Responsibilities of a counselor will include: getting to know some great kids! * being a positive role model * working cooperatively with a team of counselors and your supervisor * facilitating arts and crafts activities * facilitating outdoor games * supervising frequent trips to nearby parks * supervising field trips * preparing daily lunches * preparing daily snacks and more!

Qualities we look for in a volunteer counselor:

Love working with kids * patient * engaging * self-motivated * dependable * positive attitude*

All camps will be held Monday-Thursday from 10:00AM-2:00PM at these sites and dates:

• Rose Crest at Talus (341 Shangri La Way NW, Issaquah, WA 98027):  June 24^th-July 5^th (no camp Thursday, July 4^th; camp held Friday, the 5^th instead)
• Johnson/Mine Hill (280 SW Clark St., Issaquah, WA 98027):July 8^th-18^th
• Highland Gardens (4575 Klahanie Dr. SE, Issaquah, WA 98029): July 22^nd-Aug 1^st

Please note that we ask that all counselors commit to a full 2-week session, at minimum.  All prospective volunteers must pass a background check.

If you or anyone you know loves kids and wants to volunteer with our summer day camps, please contact Sarah Larson at (425)770-7968 or SarahLa@imaginehousing.org.

The post Be a Summer Camp Volunteer! appeared first on Imagine Housing.

Jessica has been a resident at Johnson Hill since 2008. Previously she stayed in transitional housing for little over a year. I have been Jessica’s case manager since January of 2013.

Throughout her childhood Jessica was a victim of sexual abuse perpetrated by a family member and later was a victim of domestic violence from her ex-husband who no longer has contact with her or her children. Jessica has done extensive work to break this cycle of abuse and separate herself from destructive and unhealthy relationships. She is now in a place of liberated self-sufficiency and stability.

Jessica has attended an abuse-survivor support group through Overlake Church since 2009 and still attends, but now as a mentor. Jessica serves an active role as a leader, empowering women who have gone through similar experiences and circumstances to help them survive, recover, and reach their greatest potential.

Jessica has been connected with community organizations that help meet her needs. These range from help paying rent and utilities, access to business attire through YWCA’s Working Wardrobe program, to much needed items for her children through Eastside Baby Corner. Moreover, Jessica has received funds to help offset high energy costs during the winter season through Hopelink’s Energy Assistance Program.

Between 2010 and 2011 Jessica was enrolled full-time at Bellevue College to study nursing. She maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout but abruptly stopped to provide her older son Samuel with more attention as he was having behavioral issues and needed to begin attending special education classes.

While her children have felt adverse effects from the violence they’ve witnessed and have experienced trauma themselves, Jessica has worked tirelessly to provide a nurturing and safe environment for them. Jessica currently works six hours a week cleaning homes while also homeschooling her eight year old son Samuel and caring for her three year old son Kenny. In addition, Jessica helps look after her sister’s children, her aunt’s children and occasionally working as a part time nanny for another family. Jessica has done a great job of creating a support network that assists her in maintaining a balanced lifestyle while also reciprocating that support back to those in her life.

Long term, Jessica’s goal is to get her degree in music therapy to help others recover from abusive relationships and experiences through the use of music. For the time being, her biggest priority is ensuring the stability of her children through consistency, familiarity and stability. Imagine Housing’s permanent housing subsidy provides her with the safety net to manage her life in this way and to provide her children with the support and education they need during their most formative years.

~Paul Kim, Resident Support Specialist

The post Jessica’s Story appeared first on Imagine Housing.

The 2013 Imagine Housing Benefit Auction & Dinner was our biggest and most successful to date.  We raised $387,500 and anticipate breaking $400,000 with matching contributions!  This is an incredible feat and we want to thank all of our guests, sponsors, table captains, volunteers, procurers, and staff for making this possible.

This was my first auction with Imagine Housing and I was honored and humbled by the generosity at Saturday evening’s event.  It was such a joy to gather in one place with so many people committed to building a strong and thriving Eastside community for everyone, regardless of income.

If you were unable to attend our event, I encourage you to watch the video from our Special Appeal portion of the program.  One of our residents, Amber, shares her powerful story and how services-enriched affordable housing has impacted her family. 

Together we are building homes and hope.

~Geni Venable, Philanthropy & Communications Associate

The post 2013 Imagine Benefit Auction Reflection appeared first on Imagine Housing.

As many of you may know, Andrew’s Glen has 20 homes dedicated to veterans transitioning from homelessness. This year, a group of veterans from different eras and supporters gathered on Saturday March 30 for an ice cream social at Andrew’s Glen.  It was a day to remember and a very emotional one for some.  Upon returning from military service during the Vietnam conflict, many of our veterans of that era were made to feel unwelcome by their fellow citizens.  The event on March 30th provided an opportunity for us to tell our stories and share experiences that have been left unsaid for the 40 years when the last American soldier left Vietnam. We were also able to acknowledge how many of our brothers and sisters did not return and the some 16,000 who remain missing and unaccounted for to this date.

At the same time we were able to enjoy the company of friends spanning from a veteran of WWII & Korea to young children. This multi-generational event also ensured that the younger generations have an opportunity to learn about the history of the war and appreciate the sacrifices made by all of our veterans. There was no shortage of bowls of ice cream with a wide variety of toppings and cookies. A good time was had by all and memories were made that will last for a lifetime for many of us.

~Dave Marcrander, Volunteer and Legacy Leader

The post Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day appeared first on Imagine Housing.

We only received three weeks’ notice for this inspection, which is not a lot of time to prepare. But we were ready. Jorge, our wonderful maintenance person, has been working very hard for the last year to bring the units up to top standards and maintain high quality living spaces for our seniors. I have received a lot of positive feedback from the residents so I knew the property was in good shape, but would the inspector agree?

We received our score last week. We received a 91! This is excellent. I am really proud of the work that went into this score. Shean, Jorge and Olga went above and beyond. The property showed well and has been well cared for this last year. The team really pulled in and addressed the issues in the weeks coming up to the inspection, but this is testament to the preventative work that has been done there consistently over the entire year. I am so grateful to FPI for all the resources they bring to the table and all the support to the staff. This is so wonderful to see. I love this partnership.

~Suzanne Koval, Director of Assets 

The post Ellsworth House Gets Top Marks in Inspection appeared first on Imagine Housing.