Recommended Reading: November

In November, we are focusing on bringing awareness to Hunger & Homelessness, as well as to community resources that are available.

Community Resources 

(adapted from the Seattle Central College Guide "Resources for Community Support and Justice at Seattle Central College")

• 45th Street Clinic Neighborcare Health: A health clinic where no appointment is necessary, serving homeless youth ages 12-23.
• Chief Seattle Club: Drop-in center with clothing, meals, hygiene items, benefits assistance, assessment/referral to alcohol treatment, housing assistance and case management for low-income and homeless American Indians and Alaska Natives 18 and older. Must apply for membership and provide proof of tribal affiliation.
• Country Doctor Free Clinic for Homeless Youth: A health clinic where no appointment is necessary, serving homeless youth ages 12-23.
• Crisis Connections: Formerly called Crisis Clinic and founded in 1964, this program serves the emotional and physical needs of individuals across Washington State, and includes the 24-hour Crisis Line, King County 2-1-1, Teen Link, WA Recovery Help Line, and WA Warm Line.
• Lazarus Center: Operates a drop-in center with laundry, shower, telephone, mailing address service, clothing and daily lunch. Serves homeless and marginally housed adults who are 50 and older. 
• Muslim Housing Services: Case management, homelessness prevention, transitional housing and rental assistance. Serves refugees and second migration immigrants from East Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and other parts of Africa. Staff speaks multiple languages.
• Neighborhood Legal Clinics: Operates a legal clinic. Call for an appointment. Serves low-income or homeless self-identifying American Indians and Alaska Natives that live in King County or have a case filed in King County. Call ahead for screening. No fees. 
• Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS): PSKS is a drop-in shelter that assists homeless and at-risk youth and young adults to empower themselves and lead positive and self-sufficient lives by offering education, employment and housing support. ​
• ROOTS: ROOTS Young Adult Shelter builds community and fosters dignity through access to essential services and a safe place to sleep for young adults, ages 18-25, experiencing homelessness.
• Seattle Community Law Center: Representation, advocacy and assistance applying for, receiving, or appealing decisions on Social Security benefits, serving low-income and homeless individuals with disabilities.
• Seattle Public Library: Drop-in support services for veteran families experiencing homelessness or who are very low-income. Services include rapid housing, counseling, access to medical care, financial assistance and legal assistance.
• Teen Feed: Teen Feed responds to the most basic needs of homeless and at-risk youth in the following focus areas: healthy meals and lives, youth support coordination, street outreach, healthcare access, and engaging the community through service.​
• Teen Link: is a program of Crisis Connections that empowers your to make positive and self-respecting decisions about their lives, and provides resources and assistance to help them. This is a teen-answered help line.
• Washington 2-1-1 Health & Human Services Information  This is a link to a website for 2-1-1, an easy-to-remember phone number for people to call for health and human service information and referrals and other assistance to meet their needs. The site and phone number provides simple access to the variety of essential services people need to lead healthier, more productive lives.
• YouthCare: YouthCare is a drop-in shelter that serves homeless youth ages 12-24 in the Greater Seattle Area.
• YWCA Emergency Shelter: YWCA is a multi-issue and multiracial organization committed to social justice. Their Emergency Shelter serves women 18+. They also provide basic needs and counseling. 

Video Summary:

When Richard J. Berry, the mayor of Albuquerque, saw a man on a street corner holding a cardboard sign that read "Want a job," he decided to take him (and others in his situation) up on it. He and his staff started a citywide initiative to help the homeless by giving them day jobs and a place to sleep -- and the results were incredible. Find out how your city can replicate Albuquerque's model with this frank and optimistic talk.

Source: Berry, R.J. (2017, February). A practical way to help the homeless find work and safety. TEDxPennsylvaniaAvenue.

The following list provides links to videos. Select the link to open the video. It will open in a new window.

Note: If you are off-campus, you may be prompted to login using your Highline College credentials. Online Highline Students, Staff & Faculty have access to these videos from off-campus.

• Homeless: 

  • ​YOU CAN'T ASK THAT That asks homeless people the awkward, inappropriate or uncomfortable questions you've always wanted to know the answers to, but never had the guts to ask.

• Larkin Street stories. Episode 1, The homeless LGBT experience

  • Meet Toby, Loch, and the youth from Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco. In Episode 1 of Larkin Street Stories they discuss their approach to supporting and accepting LGBT youth who are homeless.

• The Mad Housers Shelter for the Homeless

  • Based on a true story, Richard Kiley and Sam Robards star in this drama about a group of architecture students who take action after an encounter with a homeless man and woman. The real Mad Housers are an Atlanta-based group that has already built nearly 100 huts for the homeless.

• Obvious Poverty America's Homeless

  • Stereotypes tell us it's easy to spot the homeless-after all, life on the street tends to leave a mark on people. But is a "homeless profile" really meaningful?
• Reaching teens. 50.8, Homeless shelter staff speak of what drives drug use and healing the user. Covenant House PA staff.
• Reaching teens. 57.1, A homeless teen shares a tragic history of abuse. Youth.
• Reaching teens. 66.3, Testimony from youth with a history of unstable housing : how we deserve to be treated. Youth.
• Reaching teens. 66.6, Passing the test : earning the trust of homeless and marginalized youth. Bailer, Covenant House PA staff.
• Reaching teens. 66.7, Homeless and marginalized youth : young people who have been tested by life bring so much to the world. Covenant House PA staff.
• Reaching teens. 66.9, What does success look like when we work with homeless and marginalized youth? Auerswald, Covenant House PA staff.
• Reaching teens. 66.10, Facilitating homeless and marginalized youth to believe in their potential to achieve success. Covenant House PA staff.
• Reaching teens. 66.12, Homeless teens : boundaries, rules, and high expectations can be welcomed by underparented youth. Hill, Covenant House PA staff.
• Reaching Teens 66.15, Testimony from a young woman with a history of unstable housing : my path toward becoming a youth advocate. Youth.
• Reaching teens. 66.17, Testimony from a young man with a history of unstable housing : “We need both truth and love.” Youth.