Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed this year on Monday, January 20. While County offices will be closed in observance of the holiday, I encourage everyone to participate in a day of service. You can check with your city or town, schools, nonprofits, or faith communities to see if they have service opportunities over the weekend or on the holiday, or you can find another meaningful way to give back. We can all celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King by giving our time and effort to serve others and strengthen our communities. 

Do you know someone in Snohomish County who is bringing a fresh voice to leadership and helping shape the future of our community? Nominations are closing soon for the Snohomish County Emerging Leader award. CommonUnity and partners are seeking nominees who are championing innovative solutions to community challenges, demonstrating exceptional impact before age 40, building bridges across different sectors and communities, challenging conventional thinking about leadership, and creating opportunities for others to succeed.  

Nominations typically take just a couple of minutes to complete and can be done online at https://www.commonunity-us.com/emergingleaderssc/nomination. 

Do you still need help recovering from November's bomb cyclone windstorm? 

Snohomish County residents who sustained damage not covered by insurance can now meet in-person in Monroe with representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience to explore applying for low-interest loans. 

SBA Disaster loans up to $500,000 can be made available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles. 

The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center is scheduled to be open weekdays through Jan. 31 and is located in the VIP Cabin at the Evergreen State Fair Park, 14405 179th Ave. SE in Monroe. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday. 

Learn more: https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2969  

I’m excited to invite you to our SeattleFWC26 fan zone.  

The Seattle FIFA World Cup 26TM Local Organizing Committee (SeattleFWC26) announced this week that they will be partnering with nine locations across the state who will host fan zones, in addition to the Seattle Fan Celebration hosted at the Seattle Center. Recognizing the statewide significance of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™, SeattleFWC26 sought partnerships with communities outside of King County to create vibrant fan zones, in order to ensure that as many Washingtonians as possible can be part of this historic event. Specific locations within each city will be announced ahead of the tournament. 

We are thrilled to welcome fans to Snohomish County, where there’s something for everybody, from snow-tipped mountains to the shores of Puget Sound. We hope you’ll join us to make the World Cup experience unforgettable.  

Executive Director Mike Fong from Snohomish County joined an event at Lumen Field in Seattle on Tuesday where they announced the fan zones. Photo courtesy of SeattleFWC26. 

The Snohomish County Human Services Department, in collaboration with community and human service providers, is gearing up for the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count on Thursday, January 23. This annual initiative remains a cornerstone in Snohomish County's commitment to understanding and addressing homelessness within the community. The count includes those in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and living unsheltered on the streets or in a place not intended for human habitation. The unsheltered count will take place January 23 and service-based counts will continue through January 29 in partnership with human service providers in the area. The data collected can help us better understand homelessness in our community and is a valuable tool for securing and prioritizing funding to reduce homelessness.  

Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up online or email Snoco-PITCount@snoco.org. You can volunteer at one of the locations listed on the flyer to help gather data about homelessness.