Felicia and her three children were in a bad situation. Her husband was abusive and when she began to fear for her children’s safety she knew it was time to get out. She picked up her kids from school and never returned to the place that had become like “hell.”
But like many victims of domestic violence, she had nowhere to go and faced life in a shelter or even on the streets. Felicia eventually got in contact with Kirkland Interfaith Transitional Housing (KITH) through her church and things began to turn around.
“Within one week we were in a house,” said Felicia, who’s son is autistic. “It was as if I had won the lottery.”
Felicia told her story with her caseworker Vicki Todd by her side during the KITH annual luncheon at the Woodmark Hotel Friday.
“I now have the security of knowing that my kids are safe and warm and I get to build a life for my family,” said Felicia, who is studying to get her accounting degree.
Felicia’s family was just one of 42 that KITH helped find transitional housing in 2010. The second annual luncheon was meant to raise awareness of homelessness on the Eastside and money for the organization.
“Last year we had over 500 calls for assistance,” said KITH Executive Director Jan Dickerman during the event that raised more than $48,000 for the organization. “… We are not immune to the issues of homelessness in Kirkland.”
KITH provided 26,136 bed nights in 2010 for homeless persons on the Eastside. The Eastside has just 12 percent of housing that is considered low-income housing. And with 70 percent of homeless women being victims of domestic violence, Felicia’s story is all too common for KITH caseworkers.
“Ending homelessness is not just about housing,” said featured speaker Bill Block during the KITH luncheon. “It is about combining housing and services.”
Block, who is the chair of the Committee to End Homelessness and a low-income housing advocate, said one thing that sets KITH apart from other organizations are caseworkers that also get their clients help. That can include help with mental issues, addiction and education, among other things.
“We tend to stereotype homelessness as being adult males in downtown Seattle,” said Block. “But homelessness touches everybody.”
Block cited statistics that say for every homeless person who ends up in an emergency room it costs taxpayers $50,000.
The impact on kids from homelessness is the greatest. He said that kids who come from homelessness and into foster homes have higher rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than soldiers coming back from Iraq.
Block said that annual homeless counts in King County have dropped for the second year in a row, but cautioned against taking those numbers for granted: “We have to keep that momentum going.”
Other speakers at the luncheon included King County Councilmember Jane Hague, who is an honorary chair with KITH, Kirkland attorney Ken Davidson and emcee Larry Kaminer. President of the KITH Board of Directors Susan Sumeri presented the 2011 Bill Petter Homeless Advocate Award to Larry and Pam Stewart, owners of Synergy Construction.
