Director's Note – July 2023

While celebrating the 4^th of July holiday can be challenging for some in our community, it is also typically seen as the real beginning of summer here in Seattle. One hopeful image to turn to is a public naturalization event. This year’s ceremony at Seattle Center welcomed 500 new American citizens from 80 different countries! I want to echo Mayor Bruce Harrell’s words that “Immigrants and refugees make us a stronger city – better equipped to solve problems, grow, and learn from one another. This is what America – and #OneSeattle – look like.”

Coming into my office the next day I met so many incredible Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) interns! Can you believe this program is in its 50^th year? Internships change every year, and can include positions in office administration, information technology (IT), childcare, medical, restaurant, retail, construction, camp counseling, community art projects, and more! The Human Services Department (HSD) is a brighter place with its close to a dozen interns infusing their energy, skill, and time!

Speaking of summer buzz, I want to be sure that you read the brief below about our Summer Food Service Program. HSD is partnering with Seattle Public Schools, Department of Education and Early Learning, Neighborhoods, Parks, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and United Way to get the word out that breakfast, lunch and/or snacks are available for children and youth throughout our city.

Why? So that all children and youth—especially students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school—can get the nutrition they need for healthy growth and learning. But all means all—no ID, proof of eligibility, or proof of residency is required. This represents Seattle’s commitment to ensuring that children have what they need to thrive.

Will you help us get the word out? No child in Seattle should go hungry!

Finally, July is another month packed with special nationwide recognitions, including Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (see especially the links to health disparities and resources) and Disability Pride Month. July 2 was the 59^th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. July 26 is the 33^rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, another piece of civil rights legislation. Please take time to learn about each of them.

Best,

Tanya Kim

Summer is Here, and so are Free Meals for Kids!

As the school year comes to an end, the excitement for summer vacations and outdoor activities is everywhere. But for some children, summer isn't just about fun and games. It's a time when the safety net of school-provided meals disappears, leaving them vulnerable to food insecurity.

The Summer Meals program, which has 62 meal distribution sites across the city this year, was designed to make free, nutritious meals readily available to all children under the age of 18—without the need for identification or proof of residency.

The program runs from Wednesday, July 5 through Friday, August 25, 2023. Text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 or call the USDA Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY/1-877-8-HAMBRE to find a site near you anywhere in the country or visit www.FreeSummerMeals.org to find a map and information in 10 languages.

Understanding this urgent issue, Mayor Bruce Harrell, a recently inducted member of the nationwide Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD), Seattle Parks and Recreation, and United Way King County have announced the launch of the 2023 Summer Food Services Program also known as Summer Meals Program.

The Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger is a collective of city leaders who are committed to implementing and advocating for policies, community partnerships, and programs designed to provide children with healthy and delicious food. By joining this alliance, Mayor Harrell is placing Seattle at the forefront of cities working diligently to end childhood hunger.

To learn more about HSD’s role or to become a future site, visit: http://seattle.gov/summerfood or http://www.summerfood.usda.gov/.

When the weather warms up in Seattle, out come the diggers! If you’ve spent much time with young children, you’ll know “diggers” is the favorite preschool-yard term for excavators. So yes, it’s diggers season here at HSD, and the construction projects we’ve been celebrating most often lately are new early learning facilities.

Over the span of one week in June, HSD staff had the privilege of attending three construction milestone events: two groundbreaking ceremonies and one grand opening. HSD made capital funding awards to all three developments, and all three will result in new licensed child care and preschool programs.

Combined, the projects will serve approximately 273 more young children aged from birth to five years old annually. The early learning facilities will provide new job opportunities for local child care workers and early childhood educators. The centers will make it possible for more parents to find meaningful work outside the home. Perhaps most exciting, all three centers will be co-located with new affordable housing developments. This means many of the children enrolled in the new centers will live just above their classrooms.

Read more about these three projects in our recent blog post and check out photos taken by our Federal Grants Management Unit!

Last month, Mayor Bruce Harrell welcomed this year’s cohort of nine graduate students who are pursuing master's or doctorate degrees focusing on public policy or a related field. The Mayor’s Public Policy Fellowship Program works on City of Seattle projects, across multiple departments, developing public policy and programs for the public good that support mayoral priorities—and HSD is lucky to welcome two of them!

HSD’s Crime Survivor Services team welcomed Katrina May, who will be conducting research to learn about models for employee wellness geared toward crime victim advocates. Examples include trauma stewardship trainings, educational materials, protected leave, sabbaticals, FMLA, time off for self-care, etc. She will be conducting interviews with the advocates, volunteers, and other city colleagues to analyze wellness needs for employees experiencing vicarious trauma.

HSD’s Aging and Disability Services (ADS) Division is very excited to be hosting Jade Yan, the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Fellow. In this role Jade will conduct a landscape analysis of the City’s work in both providing and financially supporting behavioral health related interventions and services. This landscape will include the City’s relationship with other funders and service providers including our partners at the State and County. Through this analysis and potential recommendations, City leaders will have a clearer understanding of the role we should play, now and in the near future, addressing people experiencing mental health and/or substance use disorder crises.

“Young people bring needed new ideas, new perspectives, new energy and represent the future of our City workforce," said Mayor Harrell at the welcoming ceremony. "Working with leaders like these young people, I know we are laying the groundwork for effective future local government, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together this summer.”