Summer 2021 Newsletter
An Update from the Board
We hope the summer finds you well. While climbing vaccination rates in King County give us hope for better days ahead, loosening rules around rent and eviction bring new challenges to those living on the edge. None of us are quite sure what to expect as we look ahead, but we’re ready for another wave of people coming to us for help this fall.
Last newsletter, we focused on the stories of those whom we help with your support. This letter, we wanted to focus on stories and statistics about our donors. Everything we do, we do because of your gracious gifts. Thank you.
The UCEF Board of Directors
Why I Donate
When I was asked to write about why I give to UCEF, I thought of the Biblical story of Jesus’ healing of the bleeding woman. In Mark’s telling of the story, the woman has not only been ostracized from society due to her condition but has also spent all she has had on doctors in a futile search of a cure. She has lost everything. Unfortunately, our society is exactly the same in that it pushes people out and to the margins.
We live in an economic system where just trying to meet one’s basic needs for food, housing and healthcare can place oneself into a spiraling cycle of unrecoverable debt when the slightest unforeseen event occurs. Supporting UCEF is one way where I can apply the message of Mark to make our community a little bit more just and equitable. UCEF brings people in from the margins.
Jeff Berner, University Lutheran Church
Five Ways Your Support Made an Impact in 2021
We helped almost 1,000 people stay in their homes.
UCEF assisted 962 people in 2020-2021, compared to 657 people the previous year – a 46 percent increase.
We provided approximately $108,000 in direct financial assistance.
UCEF more than doubled the amount of rental and utility assistance it gave out this year. In 2020-2021, we provided $107,886 in direct assistance, compared to $50,945 the previous year – an increase of 112 percent.
We increased the maximum dollar amount provided per client and helped everyone eligible.
In September 2020, we increased the maximum dollar amount per client to $250 (from $150 in 2019). Everyone who met our criteria was served – no one was turned away.
We served people residing in the neighborhoods in Northeast Seattle that needed the most assistance.
We focused on keeping people in their homes and saw a dramatic increase in requests from people living in the 98125 and 98103 zip codes.
We increased our staff time to meet demand while pivoting to a virtual operation.
We shifted our Executive Director to full time in 2020-2021 (from .80 FTE), which helped meet the increased demand and reduction in volunteers. We closed our physical location due to the pandemic and assisted people over the phone and via email, which made our operation even more efficient and effective for our clients.
THANK YOU
Thank you to our generous supporters! During the past fiscal year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021), UCEF raised almost $125,000 to support our work to prevent homelessness.
Individuals = $48,819 (40 percent)
A heartfelt thank you to the 98 individuals who donated a total of $48,819 to UCEF in 2020-2021. Thirty-two contributors were first-time donors, while 66 were recurring donors. Most nonprofits keep going due to dependable gifts (of any size) from loyal donors. We greatly appreciate this community encouragement.
Grants = $10,000 (8 percent)
Thank you to the University-Ballard Lions Foundation and the University Masonic Lodge for their generous grants this past year.
Churches = $64,643 (52 percent)
We are grateful to the following churches who made contributions this past year to UCEF:
Blessed Sacrament Church
Fremont Baptist Church
Haller Lake United Methodist Church
Keystone Congregational Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church
Sand Point Community United Methodist Church
Wedgwood Community Church
University Lutheran Church
University Presbyterian Church
University Temple United Methodist Church
University Unitarian Church
Vineyard Christian Fellowship
University Congregational United Church of Christ