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12736 33rd Avenue NESeattle, WA 98125

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W I N T E R 2015 N E W S L E T T E R

F A L L 2014 N E W S L E T T E R

The holidays are always a busy

time of year, but this past season

truly was a whirlwind! Besides

our food bank distribution days

of holiday foods and meat, we

had many elves handing out toys

to our families and grandparents

who wanted the youngest

members of their famlies to

have something to open on the

holidays they celebrate.

We are deeply moved by the

generosity of our community

which made it possible for us

to help feed 2,028 people and

distribute gifts for 607 children

in just three days! We were also

lucky to have Christmas trees,

wreaths, poinsettias, and even 40

pairs of new orthopedic shoes

donated by Dr. Rion Berg and the

Foot and Ankle Center of Lake

City to last some people through

the winter.

We are grateful that we reached

our $75,000 campaign goal by

the end of 2014! Our success

translates into success for

WITH APPRECIATION

hundreds of neighbors struggling

to access adequate food and

housing as well. Our 2015 budget

will increase the funding for

financial assistance in Emergency

Services so that we will be able

to prevent evictions and utility

shut offs for five more families

each month! This year’s budget

also increases our food buying

Exerchiciam non reicite mporehent tecusdam, officto.

Sponsored by the Lake City

Lions Club and the North Seattle

Chamber of Commerce, our

annual Spaghetti Dinner will be

held at the Lake City Community

Center on Friday, February 20th

from 5 to 8 pm.

ARE YOU READY FOR SPAGHETTI?In 2014 North Helpline served an average 1,600 clients each week, distributed 1.175 million pounds of food throughout the year- the equivalent of 900,000 meals, and provided $30,930 to families facing evictions, utility shut offs, and seeking help to move into a new home.

There will be games, raffles, and

plenty of friendly faces from our

community!

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5

for children 12 and under. A meal

of spaghetti, salad, bread, and

dessert will be served. Tickets

STAY IN TOUCH

Facebook.com/ north.helpline

Twitter.com/ NorthHelpline

Instagram @northhelpline

northhelpline.org

SAVE THE DATE!

Spaghetti Dinner

2/20 5-8 pm

Join us for our annual

Spaghetti Dinner,

sponsored by the Lake

City Lions and the North

Seattle Chamber of

Commerce

Care to Share?

Whole Foods at

Roosevelt Square

3/25 - 3rd Wednesday

All day

Shop! 5% of all

purchases will go to

North Helpline!

Care to Share?

Wedgwood Ale House

& Cafe

4/16 - 3rd Thurday

All day

30% of your order will

benefit North Helpline

Empty Bowls

5/3 - Sunday

12-3 pm

at St. Matthew’s School

Mark your calendars!

Mayor Murray worked in the food bank during Christmas Eve distribution

may be bought at the door or in

advance at our office. Beer and

wine will also be available for

purchase.

The best part is 100% of the

proceeds will go direcly to North

Helpline! That’s amore!

budget exponentially to fill our

food bank with nutritious foods.

These adjustments will make for

a healthier community, where

worries over getting enough

protein for a growing child’s diet

and having lights on during our

short, dark Seattle months is

lessened.

2 wide3 wide

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INSIDEPAGE 2

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32 F A L L 2014 N E W S L E T T E R F A L L 2014 N E W S L E T T E R

THANK YOU, FRIENDS OF NORTH HELPLINE!During the month of December we were overwhelmed by your kindness. Brenda Nissely · Dennis Duffell · Donna & Fred Austin · Eric Youngblut· Gordon & Liz Bawden · Jan & Peter Shapiro · John Wedgwood & Kathleen Turner · Kathryn Dugaw, · Kevin & Ann Hilman · Kirsten Fatland · Kristin Gray · Lois Chanslor · Maridee Garvey · Mary Deyoung · Michael Haynes · Monte Szendre · Norman Pearson· Sarah Peterson · Shelby Hopkins & Ed Eiker · Thomas Jr. & Barbara Rona · Timothy Keller · V. Nagarajan · Weeks Family · Mark & Linda Secord

INCREASED FUNDING FOR THOSE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

Thanks to your support we

have been able to increase our

Emergency Services budget for

financial assistance in preventing

evictions, utility shut offs, and

helping people move in to new

residences. Now 60 more people

will be helped this year than in

2014! We know there are so many

people out there weathering

hard times and struggling to stay

afloat. It is a reminder to us all

that it really doesn’t take much

to lose balance when one of your

support systems is unexpectedly

taken away.

Judy came to us a few years ago

for help with a light bill. She has

had a challenging time making

her payments ever since she was

first laid off in 2001. Shortly after

that she was diagnosed with

leukemia. She put off starting the

very expensive treatment because

she wanted to focus on her job

search. Eventually she began to

concentrate on her health. “Thank

God I have health insurance,” Judy

says.

Times are still tough for Judy,.

Since being laid off and falling ill

she has lost confidence in herself

and admits that she doesn’t like

to leave her house very much. She

receives SNAP benefits and uses

our food bank regularly but after

her mortgage, water bill, light

bill, and credit card payments

her money is gone. A few years

ago she came to us for help with

her light bill. Emergency Services

volunteers worked with her to

help find other agencies that

would help pay her bill. Once she

was down to $100 on her bill,

North Helpline was able to give

her the last $100, enabling Judy

to use what she saved towards

other expenses.

Mariana is another neighbor

who came to us seeking financial

support. A few months ago she

received an eviction notice from

her apartment building. Mariana

lives alone and the only work

she has is a part time job with

no benefits, housekeeping at

a downtown hotel. Although

she only works three days a

week the work is hard and can

aggravate her lungs, which are

still recovering from a long case

of pneumonia. Mariana is very

grateful for North Helpline.

“When I wasn’t working and was very sick I had no food and no way to pay my rent. They helped me get food and kept me from being evicted. I’m so appreciative,” Mariana says.

When we hear these stories it

reminds us that these services

are truly needed. We know that

having adequate housing and

basic necessities is essential to

living a higher quality of life.

Having stable housing means

that securing a steady job, raising

a family, and staying healthy is

made that much easier.

· Phillip Tasto · Richard Rosenberry · Barbara McGrath · Laurie Radin · Lisa Gold-Schier · Nathan Cosgray · Raymond & Krista Cromwell · Cathy Gerber · Stella Laurenzo · Lori & Pete Bawden · Allison Voinot · Deboarah Reynolds · Mark Skowronski · Julie Meyer · Lawrence Boucher · Wafiyah Othman · Steven & Gloria Packard · Stephen & Trudy Warren · Rachel Sharber · Michael Garrett · Matthew & Susan Nadler · Lisa Koeing · Al & Nancy Johnston · Arlene Sellereite & Eva Fletcher · Cindi Berkovich-Parry & Seth Cohen · Claudia Mazzie-Ballheim & Brandon

Ballheim · Robert Moore · Mary Jo Lux · Liz Zapalac · Ed Ringness · Tammy Banua · Jack Kelly · James & Mary Bicknell · Daniel Hathaway · Dick Derham · Harry & Mary Myers · Janet & Bowersox · Jenny Pang · Lynn & Jerry Edmonds · Pieter & Jeanne Cornelissen · Lorraine Bartosh · Keith Bruce · Debbie Huntington · James Golubich · Tom Noguchi · Andrew Glass · Allison Regan · Kevin & Heather Leneway · Peter & Becky Nelson · Sally Renn · Chris Williams · Alisa & Ken Malloch · Angela & Jeremy Foster · Brianna Constable · Chris Altwegg · Clarence Cross ·

Mimi Jung of KING 5 and her daughter volunteer

The Foot and Ankle Center of Lake City’s Dr. Rion and Lynn donated 40 pairs of new shoes!

Candy&Potter of 103.7 FM with their Volunteer Army

A client shops at the food bank

Denice Chase · Diane & Matthew Wies · Janine & Bruce Johnson · Jeff & Cathy Hammer · Mary & MacKenzie Smith · Dorothy & Lar Fitch · Richard Hobbs · Mildred & Shig Tsutsumi · Mark & Janelle Walhout · Irma Mathisen · Gretchen & Daniel Taflin · Georgiana Jacobsen · Christopher & Lori Frey Butler · Bonita Carlson · Cassie Wallender · William Price · Talon Swanson · Susan Scumacher-James · Sandi Gray · Phyllis Yasuda · Lesley Jacobs · Father Timothy Clark · Ellie Mohr · and many, many others! Thank you!

Lynn can’t remember how or when she first heard about North Helpline but she knows the Lake City community well, having lived in the area since 1990. She volunteered at the Food Bank occasionally years ago, but now she doesn’t have the same availability. Lynn still wants to give back when she can. Last year she signed up to be a monthly donor.

Monthly giving makes more sense for Lynn. She ultimately gives more now than she did annually, but less is disbursed at one time– $15 each month adds up to quite a bit at the end of the year! Lynn is incredibly generous and gives annually to at least three other organizations throughout the year, so giving monthly to North Helpline is much simpler for her. With the monthly giving option Lynn is able to make North Helpline a priority without the worry about accidentally forgetting to mail a check or make an online donation every month.

We are grateful for Lynn and for the dozen other members of our monthly donor club. It’s wonderful to know that there are people we can count on to show their support every month, and who are proud

to call themselves monthly donors.

WHY LYNN GIVES

Taylor Snell has joined the North Helpline team as our Community Outreach AmeriCorps VISTA. Taylor is from Reno and received his BA in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2013. In his spare time he enjoys rooting for the Seahawks and the Mariners.

Jeremy Kay will be joining North Helpline in February as our newest Distribution Manager. Jeremy is an experienced warehouse coordinator with a desire to divert as much food as possible from landfills and compost bins.

After two years with North Helpline Kelly is stepping into the Executive Director position in February. She is excited to continue to serve this community and about what lies ahead for North Helpline. Kelly is currently working on her Masters of Nonprofit Leadership at Seattle U. Madeline is happy to be staying with North Helpline as Community Outreach Coordinator, after completing her VISTA year of service. She is now coordinating food drives and communications.

We are also preparing to wish a very happy re-retirement to Kay in May after over ten years with North Helpline!

COMINGS AND GOINGS

We have been fortunate that so many

organizations and businesses held

food drives for our food bank. Deck the

Donations was the most successful

business holiday food drive yet. The

winners of our awards were Lake City

House, Wedgwood Ale House & Cafe, the

Foot & Ankle Center of Lake City, All That

Dance, and Kaffeeklatsch in collaboration

with the Lake City Farmers’ Market.

Generous schools held food drives leading

up to Thanksgiving and the holidays too.

Our Lady of the Lake’s 6th grade class

collected 2,037 pounds of food, Lakeside

Upper Academy collected 645 pounds of

food, and Northwest Montessori collected

toy donations along with food for our

December gift distribution. Northhaven

Retirement Community, made up of low

income seniors, was especially giving. They

visited us multiple times, donating 219

pounds of food most recently!

FOOD DRIVES

Nancy of Northaven delivers food donations