Spring 2022 Newsletter
An Update from the Board
A joyous and happy spring to all of you. Personally, I love spring in Seattle, with all of the blooming flowers, returning wildlife, and weird weather. And of course, now in April, Easter draws near, bringing with it a sense of renewal.
2022 is poised to be a year of change for UCEF. As we announced last year, our long-time director, Jo Gustafson, has stated her intention to retire this year. Our search for a new director has started. In this newsletter, you can read more about how that search is going and how you can help.
In addition to a new director, UCEF is always seeking new board members and volunteers to help shape our organization now and into the future. Please consider joining us! No experience is necessary.
Unfortunately, spring brings more than cherry blossoms and unpredictable weather back to our neighborhoods. The recent end of Seattle’s pandemic-driven eviction moratorium has loomed large in our minds. As expected, we have seen a sharp rise in the number of families seeking our help since the moratorium ended. While down from the peaks we saw in the heart of the pandemic, our numbers continue to be far higher than pre-pandemic levels. The board has spoken at length about how to best apply our resources to have maximum impact. Your donations have allowed us to keep helping people at risk—year to date, over 130 people. Thank you for all of your support!
Eviction Support in Seattle
Seattle’s eviction moratorium has ended. While UCEF cannot offer legal support to those facing eviction, we wanted to highlight some local organizations that can. King County’s Housing Justice Project (206-267-7069) provides free legal assistance to renters facing eviction in King County. The Tenant’s Rights Hotline (206-723-0500) offers trained non-attorney Tenant Counselors via free phone and walk-in tenant counseling services to assist people with questions about landlord-tenant laws and discuss strategies to prevent housing loss. The Tenant Law Center (206-324-6890) offers free legal assistance to qualifying low-income persons in the City of Seattle and King County who are facing eviction or subsidy termination. We thank all of these organizations for their work to help keep people in their homes.
Thank You!
We gratefully thank the churches and organizations that have graciously supported our mission with donations since November of 2021. We are blessed to work with you on our mission to keep people in their homes.
University Christian Church Legacy Foundation
University Lodge No. 141
Haller Lake United Methodist Church
Wedgwood Community Church
University Lions Foundation
University Presbyterian Church
Blessed Sacrament Church
University Congregational United Church of Christ
University Temple United Methodist Church
Vineyard Christian Fellowship
University Lutheran Church
From the Director
I have often been asked, what has kept me at this job for what is now 17+ years? The simple answer is that it has been my ministry. I have always considered UCEF to be an extension of the ministries of the churches that started us over 35 years ago. As such, one of my jobs as executive director is to practice compassionate listening to all who come to our door. This simple offering of being the soundboard for someone in crisis has been the foundation of all that we do here at UCEF.
All of us need to be able to tell our story to someone who can listen without judgement. In a world where we constantly are told we need this or that thing in order to be counted, I have heard time after time from our clients that our process relieves them of their shame or guilt for being in a position to have to ask for help. In the telling of their stories, those of us on the receiving end are changed in a deeper way by recognizing that roles could be reversed in a heartbeat.
I am grateful to have had this opportunity to walk alongside the thousands of people who have come to our agency for assistance. And I am not sure who, in the end, was helped more by their courage in walking through our door.
The Search for Our Next Director
We’ve started the search for our new director. Our job listing is posted in many places both local and national, and we’ve received a slow but steady stream of applicants to evaluate. We expect the search to take many months.
UCEF is a unique organization and thus the executive director role requires a unique combination of skills. We need someone who can act towards clients with care, compassion, and confidentiality in an environment where no two cases are the same. They must be able to work independently while also partnering with our volunteers and board members. They must communicate effectively to different audiences. And they have to want to learn and understand the various government and nonprofit resources available to at-risk people in Seattle.
Above all, though, they must believe in the mission of UCEF—a belief that everyone deserves a home. They must be able to apply that belief as they listen without judgment and treat each client with grace, humility, and love.
As you can see, filling this role is no easy task! That’s why we’re looking to you for help. If you know someone who might be a good fit for the role, please encourage them to learn more at https://www.ucef-seattle.org/jobs, and consider applying.
We will surely miss Jo, her passion, and skills. We know that there is someone out there that can take the reins and help us not only keep UCEF running smoothly, but also chart a course towards an even stronger future. We appreciate your help in the search!