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Dear Tyana,
There is so much good happening in The ZONE. Kids in free after school and summer programming, adults compensated to attend pre-employment courses, and households receiving ongoing support with their personal goals so that all family members can thrive. Our Resident Steering Committee has elevated needs this year directly to the State Board of Education, Ballmer Group, Gates Foundation, Washington Student Achievement Council, and priorities were even carried with me to a policy summit in DC.
Gratitude to the 111 partners who directly worked together in The ZONE in 2022, and are still here in growing numbers addressing systems and adapting programming to best serve our children, youth and adults in Northeast Spokane. We are developing a new housing program to address the needs of currently housed families who are worried about staying housed. Through Family Advocates, these households will receive financial and employment coaching, housing support, and be connected to their schools and resources at the Northeast Community Center. Two new staff members have joined The ZONE to launch this work, which will complement the voucher program already at NECC.
Student voice has directed programming partnerships this summer. Rising seniors are being compensated for lost work time to collect documents for their FAFSAs and literally write the college application and scholarship essays through supported workshops. THEY asked to do their essays in the summer before their busy year begins.
Our community-based organizations have asked us to provide funding for more staff training and interventions for the increased behavioral health needs of students in their programs. Our funding requests and disbursements now reflect this whole-student need. We look forward to the opening of our Behavioral Health Clinic on campus this fall with MultiCare to provide deeper supports, which originated from resident priorities set at the beginning of 2019.
Getting back to my teaching roots and my love of the boundless possibility, confidence, and hope children possess, I’ve stepped away from future strategy and daily operations to see and sit with kids on occasion. This grounds our 2Gen/Whole Family work, and allows me to see how all these efforts knit together creating impact that lasts for generations. Thank you for your investments in Northeast Spokane.
Warmly,
Jene Ray
JRay@NECommunityCenter.com
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