The housing for veterans at Andrew’s Glen is part of the VA Grant Per Diem program.  This means that residents can stay at Andrew’s Glen for up to two years.  This is the only housing in Imagine Housing’s portfolio that is by nature “transitional”, and thus, we have a strong commitment to helping these residents obtain permanent housing by the end of their two year period.  When a veteran enters Andrew’s Glen, one of my jobs in working with them is to explore as many permanent housing options as possible.

For one of my veteran clients, Andrew’s Glen was another stop in a long line of transitional housing.  They entered Andrew’s Glen thankful that for their own apartment as opposed to being in a shelter environment.  They also note the importance of having their unit fully furnished, complete with kitchen supplies and linens, as they had none of these things coming in and did not have the financial means to obtain them.  During the course of our early case management meetings, it became evident that having supportive services as part of housing was a crucial need for this resident.  So when an opportunity arose for this resident to move into permanent, supported housing at Francis Village, we took it!

As I helped my resident move a couple of bags their last day at Andrew’s Glen, I had one last “check-in” with how they were feeling about moving.  They said they were a little anxious about the transition, but were so excited to have permanent housing.  “You should see it,” they said.  “It does not look like low-income housing.  I feel like I’m moving into the Marriott or something.  I never in my life thought I would live somewhere this nice.”  My resident was in awe as they spoke.  Throughout the process, the resident also told me how thankful they were that they were moving somewhere where they would continue to have access to supportive services.  It also was great that this resident was able to take their linens, kitchen supplies, and mattress with them from Andrew’s Glen, as this will save them a lot of money in move-in costs.

This veteran has many hopes and dreams, and the provision of supportive services at Francis Village will be crucial to helping them get to where they want to go with their life.  While it is sometimes difficult to think that I only have two years to work with these veterans, it is a beautiful thing to see them accomplish the crucial goal of attaining permanent housing.  I am humbled and honored to get to be a part of their journeys.

~Erin Wright, Resident Support Specialist, Andrew’s Glen, erinw@imaginehousing.org

All of this preparation was a clear success when hundreds of presents were picked up by Imagine Housing from local churches, Bellevue Square and one company.  After some sorting and organization, presents were delivered door to door at each property.

The impact of the Holiday Gift Campaign was evident in the relief shown on the parents’ faces and the sincerity in their voices as they said “Thank you.  Thank you.”  For some of our residents, the holiday season is a worrisome time.  Gifts are expensive and with multiple children to account for, the stress of gift giving can be overwhelming.  More than one parent has said, “This is the present I will be giving my child.  Thank you.”

The gifts some of our resident children received include Bey Blades, Barbies, remote controlled cars, Transformers, books, early learning materials, clothing, gift cards, CDs, movies, and scooters.  Imagine Housing knows the importance of family does not come from box tied in bow- but, a gift can be a stepping stone to creating lasting memories.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Holiday Gift Campaign possible, including:  Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Bellevue Square Mall, Faith Lutheran Church, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Issaquah Christian Church, Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church, Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Side-Pro Inc., St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, and Valley Christian Assembly.

Happy Holidays from Imagine Housing

~ Samantha Gentz
Resident Service Coordinator, samanthag@imaginehousing.org

For me, it kind of feels like “Toy Story”.  Much of our furniture was donated and is in storage just waiting to be unloaded and used.  We are ordering the chairs, tables, and supplies to furnish our abundant community spaces, which include the following:

• Art Room
• Computer lab
• Community Kitchen and Lounge
• Exercise Room
• TV Room
• Play Room with small tables, chairs and everything lower to the ground for the vertically challenged.

All of this community space will enable Imagine Housing staff to provide targeted services for residents while also allowing our partnering service providers to hold private case management sessions with residents.

In an effort to create outdoor space on a site that made it difficult to include a traditional park space, we have developed a small patio on the roof of the building where residents can enjoy a meal outdoors or garden in the various planters that will be available.  We have built a small climbing wall next to the garage that will allow for some outdoor recreation without the presence of a full playground.  As a way to encourage bicycling as a form of recreation and transportation, we will have 31 bike storage slots also available in the parking garage.

The units have enormous light catching windows, spacious kitchens with an abundance of cabinet space, plenty of storage and ample open space.  I particularly love the simplicity of the units; they provide everything that is needed and encourage personal expression in the space.

Due to the down economy, we have been able to incorporate some of these very neat features into this building at an extremely low cost and are proud to be delivering Francis Village on schedule and on budget.

I am looking forward to sharing our vision of this beautiful building with you soon!

Suzanne Koval, Director of Assets
suzannek@imaginehousing.org or 425-576-5190 ext. 25

Roof Top Patio

I had the opportunity to meet several of the veterans and other residents before they moved in to Andrew’s Glen.  It had been several years since any of them had lived independently and they were looking forward to having their own space.  At that time, many were living in communal environments where showers were not always available, the food offered was not always healthy, and where sleeping conditions often meant a mat in a room with a large number of people.

It has been exciting to follow them on their journey from that time to where they are now.  We have watched some residents go from not being able to sleep at all to sleeping through the night.  We have seen residents who struggle with their weight lose a considerable amount and improve their overall health.  Residents credit these improvements to more sleep, less stress, and having the ability to cook a meal instead of having to buy prepared foods.  Residents have achieved these improvements because stable housing has allowed them to focus on their goals towards self-sufficiency instead of worrying about their most basic needs.

It is incredible to witness the immediate impact permanent housing has on an individual’s life and I look forward to seeing the long term impact.  Knowing these residents reminds me why it is so important to continue developing affordable housing.

Stay tuned for more updates on Andrew’s Glen!

~Molly Statham, Lead Resident Support Specialist, Andrew’s Glen

425.373.1003 or Mollys@imaginehousing.org.

To make a gift today, click here and watch Microsoft double your gift
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Thank you for your support!

This past Friday, ten veterans and veterans’ supporters from Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church had the distinct privilege of hosting a Veterans Day dinner for the recently homeless veterans who have moved into Andrew’s Glen. The menu consisted of steak, baked potatoes with all the fixings, salad, dinner rolls and, of course, dessert.  The Andrew’s Glen veterans, not wanting to exclude anyone else in the building, also invited the other residents to join in the dinner and about 30 were present in all.

It was a privilege for us to dine with such an amazing group of folks, to tell stories and to get to know them.  No one went away hungry!  Several veterans and family members told us throughout the evening what a blessing it was to have this honor and celebration on Veterans Day.  They all were very appreciative, and expressed that in so many ways.

Indeed we were the ones who were truly blessed!  ”Let’s do it again,” and “let’s have ongoing fellowship with these new friends,” were the consistent responses from the ten of us.

There were many people involved in making this dinner a success.  Each volunteer paid to be part of serving dinner and John Dick, the owner of Golden Steer Choice Meats in Bellevue, donated 50 top sirloin steaks for the feast.  He has certainly earned my future business!

This group looks forward to continuing our relationship with our fellow veterans at Andrew’s Glen in the future.

Sincerely,
Dave Marcrander
(long-time supporter and Legacy Leader)

Last April, 2011, Ashley and Sam moved into one of Imagine Housing’s family properties. Sam had recently secured a full-time job and Ashley was pregnant with her third child.  They were both very nervous for summer to arrive because of the lack of structured time and their inability to afford childcare.  With a new baby on the way, Ashley was in desperate need of some day-time support for her two school-aged children.  During the summer, the two young children attended day-camp offered by Imagine Housing.  For a month, the kids enjoyed educational and fun activities, field trips, and free lunch.  This service removed a huge financial burden from the family, allowed Sam to continue working full-time and gave Ashley sufficient breathing room to care for their new baby.  The two young children have remained active in the property’s afterschool enrichment programs, which are offered by Imagine Housing three days a week. They feel so comfortable in the space that their young daughter says she “feels like she’s at home there.”

These are the kinds of spaces we are working so hard to foster in the Supportive Services program; spaces where children feel safe, welcome, affirmed and “at home.”

~Sarah Larson, Lead Resident Services Coordinator
425-576-5190 ext. 21, SarahL@imaginehousing.org

As of this week, the project is complete!

Front of Building - BEFORE

Front of Building- AFTER

Back of Building – BEFORE

Back of Building – AFTER

The residents are buzzing with excitement.  Despite the significant impact that these projects have had on the daily life of residents for the past several months, they are thrilled at the outcome.  Several have even commented that they have never lived in a place where management took such good care of the building!

The seniors at Kirkland Plaza are a vibrant and active bunch.  Even the lady who is celebrating her 100th birthday this month can be seen buzzing about socializing and telling stories of her volunteer work at the local youth center!  We are honored to provide these residents not only with a safe and affordable place to live, but also one that is beautiful and that they can be proud to call home.

For questions about the projects at Kirkland Plaza, contact Suzanne Koval at suzannek@imaginehousing.org or 425-576-5190 ext. 25.

Molly received her Bachelors of Science in Public Health and a Minor in Women’s Studies from Oregon State University.   Molly will be leading the team at Andrew’s Glen.   She has experience working closely with highly-stressed families and individuals experiencing poverty, substance addiction, mental illness, and domestic violence.  She looks forward to creating a safe environment for residents on their personal journey towards stability.

Christopher has a Master of Arts in Psychological Counseling and a Bachelors of Arts in Cognitive Psychology, as well as a Minor in Religion & Philosophy.  He has experience providing community case management and operating a crisis hotline.  Christopher has also volunteered on the Community Emergency Response Team in New Jersey.  Christopher looks forward to advocating for the residents at Andrew’s Glen, strengthening the mental health community in the area, and helping to usher in the new face of mental and community health in our region.

Erin received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.  She has training and experience in working with various areas of trauma, issues of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, as well as working with homeless women.  She looks forward to the privilege of getting to be a part of the stories of residents at Andrew’s Glen, and hopes to be someone who can be a stable presence with residents in their journey towards empowerment, healing, and stability.

Right now the team’s primary goal is to make sure residents have the support they need during their transition into permanent housing.  Many of the residents at Andrew’s Glen have been living in shelters or community settings for years and are not used to having their own space, therefore they are feeling isolated.  In order to build a sense of community the team has been organizing weekly dinners. They are also hard a work preparing youth and adult activities that will occur throughout each week.  As residents settle in they will begin meeting with their primary Resident Support Specialist on a weekly basis to work on their goals.

Stick around for more updates from Andrew’s Glen!

Need to contact the Andrew’s Glen team?  Feel free to e-mail Molly Statham at mollys@imaginehousing.org or call 425-373-1003

Friday, September 23^rd was a beautiful day to celebrate the official opening of Andrew’s Glen.  The sun was shining, balloons were waving in the breeze and the 160 attendees were engaged and eager to see the property and hear from our speakers.

Opening comments for the event were given by Board member and owner of CamWest Development, Inc. Eric Campbell.  Ann Levine, Imagine Housing’s Executive Director followed and proudly introduced our slate of speakers.  Remarks were given by Bellevue City Council Member Conrad Lee, Washington State Representative Judy Clibborn, Washington State Housing Finance Commissioner Claire Grace, King County Council member Bob Ferguson, King County Deputy Executive Fred Jarrett, and Director of Social Work Services for the Veteran’s Administration’s Puget Sound Health Care System, Taylene Watson.

At the conclusion of the speakers, Ann Levine and Bellevue City Council Member Jennifer Robertson presented awards to the various financial partners that helped make Andrew’s Glen possible.  These funders include:  A Regional Coalition in Housing (ARCH), Impact Capital, King County, King County Housing Authority, the Veterans Administration Grant and Per Diem Program, Washington Community Reinvestment Association (WCRA), the Washington State Department of Commerce, and the Washington State Housing Finance Commission.  A special award also went to St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, whose visionary leadership and willingness to sell a portion of their land made this project possible.

Following the program, many of the attendees stayed around for a tour of Andrew’s Glen.  The response from these attendees echoed the responses of all who have toured Andrew’s Glen so far:  awe and excitement.  Andrew’s Glen truly is a masterpiece; expertly weaving together elements that best serve the population as well as that make the most sense for long-term sustainability.

As residents continue moving in, we look forward to sharing with you stories about how this service-rich community is making a difference for their lives and families.

Were you at this event?  What were your impressions or thoughts?  Feel free to post your comments here on this blog post.

P.S.  For those of you who were unable to attend the event, here are a couple of exterior and interior photos of Andrew’s Glen (photos courtesy of W.G. Clark Construction):

Fully Furnished Units for 20 Formerly Homeless Veterans – Furniture Provided by the Employees Community Fund of Boeing.