Public Health: Providing a range of services downtown Seattle
By Jimmy’a (jih-MY-uh) Carter, a summer intern for the Executive’s Office Customer Service team. Jimmy’a, a 16 year old who will be a junior this fall at West Auburn High School, plans to attend a four-year college and get a degree in youth counseling. She joins us from the Bridge to Prosperity mentoring program. Earlier this month, I took a trip to the King County’s Downtown Public Health Center. I was so excited to learn how everything works in a busy clinic that serves different types of clients. Social workers Mary Cate and Michelle Bollinger… Read More
Increasing diversity in applicants, King County Sheriff’s Office
Blending in at recruitment events is one of the few changes that King County Sheriff’s Office has made to represent the County’s welcoming atmosphere and boost recruitment for females into commissioned officer positions. Court Protection Unit Sergeant Loi Dawkins trades in her full officer uniform for a polo shirt and cargo pants to attend recruitment events, a softer approach, she says, to entice career seekers to engage with recruitment staff. “For some people, it makes them feel more comfortable with approaching us when they otherwise would be intimidated by a gun, badge and uniform,”… Read More
Metro Transit’s Nathan Vass is committed to the challenging Route 7
This article originally appeared in The Seattle Times. It features Metro operator Nathan Vass. He is known among passengers, co-workers and friends as a charismatic storyteller who can defuse tough situations that come with a nighttime bus route traversing Seattle’s urban core. LeRoy Haigler first rode Metro Transit’s No. 7 bus after a one-way train ride from his home in Philadelphia to start over in Seattle. Homeless and fleeing family trauma, the 19-year-old had little money, few belongings and no place to go. He boarded the downtown-bound bus on Rainier Avenue round midnight, finding… Read More
Learning Center Seattle helps 24 students earn GED
King County is helping students get their GED and begin a pathway to higher education through a program called Learning Center Seattle (LCS). A partnership between King County, Seattle Central College, Seattle Education Access, United Way of King County and the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council, LCS helps some of Seattle’s most vulnerable youth finish high school, earn a college degree and achieve their career goals. “What’s unique about Learning Center Seattle (LCS) Reengagement Program is once a student completes their GED and transitions into one of the four Seattle-based colleges [Seattle Central Community College, South Seattle Community College,… Read More
All Home Director Mark Putnam featured in blog about changing homelessness narrative
All Home Director Mark Putnam recently contributed a guest blog to the Seattle Foundation called “It’s time to change the narrative on homelessness.” “Changing the way we think about homelessness, which is deeply embedded in our internal and cultural biases, is critical to our ability to meaningfully address the crisis we are faced with today,” Putnam writes in the blog. “While we are housing more people through homeless services than ever, our efforts have failed to match the increasing need. Homelessness has reached emergency levels in Seattle/King County and it is no accident that we… Read More
Rev Up For Retirement seminar, Sept. 29
With increased concern over the future of Social Security and the stability of retirement plans, it’s never too early to prepare! Bring a sack lunch and hear what the Retired Public Employees Council of Washington, the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors and the Social Security Administration have to say about retirement planning, PERS, Medicare, and Social Security. Friday, September 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eighth Floor Conference Hall, King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle Registration is required. Due to space limitations, only county employees may attend. To register, please e-mail: KC.Orientations@kingcounty.gov.
Applications for ESJ Opportunity Fund due Sept. 1
A reminder that applications for the Equity and Social Justice Opportunity Fund are due on September 1. The ESJ Opportunity Fund is a competitive process run by the Office of Equity and Social Justice that provides resources to King County employees to develop and implement projects that work to advance equity and social justice and that complements the ESJ Strategic Plan. For the 2017-2018 biennium, there is a total of $100,000 in one-time funds available and grants ranging from $500 to $7,500 will be awarded to projects that the Funding Committee determines best… Read More
Job Fair connects White Center teens with employers
The fourth annual Peace ‘N’ the Hood Basketball Tournament at Steve Cox Memorial Park underwent a shakeup with a new component added to benefit teens in White Center: a job fair tailored for teens ages 16-24. Representatives from 30 employers and employment resources participated in the job fair and the attendance goal was nearly doubled, with 150 teens taking part. DNRP Customer Services Coordinator Jody Addicks works at the White Center Teen Program, where the job fair took place. “Justin Cox, who works at Southwest Youth and Family Services and also works… Read More
Summer Interns meet with Executive Constantine
By Miguel Estevez Osorio and Von Te’Kwan Dalton, high school summer interns for the Office of Equity and Social Justice and Public Health-Seattle & King County (respectively) through King County’s Lift Every Youth Employment & Mentorship Program Pilot. Recently, King County Executive Dow Constantine met with some of us summer interns from King County’s Lift Every Youth Employment and Mentorship Program Pilot, and Performance, Strategy and Budget’s undergraduate and graduate summer internship initiative. Deputy King County Executive Rhonda Berry, Director of Employee Engagement Whitney Abrams, and Arun Sambataro, Equity Strategies Manager with the Office of Equity and… Read More
Mario Bailey helps youth get back on track with education and employment opportunities
Crossposted from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Facebook In the early 1990s, Mario Bailey was setting University of Washington football on fire. The Husky Hall of Famer and All American receiver helped take the Huskies to the Rose Bowl twice, scoring four touchdowns at the bowl games and leading the Huskies to a co-national championship in 1991. By the end of his college football career, Mario had shattered several records. He still holds the Husky and PAC-12 record for touchdowns in a season (18), and has the record for career touchdowns… Read More
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