February 3, 2017

Supporting Auburn Students

Tuesday night the advisory council for Communities In Schools came together for a delicious dinner prepared by the Auburn High School Culinary Arts students and to learn more about CIS Auburn. Arlene Pierini, Executive Director, shared some rather staggering facts with us, including that across the Auburn School District 53% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch. The number increases to over 80% at some schools! It's no surprise that the burdens of poverty accompany students to school. Lack of food, shelter and clothing weigh heavily on a child, and can make it difficult to focus on learning. It was surprising to hear that poverty is the single largest risk factor for dropping out of school.

CIS has a presence at many of our local schools - working hand in hand with educators, families and the community to help vulnerable students succeed. Site Coordinators connect with students and families to provide a support network - tailored to the student's specific needs. 

Here are some impressive stats:

• In 2015-2016, 3,773 students in need received support
• 560 students received case managed support & 73% made significant academic gains and/or improved attendance.
• Volunteers logged 4,660 hour helping Auburn students
• 5,825 students at five elementary and four middle schools received books, curriculum materials, career exploration and other support

With all that and so much more, CIS needs our help! Our goals during the advisory board meeting were to identify ways to provide more help for our homeless students and also to strategize better recruiting opportunities for AmeriCorp Volunteers. I received the summary of our work from Tuesday, and I thought I would share a few of the ideas with you:1. Strategies for Helping Homeless Students

• Continue wrap around services
• Identify Community Development Block Grant funding priorities
• Create Pre-packaged basic needs kits
• Advocate for Safe Lots and other supports

2.  Strategies for Recruiting AmeriCorps Members from the Boomer Generation

• Senior Center publicity
• Service organization publicity
• Senior housing - Wesley Homes, Merrill Gardens, Shag, Brannan
• Public TV Promo
• Faith community publicity
• See if we can find donor subsidized housing for members
• AARP publicity
• Speak to VFW and GRC veteran’s groups
• Facebook target groups

Arlene and her team do so much good in our community, and I think the group came up with some great ideas on how to help! I encourage you to take a look at the CIS and also the AmeriCorp websites to see if either of these opportunities might fit your interests - it's a great way to make a difference in the life of a child!

"Live in such a way that if someone spoke badly of you, no one would believe it."

             - Unknown

Wednesday evening we were at Gildo Rey Elementary School to share our Healthy Auburn For Life - Healthiest City in Washington by 2020 program with school families. Pat Bailey leads our Blue Ribbon Committee and in the nine short months that the committee has been together they have been fully engaged and motivated! 

The mission of Healthy Auburn For Life is to optimize the health and well-being of all through education, participation an innovation in our community. They have identified their top three goals as:

1. Healthy weight in adults and children
2. Behavioral/mental health, stress, substance abuse, and smoking/tobacco use
3. Maternal and child health

If you want to keep up-to-date with the program and what the committee is working on, here's the link to the Healthy Auburn For Life Facebook page.  

By Councilmember Claude DaCorsi

On Tuesday of this week, I provided testimony before the Washington State Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee on Senate Bill 5407. This bill, if enacted, will “prohibit a landlord from refusing to lease or rent real property to an applicant based on the source of income of an otherwise eligible applicant or tenant.”

Source of income discrimination has become a serious issue in our region. Recently a number of Section 8 voucher holder residents in Renton were informed by their property management company that they were no longer eligible to continue rent at the property based solely on their source of income.

Source of income discrimination can include Section 8 voucher assistance, retirement income from social security, or any other form of retirement income including pensions, supplemental social security income, any non-profit administered benefit, or any assistance deriving from federal, state, or local resources.

My testimony was as a retiree who receives social security and pension benefits. If I needed to find a place to live, potentially a property management company could refuse me as an applicant based solely on my source of income. My testimony concluded with the statement, “The key word in this bill is discrimination. There is no room in our society for discrimination of any kind.”

Speaking for myself as a citizen of Auburn, I would ask you to please contact your state legislators and ask them to support Senate Bill 5407 relating to ensuring housing options, and adding new language to RCW 59.18 to prevent source of income discrimination. 

Join Us at the Healthy Auburn Resource Expo!

Join us along with the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce on February 18, 11-4, at the Community & Event Center, 910 9th St SE, for the Healthy Auburn Resource Expo! There will be awesome demonstrations and classes, free health screenings and even prizes. See you there!

First of Its Kind Mental and Behavioral Health Course

On February 23, we will be premiering a one-hour first aid class for behavioral and mental health called R.E.A.D.Y. at the Auburn Ave Theater from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. This is the only class of its kind in the country, and we have trademarked the curriculum. I've had a chance to sit in on the class, and the information can truly save lives. I hope you'll be able to join us for this, too!