As the holiday season approaches, we at Housing Hope and HopeWorks reflect on a year filled with progress and gratitude. Because of your steadfast support, you are making a real difference in our community—providing safe homes, childcare, education, and job training to our neighbors. Together, we’re building community through affordable housing, wraparound services, and support for children and families. Thank you for making it all possible.
This year we’d like to take the time to highlight three families at different points in their path to housing stability. After the trauma of being unhoused, it takes families time and space to adapt and settle in. The transition from daily anxiety and uncertainty of when your next meal might be to sleeping in the same bed every night with permanent walls around you can be jarring.
Kristin, Emari, and Don were willing to share with you where they are on that journey. They all found housing at a Housing Hope site in Everett. Kristin just moved in a few months ago with her twin toddlers. Emari has been in her apartment with her toddler for about a year. And Don is more settled, having reliable housing for a few years.
These snapshots in time are reminders of the real impact of your generosity. Every dollar, every volunteer hour, and every word of encouragement fuels a path to consistency and growth for folks across Snohomish County. Your partnership is invaluable.
First, let’s meet Kristin, who moved into her home a few months ago and is embracing a fresh start.
“After being unhoused and bouncing around among family and friends’ places, it is great to have my own space for me and my boys.” After moving in this summer, Kristin has connected with valuable resources for her toddler twin boys, including ChildStrive, physical therapy, feeding therapy, and nutritional counseling. When asked about her goals for the next six months, Kristin talked about settling in, sorting through her storage unit, budgeting, continuing to improve her mental health, accessing further resources, and resuming visits with her older daughter now that she has her own space.
Stable housing creates a foundation for dreams to grow, and we’re excited to cheer on Kristin as she continues to settle in. Next, let’s meet Emari, who has had a little more time in a supportive environment to reflect and acclimate.
Since moving into Housing Hope almost a year ago, Emari has been able to focus on “getting her life back on track” for herself and her 1-year-old daughter Nylah. She is working with an Education Coordinator to finish her GED, and she also wants to complete the Early Childhood Education job training program through HopeWorks. Long term, her goal is to become a pediatric surgeon. Working on her interpersonal skills has also been a focus for Emari. The on-site Family Support Coach, Toni, has been helping her analyze her responses to situations and create strategies so she can respond in more constructive ways. Now that she has stable housing and has been connected with multiple resources, she is on her way to meeting her goals.
It's amazing how much can happen in a year, and what’s possible when families have the time and energy to focus on their well-being! And lastly for today, we’d like you to meet Don, whose few years in a home show the security and personal growth that come with having a permanent residence.
After being unhoused for years, Don has lived at Housing Hope for five years. He appreciates that his housing is centrally and conveniently located, since it allows him to bike most places. When he needs to go further, there’s a bus stop a short walk away. He has enjoyed maintaining the community garden and quickly noted that having hoses to water it has been one of the most helpful things offered to him since moving in. When asked what he is most proud of since moving into housing, Don replied with a smile, “Keeping everything alive, including myself. I still got my sanity.”
Kristin, Emari, and Don exemplify the life-changing impact of safe housing combined with supportive services. With your year-end gift, more families in Snohomish County can access resources, and we all can continue to build healthier, stronger communities across the region.
Would you consider making a year-end gift? Here’s how you can help sustain our mission:
Monthly gifts provide steady, reliable funding.
Gifts of stock can be arranged with your financial advisor.
IRA rollovers are tax-savvy ways to give.
Estate planning gifts create a legacy of hope.
As we approach the end of 2024, we invite you to make a gift that will create a lasting impact. Together, we can bring hope to even more families in our community.
Warm wishes for the holidays,
Donna Moulton, CEO
Housing Hope and HopeWorks