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2015 Technology Matching Fund Grants

STEM programs, community radio stations, English language and literacy training, job finding assistance, expanding and upgrading computer labs for disadvantaged kids and low-income seniors, the recipients of the 2015 Technology Matching Funds grants have projects as diverse as their backgrounds.

Councilmember Bruce Harrell thanks the TMF grant recipients for coming to Seattle City Hall.

Part of Seattle’s commitment to digital equity, the Technology Matching Fund provides grants annually up to $30,000 for technology projects. City dollars are matched by the community’s contribution of volunteer labor, materials, professional services, or cash. The next grant deadline will be in March, 2016. The Technology Matching Fund seeks to improve digital equity by connecting populations that have limited access to technology, empowering residents with digital literacy skills, building capacity for diverse communities to use technology for civic participation.

This year the City awarded grants to 22 local nonprofit groups. Some projects include:

Kids from the Big-Brained Superheroes Club and Seattle Chief Technology Officer Michael Mattmiller

The Big-Brained Superheroes Club will provide a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program for youth from Yesler Terrace, ages 8 and up.

The Coalition for Refugees from Burma will use the funds to purchase new laptops and provide basic computer literacy courses for newly arrived refugee adults, conduct trainings for parents of school aged youth to support their children’s education, and offer enrichment programs to engage youth with high-tech concepts and careers.

Seattle’s Millionair Club plans to expand the current computer lab from 8 workstations to 32 to become a Workforce Development site and provide job safety training, financial literacy, and online educational opportunities.

Sound Care Child Solutions wants to provide tablets for classrooms in 30 Sound Child Care Centers and train teachers how to use them, share with parents on devices, and translate into the home language of the family.

Miriam Zmiewski-Angelova from Sound Child Care Solutions. Her son Nashoba approves of the grant.

If you have a local nonprofit and want more information on Technology Matching Funds grant you can go to the Community Technology website, read Brainstorm e-zine or follow Community Technology on Facebook or Twitter @diginclusion. This year half of the recipients had never received grants before. Maybe you can be one of the many success stories.

Best of luck to all of the nonprofit recipients. We look forward to seeing the lives you enriched through your programs.

City Awards $3.9 million to support Seattle seniors and disabled populations

Seattle, WA – Today, the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) announced $3,955,064 in funding to 15 nonprofit service providers that serve the region’s most vulnerable older adults and individuals with disabilities through its Community Living Connection – Aging & Disability Resource Network (CLC-ADRN) and Family Caregiver Support programs.

$2,302,902 has been awarded to 13 nonprofit agencies who will provide services through the CLC-ADRN in King County. The CLC-ADRN connects older adults and people with disabilities to needed services and supports, and includes the following culturally and linguistically appropriate service components: outreach; information and assistance/referral; person-centered options counseling; and care coordination.

Community Living Connection – Aging and Disability Resource Network awards include:

Agency	Award Amount
Asian Counseling and Referral Services (ACRS)	$300,000
Catholic Community Services	$250,000
Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC)	$370,000
Crisis Clinic	$145,742
Deaf-Blind Service Center	$60,000
Evergreen Care Network	$60,000
Hearing, Speech, and Deafness Center	$79,852
Jewish Family Services	$100,000
Neighborhood House	$300,000
Open Doors for Multicultural Families	$75,000
Pike Market Senior Center	$25,000
Sea Mar Community Health Center	$246,308
Senior Services	$291,000
Total	$2,302,902.00

HSD’s CLC-ADRN program is funded by sources, Senior Citizens Service Act (SCSA) and Older American’s Act Title III-B (OAA III-B), Title XIX and HSD General Fund.

Additionally, $1,652,162 was awarded to 10 agencies with experience providing family caregiver support services for unpaid caregivers for older adults and adults 18+ with a disability living in King County. The Family Caregiver Support Program provides culturally and linguistically appropriate support and services for unpaid caregivers including information and assistance, counseling, support groups, training/consultation, emergency respite coordination, and an evidence-based assessment and referral tool called Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral or TCARE®. The Family Caregiver Support Program supports and services reduce physical and emotional stress experienced by caregivers so their loved one is able to live in the community.

Family Caregiver Support Program funding awards announced today include:

Agency	Award Amount
Alzheimer’s Association	$214,278.00
Catholic Community Services	$108,070.00
Chinese Information and Service Center	$190,667.00
Crisis Clinic	$114,148.00
Evergreen Health	$294,940.00
Jewish Family Services	$136,157.00
Kin On Community Health Care	$109,094.00
Neighborhood House	$143,628.00
Open Doors for Multicultural Families	$98,000.00
Senior Services	$243,180.00
Total	$1,652,162.00

HSD’s Family Caregiver Support Program is funded by the State Family Caregiver and Older American’s Act Title III-E.

HSD continues its effort to institute performance-based investments and uses data to steer the department’s resources to nonprofits who demonstrate their ability to serve the community’s most in need. HSD seeks to ensure the City’s finite resources are being directed to programs that can best leverage the investments for maximum impact on reducing disparities.

The Seattle Human Services Department is one of the largest contributors to Seattle’s safety net as it provides $99 million in funding through 522 contracts to nearly 200 agencies that support Seattle’s most vulnerable residents each year. The department works closely with its community partners, including other public and nonprofit funders and service providers, to understand current and emerging human service needs, and to create and invest in a comprehensive and integrated regional human services system.

For more information about HSD Funding Opportunities, visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities webpage.

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The Aging and Disability Services division of HSD promotes quality of life, independence and choice for older people and adults with disabilities. As the state-designated local Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County the division is co-sponsored by the City of Seattle Human Services Department, United Way of King County and King County.

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New 2015 Income Eligibility Chart for Utility Discount Program Available

The new year is just around the corner, and so are the 2015 income eligibility requirements for the City of Seattle Utility Discount Program.

The discount program is one of the most generous in the country. To be eligibile, a household cannot earn more than 70 percent of the state area median income. Participants get a 60 percent discount on their electricity and a 50 percent discount on water/sewer/garbage bills. That’s an average annual savings of over $800 on combined utilities.

Click here to download a prgram flyer with the new eligibility requirements and pass it on to those you know who could benefit from cutting their utility costs in half.

Councilmembers advocate prevention of elder abuse

In recognition of King County’s growing senior population and concerns about the safety of vulnerable adults, members of the Metropolitan King County Council today proclaimed June 15, 2014, as Elder Abuse Awareness Day in King County.

“Looking out for the safety and well-being of vulnerable seniors is critically important,” said Council Chair Larry Phillips. “Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a reminder that our seniors have spent a lifetime contributing to our community and keeping us safe, and now we must protect them from harm in their golden years.”

On June 15, communities around the globe observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The proclamation presented by the Council encourages everyone to help in the campaign to eliminate elder abuse. It also highlights the public and private agencies that work together to combat elder abuse, including the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County.

Elder abuse consists of intentional and negligent acts that harm seniors or jeopardize their health or welfare, including emotional or physical abuse, abandonment or financial loss and is inflicted upon vulnerable seniors across all socio-economic levels.

The most common perpetrators of elder abuse are caregivers or other trusted individuals such as a spouse, sibling or child, making it a form of domestic violence, according to The National Center on Elder Abuse.

The County Council’s proclamation was read in conjunction with a proclamation from the Seattle City Council also recognizing efforts to highlight Elder Abuse prevention efforts by the City of Seattle.

“Elders face increased physical and financial vulnerability,” said Seattle City Councilmember Sally J. Clark, the sponsor of the City’s proclamation. “Today we honor our community partners who work together with elders to deliver safe, supportive, and caring services and advocate against abuse and mistreatment.”

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office handles about 350 cases a year involving elder neglect, abuse and financial exploitation, and recognizes the need for focusing on those who take advantage of the vulnerable elderly population in King County. A specially trained unit is tasked with investigating and prosecuting elder abuse cases.

The Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County works with community partners to raise awareness, increase reporting of elder abuse and provide case management and advocacy services county-wide to survivors of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

Councilmembers called for everyone in the community to help prevent elder abuse by recognizing and reporting any signs, such as physical trauma, withdrawal, depression, anxiety, and fear of family members, friends or caregivers. For more information, you can:

• Go to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s web site: www.kingcounty.gov/Prosecutor or call (206) 296-9010
• Contact the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County’s at their website: http://www.agingkingcounty.org/ or call (206) 684-0660

2014 Notice of Funding Availability

This notice is to let you know that HSD’s 2014 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) has been released and is posted on the HSD Funding Opportunities website (http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/funding/).

Check out the website to download the NOFA. We plan to release two funding opportunities on July 21^st – the Food and Meal Request for Investment (RFI) and the Senior Centers RFI. Please let Krista Díaz know if you have any questions (krista.diaz@seattle.gov or 684-0322).