April 2023 Newsletter
An Update from the Board
A joyous spring to all of you. The sun is out, the days are longer and as Easter approaches, we are blessed with a sense of renewal. 2023 is poised to be a year of growth and reflection for UCEF. As you will read below, we have four new board members. We will be holding a summer board retreat to do some reflecting on our work and plan for the future.
Meanwhile, the demand for UCEF’s services remains high and does not show any indication of slowing down. Your donations have allowed us to continue to serve people who are at risk of losing their homes. To date in 2023, we have provided financial assistance to over 145 people (including children), as well as lent a compassionate ear and given resource referrals to many others who have contacted us.
We are thankful for recent contributions from Haller Lake UMC, Keystone Congregational, University Christian Church Legacy Foundation, University Gathering UMC, University Lodge No. 141 (Masons), University Presbyterian Church and Wedgewood Community Church. In addition, the Rain City Symphony fundraiser was back in-person in November. We thank the Symphony, as well as those attending, who came out on an icy evening to support UCEF. We raised $870!
Finally, we thank Randall Lucas for his many contributions to the UCEF Board, particularly his service as Treasurer. Randall has moved off the Board but remains a strong supporter of our work. Thank you again Randall and to all of you for your continued support!
Welcome to UCEF’s New Board Members
We are fortunate to have four new board members. We asked each of them to share a bit about who they are and how they came to be involved with UCEF. Read on!
Laurel Ailie was a volunteer with UCEF when it was located at the University Congregational Church. She discovered then that she had a passion for working with people. Fast forward more than 25 years, and with her children now grown, Laurel was looking for ways to reconnect with UCEF and this was it! She is also active with the University Presbyterian Church Deacon Fund, and through them has been able to stay abreast of the latest UCEF news.
Mark Antone learned about UCEF from VolunteerMatch. He was looking for a way to give back to the community. He has volunteered for other causes before but not as a board member. UCEF struck Mark as a well-established organization that is doing great work for the people of the greater Seattle area and he couldn't ignore the calling!
David Gebben has known about UCEF and the good work the organization does for quite a while. So, when he heard UCEF needed a new Treasurer, he thought that was something he might be able to do, with his background as a business and bankruptcy attorney for the past 30 years. He also liked the idea of doing something in a small way for an organization that was trying to put a dent in a very big problem in the Seattle area.
Sophie Heeter also learned about UCEF from our listing on VolunteerMatch and joined the board in September 2022. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Washington, studying food systems, nutrition and health.
From the Director’s Desk
The other day I talked to a 72 year old woman who had been served with an eviction notice after an extended hospital stay. She didn't know what she'd do or where she'd go. She had no support and was estranged from her family. She has serious health issues and is scheduled for another surgery in June. Her manager refuses to take partial payment because she is thousands of dollars in arrears.
The extent of her need far exceeded the $250 we could offer and so we discussed how to get set up with a social worker who could walk her through the process of getting her on her feet. She was grateful for the bit of direction and listening ear I provided.
As we talked, I was reminded of the Duwamish tribe and our government's refusal to acknowledge their tribal status - denying them of money and health benefits not to mention dismissing them as a people. They gave us the land we stand on here in Seattle. Similar to this woman I talked to, who worked most of her life, they are being kicked to the side without further consideration.
UCEF is dedicated to helping each and every person who reaches out to us. If as in those rare time times we can't provide direct services, we refer them to others who can.
We are grateful to all of you who support us in our efforts.
May God bless us all in this Easter season!
Jo