"Food. Shelter. Hope." That's the motto of United Way of King County and something we should all be able to get behind, given the current economic crisis.

The effects of the crisis are being felt in our schools.  As a district, the percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches rose to 22.3% last year and has maintaned itself.  We also have seen an increase in the number of students who are eligible to receive services for the homeless.  Last year on October 14, we had 91 homeless students.  This year on October 6, there were 96 and we know the number will grow throughout the year.

The situation in King County as a whole is even more dire:

• On any given night in King County more than 8,000 people are homless.
• King County unemployment rate is 8.5%, according to the latest report by Washington State Employment and Security Department.
• Some food banks have seen a reported 30% increase in clients.

United Way of King County, is leading the charge to solve the most pressing health and human service issues in our community, namely, helping families meet their basic needs, getting kids ready for school and ending homelessness. They are doing this by mobilizing local resources, agencies, experts, government agencies and community leaders to solve problems.

BSD Family Connections Centers and staff regularly refer families from around the district to:

• HopeLink, which provides transitional housing for families in the Enatai and Clyde Hill attendance areas, as well as for families in other parts of the district, along with literacy services and transportation;
• Crisis Clinic for callers of all income levels who need emotional support;
• Eastside Domestic Violence Program which provides shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
• Friends of Youth for emergency shelter for teens, and drug and alcohol counseling;
• New Beginnings for a domestic violence shelter and counseling; 
• Sea-Mar Community Health Centers, now offering physical and behavioral health programs in Bellevue
• Solid Ground for support for homeless and low-income families,
• Sophia Way provides supportive services, overnight shelter and one bedroom apartments for single women in transition.
• YouthCare is a shelter and provides services for unaccompanied youth. 
• Youth Eastside Services, which serves 37,000 children and parents a year for mental health counseling and crisis intervention, including direct services provided in some of our schools; and 
• YWCA Family Village for transitional housing for Eastside families, including some in BSD.

Make a difference for our kids and invest in our community.  There are four ways you can decide where your United Way donation goes.

• invest in United Way of King County with no strings attached,
• help all children in King County start school ready to succeed,
• help everyone in King County have a home, or 
• designate a favorite non-profit organization that United Way already funds, or one that is not on the list of United Way partner agencies, such as the Bellevue Schools Foundation. 

The impact of this recession is devastating and the recovery is slow. All of us know someone who is unemployed or has experienced cutbacks in work hours.  You personally may need to turn to a United Way-funded agency for help or are already doing so. If you're not, you can be sure that among the kids you teach, transport, feed, or clean up after, are those who have benefited from services supported by United Way dollars. This year more than ever, the BSD community needs to make a difference through a successful United Way campaign.  Pledge On-Line >