Seattle Human Services Coalition

You can now watch the video of SHSC's Human Services Candidate Forum in its entirety via our YouTube channel (click the link below). The candidate forum was held on September 19, 2023, at University Heights Center.

Seattle Human Services Coalition - YouTube The Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC) was established in 1987 and is a coalition of coalitions. Today, SHSC continues its history of community-based ad...

Photos from SHSC's Human Services Candidate Forum last week. Thank you to our fabulous forum sponsors, the capacity crowd at U Heights, and all the candidates who shared their visions for a just and thriving community.

If you couldn't make it but are interested in learning how the candidates responded—or didn't—to our human services questions, watch this space; we'll post a video of the event here soon.
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Photos by Jerry Peerson

SWC Inside/Out: An Interview with the Seattle Human Services Coalition - Civil Rights Now The Seattle Women's Commission interviews the Seattle Human Services Coalition about their recent wage equity study.

Tonight! The Human Services Candidate Forum at University Heights Center is tonight from 5:30–8 PM! It's also National Voter Registration Day, and we'll have Washington Bus onsite to assist guests with voter registration.

Join us at 5:00 PM for snacks and mingling. And remember, U Heights requires a key code for entry, so we’ll have volunteers at the entrance to assist guests. In the event the volunteer has stepped away, call Jerry at 206-325-7105.

There's limited onsite parking from 5 PM, but ample street parking is also available nearby. See you then!

Thank you again, Ballard Food Bank, for sponsoring our upcoming candidate forum on September 19th!

Join us 9/19 for the Human Services Candidate Forum | Ballard Food Bank Seattle Human Services Coalition and sponsor organizations - including Ballard Food Bank - invite community members to a live forum on September 19th where candidates for Seattle City Council and King County Council will answer questions and share their plans around human services and social justice

Our wage equity legislation has passed out of the Public Safety and Human Services Committee! Read more about the legislation here: https://council.seattle.gov/2023/06/13/resolution-supporting-wage-equity-for-seattle-human-services-workers-approved-in-committee/

And if you haven't yet, send a message in support of wage equity here: https://secure.everyaction.com/43tjXaBzBUuV-q01wXOBmA2?emci=97a30cb1-eaff-ed11-907c-00224832eb73&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid=%7b%7bContactsEmailID%7d%7d

"SHSC initiated the Identifying Structural Racism (IDSR) Project to create an assessment tool and guide to recognize structural racism within human service organizations and remove the barriers within an organization. The IDSR Folio was created to help assess where racism exists within organizations and provide tools to eliminate it."
Take a look at
Seattle Human Services Coalition to see their approach to tackle structural racism. And their message that Together We're Better!



https://www.shscoalition.org/identifying-institutional-racism

Check out SHSC leadership advocating for more public funding for necessary human services in this Real Change op-ed.

"We have many supportive policymakers who believe, as we do, that human services are essential to our communities’ well-being. We also have a lot of policies and budgets still based on a belief that it is easier to punish bad behavior than it is to support health and well-being. We need a paradigm shift. We need holistic investments in people and the infrastructure that supports all people thriving."

Human services sector calls for more support Thankfully, the Mayor’s Office and the City Council worked together, diligently, to meet many of the Seattle Human Services Coalition's recommendations for funding human services in our city for the next two years.

IT'S TIME TO THANK OUR COUNCILMEMBERS FOR THE SUPPORT THEY GAVE US!

What a whirlwind we have been on with this intense budget season! Thank you for all the ways so many of you showed up, again and again, for public comments, for emails to councilmembers, for our rally with our partners, and more. WE DID GOOD. We had dozens of testimonies offered, hundreds of emails sent, and the councilmembers we met with frequently thanked us for the great support our members' participation provided them as they advocated for us in their budget process. THANK YOU.

There's only one thing left to do now: it's time to thank our councilmembers for the support they gave us, ensuring the full 7.6% inflation adjustment and supporting many amendments that fulfilled some of our recommendations. Please use this link to email your councilmember a thank you for their support: https://secure.everyaction.com/QiyPLXwBeEeAbtRLAqNnkw2

Thanks again for all your outreach and energy! YOU are the Coalition. YOU are the reason the council listens to us. THANK YOU for all the ways you show up to ensure we will continue to be able to serve our communities together.

Greetings, fellow human services advocates!

We need everyone advocating right now for a city budget that fully funds our essential services. Please take three minutes to send a message to your council member with just a few short clicks here.: https://secure.everyaction.com/PlxWoLujUk6Vim68Ra8eng2

Tell your council member we need full funding for human services!

SHSC TO HOST FREE CITY BUDGET ADVOCACY TRAINING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 FROM 1:30-3PM!

Hello, Advocates for wage equity and investments in human services infrastructure!

We are coming close to fall, which means the mayor and council will soon be making City of Seattle budget decisions for 2023-24.

Do you think the City should sustain current levels of human services, especially in difficult economic times?

Do you want to raise YOUR voice to make it so?

SHSC is hosting a City Budget Advocacy training! Learn more about SHSC's 2023-24 budget recommendations, historic wins, as well as how to testify and follow along with an insider’s eye for this year’s city budget process.

All those interested in city budget advocacy are welcome and will benefit from this training. We are partnering with Poverty Action Network to focus on supporting direct service staff and other non-traditional advocacy roles in telling their story to support SHSC's budget recs, including Wage Equity and sustaining current services.

Wednesday, September 14, 2022 from 1:30-3pm
Virtual Training

You’ll find out:
- Advocacy ideascalendar
- Effective messaging
- Advocacy ideas
- Public hearing tips and logistics

FILL OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM TO SIGN UP TODAY!
https://forms.gle/QW4Wrv3nMUwfeufv8

SHSC City Budget Advocacy Training: September 14th, 2022 from 1:30–3:00 PM Event Address: Virtual via Zoom Contact us at: (206) 325-7105 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

DO YOU BELIEVE HUMAN SERVICE WORKERS SHOULD BE PAID EQUITABLE WAGES?

Do you think the City should sustain current levels of human services, especially in difficult economic times?

Do you want to raise YOUR voice to make it so?

SHSC is hosting a FREE City Budget Advocacy training! Sign up via the link below to learn more about SHSC's 2023-24 budget recommendations, historic wins, and how to follow along with an insider’s eye for this year’s city budget process on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022 from 1:30 - 3pm.

All those interested in city budget advocacy are welcome and will benefit from this training. We are partnering with Poverty Action Network to focus on supporting direct service staff and other non-traditional advocacy roles in telling their story to support SHSC's budget recs, including Wage Equity and sustaining current services.
Visit the following link for more info and to sign up today!
https://www.shscoalition.org/actionandopportunities

Great news for Human Services Advocates everywhere! The research team who will do the pay equity analysis of human services work has been selected!

HSD Selects University of Washington to Conduct Comparable Worth Wage A**lysis of Human Services Work in Seattle and King County HSD Selects University of Washington to Conduct Comparable Worth Wage A**lysis of Human Services Work in Seattle and King County July 12, 2022 by Michael Taylor-Judd Photo: UUSC on Flickr The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the Comparable Worth Wage A**l...

For the first time in over 24 years, SHSC’s Executive Director role is opening up. Members are searching the country for the right activist/organizer/administrator to lead SHSC into the future. Do you know someone who would be great? You can help with the search by sharing widely with YOUR national and local networks! Job description and details on how to apply at www.shscoalition.org

SHSC INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR!
RARE Opportunity: For the first time in over 24 years SHSC’s Executive Director role is opening up. Members are searching the country for the right activist/organizer/administrator to lead SHSC into the future. Apply here: https://ideali.st/TUKZdQ , here https://www.daybook.com/jobs/Aedn2YYf8zZnDymDH , and share here https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3053428202

Do you know someone who would be great? You can help with the search by sharing widely with YOUR national and local networks! Job description and details on how to apply at www.shscoalition.org.

Executive Director Seattle Human Services Coalition is now hiring for the position of Executive Director in Seattle. Apply today.

Speak up in support of wage equity and the funding needed to move forward! Take action now and contact the Councilmembers!
https://p2a.co/tjT10r6

Take Action Now and Contact The Councilmembers!
https://p2a.co/tjT10r6

The City of Seattle relies on the skills and expertise of nonprofit organizations and their workers to build well-being in communities so that individuals can reach their potential at every stage of life. Human service providers and elected officials agree that human services workers are significantly underpaid for the difficult work they do, which puts the whole sector in a precarious position.

The next step to solve this inherent weakness in our community’s support infrastructure is for the City of Seattle to work with providers to conduct a pay equity analysis of human services jobs as compared with jobs in different fields, especially those in the private sector, that require similar skills, education, and difficulty by allocating resources for a robust comparable worth analysis of benchmark jobs.

It’s up to YOU to tell Council how important wage equity is to a stable and effective human services infrastructure to support the well-being of Seattle residents!

Speak up NOW for wage equity for human services workers! Speak up NOW for wage equity for human services workers!

Thanks to KUOW for covering our Human Services Candidates Forum. If you missed it, you’re in luck because we recorded it for you! Check out our timeline or videos section of this page to watch the forum in its entirety.

https://www.kuow.org/stories/role-of-seattle-police-looms-large-in-candidate-forum

Role of Seattle police looms large in candidate forum The general election season is getting underway. In a forum convened by the Seattle Human Services Coalition Thursday, candidates made clear that the types of calls requiring a police response will be a central issue in their campaigns.

Many thanks to the sponsors of TOMORROW’s Human Services Candidates Forum. RSVP or tune in to this page tomorrow, 9/16 5:30-7:30PM to find out where your candidates stand. https://fb.me/e/14WICQXJ9

Listen to SHSC Co-Chair Steve Daschle's great interview about this Thursday's Human Services Candidates Forum here!

Watch The Seattle Human Services Coalition Candidates Forum On Sept 16. | 96.5 JACK-FM | Lee Callahan Featuring the top two, post-primary candidates for Seattle Mayor, Seattle City Council, County Executive and City Attorney.

Save the date: September 16th 5:30-7:30PM https://twitter.com/ericacbarnett/status/1436021196663889957?s=20

Erica C. Barnett on Twitter “Save the date: The Seattle Human Services Coalition is holding a candidate forum on homelessness featuring the candidates for mayor, city attorney, and city council next Thursday, September 16. Details here: https://t.co/hoORLxbEsi”

Sign up for SHSC's FB livestream September 16th to find out where candidates stand on human services and social justice!

Many thanks to our Human Services Candidates’ Forum sponsors! Find out where candidates stand on human services & social justice September 16th
RSVP/event info here: https://fb.me/e/14WICQXJ9

CONSULT THE SHSC ONLINE CANDIDATES SURVEY BEFORE YOU VOTE!

We collected questions for candidates and invited all the people running for Seattle Mayor, City Council, City Attorney, King Co Executive and Council race for District 1 to give us their answers.

The primary ballots are out! The candidates' answers are in! Go to www.shscoalition.org/2021-candidates-forum-/-questionnaire to see who answered and who didn't! What will they do to build well-being in our communities?

Then be sure to VOTE!

And put the Candidates' Forum on your calendar now, Thursday, Sept 16th 5:30-7:30pm to see the top two candidates go head to head live, virtually answering more human services and social justice questions!

2021 Candidates Forum / Questionnaire (main page) — Seattle Human Services Coalition The Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC) is a multi-cultural, multi-racial community of human service providers and concerned individuals who help Seattle residents reach their full potential. Together we help shape public policy on issues such as ending homelessness, hunger relief, domestic viol...

Happening now! Join, share and rewatch.

10th Annual Stand Against Racism with Ijeoma Oluo Join YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish for a discussion about the negative impacts of institutional and structural racism at YWCA's 10th Annual Stand Against R...

Wise proposal to renew Best Starts for Kids from King County Executive Dow Constatine! The previous levy, since 2015, served more than 500,000 youth and families, with a focus on preventing homelessness, funding health centers in schools and providing in-home services for new parents. The new funding, Constantine said, would reduce by two-thirds the number of children under 5 who have no access to child care because their parents can’t afford it. It would provide child care for about 3,000 kids per year. These services to build well-being throughout the county will be even more critical to recover from the pandemic.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/constantine-seeks-renewal-of-best-starts-for-kids-levy-811-million-proposal-would-expand-child-care-in-king-county/

Constantine seeks renewal of Best Starts for Kids levy, $811 million proposal would expand child care in King County King County Executive Dow Constantine is seeking to renew the county's Best Starts for Kids levy, which has supported 400 organizations over the last five years and provided funding for child care.

The Seattle Times's tribute to SHSC co-founder, Tony Lee.

Tony Lee, ‘conscience of the Legislature’ and advocate for Washington’s poor and immigrants, dies... Lee spent his life fighting for funding for social programs for poor and immigrant communities in Seattle and at the state legislature in Olympia. Much of his work was...

Seattle Human Services Coalition updated their phone number.

Seattle Human Services Coalition updated their address.

SHSC supports change for racial justice.

June 3, 2020

The racial oppression and white supremacy the United States is built on, and which is an integral part of this country's social systems and values, has resulted in the ongoing suffering and hardship of Black communities. This is expressed in disproportionately ineffective social systems including education, employment, housing, healthcare, human services, and criminal justice and results in ongoing deadly violence against members of the Black community including Amadou Diallo, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Charleena Lyles, Che Taylor, Mi'Chance Dunlap-Gittens, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and most recently George Floyd.

The leadership of the Seattle Human Services Coalition adds our voices to those already raised in recognition that the Black community is under continuing attack and it must stop. We feel anger, despair and frustration as we stand with our colleagues, comrades, and program participants who are decrying this murder.

Standing together in this time responding to a pandemic and deepening recession amidst this ongoing injustice, we join together, linking arms in coalition, in order to combine our efforts with allies also working toward building a just and thriving community. In order for change to happen, privileged whites must lend their voices and play a leadership role in the call for change and accountability within our institutions.

We call on our elected representatives to make the necessary decisions to balance these systems, including redistribution of resources. We must create an equitable response and recovery. We also call on Mayor Durkan and SPD to listen to communities of color reaching out to them and act in a way that supports peaceful demonstrations and does not escalate violence against peaceful protests.

Although we know this statement is incomplete, we feel we must speak up. We encourage everyone to stand and join the movement for equity, joining the swell of energy and voices insisting that, Now is the Time.

How to Make This Moment the Turning Point for Real Change, by Barack Obama https://medium.com//how-to-make-this-moment-the-turning-point-for-real-change-9fa209806067

Dear White People, Your Black Colleagues Aren't Okay https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/05/9841376/black-trauma-george-floyd-dear-white-people

Action steps you can take today.

Educate yourself with these BLM reading lists: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
&
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/g32731117/black-lives-matter-reading-list/?emci=c01803fe-24a5-ea11-9b05-00155d0394bb&emdi=f8a864ab-b4a5-ea11-9b05-00155d039e74&ceid=3784479

Support Black-owned businesses:
https://officialblackwallstreet.com/directory

Take action and/or donate to support Black Lives Matter, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, the Northwest Community Bail Fund, and many others
https://blacklivesseattle.org/
https://justiceforbreonna.org/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
https://www.gofundme.com/f/i-run-with-maud
https://www.nwcombailfund.org

If you're joining a local protest, stay safe:
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1vS3IyB3ObopPw74pPFBCBGa2RcFGLlH78VwcS2QiCoc/mobilebasic?fbclid=IwAR1DA95ZpoQJxEsu900HeDtXiMvVUyO6IReZlaeY2Yiv4rH5FR3n1RJ2ZhI

Register to vote:
https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/

How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the…

Pledge to complete the today! Pick a pledge at https://2020census.gov/en/how-to-help.html, customize it, and post it! Tag your friends and challenge them to take the pledge too. And, make sure you tag where favorite pledges will be shared!

Spread the Word Everyone can play a part in ensuring a complete and accurate count in 2020.

Photos by Hillary Coleman, Jerry Peerson and Julia Sterkovsky.

HAVE YOU SENT YOUR BALLOT IN YET? DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, NOV. 5TH!

You can still refer to SHSC’s Candidates’ Survey to see how they responded to questions about the issues you care about.
http://www.shscoalition.org/2019-candidates-forum-survey

Now, with the photos from the Candidates’ Forum!

2019 Candidates Forum / Survey — Seattle Human Services Coalition

SHSC Members - It's Time to MOBILIZE!

The Mayor's proposed budget thankfully does not include any cuts to human services, it does fund the inflation adjustment at the full 2.6% for all human services contracted through HSD. Congratulations on your hard work that contributed to these accomplishments!

HOWEVER, it does NOT include funding needed for the first step to correct the long-term legacy of under-paying human service workers, a Comparable Worth A**lysis. This is the only part of our top priority that has not been funded.

The inflation adjustment was a significant achievement, but it only helps us stay afloat. We need equitable wages for the challenging tasks and responsibilities human services workers take on each and every day in our city. A Comparable Worth A**lysis is the first step to addressing inadequate wages and benefits, high turnover, and instability for our human services workers!

We need to speak up for our priorities!

The ball is now in the Seattle City Council's "court" and they will decide on the City's 2020 budget in the next seven weeks.

There are two public hearings where your presence will make a difference:

TOMORROW, October 3rd & Tuesday, October 22nd

Both hearings are at 5:30pm at City Hall in Council Chambers, 2nd floor Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, 98104 .

You can make a difference by giving testimony at the hearings or just come and bring your friends to the hearing; we'll have RED scarves you can wear to show your support for human services funding. It's democracy in action and it's how we show our Councilmembers this is important to us.

Sign-in to testify usually starts at 4:30 or 5pm. Because many people come to the hearings, if you want to testify, but don't want to stay too late, you may want to arrive as early as 3pm in order to secure an earlier speaking time, but they will keep the hearing open until everyone who wants to testify has done so.

If you know folks who can't make it to the hearing, they can contact Councilmembers directly before October 23rd. Sooner is always better!

Mike O'Brien, (206) 684-8800, [email protected]
Sally Bagshaw, (206) 684-8801, [email protected]
Lorena Gonzalez, (206) 684-8802, [email protected]
Lisa Herbold, (206) 684-8803, [email protected]
Bruce Harrell, (206) 684-8804, [email protected]
Debora Juarez, (206) 684-8805, [email protected]
Teresa Mosqueda, (206)684-8806, [email protected]
Kshama Sawant, (206) 684-8016, [email protected]
Abel Pacheco, (206) 684-8808, [email protected]

Let your voice be heard!

Find more information on a Comparable Worth A**lysis and SHSC's 2020 City of Seattle Budget Recommendations on our website:
http://www.shscoalition.org/

Seattle Human Services Coalition The Seattle Human Services Coalition is a multi-racial, multi-cultural group of human service providers and concerned community members committed to helping Seattle-King County residents meet their basic human needs.

Join us in congratulating our award winners and thanking them for helping to create a just and thriving community!

- Outstanding Organization or Program:
Ingersoll Gender Center

- Excellence in Advocacy:
Daniel Vasquez

- Innovative Program:
Juma Adventures

- Stewardship:
Mark Okazaki & Neighborhood House

- Mayor’s Award:
Janis Avery & Treehouse

- Ron Chisom Anti-Racism Award:
Cierra Sisters

All photos by Alison Alfonzo Pence

ALL SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL AND KING COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES WERE INVITED TO COMPLETE SHSC’S 2019 CANDIDATES’ QUESTIONNAIRE.

After the primary, SHSC and co-sponsors will host SHSC’s 2019 Human Services Candidates’ Forum, on September 19, 2019, from 5-7:30pm.

Go to our Candidates Forum / Survey to see candidates' answers to coalition members' questions and Candidates Forum details:
http://www.shscoalition.org/2019-candidates-forum-survey

2019 Candidates Forum / Survey — Seattle Human Services Coalition The Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC) is a multi-cultural, multi-racial community of human service providers and concerned individuals who help Seattle residents reach their full potential. Together we help shape public policy on issues such as ending homelessness, hunger relief, domestic viol...