by Emily Taibl
One of the great privileges of working with Hopelink is the opportunity to serve 4 times a year at Avondale Park in Redmond. Located on Avondale Road, this residential park includes 24 units for young families with children. Residents are offered their own apartment unit for up to 24 months along with on-site case management and a great community. Hopelink in partnership with Friends of Youth, offers these struggling families a chance to get their footing, along with a variety of life-improvement services including help with childcare, goal setting, finding employment and funding an education.
This fall, Sweeney Conrad set up a chili feed- complete with sparkling cider and a brownie ice cream bar to treat the residents of Avondale to a festive meal. It was a wonderful evening of community for families with children of all ages- and an incredible opportunity to give back.
About Friends of Youth
Since 1951, Friends of Youth has been helping young people in challenging circumstances get their lives back on track. Today, Friends of Youth positively impacts over 5,500 youth and young adults ages 6-24 and their families each year, operating facilities and programs at 21 sites in 18 cities across the Puget Sound region.
In addition to operating the only overnight youth shelters on the Eastside, Friends of Youth offers youth development initiatives, in-home family support for young parents of newborns, parent education, youth and family counseling, substance abuse counseling, therapeutic foster care, residential treatment and transitional housing for homeless young people and teen mothers. See more at www.friendsofyouth.org
About Hopelink
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities in north and east King County; providing stability and helping people gain the skills and knowledge they need to exit poverty for good. Hopelink also provides transportation services throughout King and Snohomish Counties. With service centers in Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Shoreline and Sno-Valley (Carnation), Hopelink is the largest nonprofit organization in the area. Programs and services focus on nine categories of assistance: Adult Education, Emergency Financial Help, Employment Services, Energy Assistance, Family Development, Financial Literacy, Food Assistance, Housing and Transportation. Hopelink serves about 64,000 people annually. See more at http://www.hopelink.org