We just brand

10:00 ↗ rebranded,

10:00 ↗ >> right? You rebranded. Um because I

10:02 ↗ volunteer with Isqua Community Services

10:05 ↗ and we used to um for hotel vouchers. We

10:08 ↗ used to send people there to your

10:10 ↗ organization.

10:11 ↗ >> Awesome.

10:12 ↗ >> Yeah.

10:12 ↗ >> Wonderful. Yeah. We've worked with the

10:14 ↗ mayor and the team for some time now.

10:16 ↗ >> Yeah. So, I'm excited to hear about

10:18 ↗ Yeah. what the rebranding has done.

10:20 ↗ Yeah.

10:21 ↗ >> Yeah.

10:22 ↗ >> We've shifted.

10:23 ↗ >> Take it away.

10:24 ↗ >> I know Hannah.

10:27 ↗ Okay. Uh let me move through here.

10:32 ↗ Um so just a little bit about who we

10:35 ↗ are. Um we are a community resources

10:39 ↗ resource providing pathways to

10:40 ↗ stability, opportunity and connection.

10:42 ↗ So that's our basic mission. Um our

10:45 ↗ vision is to really create this thriving

10:47 ↗ and inclusive community where everyone

10:49 ↗ has access to safe and stable housing.

10:52 ↗ Um, we talk a lot about kind of

10:54 ↗ affordable housing, but even affordable

10:56 ↗ housing isn't really attainable for a

10:58 ↗ lot of our folks that are living in

10:59 ↗ deeper poverty. So, just making sure

11:01 ↗ that we have spaces where everybody I

11:03 ↗ will say that is definitely a place

11:05 ↗ where Isiqua shines. You guys have so

11:06 ↗ many housing opportunities and we we um

11:09 ↗ actually house quite a few of our folks

11:11 ↗ in Isiqua. Um, so thank you for that. We

11:13 ↗ have very little um low-income housing

11:16 ↗ in Snowquami Valley. So, we appreciate

11:19 ↗ that. Um, and then we're very safe,

11:21 ↗ affirming place for um, anybody in the

11:25 ↗ uh, two spirit LGBTQ community, any

11:27 ↗ person of color. Um, we do not tolerate

11:31 ↗ hate speech. Uh, we will exit somebody

11:33 ↗ if they do that. It very rarely ever

11:35 ↗ happens. Um, uh, but we're definitely

11:38 ↗ that safe space for people. Um, and a

11:40 ↗ large percentage of our staff members

11:42 ↗ have lived experience and many of them

11:43 ↗ includ including myself are in recovery.

11:46 ↗ Um, and I think that that just brings

11:48 ↗ kind of this special little team

11:50 ↗ together to do this work.

11:53 ↗ A brief history on us. So, I won't run

11:56 ↗ through uh all of the wording on this,

11:58 ↗ but you can see that map. It kind of uh

12:00 ↗ outlines kind of, you know, we started

12:02 ↗ in 2012 is just a winter only overnight

12:06 ↗ shelter. We ran from usually like

12:07 ↗ November through March or April

12:09 ↗ depending on funding. Um, at the time,

12:12 ↗ Congregations for the Homeless came in

12:13 ↗ and helped us uh kind of run things.

12:16 ↗ They're now Porch Light in Belleview,

12:18 ↗ and they were our fiscal sponsor for the

12:19 ↗ first 5 years of our agency. In 2017, we

12:23 ↗ became our own uh independent nonprofit,

12:26 ↗ and we opened a resource center in

12:28 ↗ addition to that winter only shelter.

12:31 ↗ So, we had a daytime all year round

12:32 ↗ resource center um and the shelter in

12:35 ↗ the winter. In 2020 when COVID hit, we

12:38 ↗ expanded our services. A bunch of money

12:40 ↗ came our way. Um, and we expanded to 247

12:44 ↗ yearround shelter services.

12:48 ↗ In 2022 is when our rebrand happened. We

12:50 ↗ changed from Stowami Valley Shelter

12:52 ↗ Services over to Reclaim. Um, we really

12:55 ↗ the big driving force for our um,

12:58 ↗ rebrand was really the uh, clientele

13:02 ↗ that we saw coming to us during CO. We

13:04 ↗ had a lot of baby boomers. Um, a lot of

13:07 ↗ parents my parents' a or a lot of people

13:09 ↗ my parents age that were becoming

13:11 ↗ unhoused for the very first time in

13:12 ↗ their lives. Um, and we felt like uh an

13:15 ↗ agency with the word shelter and it was

13:17 ↗ a real barrier for that generation that

13:19 ↗ had just this they have such a beautiful

13:22 ↗ sense of pride but it also keeps them

13:23 ↗ from asking for help when they need it.

13:26 ↗ Um, so we rebranded to reclaim. It also

13:28 ↗ allowed us to just kind of grow however

13:29 ↗ we felt that we needed to grow. having

13:32 ↗ provided emergency shelter for years, we

13:34 ↗ really wanted to transition into some

13:37 ↗ prevention um and kind of open up our

13:39 ↗ service model. And uh last year, January

13:43 ↗ of 2024, we bought a building. Uh so we

13:46 ↗ actually own our building now and we

13:48 ↗ have opened up the Upper Valley's first

13:51 ↗ community service center and we have

13:52 ↗ called that the front door. Um, and that

13:55 ↗ name came from, uh, you know, just

13:57 ↗ historically marginalized populations.

14:00 ↗ Uh, people living in poverty, people of

14:02 ↗ color have been expected to kind of

14:05 ↗ access services from the back door or

14:07 ↗ take lo leftovers in a back alley um, in

14:10 ↗ this country. And we just really wanted

14:11 ↗ this welcoming space where everybody

14:13 ↗ felt comfortable coming through our

14:15 ↗ front door, thus the name.

14:19 ↗ Uh, sorry about that.

14:23 ↗ uh and introduce you to the front door.

14:25 ↗ So, it looks a little different now. We

14:26 ↗ have a really cool uh desk system now

14:28 ↗ that is not in this picture. You'll have

14:30 ↗ to come out and visit. Um but we are

14:32 ↗ located in downtown Snowqualami and so

14:34 ↗ we have a really good um kind of that

14:37 ↗ visual to the to the community now and

14:39 ↗ people are able to to find us easier. Uh

14:43 ↗ we are open regular hours Monday through

14:44 ↗ Friday 8:30 uh a.m. to 400 p.m. And this

14:48 ↗ space offers free clothing, emergency

14:50 ↗ food, laundry vouchers. uh so that

14:53 ↗ people can keep their housing costs

14:54 ↗ down, transportation assistance, we have

14:57 ↗ uh bus passes, things like that, hygiene

14:59 ↗ and harm reduction products, uh

15:02 ↗ computers and Wi-Fi, housing, case

15:05 ↗ management, and assistance signing up

15:07 ↗ for p for public benefits.

15:11 ↗ We have our threads of kindness clothing

15:13 ↗ boutique, which is just to the left of

15:15 ↗ that picture that I showed you. Uh when

15:16 ↗ you come into our building, that is uh

15:18 ↗ provided completely from the community.

15:21 ↗ Um, very rarely do we ever have to

15:23 ↗ actually buy anything to add to this

15:25 ↗ space. Um, and it offers free clothing

15:27 ↗ and small household items for anybody

15:29 ↗ housed or unhoused that's in need of

15:31 ↗ those services. Uh, we're also building

15:33 ↗ out kind of a teen section right now.

15:35 ↗ Have a volunteer working on that so that

15:36 ↗ our teens, it's hard enough. We all

15:39 ↗ still remember what it was to be a

15:40 ↗ teenager. It's really hard to do that

15:42 ↗ when you're living in poverty.

15:45 ↗ Uh, we have two different types of

15:47 ↗ sheltering. Our year round program is

15:49 ↗ called shelter to home and that is a

15:51 ↗ 90-day motel-based shelter program. So

15:54 ↗ people come in um and we have the

15:57 ↗ ability to extend their time out if

15:59 ↗ they're actively working with us case

16:01 ↗ management to try to find housing. Um if

16:03 ↗ they kind of come in that space and

16:04 ↗ they're not really ready yet to kind of

16:07 ↗ take advantage of the supportive

16:09 ↗ services, uh we will refer them out to

16:11 ↗ another agency after 90 days and then

16:13 ↗ they can reapply for our services after

16:15 ↗ 6 months. Um, so this helps us to to

16:18 ↗ make sure that those systems um that

16:20 ↗ tend to get bogged down are less bogged

16:22 ↗ down and we can continue to move people

16:24 ↗ through. Um, and I will say something

16:27 ↗ that's not on here. We have an amazing

16:28 ↗ housing uh navigator that uh her rate of

16:32 ↗ housing on any given month is between 70

16:34 ↗ and 80% of our clients are exiting our

16:36 ↗ program and entering home housing

16:39 ↗ directly from our program.

16:41 ↗ She's phenomenal. Um the shelter to home

16:44 ↗ program serves single adults, couples,

16:46 ↗ and families. And on any given night,

16:48 ↗ we're sheltering between 35 to 50

16:50 ↗ people. Um nearly all of our motel, uh

16:53 ↗ we motel in Northbend because the cost

16:56 ↗ is far less expensive. Uh we will uh

16:59 ↗ there are definitely times that we will

17:01 ↗ use is aqua hotels. Uh especially if we

17:03 ↗ have somebody that's fleeing domestic

17:05 ↗ violence, we won't place them in the

17:06 ↗ Motel 6 because that seems like a pretty

17:08 ↗ easy place to find people. Um, but we

17:10 ↗ will find a hotel where it kind of has a

17:12 ↗ lobby and and different security

17:14 ↗ measures for people. And then we have

17:18 ↗ our severe weather shelter which is

17:19 ↗ located in our building in downtown

17:21 ↗ Snowquali. It's the only shelter we do

17:23 ↗ inside of our building. Um, and that is

17:27 ↗ open only during times of extreme cold,

17:29 ↗ heat or smoke events. Like right now

17:31 ↗ we're doing a cooling center during the

17:32 ↗ day there and we have space for up to 15

17:35 ↗ beds when we're doing overnight shelter

17:37 ↗ there.

17:42 ↗ And then uh one of our newest programs

17:44 ↗ uh we just got approval for the name.

17:46 ↗ It's called Resilience Rising and it's a

17:48 ↗ gender-based violence program. So this

17:50 ↗ is a partnership with the Snwami Indian

17:52 ↗ Tribe. Um it serves anyone fleeing

17:55 ↗ domestic violence, dating violence,

17:58 ↗ stalking, human trafficking, um

18:00 ↗ including sex trafficking. A priority is

18:03 ↗ given to indigenous and native females,

18:05 ↗ but we will serve anybody uh male or

18:07 ↗ female that is fleeing um any sort of

18:09 ↗ domestic dating violence or trafficking.

18:12 ↗ Uh this is currently a motel-based

18:14 ↗ program, but we are right in the middle

18:16 ↗ of uh renting a house that the Snwami

18:19 ↗ Indian tribe owns in Snowquami and that

18:22 ↗ will be such a nicer, more confidential,

18:25 ↗ safe space for women and children. It's

18:26 ↗ a three-bedroom, so we'll be able to

18:28 ↗ have up to three families in that space

18:30 ↗ at one time.

18:34 ↗ Uh and then our benefits program. So uh

18:37 ↗ we recently uh made this significant

18:39 ↗ stride. We've talked for years about how

18:42 ↗ unbelievably difficult it is to get

18:43 ↗ people onto social security benefits. Um

18:46 ↗ it is a very long process for any of you

18:48 ↗ that have tried to do that. Um oftent

18:51 ↗ times I think the the rate of uh denial

18:55 ↗ the first time around and applying is

18:57 ↗ over 90%. So, it feels like that system

18:59 ↗ is really built to keep people off of

19:00 ↗ it. Um, but we legitimately have people

19:03 ↗ that are living with disabilities um and

19:05 ↗ they need that that income coming in.

19:08 ↗ So, through a grant uh partially funded

19:10 ↗ from the veteran seniors and human

19:12 ↗ services levy, we were able to hire on a

19:15 ↗ new benefits advocate named Steph um who

19:18 ↗ is working with our clients uh as they

19:20 ↗ come into the front door or the people

19:22 ↗ that are in our motel program uh to get

19:24 ↗ them the benefits that they need.

19:28 ↗ And then this is a program we're

19:29 ↗ building out right now um called Circle

19:32 ↗ of Support. And this is a mentorship

19:34 ↗ program that that supports people for

19:36 ↗ the first six months after they leave us

19:38 ↗ and they transition into housing. Um

19:41 ↗ that that first 6 months can be um

19:45 ↗ really challenging, very exciting, but

19:47 ↗ very lonely, very challenging for our

19:49 ↗ clients, especially people that have

19:50 ↗ been chronically unhoused. transitioning

19:53 ↗ into housing where they don't have

19:55 ↗ access to us all the time anymore. They

19:57 ↗ can't call every time they need

19:58 ↗ something and we can kind of run and get

20:00 ↗ that for them. Um we aren't taking them

20:02 ↗ to their doctor's appointments anymore.

20:04 ↗ Those sort of things. They have to

20:05 ↗ manage their money and their time. Um

20:07 ↗ and so we're hoping that this mentorship

20:09 ↗ program will help assist with program

20:11 ↗ with appointments. Um meet at a farmers

20:15 ↗ market to just do you know social

20:17 ↗ connections. Um, we're hoping to partner

20:19 ↗ veterans with veterans to support them

20:21 ↗ and their needs also. So, we will report

20:24 ↗ back on that one as we get going on it.

20:28 ↗ Um, and then some about our partnership

20:30 ↗ with the city of Stowami. We're so

20:32 ↗ grateful um for your support and you

20:34 ↗ guys are making a massive impact. Um, so

20:37 ↗ currently the funding that you guys

20:39 ↗ provide for us is going to support our

20:41 ↗ front door community service center. And

20:44 ↗ these are just some stats that we pulled

20:46 ↗ together. This is for the first two

20:48 ↗ quarters of this year. Um so uh just

20:52 ↗ kind of I don't need to run through this

20:54 ↗ whole thing, but you can see that um our

20:56 ↗ impact is really large already. And

20:58 ↗ every month we're starting to see more

21:00 ↗ and more momentum. Um so we had almost

21:03 ↗ 330 people come to us for um some sort

21:06 ↗ of navigation whether they needed a

21:08 ↗ referral out somewhere else. They came

21:10 ↗ into our program itself. um they needed

21:14 ↗ access to law services, uh immigration

21:17 ↗ services, whatever that is. We've had

21:19 ↗ that almost 330 touches during that

21:22 ↗ time. Um we have been seeing a lot of

21:25 ↗ people that are struggling to remain

21:27 ↗ housed come through our program. Uh we

21:29 ↗ are actually seeing now people that

21:31 ↗ actually have mortgages, not just our

21:32 ↗ renters, but people that have mortgages

21:34 ↗ that are having a hard time and are

21:35 ↗ coming to see us. So, we're able to help

21:38 ↗ them with uh gift cards, with helping

21:41 ↗ them to get on the Lihe program, which

21:43 ↗ is a free um assistance with their um

21:46 ↗ energy bills. Uh we're able to help with

21:48 ↗ laundry services to reduce down those

21:50 ↗ costs. They can come and get emergency

21:51 ↗ food, um shop for clothes, things like

21:54 ↗ that. Um

21:57 ↗ we also on the far right you will see at

22:00 ↗ the bottom there um almost 420 people

22:03 ↗ experiencing homelessness that came to

22:05 ↗ us during this time. 47 people uh facing

22:09 ↗ eviction. Um and then quite a few 71

22:12 ↗ people that were needing like clothing

22:13 ↗ and hygiene supplies. Uh and if you can

22:16 ↗ see on the left at the bottom 100

22:18 ↗ survivors of gender-based violence

22:20 ↗ during two quarters of the year. that's

22:24 ↗ substantial.

22:26 ↗ Um, and then for more in-depth

22:28 ↗ information, if you're interested, you

22:29 ↗ can go on to our website. You can either

22:31 ↗ go to the who we serve tab and that will

22:34 ↗ have our 2024 impact report. Um, or if

22:37 ↗ you go to our financial overview tab, it

22:39 ↗ has our 2025 case for support. So, feel

22:42 ↗ free, you can download the information

22:43 ↗ right from that website. Um, and you can

22:47 ↗ let me know if you have any questions.

22:51 ↗ And then how you can support our work uh

22:54 ↗ continue um our funding partnership is

22:56 ↗ is just amazing. We we serve quite a few

22:59 ↗ people. I don't have numbers tonight,

23:00 ↗ but quite a few quite a few people from

23:01 ↗ isqua. It's very common for us to see

23:03 ↗ your outreach workers to see air and

23:06 ↗ their team. Um uh they bring us a lot of

23:08 ↗ people during severe weather uh

23:10 ↗ specifically in the wintertime more. Um

23:13 ↗ and so that continued partnership is is

23:15 ↗ really needed and really appreciated.

23:17 ↗ Um, I'd love to set up a time for you

23:19 ↗ guys to come and tour our facility if

23:21 ↗ you're interested in doing that. Um, on

23:23 ↗ our volunteer tab on our website, we

23:25 ↗ have lots of uh information about

23:27 ↗ different volunteer engagement

23:28 ↗ opportunities. Uh, we welcome in kind

23:32 ↗ donations of clothing, hygiene items,

23:34 ↗ um, foods that are non-p perishable. Um,

23:38 ↗ and then just policy support around um,

23:41 ↗ you know, continue those affordable

23:42 ↗ housing initiatives. Um, if you guys are

23:45 ↗ ever interested in talking about day

23:46 ↗ center or shelter in Isaacqua, I'm I'm

23:49 ↗ 110% available to you if that's a

23:51 ↗ direction you guys are going in at some

23:53 ↗ point. And then just making sure zoning

23:55 ↗ is available um like you guys already do

23:58 ↗ to just make sure that we can continue

23:59 ↗ this work.

24:02 ↗ Um, and then we have a couple of events

24:04 ↗ on Saturday, September 27th, we have our

24:06 ↗ uh largest fundraiser of the year, our

24:08 ↗ main fundraiser. Um, and we I'm happy to

24:11 ↗ send this Hannah's way once we we will

24:14 ↗ open up registration um either the end

24:16 ↗ of this week or early next week. Um, and

24:18 ↗ we'd love to have you guys join us. It's

24:20 ↗ a SI view community center in Northbend.

24:23 ↗ And then at that same location on

24:25 ↗ November 15th, we're going to be holding

24:26 ↗ a poverty immersion experience. So

24:28 ↗ that's a place where um people will come

24:31 ↗ into us and they're kind of given a

24:33 ↗ person to be for the next couple of

24:35 ↗ hours and they see different service

24:36 ↗ providers in that room. they're awarded

24:40 ↗ kind of given certain resources

24:43 ↗ um as they're navigating through um and

24:45 ↗ they hit barrier after barrier after

24:47 ↗ barrier during that time. So, it just

24:49 ↗ helps to build empathy

24:52 ↗ um and start to understand what it is to

24:54 ↗ live in deep poverty when there's not a

24:56 ↗ lot of safety nets um involved.

25:01 ↗ Um and then just gratitude to you guys,

25:03 ↗ to your mayor, to your council, to this

25:05 ↗ commission here, to all of your staff.

25:07 ↗ um some information on how to contact

25:09 ↗ us. Uh that's our main phone number. And

25:12 ↗ then my email is is on there too if you

25:14 ↗ want to contact me directly. Um and then

25:18 ↗ let's continue to empower our neighbors

25:20 ↗ uh to build stability, opportunity, and

25:21 ↗ connection, which is our tagline for our

25:25 ↗ uh for our logo. So, and I will happily

25:30 ↗ take questions from you guys.

25:35 ↗ >> Um yeah. Um, thank you. That was great.

25:39 ↗ Um, what is your service area?

25:43 ↗ >> Uh, so we serve all of Snowqualami

25:44 ↗ Valley. So from Northbend up on the pass

25:48 ↗ all the way through Duvall. Um, people

25:50 ↗ from Monroe every once in a while will

25:52 ↗ come to us. Um, we serve um is all

25:55 ↗ Isiqua residents. Um, and then we will

25:58 ↗ we will serve anybody that comes to us,

26:00 ↗ but we're contracted with Isakiqua.

26:01 ↗ We're contracted with Belleview um to

26:03 ↗ provide services. Um, and then

26:07 ↗ So, you service residents from

26:09 ↗ Belleview?

26:10 ↗ >> We do. We don't see a ton of people come

26:12 ↗ from Belleview. Um, it depends on that

26:14 ↗ time of the year. Um, during wintertime,

26:18 ↗ we don't see nearly as many people

26:19 ↗ because it's harder to travel out there.

26:21 ↗ Uh, but we serve quite a few people from

26:22 ↗ Isqua.

26:24 ↗ >> Yeah. Okay. And then, um, I wanted to

26:27 ↗ make sure you don't do actual rental

26:30 ↗ assistance, right? No, we don't do uh

26:33 ↗ rental assistance, but we are always

26:35 ↗ looking for funding sources for that.

26:37 ↗ So, our grant writer is always trying to

26:39 ↗ keep um information kind of accurate to

26:42 ↗ to be able to do that at some point in

26:44 ↗ time. So, we will we will put them in in

26:47 ↗ contact with other agencies or churches

26:50 ↗ that do rental assistance.

26:51 ↗ >> You would like to be able to do that

26:53 ↗ eventually.

26:54 ↗ >> Absolutely.

26:56 ↗ >> We we had a for the longest time we had

26:58 ↗ a a nonprofit that worked out of a

27:00 ↗ church in downtown St. called Helping

27:01 ↗ Hands. Um, and they handled all of the

27:04 ↗ rental assistance and we handled the

27:05 ↗ sheltering part of all of that. Um, and

27:08 ↗ they've they've gone a different

27:10 ↗ direction and so there really isn't um,

27:12 ↗ much rental assistance available in our

27:14 ↗ area right now.

27:16 ↗ >> Yeah. And then one last question, how

27:18 ↗ many staff members in your organization?

27:20 ↗ >> Uh, we currently have nine. We are

27:22 ↗ hiring right now for a volunteer

27:24 ↗ coordinator. Um, and then we'll land at

27:27 ↗ 10 for for some time. I think we'll

27:29 ↗ probably be at 10 for a while.

27:31 ↗ >> Yeah.

27:32 ↗ >> Yeah. And Tissa and I, Tissa is our

27:34 ↗ operations manager or operations

27:35 ↗ director. She and I are co-founders

27:38 ↗ um with quite a few other people that

27:40 ↗ were involved at the time. So, she and I

27:42 ↗ this is kind of our baby. We've been

27:43 ↗ involved. You you think about when

27:45 ↗ you're, you know, every ounce of the

27:47 ↗ life that your children have lived,

27:48 ↗ right? That's how we feel about this

27:50 ↗ agency because we've been around since

27:51 ↗ day one.

27:53 ↗ >> Yeah.

27:54 ↗ >> Well, I know you do good work and it

27:55 ↗ sounds like you're really growing. Yeah,

27:57 ↗ we are.

28:00 ↗ >> Yeah.

28:01 ↗ >> Yeah. And you know, every day we're

28:02 ↗ still turning people away

28:04 ↗ >> every single day. Oh, yeah.

28:06 ↗ >> Yeah. Yeah.

28:08 ↗ >> And can we have a copy of her deck and

28:10 ↗ then I'll shut up.

28:12 ↗ >> Yeah. I'll send it over to you. Yeah.

28:14 ↗ >> Wonderful. Thank you.

28:16 ↗ >> Did you Can we have a copy of your

28:17 ↗ PowerPoint?

28:18 ↗ >> Sure.

28:20 ↗ >> Yep. I'll email it to you.

28:22 ↗ >> Yep. Happy to send it off to everybody.

28:23 ↗ >> Okay. Yeah.

28:25 ↗ >> And Jennifer. Um, great presentation.

28:27 ↗ Thank you. Um, tell me about the meaning

28:31 ↗ and the background of the name itself.

28:34 ↗ >> Uh, Reclaim.

28:35 ↗ >> Yes.

28:36 ↗ >> Yeah. You know, we um, one of our board

28:39 ↗ members did our rebrand. He's in

28:40 ↗ marketing and, uh, when we all kind of

28:42 ↗ got together to talk about a name, he

28:44 ↗ threw, it was funny because we met

28:45 ↗ probably six different times and day

28:47 ↗ one, first five minutes out, he threw

28:49 ↗ out the name reclaim and we were all

28:50 ↗ like,

28:52 ↗ I don't know. And then he threw it out

28:55 ↗ again like meeting four or five and all

28:58 ↗ of us said yes that's the name like we'd

29:01 ↗ never heard it before. Um and really for

29:03 ↗ us it was

29:06 ↗ more than anything it was about helping

29:07 ↗ people reclaim their lives um their

29:09 ↗ existence in the world. Um because

29:11 ↗ historically we have served um very

29:14 ↗ chronically homeless folks. Um we don't

29:18 ↗ just serve chronically unhoused folks

29:20 ↗ anymore. We serve anybody and everybody.

29:22 ↗ Um, but watching watching somebody that

29:27 ↗ has lived outdoors for so long. Um, some

29:31 ↗ people it's almost it's almost like they

29:33 ↗ become feral living out there um without

29:35 ↗ other people and just in this constant

29:37 ↗ state of survival. Um, and to watch what

29:41 ↗ happens when they come into our program

29:42 ↗ and they walk through that and they

29:44 ↗ start to reclaim their life is really

29:46 ↗ where that name came from. Um, but then

29:49 ↗ we also felt like it kind of, you know,

29:51 ↗ this is a logging area and we talked

29:53 ↗ about reclaimed wood and and how it kind

29:55 ↗ of represents our environment out here

29:58 ↗ too. So,

30:00 ↗ >> great. Now, um, you started in 2012. Um,

30:06 ↗ how's your numbers growth been?

30:10 ↗ >> Um,

30:12 ↗ we have grown exponentially.

30:16 ↗ um from the time we were just uh using

30:18 ↗ churches before um and they were so

30:20 ↗ gracious with us, we would just move

30:22 ↗ kind of from location to location. And

30:24 ↗ at the time when we opened that shelter,

30:26 ↗ it was specifically uh very low barrier,

30:29 ↗ which means that we we wanted to be able

30:31 ↗ to serve anybody and everybody that

30:33 ↗ needed those services regardless of

30:34 ↗ whether they were struggling with

30:36 ↗ addiction, untreated mental health

30:38 ↗ issues. As long as they were able to be

30:40 ↗ safe and we were able to be safe in that

30:43 ↗ space with them, we had them come

30:45 ↗ indoors.

30:47 ↗ We have we will still always serve

30:49 ↗ people that are chronically homeless,

30:50 ↗ but we've kind of served them all at

30:53 ↗ this point in time after 13 years.

30:57 ↗ They've received all of those services,

30:59 ↗ right? And so we've expanded out and

31:01 ↗ started doing the prevention side and

31:04 ↗ all of that. So, we over the course of

31:06 ↗ the 13 years, we've served uh for

31:09 ↗ shelter alone over a thousand people

31:11 ↗ throughout our program. Um, but now

31:13 ↗ we're expanding out to serve people to

31:16 ↗ just try to keep them housed in general,

31:18 ↗ too. So, we're just growing constantly.

31:22 ↗ >> Thank you.

31:23 ↗ >> Yeah.

31:26 ↗ >> Um, oh, sorry.

31:28 ↗ >> Hey, Jen, what prompted the circle of

31:31 ↗ support program?

31:33 ↗ Yeah, I um I do this um I call it gather

31:37 ↗ and grow. And what I do every quarter is

31:39 ↗ I bring together a really small group of

31:41 ↗ kind of long-term supporters that aren't

31:44 ↗ on our board or aren't on another

31:46 ↗ committee, aren't really plugged in, and

31:49 ↗ we kind of spend some time behind the

31:51 ↗ scenes talking about some challenges

31:53 ↗ that we have. Um, and that was where

31:56 ↗ this it kind of birthed this idea for

31:58 ↗ the circle of support because we talked

32:00 ↗ about um that that first six months,

32:05 ↗ likely more time, but we don't really

32:07 ↗ have the bandwidth to kind of stay with

32:08 ↗ somebody longer than 6 months right now.

32:10 ↗ Um, how scary that can be for people.

32:13 ↗ And there are times that you will see

32:16 ↗ people

32:17 ↗ that have been let down so many times

32:19 ↗ and now this amazing thing's happening

32:21 ↗ where they're getting housing and you'll

32:23 ↗ watch them almost self-sabotage it

32:25 ↗ because they expect that it's going to

32:27 ↗ go away because everything always goes

32:29 ↗ away, right? Um and so really helping to

32:32 ↗ support them to make sure that that's

32:33 ↗ not happening. Um that's kind of where

32:35 ↗ that idea came from is doing that deeper

32:38 ↗ dive um into ensuring that people

32:40 ↗ actually stay housed once they're

32:42 ↗ housed.

32:44 ↗ How's that transition going? Uh,

32:46 ↗ >> it's good. The circle of support

32:48 ↗ program, we have not started yet. We're

32:49 ↗ still building that program out, but we

32:51 ↗ have a lot of volunteers that are really

32:53 ↗ interested in doing that. Um, so we

32:55 ↗ should have we should have all of our

32:57 ↗ programming and be ready to um start

33:00 ↗ training people. Everything should be

33:01 ↗ ready within the next couple of weeks.

33:04 ↗ >> So, I think it'll be a really great

33:06 ↗ program. We'll learn a lot. We'll shift.

33:08 ↗ We'll, you know, we'll start out a one

33:09 ↗ way and certain things will work and

33:11 ↗ certain things won't. So, we'll adjust

33:12 ↗ and we'll do what we always do and kind

33:15 ↗ of keep the good and replace the stuff

33:18 ↗ that's not going so great.

33:20 ↗ >> No, it's a lot.

33:21 ↗ >> Very exciting.

33:23 ↗ >> Yeah. Thanks. And we'll do a lot of

33:24 ↗ training around boundaries. Um because

33:26 ↗ that mentorship um you know people can

33:29 ↗ become kind of close in that space. Um

33:31 ↗ and just making sure that it remains a

33:33 ↗ mentorship program and not a friendship

33:35 ↗ program that kind of those those

33:37 ↗ professional boundaries kind of stay

33:39 ↗ there.

33:43 ↗ Jen, I have a a two-parter question.

33:46 ↗ Yeah,

33:47 ↗ >> thank you for the wonderful

33:48 ↗ presentation. Um, the first question is

33:50 ↗ uh you with community based

33:52 ↗ organizations like yours given what's

33:55 ↗ going on at the national level that's

33:57 ↗ impacting local level uh

34:00 ↗ >> support

34:02 ↗ is are you struggling with that? Is it

34:03 ↗ being is it more challenging for you to

34:06 ↗ keep your lights on and and provide the

34:08 ↗ support you do? Have you had to change

34:09 ↗ your strategy because of what's going on

34:12 ↗ um at a national and this impacted local

34:13 ↗ levels? That's question number one.

34:15 ↗ >> Okay. Um we we are lucky in the fact

34:21 ↗ that we do not have very much federal

34:23 ↗ funding that comes to our agency and by

34:26 ↗ the time all of this kind of hit we had

34:28 ↗ some ARPA money that we had all kind of

34:30 ↗ build out already. Um and so we had kind

34:32 ↗ of received that funding. The largest uh

34:35 ↗ pocket of federal funding that we are a

34:39 ↗ beneficiary of is that gender-based

34:42 ↗ violence program with the Snowqualami

34:44 ↗ tribe. I was very concerned about that

34:46 ↗ program because it's the it's department

34:48 ↗ of justice office of violence against

34:50 ↗ women and um I don't know if you

34:53 ↗ remember back in probably right at in

34:55 ↗ January um maybe early February the

34:59 ↗ applications for that were completely

35:01 ↗ pulled. anybody that was in the middle

35:02 ↗ of applying for those funds, it was

35:04 ↗ halted completely.

35:06 ↗ >> The tribe had already been awarded that

35:08 ↗ funding the year before. Um, but I was

35:11 ↗ still nervous that every So, what

35:13 ↗ happens is we have our costs, we bill

35:15 ↗ out the tribe, then the tribe bills the

35:17 ↗ DOJ, then the DOJ pays, then the money

35:20 ↗ gets distributed out to us and whoever

35:22 ↗ else is contracted to serve. Um, I was

35:25 ↗ really concerned that we would go to

35:26 ↗ pull down that money one month and it's

35:28 ↗ all reimburseable only. So, we were all

35:30 ↗ already spend that money and that that

35:32 ↗ money would not be available. Um, I

35:34 ↗ don't feel that way anymore because

35:36 ↗ we've met with the tribe and there are I

35:38 ↗ I did not know this, but there are

35:40 ↗ congressional holdouts for tribal

35:43 ↗ organizations that I was not aware of as

35:45 ↗ a white person. Um, and that is a law.

35:49 ↗ And so those those

35:51 ↗ the money for the DOJ money is very

35:54 ↗ secure if it sits in a contract with a

35:56 ↗ tribe. and they feel like not only will

35:59 ↗ that continue on, but we actually may be

36:01 ↗ able to receive more money for that

36:03 ↗ program as long as it runs through the

36:04 ↗ tribe first.

36:06 ↗ >> Okay.

36:06 ↗ >> So, but we do have uh contingency plans.

36:09 ↗ We built all of that out in January and

36:11 ↗ February. Um we have policies now around

36:15 ↗ uh what staff does if um ICE comes to

36:17 ↗ our building. Um we have an intercom

36:21 ↗ entry system into our building now. So,

36:23 ↗ you have to actually push a button and

36:25 ↗ be let into our building. Um, we had

36:27 ↗ already planned to do that for security,

36:29 ↗ but we bumped that up when we were

36:31 ↗ concerned about ICE coming to our

36:32 ↗ building. Um, so we we will work with

36:36 ↗ them if there's a judicial warrant. Um,

36:39 ↗ of course, but

36:41 ↗ >> that's

36:42 ↗ >> what other questions you got. Did that

36:43 ↗ answer your question?

36:45 ↗ >> It did. Details. Um, so question number

36:48 ↗ two is, so with it sounds like federal

36:51 ↗ funding is pretty safe, but there's also

36:53 ↗ local Medicaid dollars that are being

36:56 ↗ impacted by changes slowly trickling

36:58 ↗ down to local communities like ours.

37:00 ↗ >> Um, I don't know what that looks like in

37:03 ↗ the coming year or coming years. Um, but

37:07 ↗ it So do you ever So here I'll give you

37:10 ↗ a scenario. a a an uh

37:15 ↗ somebody walks in was brought to the ER

37:18 ↗ at Swedish Isiqua by the Isiqua Police

37:21 ↗ Department and that and when they when

37:24 ↗ they took this individual, they said

37:26 ↗ that we're looking for what do we do

37:28 ↗ with this individual after they've been

37:29 ↗ sitting there for a while? Have there

37:31 ↗ ever been referrals to you, not only by

37:33 ↗ the hospital, but other healthc care

37:35 ↗ providers who might receive funding

37:37 ↗ through Medicare or Medicaid that have

37:39 ↗ entered your doors because of a referral

37:41 ↗ that came through that route?

37:43 ↗ >> Many times, many times we receive, we

37:46 ↗ actually have a special questionnaire

37:48 ↗ that we use for hospital staff um or

37:52 ↗ outreach staff from different cities

37:53 ↗ that are calling us. Um the crisis

37:56 ↗ clinic will call us sometimes. Um so we

37:58 ↗ do receive many calls um from Swedish

38:01 ↗ from Snowqualami Valley Hospital out

38:03 ↗ here um because they're trying to exit

38:06 ↗ somebody and they literally have nowhere

38:07 ↗ to go and they don't want to just put

38:09 ↗ them out on the street. So that's very

38:11 ↗ common. Um we are concerned uh we don't

38:14 ↗ know what it will look like yet. Um,

38:16 ↗ we're really talking about uh really

38:18 ↗ trying to beef up our volunteer program

38:21 ↗ in case we need to depend on volunteers

38:23 ↗ more and more as 2026 hits and 2027 when

38:26 ↗ all of that federal all of that starts

38:29 ↗ trickling down, right? Um, and I think

38:31 ↗ that's when we're really going to see

38:32 ↗ that. Um

38:36 ↗ the I just learned recently that part of

38:39 ↗ that uh bill basically cut funding for

38:43 ↗ Mckin Vento which is an act um that uh

38:48 ↗ protects it's in schools. Basically they

38:50 ↗ have counselors that that are Mckin

38:52 ↗ Vento counselors and it protects

38:54 ↗ children that are experiencing

38:55 ↗ homelessness. Um, and so it makes sure

38:57 ↗ that there's transportation to get into

38:59 ↗ and from school, that they have all the

39:00 ↗ school supplies that they need, that

39:01 ↗ they have the support that they need,

39:03 ↗ the food, all of the things that they

39:04 ↗ need to be able to learn. Um, and so

39:08 ↗ from my standpoint, that's that's just

39:10 ↗ it's heartbreaking. Um because how in

39:13 ↗ the world do we stop perpetuating

39:16 ↗ chronic and generational homelessness

39:19 ↗ without education,

39:21 ↗ you know, without educating our kids and

39:23 ↗ giving them an opportunity to escape

39:25 ↗ that poverty. Um if that's not

39:27 ↗ available, it will just continue on and

39:29 ↗ then they will have children into that

39:31 ↗ poverty system. Right. So

39:34 ↗ yeah,

39:40 ↗ >> they should have run for the uh

39:44 ↗ federal secretary job.

39:48 ↗ >> There you go.

39:51 ↗ >> Got my vote.

39:54 ↗ >> Are you talking about me?

39:56 ↗ >> Yeah.

39:57 ↗ >> Oh, that's funny. I'm a snowclami

39:58 ↗ resident. Sorry.

40:03 ↗ Jennifer, do you have um a behavioral

40:05 ↗ health specialist on staff?

40:08 ↗ >> No, we do not. And um I'm sure that you

40:12 ↗ guys are well aware that our police

40:14 ↗ department has gone through a lot of

40:15 ↗ changes out here in Snowquami as of

40:17 ↗ recently. Um and uh we lost our

40:21 ↗ behavioral health specialist that was

40:23 ↗ contracted with the city of Snowquami.

40:25 ↗ She had gone on maternity leave, but

40:27 ↗ then she didn't return. Um,

40:31 ↗ and uh, that was really unfortunate cuz

40:34 ↗ we needed we needed her. She worked with

40:36 ↗ all of the first responders and she had

40:38 ↗ gotten to know kind of those frequent

40:41 ↗ flyers that are needing those emergency

40:43 ↗ services, right, around mental health.

40:45 ↗ Um, and that was really unfortunate. So,

40:48 ↗ no, we do not have anybody out here and

40:50 ↗ it is desperately needed.

40:53 ↗ >> Okay. And you guys, you know, I'm really

40:54 ↗ bad with the boundaries. You're not

40:56 ↗ covered by East Side Fire and Rescue,

40:58 ↗ right? You have your

40:59 ↗ >> No, we have our own fire department

41:01 ↗ here, Snowqualami. Um although um if

41:04 ↗ it's outside of um so so one of the

41:08 ↗ hotels that we use motel that we use in

41:10 ↗ Northbend, it's east enough to where it

41:13 ↗ doesn't fall it is East Side Fire. Um so

41:16 ↗ our facility itself is Nocomi.

41:20 ↗ >> Thanks.

41:21 ↗ >> Yeah,

41:24 ↗ >> great questions, Commissioner.

41:26 ↗ Well, I'll wrap us up by just saying

41:28 ↗ thank you, Jen. Reclaim has been such a

41:32 ↗ pivotal piece for our services. We've

41:35 ↗ really relied on this partnership as you

41:37 ↗ mentioned a few times, but I just want

41:38 ↗ to share my gratitude for your staff.

41:41 ↗ Like you said, those numbers are quite

41:43 ↗ incredible. Um, very profound and just

41:46 ↗ shows the dedication. I mean, I look at

41:48 ↗ this the numbers that you provided and

41:51 ↗ knowing that you're only a staff of nine

41:53 ↗ currently. I mean, it's very impressive.

41:55 ↗ So, thank you for the hard work boots on

41:58 ↗ the ground and uh making this community

42:01 ↗ better and improving lives. It really

42:03 ↗ makes a difference. So, we really love

42:06 ↗ working with you all. So, thank you.

42:08 ↗ >> Well, right back at you. Yeah. Thank you

42:11 ↗ so much for your partnership and we love

42:13 ↗ working with Hannah.

42:14 ↗ >> You're awesome.

42:16 ↗ >> Yes. Thank you.

42:18 ↗ >> All right, Jen, we'll wrap up. Um, you

42:21 ↗ are welcome. We have just some boring

42:23 ↗ human services, so you're welcome to pop

42:26 ↗ off. But we appreciate your time this

42:27 ↗ evening.

42:28 ↗ >> Yeah, of course. I hope Aston's feeling

42:30 ↗ better.

42:30 ↗ >> I was sorry to hear that he wasn't

42:32 ↗ feeling well. So, and I'll get the uh

42:34 ↗ deck over to you guys so that you have

42:35 ↗ that for your for your records. So, let

42:38 ↗ me

42:39 ↗ >> if you guys have any questions, take

42:41 ↗ care.

42:42 ↗ >> We'll be in touch. Thanks, Jane.

42:49 ↗ very impressive growth that they've had

42:51 ↗ and numbers. So, no kidding.

42:53 ↗ >> Yeah. Glad we were able to learn a lot

42:54 ↗ more. And I remember visiting them when

42:57 ↗ they had this beautiful house, like an

42:59 ↗ old snowcoming house where they really

43:01 ↗ did a beautiful job transforming it into

43:03 ↗ just these very suitable, I mean, for a

43:06 ↗ shelter, very suitable private cubbies

43:08 ↗ where people had a bed and dresser and

43:11 ↗ closet uh where they really they had

43:14 ↗ chores. They had a big communal kitchen.

43:17 ↗ Um, and it was just a very homey feeling

43:18 ↗ and people didn't want to leave there.

43:20 ↗ They just loved staying in that shelter

43:21 ↗ and felt safe and um, so that was so

43:25 ↗ that was before their purchase. Um, so

43:28 ↗ it's great to see kind of their new and

43:30 ↗ improved location.

43:32 ↗ >> Well, I know the lease the lease ran

43:34 ↗ out.

43:35 ↗ >> Yeah. And so I'm really glad to hear I

43:37 ↗ mean it sounds like things are bigger

43:39 ↗ and better now because I thought

43:41 ↗ >> when they lease ran out

43:44 ↗ >> but I think it ran out during co or

43:45 ↗ something but things were kind of

43:46 ↗ falling apart.

43:48 ↗ >> Yeah.

43:48 ↗ >> And it sounds like they've really picked

43:49 ↗ themselves off.

43:50 ↗ >> Yeah. And and I think the biggest thing

43:52 ↗ is we really utilized and originally um

43:54 ↗ during co we utilized our services as a

43:57 ↗ shelter. We saw reclaiming back then so

43:59 ↗ called valley shelter services. It was

44:01 ↗ truly just shelter services. We referred

44:04 ↗ many of our unhoused um Isla residents

44:07 ↗ um to shelter there um for long or short

44:10 ↗ periods of time. And when they lost the

44:12 ↗ lease, it was really like, okay, what

44:14 ↗ does Reclaim do if you're not shelter

44:16 ↗ anymore? And so the rebrand and the re

44:19 ↗ uh the building and like the services

44:21 ↗ that they provide are just as important

44:23 ↗ as sheltering. And they do shelter. It's

44:25 ↗ just in a kind of more unique way.

44:27 ↗ >> And the motel. Yeah.

44:29 ↗ >> Yeah. which, you know, we've learned our

44:31 ↗ own house population would much rather

44:34 ↗ have a private room um with a shower

44:38 ↗ right there.

44:39 ↗ >> Um and so it gives them better living

44:41 ↗ quarters um as an option. So

44:46 ↗ >> yeah, very impressive. So I'm glad we

44:48 ↗ were able to learn more about them.

44:49 ↗ >> That's great.

44:50 ↗ >> And if anybody gets a chance to go out

44:52 ↗ there, they'd be one saying hi. So

44:54 ↗ they'd love to see y'all.

44:57 ↗ >> All right. Well, that concludes that.

44:58 ↗ It's a tough transition from this great

45:00 ↗ work onto

45:03 ↗ going back to the election of the chair

45:05 ↗ and vice chair.

45:07 ↗ >> It won't be this long.

45:10 ↗ >> All right. All right. Otherwise, you

45:12 ↗ guys just You're not going to open your

45:13 ↗ mouth. Okay. Are you guys willing to

45:15 ↗ stay on in leadership roles?

45:17 ↗ >> What does that mean? For how long? We'll

45:19 ↗ talk

45:20 ↗ >> a year. Every year we do it both.

45:22 ↗ >> I I mean date wise

45:24 ↗ >> May to um April. So started this

45:27 ↗ technically was we were going to do this

45:29 ↗ in May and then we were going to do it

45:30 ↗ in June.

45:31 ↗ >> Okay.

45:32 ↗ >> That's what's throwing me off.

45:33 ↗ >> Yeah. So it's it's not like the year.

45:34 ↗ >> So you get credit for time served

45:39 ↗ >> again.

45:40 ↗ So term So chair and vice chair term

45:43 ↗ typically goes from May to April. So

45:45 ↗ when the new commissioners come on in

45:47 ↗ May, we usually end up voting either in

45:50 ↗ May or June. We just got a little bit

45:53 ↗ delayed.

45:54 ↗ >> And I know you've said you're not

45:55 ↗ interested. I'm not.

45:56 ↗ >> Okay. And I'm not going to point to you

45:59 ↗ guys because you guys are new. I figure

46:00 ↗ you want at least a year.

46:02 ↗ >> Yeah. Yeah.

46:03 ↗ >> Well, see who's not here that we could

46:04 ↗ nominate.

46:05 ↗ >> That's true.

46:06 ↗ >> That's how Danny got nominated.

46:10 ↗ >> Yes.

46:11 ↗ >> I'm I'm willing to say it's vice chair.

46:14 ↗ That's

46:14 ↗ >> okay. What about chair?

46:17 ↗ >> No. Okay. Well, that that was easy.

46:21 ↗ >> No, I'm just uh

46:23 ↗ >> That's okay. You don't have to explain

46:25 ↗ anything. Are you willing to stay on his

46:27 ↗ chair?

46:29 ↗ >> I think for one more one more year. Um I

46:31 ↗ attended the training yesterday with

46:32 ↗ Mayor Paulie and uh you know it's

46:35 ↗ definitely a huge responsibility and we

46:37 ↗ have a few new members and want to make

46:39 ↗ sure that we can kind of uh keep growing

46:41 ↗ our folks. Um so I am interested one

46:44 ↗ more year. I think what I heard was I

46:46 ↗ noted it down May.

46:53 ↗ >> Yes. Um,

46:54 ↗ >> okay. I think we have a slate.

46:57 ↗ >> What about you, Trish?

46:58 ↗ >> What about you?

46:59 ↗ >> I've already done it.

47:00 ↗ >> Okay.

47:01 ↗ >> I've already done it.

47:03 ↗ >> Um, I think we have a slate.

47:06 ↗ >> Well, I'm going to I'm going to follow

47:07 ↗ the script that I got here from Hannah

47:09 ↗ here.

47:10 ↗ >> You have to do proper

47:12 ↗ action item.

47:13 ↗ >> So, let me go. The the following process

47:15 ↗ will be used. Um, first I will call for

47:17 ↗ nominations.

47:21 ↗ So I nominate Manny as vice chair and

47:25 ↗ Himeay as chair

47:28 ↗ or do I have to say I move that we

47:30 ↗ nominate and someone has to second it or

47:33 ↗ >> I think it would be is there a unanimous

47:35 ↗ consent from the group of uh vice chair

47:38 ↗ with Manny and myself as chair thumbs up

47:47 ↗ for you. We got

47:49 ↗ >> we don't

47:51 ↗ >> so I think from what I understand and

47:53 ↗ keeping to make sure I follow spirit it

47:55 ↗ would be we would do the chair first and

47:57 ↗ the vice chair and then what I'm hearing

47:59 ↗ is there's unanimous with the vice chair

48:01 ↗ of Manny Brown being the vice chair.

48:04 ↗ >> Yes.

48:04 ↗ >> Yes. Okay. I'm going to go ahead with

48:07 ↗ the chair is a unanimous consent with

48:11 ↗ myself being the chair with

48:14 ↗ All right. Um, well, first of all, say

48:17 ↗ congratulations to the group.

48:21 ↗ >> I want to make sure I'm clean on this

48:22 ↗ though.

48:24 ↗ >> What's he reading?

48:25 ↗ >> Script script.

48:27 ↗ >> The script I was given, but I want to

48:28 ↗ make sure because it is something it is

48:30 ↗ a responsibility. You know, I want to

48:31 ↗ make sure it is uh I'll give you an

48:34 ↗ example of, you know, doing the

48:35 ↗ interviews with Manny, myself, and

48:37 ↗ Hannah, making sure we're,

48:39 ↗ >> you know, leading with our mission,

48:41 ↗ vision, values. something that we do do

48:43 ↗ take in heart specifically, we just had

48:45 ↗ a speaker come from the housing

48:48 ↗ situation is that when we go into the

48:50 ↗ grant circumstances, um those other

48:53 ↗ decisions that you know, you're all

48:54 ↗ selected for a reason and it's to make

48:56 ↗ the best for our residents of Isqua. So,

48:58 ↗ it is um

49:00 ↗ >> it is a responsibility. I know.

49:02 ↗ >> No, no, no, no. I get you. I get your

49:04 ↗ >> giving me a haircut.

49:05 ↗ >> No, no, no, no. I and I appreciate that,

49:06 ↗ Trish. You actually really mentored me.

49:09 ↗ Um, but I want to make sure that we have

49:11 ↗ unanimous consent and we can kind of

49:13 ↗ move forward that way and we'll revisit

49:16 ↗ this again next year.

49:17 ↗ >> Next year and we'll see how we feel.

49:19 ↗ >> Okay.

49:20 ↗ >> And just sorry I wasn't able to join for

49:23 ↗ the uh

49:25 ↗ um presentation you gave. Was that the

49:28 ↗ uh one with Mayor Paulie?

49:32 ↗ >> What what are you talking about?

49:34 ↗ >> That was city clerk. City clerisha.

49:38 ↗ Tissues.

49:39 ↗ >> I know this. Yak.

49:42 ↗ >> I know. I know. We're confused.

49:46 ↗ >> Yeah. No. No. I get confused on the

49:47 ↗ names too sometimes. I understand.

49:49 ↗ >> Yeah. It happens to all of us. But yes.

49:52 ↗ Um. Great.

49:53 ↗ >> All right. So, what I'm hearing then,

49:55 ↗ vice chair, chair have been um with

49:57 ↗ unanimous consent um and made April 226.

50:02 ↗ Right.

50:03 ↗ >> Yeah. and Manny and Hi, I just want to

50:04 ↗ say I've really enjoyed this last year

50:06 ↗ working with you both and the time and

50:07 ↗ commitment that you have made for this

50:09 ↗ commission and for me personally and for

50:11 ↗ human services in our community. It's

50:13 ↗ been a pleasure working with you and I

50:15 ↗ look forward to another year of you both

50:17 ↗ in this role and

50:19 ↗ >> yay

50:20 ↗ >> enjoying um kind of the next um year of

50:24 ↗ our work. So, thank you both.

50:26 ↗ >> Nine months

50:29 ↗ >> down.

50:32 ↗ Thank you.

50:34 ↗ >> Thank you so much. Thank you all from

50:35 ↗ the group. Um we're going to go forward

50:38 ↗ to reports. Um I have chair and

50:42 ↗ commissioner reports. Um I would just

50:44 ↗ check with other commissioners, see if

50:46 ↗ they have reports they want to kind of

50:48 ↗ bring to the table.

50:50 ↗ >> I I actually do.

50:51 ↗ >> Yeah.

50:52 ↗ >> Yeah. I visited with Alicia Spinner.

50:55 ↗ Okay.

50:55 ↗ >> She's the executive director at the

50:57 ↗ Circle. Um it was a couple weeks ago. We

51:00 ↗ met for about I want to say an hour and

51:03 ↗ a half and um I just thought you all

51:06 ↗ might be interested. You all know the

51:09 ↗ circle.

51:09 ↗ >> Yeah, we did a presentation recently.

51:11 ↗ >> I'm thinking of the new people. Yeah.

51:12 ↗ >> Okay.

51:13 ↗ >> Um and um she was very focused on

51:16 ↗ telling me about the situation with um

51:20 ↗ the um people that are being detained

51:23 ↗ >> and um that population. and she said

51:27 ↗ that uh they currently have nine people

51:32 ↗ from Isiqua

51:34 ↗ that were taken by ICE down to the

51:37 ↗ detention center in Tacoma

51:39 ↗ and um she makes it a point to go down

51:43 ↗ there once a week. Oh, am I repeating?

51:46 ↗ You probably already

51:46 ↗ >> No, please. No, this is this is one more

51:50 ↗ information.

51:50 ↗ >> Okay. She goes down there. she said once

51:52 ↗ a week. And she also um I guess

51:57 ↗ uh you can go online with the detention

51:59 ↗ center and there's these budgets you can

52:01 ↗ set up for the detainees. And her

52:04 ↗ organization

52:06 ↗ puts $100 a week into each detainees

52:10 ↗ budget.

52:12 ↗ And she said, and I had said to her,

52:14 ↗ "Well, when you visit them, do you like

52:16 ↗ take them down goodies and stuff like

52:17 ↗ that?" She said, "No, you're not allowed

52:19 ↗ to." She said it's a profitm

52:22 ↗ organization. The the detention center

52:24 ↗ is they have a commissary.

52:26 ↗ >> Oh gosh.

52:27 ↗ >> And everybody that's detained

52:30 ↗ has to buy everything from the

52:32 ↗ commissary.

52:34 ↗ So uh yeah, she can't even take food

52:36 ↗ down there. You know, something really

52:38 ↗ basic and simple like that. So she puts

52:40 ↗ $100 a week in. So that's $900. And of

52:44 ↗ course when she did her budgeting for um

52:47 ↗ you know this fiscal year that you know

52:50 ↗ that wasn't in her budget as many other

52:52 ↗ things weren't in her budget. But um

52:55 ↗ yeah she's really consumed with uh

52:59 ↗ trying to help that population. And of

53:02 ↗ of course um none of them are criminals.

53:06 ↗ They're just people that were grabbed.

53:09 ↗ >> Yeah.

53:10 ↗ >> And what else did she say? Oh, I did ask

53:13 ↗ her about the backgrounds and she said

53:15 ↗ they're all native Spanish speaker

53:18 ↗ and there used to be 10 and she had one

53:23 ↗ had just been deported and he was

53:25 ↗ deported to back to his luckily he went

53:28 ↗ to his home country Hondur I mean they

53:30 ↗ eventually he he got off the plane in

53:33 ↗ his home country of Honduras but she

53:35 ↗ said that once he got to Honduras he

53:38 ↗ called her because they had no idea

53:40 ↗ where he was because ICE put him on, you

53:43 ↗ know, one of those big cargo ships and

53:46 ↗ um didn't and this is, you know, I'm

53:49 ↗ getting this all third or fourth hand,

53:51 ↗ but um this is what he's telling Alicia.

53:55 ↗ Um ICE didn't tell anybody where they

53:57 ↗ were going and they went from Seattle to

54:01 ↗ Denver to I guess to pick up other

54:04 ↗ Hondurans and then I think they went

54:06 ↗ down to New Orleans and then they went

54:08 ↗ to Guantanamo.

54:10 ↗ >> Oh my god. And I asked her how I said,

54:12 ↗ "Well, how long did he have to stay

54:13 ↗ there?" And she wasn't quite sure, but

54:15 ↗ she said then they eventually, you know,

54:17 ↗ I don't know how long he was in transit,

54:19 ↗ but apparently um they were all

54:22 ↗ clueless. They didn't know what was

54:24 ↗ happening. And I guess fear is part of

54:27 ↗ the whole thing. And he was he he was

54:31 ↗ able to be uh he you know, his mom is in

54:34 ↗ Honduras and he's and he's 22 years old,

54:36 ↗ so he's back in Honduras. And that was

54:39 ↗ her first that's the first Isquak

54:41 ↗ resident that actually was deported.

54:43 ↗ >> And the others are still in the

54:44 ↗ detention.

54:45 ↗ >> There's nine. Yeah.

54:46 ↗ >> So, did they where did they get picked

54:48 ↗ up from? From

54:50 ↗ >> um ju just down the street.

54:52 ↗ >> Oh, they weren't they weren't at the

54:54 ↗ center at the

54:55 ↗ >> Oh, they weren't at ICE. I mean, they

54:57 ↗ weren't at the circle. Excuse me.

54:59 ↗ >> Yeah. I wasn't sure about that. and she

55:01 ↗ said that they haven't had any ice rates

55:04 ↗ at the circle,

55:06 ↗ but they do have some emergency

55:08 ↗ protocols that they've set up.

55:11 ↗ I asked her if she's getting any um ugly

55:14 ↗ phone calls. She said she's not getting

55:17 ↗ ugly phone call to herself. She's not

55:20 ↗ getting any ugly phone calls from ICE,

55:22 ↗ but she said she is getting ugly phone

55:24 ↗ calls from community members.

55:26 ↗ >> Really?

55:28 ↗ >> She's getting good phone calls, too. She

55:29 ↗ said that she's getting unpleasant phone

55:32 ↗ calls from community members.

55:37 ↗ >> Against it or

55:39 ↗ >> Yes.

55:39 ↗ >> like her her work or

55:41 ↗ >> Yeah.

55:42 ↗ >> Okay.

55:42 ↗ >> You know, just this, you know, maybe

55:45 ↗ they're all Trumpsters. I don't know,

55:48 ↗ >> you know.

55:48 ↗ >> Yeah. And you'll notice the circle has

55:50 ↗ uh removed their online presence. Um so

55:52 ↗ they don't do their social media

55:54 ↗ anymore. or they don't communicate with

55:55 ↗ their website updates um out of safety

55:59 ↗ concerns um or protection. So they use

56:02 ↗ different forms of communicating. Um but

56:06 ↗ um yeah, they've had to really shift and

56:08 ↗ transition their services

56:11 ↗ um to focus on I mean this work is

56:15 ↗ the need has increased. Um but it what's

56:18 ↗ hard hardest for the circle and

56:20 ↗ organizations that work with immigrants

56:21 ↗ and refugees is it's just the heaviness

56:24 ↗ of this work um and the capacity it

56:28 ↗ takes from staff.

56:30 ↗ >> Sure. This is hard.

56:32 ↗ >> I mean, she was crying when she was

56:33 ↗ talking to me. She Yeah.

56:35 ↗ >> It doesn't seem to make any sense to me

56:37 ↗ because the administration's talking

56:39 ↗ about saving money, but this seems to be

56:42 ↗ it's not cost effective.

56:47 ↗ >> Yeah. As a city, we're very fortunate

56:49 ↗ that we have the circle in Isiqua who

56:51 ↗ has the expertise and the connections

56:53 ↗ with our community members. Um that many

56:56 ↗ feel safe with the circle. um that they

56:59 ↗ can be a good representation

57:02 ↗ um for um for Isiqua and for those

57:05 ↗ community members who needs that

57:07 ↗ support. I'm very thankful for um that

57:10 ↗ we have an organization and you know

57:13 ↗ that they I think they started in 2021

57:15 ↗ as a grassroot organization. So the fact

57:17 ↗ that they are very new and they're doing

57:20 ↗ this level of work with very little

57:22 ↗ staff is very very impressive. Um, but

57:25 ↗ yeah, the weight is on them and as a

57:26 ↗ city, our job is really to advocate,

57:28 ↗ support them, uplift them, do what we

57:30 ↗ can.

57:33 ↗ >> Thank you for meeting with her, by the

57:35 ↗ way. I I think Yeah, we we just happen

57:37 ↗ to set up Yeah. coffee together.

57:40 ↗ >> Yeah.

57:41 ↗ >> Yeah.

57:41 ↗ >> It adds a personal narrative to what's

57:44 ↗ going on at this crazy national level to

57:47 ↗ be able to

57:49 ↗ >> Yeah. impact.

57:51 ↗ >> Yeah. to be able to continue the story

57:53 ↗ and just share it with people because

57:55 ↗ we're curious like

57:56 ↗ >> what does that have to do with us

57:58 ↗ there's a there's a story right there

58:00 ↗ that share

58:02 ↗ >> yeah and this is a big p piece of why a

58:06 ↗ lot of community members are not leaving

58:07 ↗ their house or they are had to quit

58:09 ↗ their second job or they don't go to the

58:11 ↗ food bank anymore

58:13 ↗ >> um because they've had um incidences

58:16 ↗ there or just you know are concerned

58:19 ↗ >> and you know school's out now but while

58:21 ↗ school was in session. Some of the

58:22 ↗ families weren't sending their kids to

58:24 ↗ school.

58:26 ↗ >> Yeah.

58:27 ↗ >> So, it's been very disruptive for our

58:29 ↗ community and living in fear is tough.

58:31 ↗ >> Has food bank been raided?

58:33 ↗ >> They haven't been raided. Um, they did

58:35 ↗ have community members uh pass say

58:38 ↗ threatening things as they were passing

58:39 ↗ by to a family member.

58:42 ↗ >> I know. And it's really hard to believe

58:44 ↗ that can be a lot of our circles are a

58:47 ↗ very inclusive circle. A lot of people,

58:49 ↗ you know, it's it's a very open

58:51 ↗ um commu welcoming community here and I

58:54 ↗ and I I hope that we can be that

58:56 ↗ representation as a commission um for

58:59 ↗ our community and and spread that. But

59:01 ↗ unfortunately

59:03 ↗ don't live in a perfect world and there

59:06 ↗ was one I just remembered there was one

59:08 ↗ other thing and I that won't take too

59:09 ↗ much longer. She um there is a couple

59:12 ↗ that is working on asylum and it's a

59:15 ↗ process where you have to go to the

59:17 ↗ immigration court. Well, ICE now is

59:19 ↗ hanging out down at King County Superior

59:22 ↗ Court

59:24 ↗ >> at at the hall where the immigration,

59:27 ↗ you know, hearings are held and she went

59:29 ↗ down there with one couple because they

59:31 ↗ were scared to go down and um yeah, ICE

59:35 ↗ was there and um they ended up getting

59:37 ↗ detained

59:38 ↗ >> and and they're now at the detention

59:40 ↗ center

59:40 ↗ >> and that was illegal. They had the

59:42 ↗ paperwork from the judge that they were

59:43 ↗ clear to go, the attendees.

59:46 ↗ >> Yeah. And um the lawyer was there, Lisio

59:49 ↗ was there, they had representation.

59:51 ↗ >> It's not enough.

59:52 ↗ >> They had the paper. It's terrible.

59:53 ↗ >> And I ignored in that incident, ignored

59:58 ↗ paperwork. And I mean, what she told me

1:00:01 ↗ was like it was just we they looked at

1:00:04 ↗ us as if we weren't human. Like we were

1:00:06 ↗ cattle. We were we were just treated as

1:00:09 ↗ the enemy. And just like on the TV,

1:00:11 ↗ they're all they're all like this like

1:00:14 ↗ band banditos, you know.

1:00:17 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:00:17 ↗ >> Yeah. Yeah.

1:00:19 ↗ >> So anyways, yeah, it's very sad

1:00:21 ↗ situation.

1:00:23 ↗ >> It is very sad. And as a city, we're

1:00:25 ↗ really trying to prepare staff and

1:00:28 ↗ figuring out what what do we do, right?

1:00:30 ↗ We don't know the answers either. And so

1:00:31 ↗ we've been talking to our city attorney,

1:00:33 ↗ our city leadership to figure out how do

1:00:35 ↗ we support our community members. Um

1:00:38 ↗ unfortunately like our like the circle

1:00:41 ↗ and our other partners we can't promise

1:00:43 ↗ safety that's not unfortunately our role

1:00:47 ↗ >> uh but uh we are trying to figure out

1:00:50 ↗ how do we

1:00:52 ↗ especially as a public and government

1:00:54 ↗ agency for us how do we best support our

1:00:58 ↗ community members what's the role how

1:01:00 ↗ much yeah how can you intervene support

1:01:04 ↗ >> yeah and so really our role right now is

1:01:06 ↗ just supporting places like the circle

1:01:08 ↗ um safe places that our community

1:01:10 ↗ members can continue to go to and um

1:01:13 ↗ just kind of gather information and

1:01:17 ↗ figure out um you know more what's going

1:01:20 ↗ on here in Isiqua but also regionally

1:01:22 ↗ because I think regional impacts we'll

1:01:24 ↗ see that here as well.

1:01:27 ↗ It's a big topic for human services. I'm

1:01:29 ↗ glad you brought it up um because it is

1:01:31 ↗ something that's important for us to

1:01:32 ↗ kind of just keep an eye on and realize

1:01:34 ↗ um you know human services is all about

1:01:37 ↗ serving our vulnerable population and

1:01:39 ↗ that can look I mean that spectrum is

1:01:41 ↗ huge um from people with disabilities to

1:01:45 ↗ seniors to children to unhoused

1:01:47 ↗ individuals or lowincome uh and

1:01:49 ↗ immigrants and refugees are very much on

1:01:51 ↗ that list and right now they are one of

1:01:53 ↗ the most vulnerable populations. So,

1:01:55 ↗ it's a it's an important topic for us to

1:01:57 ↗ continue to figure out how do we as a

1:01:58 ↗ commission just um just realize that um

1:02:04 ↗ our community members are ch are being

1:02:05 ↗ are struggling and they our nonprofits

1:02:08 ↗ who are serving this are also

1:02:09 ↗ struggling. Um and this is a we really

1:02:13 ↗ as human services especially with our

1:02:15 ↗ funding decisions really align with our

1:02:17 ↗ strategic plan. Um however this is a

1:02:19 ↗ very unexpected change. It's a five-year

1:02:23 ↗ strategic plan. We're in year three of

1:02:25 ↗ it. Um so something that maybe we can um

1:02:28 ↗ do in preparation of funding and

1:02:29 ↗ priorities for our next cycle is really

1:02:31 ↗ kind of we'll do a check-in with our

1:02:33 ↗ community members of like what's our

1:02:34 ↗ what's our new priorities? Is it still

1:02:37 ↗ the behavioral health and community

1:02:39 ↗ resources and language access or is

1:02:41 ↗ there a stronger priority that we need

1:02:44 ↗ to focus on in our funding decision? So,

1:02:47 ↗ so it's good for us then therefore to be

1:02:49 ↗ kind of include what's going on in our

1:02:51 ↗ community and what is our needs um to

1:02:53 ↗ help drive kind of these funding

1:02:55 ↗ decisions that you are all um in charge

1:02:57 ↗ of. So,

1:03:00 ↗ >> can I a question follow up to that?

1:03:02 ↗ Yeah.

1:03:02 ↗ >> Because J and I haven't been educated on

1:03:04 ↗ that process. So, that's a four-year

1:03:06 ↗ cycle that how do you how do you

1:03:08 ↗ determine which of these organizations

1:03:10 ↗ get a percentage of whatever money is

1:03:12 ↗ allocated to you? That's like

1:03:16 ↗ read the but

1:03:17 ↗ >> oh yeah it it is daunting. So for

1:03:19 ↗ example last cycle there was a $2.1

1:03:21 ↗ million in request and we only had just

1:03:24 ↗ over $650,000 to provide. So you can see

1:03:28 ↗ do the math and realize there's a lot of

1:03:30 ↗ notes.

1:03:30 ↗ >> It's a two-year cycle and it's a

1:03:31 ↗ two-year cycle. Um and so and and the

1:03:36 ↗ applications will open in March and

1:03:37 ↗ close in April and uh reviewing those

1:03:40 ↗ applications will begin in May. So

1:03:42 ↗ between now um well yeah we'll really

1:03:47 ↗ gear up in 2026 between January and

1:03:50 ↗ April we'll do a lot of information

1:03:53 ↗ sharing of preparation so you are not

1:03:55 ↗ just going into this here's an

1:03:57 ↗ application go make a decision um you

1:04:00 ↗ will get a lot of training in um some

1:04:03 ↗ how do you review applications with an

1:04:04 ↗ equity lens um how do you pull out your

1:04:07 ↗ biases that we all have how do you um

1:04:10 ↗ >> we have a strategic plan that helps

1:04:12 ↗ informed decisions

1:04:13 ↗ >> perfectly.

1:04:14 ↗ >> We break into subgroups so we're you're

1:04:17 ↗ not reviewing not every person is not

1:04:20 ↗ reviewing every grant application.

1:04:23 ↗ >> So that I think and Hannah has a really

1:04:25 ↗ great um

1:04:26 ↗ >> six.

1:04:28 ↗ She has a great I'm trying to

1:04:30 ↗ >> like it's a tool kit tool kind of a tool

1:04:33 ↗ sheet that will help us kind of say okay

1:04:37 ↗ great organization but not right first

1:04:39 ↗ of all based off of how much money we

1:04:41 ↗ have or yes we definitely need to fund

1:04:43 ↗ them and then let's maybe think about

1:04:45 ↗ it. So we'll go into all those details

1:04:48 ↗ when it gets closer but we still have

1:04:49 ↗ some time. This is the year you're

1:04:51 ↗ coming in where we're just really

1:04:52 ↗ getting to learn more about our

1:04:54 ↗ community needs and our uh community

1:04:57 ↗ based organizations.

1:05:00 ↗ >> That was at the at uh Commissioner Ray

1:05:03 ↗ was when we were finding our our local

1:05:06 ↗ agencies was like how do we get to know

1:05:08 ↗ more?

1:05:09 ↗ >> And so that's how we're having more

1:05:10 ↗ presentations from folks from the

1:05:11 ↗ community which has been awesome.

1:05:14 ↗ >> And we all decided on that to say hey

1:05:16 ↗ we're making a decision and we also want

1:05:18 ↗ to get to know more. Mhm.

1:05:19 ↗ >> So when it comes to those funding

1:05:20 ↗ decisions, we we have more than just

1:05:22 ↗ what we're seeing in paper.

1:05:25 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:05:25 ↗ >> So

1:05:26 ↗ >> yeah, you really learn so much more when

1:05:28 ↗ Jen comes and helps out reclaimed and

1:05:31 ↗ get you get a fake

1:05:32 ↗ >> face

1:05:34 ↗ and Yeah, exactly.

1:05:40 ↗ >> Any other Thank you so much for visiting

1:05:43 ↗ live streaming.

1:05:44 ↗ >> Any other updates from the the

1:05:46 ↗ commissioners? Let me circle here.

1:05:51 ↗ Commission Matty

1:05:55 ↗ reports from you all

1:05:57 ↗ the vice chair.

1:05:59 ↗ >> Oh, thank you.

1:06:02 ↗ >> Um, see you in May.

1:06:06 ↗ >> Youth report. I um

1:06:07 ↗ >> um so uh Preston's on summer vacation.

1:06:11 ↗ Um, so he's not in attendance and we

1:06:13 ↗ also um uh don't have a written need to

1:06:17 ↗ report.

1:06:18 ↗ >> Okay. Okay.

1:06:21 ↗ >> Then we have staff report with you now.

1:06:23 ↗ >> Yes. Okay. So I'll go through some stuff

1:06:26 ↗ quickly here. Um so staff report is

1:06:30 ↗ really a time for me to share

1:06:31 ↗ information if anything is going um

1:06:33 ↗ human services related to our council.

1:06:36 ↗ Um I'll provide updates on that. It's

1:06:38 ↗ been a little while since we've been to

1:06:39 ↗ council. And then I also provide some

1:06:41 ↗ human services um just updates uh like

1:06:44 ↗ about events or upcoming um information

1:06:47 ↗ with our nonprofits. So one thing I want

1:06:50 ↗ to report on is we let me see if I can

1:06:53 ↗ share my screen quick. Um so we did in

1:06:57 ↗ end of May we did a first time ever um

1:07:00 ↗ community closet. Um not sharing. Oh

1:07:04 ↗ there it goes. Um, so this is just a

1:07:07 ↗ like our impact report that our staff

1:07:09 ↗ from Pickering Barn completed. Just kind

1:07:11 ↗ of a cute little visual. Um so

1:07:15 ↗ um about oh sad to say two years ago um

1:07:19 ↗ we started a clothing forum with

1:07:21 ↗ organizations like the food bank, the

1:07:23 ↗ garage um the circle um some PTSA the

1:07:28 ↗ school district um PTSA volunteers and

1:07:31 ↗ from that we really identified wow

1:07:32 ↗ there's just such a gap in our community

1:07:34 ↗ for free clothing without the stigma of

1:07:37 ↗ a clothing bank. We recognized the

1:07:39 ↗ barriers of having a clothing bank of

1:07:41 ↗ like the staff time, the donation base.

1:07:45 ↗ And so we really came together as okay,

1:07:47 ↗ how do we how do we fill in this gap? Uh

1:07:50 ↗ we all have this need, we all want to

1:07:53 ↗ work towards it, and we all do it in

1:07:54 ↗ little capacities, but how do we do it

1:07:56 ↗ in a bigger scale for the And we had

1:07:58 ↗ some amazing volunteers from um

1:08:02 ↗ community, well, there are PTSA

1:08:05 ↗ um individuals who work with um the food

1:08:07 ↗ bank. They volunteer at food bank.

1:08:09 ↗ They're very involved in our community

1:08:11 ↗ and they decided to do kind of a

1:08:14 ↗ clothing swap the with the concept of

1:08:17 ↗ okay, we collect clothes one day, we

1:08:19 ↗ organize it and we kind of put it out

1:08:21 ↗ for like this is free for everyone with

1:08:23 ↗ the idea of sustainability, the idea of

1:08:26 ↗ it's open for everybody. It's kind of a

1:08:29 ↗ fun community building um kind of

1:08:32 ↗ gathering and really the hope was to

1:08:34 ↗ meet the needs of our community members

1:08:36 ↗ who really really could use some freeze

1:08:38 ↗ clothing. But again, it's take away that

1:08:40 ↗ stigma and make it fun. And so, um we

1:08:44 ↗ tried it out and it was a little bit of

1:08:46 ↗ a guinea pig and um it was very fun and

1:08:50 ↗ very successful at the Pickering Barn.

1:08:52 ↗ Um we had um over 500 visitors and

1:08:56 ↗ that's in like a 4hour span.

1:08:59 ↗ >> That's crazy.

1:09:00 ↗ >> We had 85 lined up the door. We were not

1:09:04 ↗ expecting that. But hey, free clothing.

1:09:06 ↗ I guess you're going to get people

1:09:07 ↗ coming. Um they it was a small but

1:09:09 ↗ mighty crew of 22 volunteers over 150

1:09:13 ↗ hours. Uh we received um over 250 bags.

1:09:18 ↗ It was a very hard thing to measure

1:09:19 ↗ because some bags were like garbage bag

1:09:22 ↗ size bags, some were just, you know,

1:09:24 ↗ grocery size. Um, but lots of great

1:09:26 ↗ donations. Um, and out of the 250 bags,

1:09:31 ↗ I think there was only 25 bags that were

1:09:35 ↗ we we were very picky about what went

1:09:38 ↗ through. Um and so anything that added

1:09:40 ↗ staining or just seems a little ragged,

1:09:42 ↗ we just um threw it to the side um for

1:09:46 ↗ um donations to Recology. So Recology is

1:09:48 ↗ a partner of the city of Vista Club that

1:09:50 ↗ will take textiles and what they do with

1:09:52 ↗ those textiles is they turn it into um

1:09:54 ↗ insulation for houses. So um so yeah, so

1:09:57 ↗ we had just under 400 pounds of textiles

1:09:59 ↗ from 25 bags um that were we were able

1:10:02 ↗ to donate. So it was just a very

1:10:04 ↗ rewarding event. And I kind of just

1:10:06 ↗ bring this up. Um, this is kind of an

1:10:08 ↗ impromptu let's community members came

1:10:10 ↗ to us and said, "Hey, we're interested

1:10:12 ↗ in this. Can we use your space?" And we

1:10:14 ↗ supported them through human services

1:10:16 ↗ >> because the Isiqua Food Bank is not

1:10:19 ↗ going to do clothing anymore. Correct.

1:10:21 ↗ >> They unfortunately do not have the

1:10:22 ↗ space.

1:10:24 ↗ >> So, did was this successful enough that

1:10:27 ↗ you see it becoming an annual thing?

1:10:30 ↗ >> I am happy to report that community

1:10:31 ↗ closet is now a 5013C.

1:10:34 ↗ >> Oh, wow. volunteers in our community.

1:10:38 ↗ >> It did not take them long and I'm very

1:10:41 ↗ proud of them and so um they will be

1:10:43 ↗ coming. I've encouraged them to come say

1:10:45 ↗ hi to everybody introduce as it gets

1:10:47 ↗ closer to funding cycle um for them to

1:10:50 ↗ introduce their new concept and their

1:10:51 ↗ programming and uh so they're still

1:10:53 ↗ working on kind of the bigger concept

1:10:55 ↗ but um we are looking to have another um

1:10:58 ↗ event in October. So that's awesome.

1:11:01 ↗ >> Which is great that we got city support

1:11:03 ↗ for that

1:11:03 ↗ >> for winter.

1:11:05 ↗ >> Yeah, it'll be kind of the winter. It'll

1:11:06 ↗ be right before Halloween. So they'll

1:11:08 ↗ probably have some Halloween costumes

1:11:09 ↗ and and it is um clothing and shoes. Um

1:11:12 ↗ all sides are so we have a youth se

1:11:15 ↗ section, a kids section, an adult

1:11:17 ↗ section. And I um trends I saw um a lot

1:11:23 ↗ of women clothing donations, which is

1:11:25 ↗ great. Um, but the main need was men's

1:11:28 ↗ clothing. That went by so fast and so

1:11:30 ↗ many men came for free clothing and we

1:11:33 ↗ we did not have the need for what was

1:11:36 ↗ wanted. But some people took like one or

1:11:39 ↗ two things, some people took like totes

1:11:40 ↗ and bags. We didn't, you know, we were

1:11:42 ↗ like, "Please, please, please take it.

1:11:44 ↗ We don't want leftovers." So,

1:11:46 ↗ >> you have much leftover. um they have a

1:11:48 ↗ little bit of leftover that is going to

1:11:50 ↗ um the school does a back to school um

1:11:53 ↗ clothing drive as a part of their like

1:11:55 ↗ it's a resource fair for many things and

1:11:57 ↗ so they'll have a clothing drive there.

1:11:58 ↗ So the same staff that worked with us

1:12:00 ↗ there is also staffed for this so she'll

1:12:03 ↗ use it for that and then some of it went

1:12:05 ↗ to the circle and the garage so we've

1:12:07 ↗ got a great network. So like we're just

1:12:09 ↗ always rotating clothes. So we're really

1:12:11 ↗ hoping to fill this, you know, clothing

1:12:13 ↗ gap in Isafa through kind of this

1:12:16 ↗ potential clothing closet and have it be

1:12:18 ↗ a maybe

1:12:20 ↗ by annual, quarterly, monthly. We'll see

1:12:22 ↗ where they end up going with it.

1:12:24 ↗ >> Are other East Side cities doing

1:12:26 ↗ anything about I mean the need for

1:12:28 ↗ clothing is is so like I was fascinated

1:12:30 ↗ to see that um Oh my gosh, the gal that

1:12:34 ↗ just um gave her presentation. Thank

1:12:36 ↗ you. um that they're doing a clothing

1:12:39 ↗ opportunity in um Snow Polyamy and

1:12:43 ↗ there's there's just a huge huge need.

1:12:45 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:12:46 ↗ >> So I wasn't like Belleview, Kirkland,

1:12:48 ↗ Redmond. Is anyone else doing anything?

1:12:51 ↗ >> Nothing like this. Um just something new

1:12:54 ↗ and if you see like kind of more profits

1:12:57 ↗ kind of working or like people like

1:12:59 ↗ doing a swap for purchase or a swap.

1:13:01 ↗ Yeah. So, so it's a little bit different

1:13:03 ↗ of like a the heart and vision for it is

1:13:05 ↗ a little bit different, but I have not

1:13:07 ↗ heard of any cities doing anything like

1:13:09 ↗ this. This is a very isqua and unique

1:13:11 ↗ innovated

1:13:13 ↗ kind of approach. So,

1:13:15 ↗ >> super

1:13:15 ↗ >> very proud of this group and very just

1:13:19 ↗ their response and actions to this and

1:13:21 ↗ some incredible volunteers for this. So,

1:13:24 ↗ um we'll see where this goes and you'll

1:13:26 ↗ have an opportunity to learn more about

1:13:27 ↗ their organization um coming up.

1:13:29 ↗ >> The volunteers local. Oh, yeah. Um,

1:13:32 ↗ yeah, they work or they Yeah, part-time

1:13:34 ↗ work at Ess School District and then

1:13:36 ↗ they volunteer at the Squ Foody Bank.

1:13:39 ↗ >> And I'm sorry, you said the next one is

1:13:40 ↗ October 2021.

1:13:42 ↗ >> Oh, yes. Um, it's the date. I'm uh we

1:13:46 ↗ don't have the date yet. Oh, October

1:13:48 ↗ 20th through the 21st is the 10 to 5.

1:13:51 ↗ >> You'll hear all the motions when it

1:13:53 ↗ comes up, but got that approved and

1:13:55 ↗ we'll move forward with that planning.

1:13:57 ↗ >> Yeah. And then moving forward with a few

1:13:59 ↗ um upcoming events to look forward to

1:14:01 ↗ and hopefully you all can join and

1:14:02 ↗ participate is our big issue culture

1:14:04 ↗ fest. Um that's a very fun one. It'll be

1:14:07 ↗ out here on the community center lawn on

1:14:09 ↗ September 5th. Um that is where we'll

1:14:12 ↗ have um a resource fair with our

1:14:15 ↗ nonprofits organizations and Isiqua kind

1:14:18 ↗ of local community groups with the

1:14:21 ↗ intention of hey get connected with

1:14:23 ↗ Isiqua, get involved and here are

1:14:25 ↗ resources in case you're interested. So,

1:14:28 ↗ a good variety of nonprofits. We'll have

1:14:31 ↗ um Bri Henna. Um there's going to be I'm

1:14:34 ↗ really excited. We're actually um we

1:14:36 ↗ have an art commissioner coming in to

1:14:38 ↗ help us with a u community art project.

1:14:41 ↗ So, basically um you can come in do a

1:14:44 ↗ little art piece and she's creating this

1:14:45 ↗ big community collage. Um so, really

1:14:48 ↗ excited about that. Um cougar zoom.

1:14:51 ↗ We'll have a couple of animal.

1:14:53 ↗ >> Wow.

1:14:54 ↗ >> Yeah. Not a cougar or anything. Nothing.

1:14:55 ↗ Nothing big.

1:14:58 ↗ Like like a lizard or a bird or

1:14:59 ↗ something.

1:15:00 ↗ >> What was it out? Wasn't it kangaroos or

1:15:02 ↗ something got lost that got loose and or

1:15:04 ↗ zebra?

1:15:04 ↗ >> Zebras.

1:15:05 ↗ >> Zebra.

1:15:06 ↗ >> Zebras. Yes.

1:15:09 ↗ >> But really excited to have some uh some

1:15:12 ↗ wonderful performances. Bulgarian dance.

1:15:15 ↗ We have a local violinist who's uh Chuck

1:15:17 ↗ Menistan. Um so very excited about that.

1:15:20 ↗ Some uh Bali um Indian interactive

1:15:22 ↗ dancing. Um Japanese drums. We'll have

1:15:26 ↗ uh lots of food trucks for purchase. So,

1:15:29 ↗ this one is one of our big events and

1:15:30 ↗ and I really do want to call out this

1:15:32 ↗ event is a it's a global campaign for

1:15:35 ↗ immigrants and refugees and what a time

1:15:38 ↗ to be able to honor and serve and

1:15:41 ↗ celebrate our immigrants and refugees.

1:15:43 ↗ Um so, we are really being um

1:15:46 ↗ >> cautious and resilient is our word. Um

1:15:49 ↗ >> Hannah, there was a culture fest for a

1:15:51 ↗ specific not an all-encompassing thing

1:15:54 ↗ like the city's doing, but it was in um

1:15:56 ↗ Seattle

1:15:57 ↗ >> that they ended up cancing.

1:15:59 ↗ >> Yes. So you will start seeing a lot of

1:16:02 ↗ um cultural specific or international

1:16:04 ↗ type of events being cancelled that um

1:16:07 ↗ people are not feeling safe to attend. I

1:16:09 ↗ wouldn't be surprised if our numbers are

1:16:10 ↗ lower this year because of that reason.

1:16:12 ↗ Okay.

1:16:13 ↗ >> However, in conversations with our um

1:16:16 ↗ immigrant um organizations that serve

1:16:19 ↗ our immigrants, refugees um not just in

1:16:21 ↗ Isqua, but in our region, what we

1:16:22 ↗ continue to hear is that um that we are

1:16:26 ↗ being asked to do these events. Um that

1:16:28 ↗ it communicates that we are welcoming,

1:16:31 ↗ that we should not be living in fear.

1:16:33 ↗ And the biggest thing is people feel so

1:16:35 ↗ isolated right now. Yeah.

1:16:36 ↗ >> We learned through co how tragic that

1:16:38 ↗ can be. And so we are trying to fight

1:16:40 ↗ that isolation. and this is just a way

1:16:42 ↗ that we can do that. So, we are very

1:16:44 ↗ honored to be able to celebrate our

1:16:46 ↗ diversity.

1:16:46 ↗ >> And one of the big sponsors is the

1:16:48 ↗ library, the King County Library System.

1:16:50 ↗ >> Yep. We partner with them. They're part

1:16:52 ↗ of our planning group. Um downtown

1:16:54 ↗ associations, is DIA, downtown is

1:16:57 ↗ associations, is highlands. We have B

1:16:59 ↗ culture providing funding for that. So,

1:17:02 ↗ it's a big it's our big one. So, please,

1:17:04 ↗ please, please plan to come if you can.

1:17:06 ↗ Um and we will be meeting um September

1:17:10 ↗ meeting will be after that.

1:17:11 ↗ >> Oh yes, you Oh yeah. So that's hopefully

1:17:14 ↗ I'll see that's my next time I'll

1:17:15 ↗ probably see you

1:17:15 ↗ >> because August we take a

1:17:17 ↗ >> we take a

1:17:20 ↗ point. So I'll remind you you'll hear

1:17:21 ↗ from a few emails from me between now

1:17:23 ↗ and then

1:17:24 ↗ >> September 17th

1:17:26 ↗ >> and then um Hispanic Heritage Month. I

1:17:28 ↗ don't have details yet, but as of now,

1:17:30 ↗ and I'm certainly there's things could

1:17:32 ↗ change. Um, but, uh, the circle is

1:17:34 ↗ hosting Hispanic Heritage Month at

1:17:36 ↗ Pickering Barn again. Um, so I don't

1:17:38 ↗ have details yet. Last year it was like

1:17:39 ↗ a family dance. Super fun. Um, so

1:17:42 ↗ hopefully we'll have more details to

1:17:43 ↗ come on that.

1:17:45 ↗ Um so then the last thing is our um I

1:17:50 ↗ just need to ask a question to you all.

1:17:53 ↗ Um in regards to um it feels like far

1:17:57 ↗ away but we in preparation for like I

1:18:01 ↗ mentioned our grant um review process we

1:18:04 ↗ do um equity training. I think it's a

1:18:06 ↗ really important piece to really um

1:18:08 ↗ center us uh and prepare us for

1:18:11 ↗ reviewing these applications. Um we have

1:18:13 ↗ done it every year. Um I did we have

1:18:15 ↗ done it typically jointly with our east

1:18:18 ↗ side human services commission. Um and

1:18:22 ↗ so last time we did some feedback and

1:18:25 ↗ the followup that um I recall was

1:18:27 ↗ basically that there was value to that

1:18:29 ↗ you did like doing it jointly. However,

1:18:33 ↗ um the improvement would be to just have

1:18:35 ↗ a kind of a followup kind of a to

1:18:38 ↗ dedicated time to um questions of

1:18:42 ↗ following up with um kind of an isqua

1:18:46 ↗ commission specific conversation about

1:18:48 ↗ the equity training. And so um if so my

1:18:52 ↗ question is do we want to do again a

1:18:56 ↗ joint equity training with our east side

1:18:59 ↗ commissions? Do we want to do something

1:19:02 ↗ separately? Um, yes.

1:19:04 ↗ >> One thing I remember from the joint one

1:19:06 ↗ is that it was not a very great

1:19:08 ↗ experience unless you could attend in

1:19:10 ↗ person. Absolutely.

1:19:12 ↗ >> Um, I um I I was able to attend in

1:19:15 ↗ person, but I know I think Mari maybe I

1:19:18 ↗ was more than one person and it was

1:19:21 ↗ >> it wasn't set up very well.

1:19:22 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:19:23 ↗ >> For your for you to be part of the

1:19:25 ↗ conversation.

1:19:27 ↗ >> So that's the only

1:19:29 ↗ >> Yeah. Great feedback and something we

1:19:31 ↗ will we are definitely know that we'll

1:19:33 ↗ have to change that for this year.

1:19:35 ↗ >> How did you feel being there in person?

1:19:37 ↗ I mean was it valuable?

1:19:39 ↗ >> I I in general I find those types of

1:19:42 ↗ conversations and trainings very

1:19:44 ↗ valuable like you you always learn

1:19:46 ↗ something new would be would be my

1:19:49 ↗ >> perspective.

1:19:50 ↗ Um but I just know that that was turned

1:19:53 ↗ out to be a pretty

1:19:56 ↗ large group there. or it wasn't a great

1:19:58 ↗ experience for people that were trying

1:20:00 ↗ to participate online. So that's just

1:20:02 ↗ yeah,

1:20:03 ↗ >> I'd be curious to hear options for a

1:20:05 ↗ different

1:20:07 ↗ >> Yeah, it's a great point. Um, so if if

1:20:10 ↗ we move forward with this, I would be

1:20:11 ↗ part of the planning committee and and

1:20:13 ↗ what I would advocate for is that the

1:20:15 ↗ training gets set up for some like maybe

1:20:18 ↗ some a little bit of homework prior and

1:20:21 ↗ then like a training like a educational

1:20:23 ↗ training that can be online view. done

1:20:26 ↗ it before. Um or in person um but that

1:20:31 ↗ it's set up for follow-up questions. So

1:20:34 ↗ So it does a training does some like

1:20:36 ↗ interacting with the other commissions

1:20:37 ↗ at that time. Um and then it says,

1:20:40 ↗ "Okay, here here is your follow-up

1:20:43 ↗ questions and discussions for your own

1:20:44 ↗ commissions for next meeting." Okay.

1:20:46 ↗ >> Um is how I would want to see it. Um and

1:20:50 ↗ and where I would see most value. Um,

1:20:54 ↗ >> I'd love to see um a homework type of

1:20:57 ↗ thing beforehand so that

1:21:00 ↗ >> um you know where you stormed as far as

1:21:03 ↗ >> visualizing

1:21:05 ↗ your biases and things of that sort.

1:21:09 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:21:09 ↗ >> Yeah. I like that idea too. Make it a

1:21:12 ↗ little bit more

1:21:12 ↗ >> thoughtprovoking.

1:21:14 ↗ Actually, one of my the one maybe it was

1:21:18 ↗ because it was my first, but um was

1:21:20 ↗ during co and so it was online and it

1:21:24 ↗ was with all the um neighbor um

1:21:28 ↗ commissions

1:21:29 ↗ >> and we had a really good facilitator and

1:21:32 ↗ then we had breakout rooms on Zoom

1:21:36 ↗ >> and um I liked it and it could be

1:21:39 ↗ because I really liked her. Do you

1:21:40 ↗ remember who it was?

1:21:41 ↗ >> I don't remember the name but I know who

1:21:42 ↗ you're talking about. I don't I was

1:21:44 ↗ there and I love that one as well.

1:21:47 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:21:49 ↗ >> Yeah. I think um I attend the the online

1:21:52 ↗ one I attend the the joint one and I

1:21:55 ↗ think one of the things I noticed is um

1:21:58 ↗ it improving like on those intimate

1:22:00 ↗ discussions where when we do split up in

1:22:02 ↗ groups I think the one we had last year

1:22:05 ↗ I think it was like a hurry up. It

1:22:07 ↗ didn't feel as you know you know you

1:22:09 ↗ know what I'm saying? didn't feel like

1:22:10 ↗ it's it's an important topic and then it

1:22:12 ↗ got really like rushed and I think that

1:22:14 ↗ was like the I think people felt like

1:22:17 ↗ they got in a way like cheated in a way

1:22:20 ↗ because it was just so quick.

1:22:21 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:22:22 ↗ >> I wasn't crazy about the people

1:22:23 ↗ facilitating the one

1:22:25 ↗ >> I I Yeah.

1:22:26 ↗ >> last year the one that I was zooming in

1:22:29 ↗ on.

1:22:30 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:22:30 ↗ >> Yeah. That's great feedback as we plan.

1:22:33 ↗ I will say the benefit of uh jointly

1:22:36 ↗ doing it is um fiscal benefit um right

1:22:39 ↗ that we can afford more and and usually

1:22:44 ↗ >> so you're you're saying is that having

1:22:46 ↗ the same format but then having like a

1:22:47 ↗ debrief

1:22:49 ↗ >> like afterwards or like having a

1:22:50 ↗ discussion within our groups like what

1:22:52 ↗ do we take away what do we learn how

1:22:54 ↗ does that apply to what we're doing

1:22:55 ↗ right now

1:22:56 ↗ >> okay

1:22:56 ↗ >> to really uh focus on that like intimate

1:22:59 ↗ discussion and and to me I think it's I

1:23:01 ↗ think it's great to hear um other

1:23:03 ↗ commissioners. I think you can learn

1:23:05 ↗ from different city commissioners. But

1:23:07 ↗ what I think is more valuable is this

1:23:09 ↗ discussion at this table and how do we

1:23:12 ↗ like this is this is a safe place. side

1:23:14 ↗ we talk about um

1:23:18 ↗ >> I remember being super surprised last

1:23:20 ↗ year finance I've always thought it was

1:23:22 ↗ super helpful that we have a strategic

1:23:24 ↗ plan and we know our values and we have

1:23:26 ↗ a and not every commission has that

1:23:29 ↗ which I think I I don't know just yeah

1:23:32 ↗ made it made some of those conversations

1:23:34 ↗ more challenging like well we have a

1:23:36 ↗ framework for for making these decisions

1:23:40 ↗ that I think is really important to have

1:23:42 ↗ and so it was

1:23:44 ↗ Yeah, I get the fiscal responsibility

1:23:46 ↗ part of it though too because

1:23:48 ↗ >> with collaboration you can maximize your

1:23:50 ↗ resources probably.

1:23:52 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:23:53 ↗ >> Yeah. And just the mentally strategic

1:23:55 ↗ plan if the new newbies haven't read

1:23:58 ↗ that it's a good good thing to

1:24:01 ↗ >> it's good to be familiar with it

1:24:05 ↗ >> yeah I will set you up for success

1:24:07 ↗ because it's a long document but we'll

1:24:09 ↗ point you in the right directions and

1:24:11 ↗ get you familiar with it by the time we

1:24:12 ↗ review applications. I mean I actually

1:24:15 ↗ this I would think I would love to hear

1:24:17 ↗ from both of you all of something either

1:24:19 ↗ like intimate of either having it within

1:24:21 ↗ ourselves or having to join other

1:24:24 ↗ commissioners from other cities. What

1:24:27 ↗ would be some maybe some thoughts for

1:24:28 ↗ both of you all? Did you have good

1:24:31 ↗ dialogue with the other um participants

1:24:34 ↗ or was it more hearing and

1:24:37 ↗ participating?

1:24:37 ↗ >> To me zooming in it looked chaotic.

1:24:40 ↗ Yeah, there's some of that, I think.

1:24:43 ↗ >> But that was just last year's. We've had

1:24:45 ↗ other ones. Yeah.

1:24:46 ↗ >> Yeah. So, that would be

1:24:49 ↗ I'd love to hear from both of you. So,

1:24:50 ↗ it sounds like Would you be in favor of

1:24:52 ↗ doing like a join or have more of an

1:24:54 ↗ intimate

1:24:54 ↗ >> intimate for me?

1:24:56 ↗ >> Intimate for you. Okay. You just came

1:24:57 ↗ from the equity board. That's why I was

1:24:58 ↗ kind of inquiring with you,

1:25:00 ↗ Commissioner Ray.

1:25:02 ↗ >> How about you, Commissioner JD? Um, I I

1:25:05 ↗ think it's interesting because obviously

1:25:07 ↗ like we're all in our own commissions

1:25:09 ↗ based on things that are of interest to

1:25:11 ↗ us. So, it's always interesting to hear

1:25:13 ↗ like someone else's point of view where

1:25:15 ↗ I think like yes, it's a a safe space

1:25:18 ↗ and people may have some differences,

1:25:20 ↗ but we at least align on the same like

1:25:22 ↗ we all care about people and helping

1:25:24 ↗ people and sometimes there are areas

1:25:26 ↗ that like someone else can we all have

1:25:29 ↗ blind spots. Um, and so I think

1:25:31 ↗ sometimes like when you have people from

1:25:32 ↗ other interests, like areas of interest,

1:25:34 ↗ but still within like we're all

1:25:36 ↗ committed to the city, um, it could help

1:25:39 ↗ inform some of those blind spots.

1:25:41 ↗ >> But it does sound like there's been some

1:25:43 ↗ kind of like facilitating challenges

1:25:46 ↗ with like a big group. And I mean that's

1:25:47 ↗ something to consider like sometimes a a

1:25:51 ↗ group too big is not it just takes away

1:25:54 ↗ from an activity for training. So

1:25:57 ↗ >> yeah, absolutely.

1:25:59 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:26:01 ↗ Well, good food for thought. Um, let me,

1:26:05 ↗ um, just gather some more information.

1:26:07 ↗ Unfortunately, I might have to make a

1:26:09 ↗ decision,

1:26:10 ↗ uh, prior to our next meeting because

1:26:12 ↗ they want to move forward. Um,

1:26:15 ↗ basically, right now, other cities that

1:26:17 ↗ I partner with very closely with are

1:26:19 ↗ saying who's interested. So, they can

1:26:21 ↗ kind of determine what their budget is

1:26:22 ↗ and then start vetting different

1:26:24 ↗ organizations

1:26:25 ↗ >> to facilitate

1:26:26 ↗ >> to facilitate. Yeah. So we contract out

1:26:29 ↗ the equity training.

1:26:31 ↗ Um

1:26:33 ↗ >> was the one you guys had on Zoom just

1:26:35 ↗ smaller group or was it with everyone?

1:26:38 ↗ Not this last one but the one that you

1:26:40 ↗ mentioned during co um

1:26:43 ↗ >> we had one woman facilitator. She was

1:26:45 ↗ very good and you know all of the

1:26:49 ↗ commission nurse around here zoomed in

1:26:52 ↗ and then we had breakout sessions in

1:26:54 ↗ Zoom.

1:26:55 ↗ >> I really like that whole experience.

1:26:58 ↗ Yeah. And I think especially for Isiqua,

1:27:00 ↗ it's harder to get to certain locations.

1:27:02 ↗ Like right, you know, we're just a

1:27:04 ↗ little bit tucked away. So sometimes

1:27:06 ↗ trans uh transporting

1:27:10 ↗ um

1:27:12 ↗ >> just just real quick just because when

1:27:14 ↗ we say joint commissioners it's it's

1:27:16 ↗ Belleview

1:27:19 ↗ >> Kirkland

1:27:22 ↗ >> would be their human services commission

1:27:24 ↗ for

1:27:25 ↗ >> all the part just their human services

1:27:28 ↗ commission from uh Belu and last year

1:27:30 ↗ actually Belv didn't participate they

1:27:32 ↗ did their own thing um but they the uh

1:27:36 ↗ Redmond

1:27:36 ↗ >> Kirkland Redmond Samish.

1:27:41 ↗ >> See, I don't mind doing this on Zoom.

1:27:44 ↗ >> Yeah, there's something Yeah. very

1:27:45 ↗ convenient about that. And there's

1:27:46 ↗ something nice about being in person as

1:27:48 ↗ well, right? And so, um,

1:27:50 ↗ >> also advantage for the presenter, too.

1:27:52 ↗ >> Say that again.

1:27:53 ↗ >> There's an advantage for the presenter

1:27:55 ↗ that if they're on Zoom, they can get

1:27:57 ↗ everything else set up and

1:27:59 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:28:00 ↗ >> But they didn't do a great job with

1:28:01 ↗ their Zoom interface last year,

1:28:04 ↗ >> right? No, what I mean is having the

1:28:05 ↗ entire thing on Zoom.

1:28:07 ↗ >> Oh, okay.

1:28:08 ↗ >> Yeah,

1:28:08 ↗ >> it makes it a little more accessible um

1:28:12 ↗ removing some of the barriers

1:28:13 ↗ >> and you can do breakout rooms,

1:28:16 ↗ >> you know, on Zoom and all that. I

1:28:18 ↗ >> Yeah, regardless of what we do, we will

1:28:20 ↗ have kind of a follow-up debrief with

1:28:24 ↗ intentionality of let's really dive into

1:28:26 ↗ this and give ourselves a lot of space

1:28:29 ↗ to talk about it. So, um

1:28:33 ↗ we we have it in our budget um to

1:28:37 ↗ contract for um this training

1:28:40 ↗ >> a shared a shared facilitator.

1:28:42 ↗ >> Um yeah, I don't know if our budget

1:28:44 ↗ could afford necessarily a facilitator,

1:28:46 ↗ right,

1:28:47 ↗ >> on their on our own. Um, so what I'm

1:28:50 ↗ hearing is that

1:28:53 ↗ online would be helpful with like um

1:28:57 ↗ some homework potentially or some like

1:29:00 ↗ kind of pre-work done.

1:29:01 ↗ >> I like that idea.

1:29:02 ↗ >> Um, I like the idea of like kind of like

1:29:04 ↗ here's your pre-work and preparation,

1:29:06 ↗ come to this meeting and then the

1:29:08 ↗ facilitators giving some just education

1:29:10 ↗ and like let's learn. Um, so let's

1:29:14 ↗ understand our biases or understand um

1:29:17 ↗ where we're coming from on the equity

1:29:19 ↗ spectrum and then let's um learn from a

1:29:24 ↗ expert matter person and learn um and

1:29:28 ↗ that will set us up nicely for reviewing

1:29:31 ↗ an application with an equity lens and

1:29:33 ↗ then let's take it let's get some

1:29:35 ↗ questions from them that can really help

1:29:38 ↗ facilitate a dialogue between us. So

1:29:40 ↗ that's what I'll advocate for in in the

1:29:42 ↗ regional our regional partners and if we

1:29:45 ↗ can't get that then I will excuse this

1:29:48 ↗ from the joint commission or equity

1:29:50 ↗ training and we will determine what our

1:29:53 ↗ own options are. Um but if they're on

1:29:56 ↗ board for kind of that type of format,

1:29:59 ↗ then maybe we can do that jointly since

1:30:01 ↗ we can get a little bit of um you have

1:30:05 ↗ individual time to reflect. You have a

1:30:07 ↗ larger group to be a part of and then

1:30:09 ↗ we'll have an intimate conversation in

1:30:11 ↗ this

1:30:12 ↗ >> in this circle.

1:30:13 ↗ >> You can also email us too and we'll

1:30:15 ↗ respond.

1:30:15 ↗ >> I mean because Oh, true.

1:30:18 ↗ >> That's right. The internet. I could

1:30:19 ↗ totally email you.

1:30:21 ↗ >> Yeah. We're not going to see you

1:30:23 ↗ forever. But but I mean if you have to

1:30:25 ↗ make a if something comes true. Okay. I

1:30:27 ↗ appreciate that. Thank you for the

1:30:28 ↗ reminder.

1:30:30 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:30:30 ↗ >> I think it's just a special.

1:30:37 ↗ Okay. Well, that's it. Thank you all for

1:30:39 ↗ your input. I really do appreciate that.

1:30:41 ↗ >> And I'm just guessing in your guys line

1:30:43 ↗ of work or other nonprofits you've

1:30:44 ↗ worked for or commissions that you guys

1:30:46 ↗ have had some kind of equity training.

1:30:49 ↗ >> Yeah. So this Yeah.

1:30:51 ↗ >> Yeah. I I think we are um equity is a

1:30:54 ↗ very important

1:30:56 ↗ um it's a very embedded into this

1:30:58 ↗ commission. It's very

1:31:02 ↗ >> well maybe we'll call your wife.

1:31:08 ↗ >> That's great.

1:31:09 ↗ >> All right. Well, more to come on this

1:31:10 ↗ one from the group. Um any other

1:31:14 ↗ business or announcements from the

1:31:17 ↗ group here?

1:31:20 ↗ >> All right. Well, as Hannah mentioned,

1:31:22 ↗ our human service commission will recess

1:31:24 ↗ in August and our next meeting will be

1:31:26 ↗ scheduled for September 17

1:31:30 ↗ and uh meeting is adjourned at uh 8:06.

1:31:37 ↗ Thank you.

1:31:38 ↗ >> Oh, you're welcome. You're welcome.

1:31:45 ↗ Everyone.

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