September is self-care month, and with so much uncertainty and change in our lives over the past eighteen months, it is more important than ever. We count ourselves lucky to have such a generous and thoughtful community of supporters at Literacy Source, but don't forget as well to take care of YOU! Here are some ways you can care for yourself this month (hint: one of them our fantastic volunteers are already doing!).
Welcome Note
Photo from Seattle Times
"Some of those facing the greatest danger are men and women whose association with the
U.S. is now threatening their lives and the lives of their families. Together we can respond."

~World Relief Seattle

As the last of the American troops withdrew from Afghanistan on Monday, the situation there continues to worsen. Our hearts go out to the Afghan people as individuals and families struggle to find safety amidst and increasingly dangerous circumstances.

Up to 22,000 refugees from Afghanistan could be resettled in the United States, and, according to Washington's Office of Refugee and Immigration Assistance, as many as 6,000 of them could be coming to Washington State. Many of us are asking ourselves if there is anything we can do to help.

According to World Relief, an organization Literacy Source has partnered with in the past, the answer is yes. World Relief is the largest resettlement organization in Washington State, and they are offering many opportunities - beyond just financial - for the community to welcome these new immigrants. Building welcome kits and advocating to those in positions of power are two important ways, but for those who are in the position to do so, hosting an Afghan family is another crucial way to help, especially considering that affordable housing is cited as the number one challenge for Afghan refugees, according to Chitra Hanstad, Executive Director of World Relief Seattle.

Fawn Johnson, a real estate developer in Ballard, is temporarily hosting Afghan families in one of her homes that is being torn down next year. She describes it as a "landing for people coming in from the airport." Other individuals are offering their Mother-In-Law units or Airbnbs. Johnson talks about why making these individuals feel welcome is so important: “I think it makes this country much, much stronger. These are typically the best and brightest. These are the people we welcome. These are the people that really want to be here."

World Relief Seattle is not the only organization working to support Afghan refugees in Seattle and greater Washington. Here is a list of a few more organizations you can connect with if you want to help:

  • Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services (LIRS): Sign up here to volunteer with LIRS for duties like rides from the airport, food, and apartment set-ups.
  • Jewish Family Service/HIAS (JFS): Buy items from the Amazon Wish List for JFS Refugee & Immigrant Services (RIS). You can also sign up to be a flexible on-call volunteer.
  • International Rescue Committee (IRC) has several suggestions for support and advocacy while we’re waiting for opportunities to set up apartments for newly arriving families. Read more here.

We know how passionate the Literacy Source community is about doing our part to create a more inclusive and multi-cultural space, both locally and globally, and we hope you are as excited as we are for the opportunity to welcome these individuals into our community. For more information, visit World Relief Seattle's page on how you can help our Afghan allies.

In community,
 Cat Howell
 Co-ED, Educational Director
Shira Rosen 
Co-ED, Managing Director   
Center Update: Classes Remain Online
Although we had hoped to reopen our Lake City Center in late September, with the resurgence of Delta variant-driven COVID cases, we have decided that it’s not clear that we can keep ourselves and our community safe with the high levels of community transmission at this time. All of our classes and tutoring will continue to be online for Fall 2021. We hope to offer some in-person classes and tutoring to serve our learners’ needs as soon as it is reasonably safe to do so.
 
You can find our updated student schedule here, and you can be assured we will continue tracking current science about the virus and continuing to work on our safety protocols with the goal of at least hybrid reopening in Winter depending on the state of the pandemic.
 
Thanks for all of your patience with us as we do our best to continue to meet student needs in such a changing situation.
Staff Spotlight: Our New Americorps Member!
We are thrilled to introduce you to our new Americorps ESOL program assistant, Rachel Jones! Read on to find out more about her varied jobs over the years, and her many language adventures.
What drew you to Literacy Source, or why are you excited to work for us?

I was drawn to Literacy Source because of the valuable work it’s doing to support economically disadvantaged individuals and immigrants in Seattle. It’s wonderful to be able to participate in the growth and development of others while also learning about other places and cultures. 

Why did you want to join the Americorps program?

I joined AmeriCorps because I was eager to bring my skills to a more service-oriented position that would benefit the larger community. I’d spent several years doing corporate public relations while traveling, and was looking for something more meaningful. I’m also excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest, where I grew up.

Tell us about your new role and why you thought it would be a good fit for you. What projects are you most excited about in your new role?

As the ESOL Program Assistant, I’ll be teaching the ESOL 4/5 class, in which I’ve been volunteering this summer, as well as advising students and supporting volunteers. I have experience teaching both children and adults, and really enjoy the collaborative environment of an adult classroom. I’m also looking forward to working with volunteers who are seeking a meaningful experience in supporting others. I’m most excited about getting to know the students and watching them progress in their language learning.

How do you foresee your past experiences informing your performance as ESOL Program Assistant?

I’ve traveled to around 40 countries – living in several of them for six months or more – and have studied several languages. My work experience has also varied widely – I’ve been a waitress, lifeguard, YMCA associate membership director, and international news reporter. Whether instructing children in an afterschool program or teaching adults to swim, I’ve always enjoyed engaging with a variety of unique personalities and perspectives. I believe this diversity of experience will allow me to better communicate and connect with students, coworkers and volunteers, and to be a supportive presence for those navigating a new country, culture and/or learning experience.

Do you have any fun or interesting stories you'd like to share about your past?

While traveling in India last year, I took two months of Hindi lessons from a lovely woman named Geeta at her home in Bhagsu (a small village above Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama lives, in the Himalayan foothills). My Hindi is still very elementary, but Geeta’s welcoming presence made me feel like family in a place far from home. I hope I can offer the same level of warmth and encouragement to those who are getting to know a new language and culture here in the United States.

We're so excited to have you as part of our team, Rachel, and look forward to seeing what you bring to the position!

International Literacy Day & Adult
Family Education Week
Graphic from UNESCO
September is a big month for Literacy!

September 8 is International Literacy Day, and the theme for 2021 is “Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide”. At Literacy Source, and in educational institutions around the world, we've become all too aware of how important digital access, barrier reduction, and inclusivity regarding learning opportunities is in ensuring more equitable access to literacy. Find out more about International Literacy day here.

As well, September 19-25 is National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week (AEFL). Educators and advocates across the country use this week to elevate adult education and family literacy with policymakers and their community. You can find out more about AEFL and how to participate here.
Volunteer Spotlight: Pat Dowden
This month we are pleased to feature a long-term ESOL tutor at Literacy Source, Pat Dowden, as our volunteer spotlight. We have many things to thank and appreciate Pat for, not least of which is the 350+ hours she has dedicated to three students so far, including a Citizenship student who successfully passed her interview this month! We appreciate her sincerity, dedication, and thoughtful approach with all the different level of students she has worked with. Our Citizenship Instructor and Advisor says this about Pat: "Pat has been a joy to work with these past two quarters. Her dedication and perseverance with her student in incorporating citizenship and collaborating with other volunteers allowed her to receive her citizenship. As an ESOL tutor, we did not expect Pat to work on any citizenship material. Citizenship is another topic that took time to incorporate and teach within an hour of their tutor session. Yet, Pat knew this was a huge goal her student wanted to achieve and included this material within their sessions, giving her a space to practice and achieve her goal."

Please read on to learn more about Pat...

Where are you originally from? If you’re not from Seattle what brought you here?

I was born in Cleveland, OH and lived in 4 other states and 1 other country before moving here for graduate school at UW.

Please share something of your life so far and what you would like to do in the future.
 
For many years, I was a clinical Speech-Language Pathologist, specializing in computer-assisted communication for individuals who could not speak. Eventually, I joined the faculty of Speech & Hearing Sciences where I taught multiple classes at the graduate level until my full retirement in 2019.

Why did you choose to volunteer at LS?

Because of my profession, I have always been interested in the power and value of communication. Although I used to work with people who needed computer-assisted communication methods, I knew that I would enjoy tutoring speakers of other languages in my retirement. 

You can learn more about Pat and some highlights from her volunteering experience with Literacy Source here.

Thank you, Pat, for all that you do to help our students achieve success!
Back to School drive: We are so close to our goal!
As we get back into the swing of things for fall, we are determined to provide access to every single student we can. Even though online learning has been a big challenge for our students, they continue to show us how dedicated they are to creating new opportunities for themselves, their family, and their community.
We are coming down the homestretch, and we are $5,000 away from reaching our $30,000 goal! If you haven't donated yet, we strongly urge you to consider giving today and help us get over the top. Chromebooks are not cheap but we are working with partners to find them at a reduced cost. Currently, for each $350 we raise, we are able to provide another student with a Chromebook and give them the support behind it to make sure everything runs smoothly.

It’s more crucial than ever to ensure no one is left out of remote learning opportunities because they don’t have access to the technology needed to participate in classes. You have the power to make a difference today by removing a barrier to education! 
King County Metro Link Connections
New bus routes and light rail connections are coming to north King County on Oct. 2!
Starting Oct. 2, KCM is changing routes in north King County to make it easier to get where you’re going and to connect bus service with three new Link light rail stations: U District, Roosevelt and Northgate.
These changes will help our community to safely and reliably get where you need to go while reducing traffic and helping the environment. To learn more about the changes and the latest safety guidelines for riding Metro, go here.

These bus routes will change on Oct. 2: 
  • New and updated routes: 16X, 20, 31, 32, 40, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 64, 65, 67, 70, 73, 75, 79, 301, 302, 303, 304, 320, 322, 331, 345, 346, 347, 348, 372, and Sound Transit Express 522.
  • Replaced by another route above: 5X, 26, 41, 63, 71, 74, 76, 77, 78, 308, 309, 312, 316, 355, and 373.
 
Request a Free $25 ORCA Card
While supplies last, King County Metro is offering a free $25 ORCA Card to people that live or work in one of the following north King County ZIP codes: 98011, 98028, 98105, 98115, 98125, 98133, 98155, 98177, 98195. To request a card, go to this website before 10/10/21.
Americorps Job Openings
We're hiring for the following Americorps position:


Please help us spread the word!
Thank you, donors!
Many thanks to our donors who went above and beyond this month:

  • Elisabeth Harwood
  • Kate Riordan
  • Cynthia Lantry
  • Stan Severson
  • Julie Edsfort
  • Jolene Vrchota
  • Sara Raab McLnerny
  • Judy Jesiolowski
  • Dave Thompson

We couldn't do this work without YOUR support!
Literacy Source is on the traditional lands of the Duwamish people, and we pay our respect to elders both past and present. To support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe, please consider signing this petition to federally recognize them, or consider making a donation to Real Rent Duwamish.