Spring Cleaning Can Support Families!

Moving into a new home is a prideful accomplishment for the families who come to First Place!

We have some great news today – a high number of our families have been moving into transitional housing from shelters or shared housing. This is definitely a reason to celebrate!

Along with these great successes, First Place currently has a great need for household items to help these families turn an empty apartment into their home. We are looking for new and gently used household items.

If you’ve been spring cleaning, some of these items may be in your donate pile:

• Kitchen items such as: plates, bowls, silverware, mugs, pots & pans, baking pans, colanders, cutting boards, serving utensils—and anything you find is essential in the kitchen!
• Dish towels, bath towels, washcloths and laundry detergent
• Pillows, comforters, blankets and sheet sets
• Lamps with lightbulbs
• Plastic Hangers

We currently are not able to accept furniture donations to pass on to families. We would like to encourage donation of gift certificates to places parents can purchase furniture and other household items. Gift certificates starting at $50 for these stores are greatly appreciated: Goodwill, Ikea, Value village, Target, JC Penney, and Fred Meyer.

More helpful ideas:

• Purchase some of these items on Amazon.com and have them shipped directly to First Place. When you use the Amazon School Rewards link here, a percentage of your order is donated back to First Place.
• Forward this blog to your friends and neighbors, or post it in your office break room.
• Donate the proceeds of your spring garage sale to First Place.
• Link to this blog from your Facebook page. Challenge your friends to get involved.
• Ask your work department to each pick something off this list to donate.

For more information or to set up a time to deliver a donation contact Lisa Foss at (206) 323 6715.

Action Alert: Support Housing Trust Fund

The Washington State Housing Trust Fund is a vital funding source in our state and we are at risk of losing this fund. We are re-posting information from the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance and urging you to write to your Senator.

Just before the end of the regular session, the House of Representatives approved the Senate Capital budget with an amendment to fund the Housing Trust Fund with $50 million. An investment of this size will create at least 1,500 jobs, generate $10.3 million in taxes for local governments, and bring in $28.7 million in income for local businesses. Now is a critical time to contact your Senator to urge support for this critical investment.

It is your advocacy that will ensure the Trust Fund is funded at $50 million. Many of the projects that are "in the pipeline" and ready to begin will build housing for those who can least afford it - families and individuals struggling with or leaving homelessness, the disabled, and seniors on fixed incomes. Many of these individuals and families only source of income is the small $339 per month cash grant from the GA-U program. This tiny amount allows these Washingtonians to afford the basics like housing and food.

The Housing Trust Fund is essential to providing housing for those who need it the most. The Senate needs to know that the Trust Fund not only creates jobs, but also creates a path out of homelessness for thousands of people throughout Washington.

Contact your Senator today!

Read more from other organizations: YWCA Action Alert, Building Changes, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.