Hello friend!
2024 has been a busy year for Housing Hope! We've seen a new 52 unit housing community open, multiple new Tomorrow's Hope satellite locations open, record breaking fundraising events, nearly 100 job training graduates, two new pathways added to the training options, an exclusive new Mukilteo Coffee Roasters blend for Kindred Kitchen, and so much more!
With so much going on we wanted to bring back our quarterly newsletter, bringing you insights and updated into all things Housing Hope. Want to get the physical version of the newsletter next time? Sign up today HERE!
// Participant Experiences
Isha and Her Three Children (Ages 7, 5, and 3)
Tomorrow’s Hope Participants
“I feel I have recovered myself in the last few years and a part of that is because of Tomorrow’s Hope.” Isha met her husband in her early twenties and was with him for five years. She moved to Washington from the Midwest about four years ago fleeing an abusive relationship during a violent and traumatic time for her and the boys.
She brought her 3 young boys with her. Her youngest was 4 months old at the time. She recalls knocking on the door of the local domestic violence shelter asking if they had space. It was wintertime, and the director of the shelter saw her outside with her two toddlers and infant and immediately took the time to get them into a hotel. They stayed there for a couple months before a room opened at the shelter. Her advocate at the shelter told her about Tomorrow’s Hope.
She got her two older boys into Tomorrow’s Hope soon after and enrolled her youngest as soon as he was old enough. She then spent the next two years getting things in order while living at the shelter. Tomorrow’s Hope staff have supported her all along the way. They have provided material needs for the boys such as clothing, diapers, and a stroller, but also parenting and developmental help when the boys have had behavioral concerns due to the trauma they experienced.
After two years at the shelter, they moved into their own place. Isha expressed that she is so proud of herself: “I have come a long way from the dark place and have accomplished a lot!” Having full-time childcare at Tomorrow’s Hope enabled her to have the time, space, and energy to get her driver’s license, buy a car, get a stable full-time job, and work on her own trauma recovery.
“If you want childcare, Tomorrow’s Hope is great! They’re great with kids, great with the programming, and in a great location. They are a very understanding program. I wouldn’t change it.”
She and her children have formed such close relationships with the Tomorrow’s Hope staff over the last four years. They have watched her boys grow and have been a huge part of that growth. Isha refers to one of the staff as her kids’ “god grandma” and jokingly remarks how she “stole her”— “she is my family now.”
It’s the sense of community at Tomorrow’s Hope that is invaluable to Isha. She had an unstable childhood, coming to the United States from Kenya as a preteen. She bounced around among family members’ homes in different states, all of which were unhealthy, abusive environments. She was eventually removed from her family’s care by Child Protective Services in her teens. Since escaping to Washington, engaging with community resources, and finding Tomorrow’s Hope, she has found stability and a support system that she hasn’t had before.
And she hopes to continue that for her boys. They have been in their own place for about a year now, and she has started creating more plans and goals for her little family’s future. She wants to buy a house, get a degree in Criminal Justice, and work at a law firm, ideally helping others who have been in situations like hers.
// Madrona Highlands Welcome Ceremony
October 15, 2024
This past October we held a welcome ceremony at our latest housing community, Madrona Highlands. Around 200 attendees, including Senator Maria Cantwell, State Representative Strom Peterson, US Representative Rick Larsen, and more joined us for the grand reveal.
Here's a brief statement from Housing Hope's Senior Director, Admin & Operations, Kathryn Opina.
“Nothing feels better than doing a Welcoming Ceremony for new affordable units to serve our community members in need. The Madrona Highlands living community was a joy to develop, especially with partners like Edmonds Lutheran Church, the Hazel Miller Foundation as a lead funder, Kirtley Cole and Associates as our general contractor, and all our funders. The Housing Authority of Snohomish County is another critical partner in making this project work. The housing vouchers they provide for low-income units enable families to afford the rent and build their lives. We want to express our appreciation to Snohomish County and NEF for their support of funding as well.
Thank you to all our partners, friends, neighbors, and supporters for coming out to celebrate. Days like this give us energy to carry on in providing solutions to one of our County’s most complicated issues, homelessness.”
// Events
We had such a great summer meeting so many new faces!
Thank you to everyone that came out to see us and to our amazing volunteers that made these events possible.
Missing us already?
Don’t worry! We have plenty of upcoming events where you can find us doing our thing.
// Renew Home & Decor
Don't miss Renew Home & Decor's Black Friday X Cyber Monday sale! On Black Friday (Nov 29th), shop in store and save up to 75% select items in store, with the entire store being 20% off at least!
Can't make it in? Don't worry, on Cyber Monday (December 2nd) shop online and find take advantage of our clearance section 20%-50% off sales. Take an additional 20% off your order with code CYBER20 at checkout.
And remember, we deliver locally! Choose local delivery for purchases in store and online.
// Kindred Kitchen
Kindred Kitchen and Mukilteo Coffee Roasters have collaborated on an exclusive medium light roast, the Community Blend! After a organization wide taste test, this coffee blend has quickly become a staff and customer favorite. Stop on by Kindred Kitchen's cafe location at 3315 Broadway in Everett for a freshly brewed cup, and while you're there grab a 12oz bag + new Kindred coffee mug to go!
Looking for a holiday gift that supports local business and job training programs in Snohomish County? Grab a gift box and add on a Kindred Kitchen gift card for the perfect present this holiday season.
Community Blend 12oz Bag | $14.95
Kindred Kitchen Coffee Mug 12oz | $12.95
Gift Box Set (Community Blend 12oz + Kindred Kitchen Coffee Mug) | $25
