Category Archives: Homeless

Help for Maui residents affected by the fires

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Karen McM brought this to our attention and recommends Maui Strong as good place to consider making a donation to help. There are many other good organizations listed below.

Posted in Advocacy, Caregiving, Food, Health, Homeless, Kindness, Philanthropy, Social justice | 1 Comment

From State Senator Jamie Pederson

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mary Jane F. Dear friends and neighbors, The lack of affordable housing and homelessness are two of the primary challenges facing our state. In the last decade, roughly one million people moved to Washington, but only about 250,000 … Continue reading →

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Seattle’s first affordable housing high-rise tower in 50 years welcomes its first residents (and it’s on First Hill)

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mary Jane F. This week, people who used to live outside began moving into a new building on First Hill. It’s the first new affordable housing high-rise tower Seattle has seen in 50 years. It represents a different … Continue reading →

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Mayor Bruce Harrell Releases Proposed 2023–2024 Human Services Department Budget

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell released the 2023–2024 Proposed Budget for the City of Seattle. This budget reflects Mayor Harrell’s continued commitment to bold action on the priorities of our communities—investing to address urgent needs and emphasizing the essentials as we … Continue reading →

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Homeless solutions – Seattle’s unique collaboration

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Jim deMaine

By Maia Szalavitz in the New York Times Thanks to Mike C. The needs of homeowners and businesses and those of people who are unsheltered often conflict. Community leaders, faced with increasing crime and disorder, frequently see police sweeps as the … Continue reading →

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Volunteers fly into Seattle’s spider web on homelessness

Posted on March 27, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Ed M. By Danny Westneat Seattle Times columnist With 171 years of life experience between them, including about 80 managing hospitals and rocket systems, Ruth Benfield and John Pehrson have seen a thing or two. Benfield was a vice … Continue reading →

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Housing, homelessness, and funding

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mary Jane F.

Posted in Advocacy, Government, Homeless, In the Neighborhood | Comments Off on Housing, homelessness, and funding

While Seattle City Council dithers, thank God for police

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Jim deMaine

By John Wilcox Special to The Times On May 1, while walking along Olive Way in downtown Seattle at about 3 p.m., I heard the now common sounds of anarchists and their followers chanting, beating pans and making noise. This crowd … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Essays, Government, Homeless, In the Neighborhood, Safety, Social justice | Comments Off on While Seattle City Council dithers, thank God for police

End homeless tent encampments with compassion and accountability

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Jim deMaine

By Tim Burgess Special to The Times The tents, dilapidated vehicles and piles of trash you see in almost every Seattle neighborhood have become an enduring fixture. So has the human suffering. We should quickly prioritize addressing these tent encampments and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Homeless | 1 Comment

Pope Francis: A Crisis Reveals What Is in Our Hearts

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Jim deMaine

In the NYT: In this past year of change, my mind and heart have overflowed with people. People I think of and pray for, and sometimes cry with, people with names and faces, people who died without saying goodbye to … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Climate, environment, Essays, Government, Homeless, Politics, Social justice | Comments Off on Pope Francis: A Crisis Reveals What Is in Our Hearts

A regional solution to homelessness is long overdue. Ask those on the front lines

Posted on December 17, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From Crosscut: At this moment, as winter descends in the Pacific Northwest, there are well over 11,000 people living unsheltered and unhoused in King County. Many are veterans and single parents. Many are escaping abusive households, have lost jobs, have experienced eviction … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Essays, Homeless, Safety, Social justice | Comments Off on A regional solution to homelessness is long overdue. Ask those on the front lines

As homeless Washingtonians near the end of life, hospice workers offer comfort wherever needed

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From Crosscut: Social workers, doctors, and nurses meet patients in untraditional settings, including tents, vans and shelters. Chuck King has experienced homelessness, off and on, since he was a teen. While he worked in construction from the time he was 18 until … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, end of life, Homeless | Comments Off on As homeless Washingtonians near the end of life, hospice workers offer comfort wherever needed

Full Life Care Benefit Luncheon

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Jim deMaine

This is a Transforming Age Affiliated Organization Come support Full Life Care with friends and colleagues. This annual fundraising event features a guest speaker, an excellent meal and the opportunity to learn more. Your support helps provide home- and community-based … Continue reading →

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San Francisco to force treatment on mentally ill drug users

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Jim deMaine

When I worked at Firland TB Sanatorium, those with suspect tuberculosis were required to be off the streets and hospitalized there. And if they didn’t comply, they were placed in a locked ward where they received medical treatment as well … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Advocacy, Homeless, Law, Poverty, Social justice | Comments Off on San Francisco to force treatment on mentally ill drug users

‘Hand to Mouth’ by Linda Tirado

Posted on May 14, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mary M for sending this along: So why do poor people seem so self destructive. Well, “Our bodies hurt, our brains hurt, and our souls hurt.” Poor people are exhausted, degraded, angry and depressed most days of their … Continue reading →

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“Seattle is Dying” – over 2 million views so far

Posted on March 23, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed note: A Bellevue friend mentioned this video to me and was amazed why I would tolerate the drug related homelessness in Seattle. I was a bit defensive but after watching the video and reading John Carlon’s take, Seattle badly … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Advocacy, Crime, Health, Homeless, In the Neighborhood, Safety | 2 Comments

March 12th First Hill Improvement Meeting

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Jim deMaine
Posted in Homeless, In the Neighborhood | Comments Off on March 12th First Hill Improvement Meeting

AgeWise King County Newsletter

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Jim deMaine

Chair’s Corner: Your Time, Talent, and Kindness Go a Long Way In December, it is very tempting to write a cheery article about celebrating the holidays with families, food, friends, and fun. I don’t want to sound all doom-and-gloom, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Aging Sites, Education, happiness, Health, Homeless, In the Neighborhood, Social justice | Comments Off on AgeWise King County Newsletter

Dow Constantine, King County Executive speaks at Skyline

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Jim deMaine
Posted in Homeless, In the Neighborhood, Law, Politics | Comments Off on Dow Constantine, King County Executive speaks at Skyline

Seattle’s new tiny house village for the homeless — women only

Posted on May 12, 2018 by Jim deMaine

From Crosscut: “A tiny, new community is taking shape within Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood with the aim of helping homeless women return to sheltered living. Tucked between a bank’s parking lot and a four-story apartment complex off 15th Avenue Northwest, a … Continue reading →

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Is Seattle less angry than the “other Washington?”

Posted on April 28, 2018 by Jim deMaine

Alex Berezow, a proud Husky alum with a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Washington, is senior fellow of biomedical science at the American Council on Science and Health. He is a science writer, U.S./European affairs writer and author … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Homeless, In the Neighborhood, Politics, Social justice | Comments Off on Is Seattle less angry than the “other Washington?”