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Donate now Stories Agencies Donors FAQ Contact Us SHARE your good fortune Building brighter futures for 45 years SHOW local families you care Building brighter futures for 45 years GIVE the gift of hope Building brighter futures for 45 years YOU can make a difference Building brighter futures for 45 years Meet some of the people your donations have helped. Kindering A child’s triumph over adversity After Avery was born, he was diagnosed with dysphagia and torticollis, two conditions that made feeding especially difficult. Avery’s Kindering journey began with feeding, physical and speech therapies. His therapists helped him with latching, swallowing and sensory issues. Avery’s progress has been astounding. Today, he can drink unassisted from an open cup and enjoys a wide range of foods. The Salvation Army Saving a family from hunger Robert was living with his children and elderly mother in her tiny house. I got ill with diabetes,” Robert says, I went from being employed to being without a job and home, with a massive medical bill.” The Salvation Army food bank was open every day, so Robert that could at least feed his family. It meant our entire family was saved because I knew we could all at least eat.” Youth Eastside Services From trauma to hope When Cara began to suffer from PTSD from her toxic home environment, she turned to drugs and alcohol. A social worker referred Cara to Youth Eastside Services, where Cara found the mental health and substance use services she desperately needed but couldn’t afford. Today, Cara is looking forward to her high school graduation, and she wants to become a substance use recovery counselor. Sound Generations Creating community for our aging neighbors Sound Generations offers wraparound services to foster and expand a strong network across multiple pillars of essential support for our aging neighbors in King County. Through comprehensive programs that offer low-barrier access to food security, transportation, health and assistance services, we support a community of care that allows older adults to thrive. Treehouse A successful graduation Derek, a student in foster care, set a goal to graduate high school this year. He entered the school year as a fifth-year senior with very few credits. His Treehouse Education Specialist worked with his school to ensure he connected with a support person to help him with his classes. After a tremendous amount of hard work, Derek is on track to graduate in June. Wellspring Preventing homelessness before it happens At Wellspring, we believe every family deserves a stable home. We connect people with the support they need to maintain stability for themselves and their families — and achieve lasting change. In 2022, more than 31,000 lives were impacted through our core programs: housing services, an early learning center, a free family store and an employee assistance program. LifeWire Education makes a big difference It is the job of everyone to become educated about how to help so we can break the cycle of abuse. I am a survivor of domestic violence. At 16, I turned to LifeWire to learn all there was about domestic violence. I know that prevention is the key to keeping our community safe from violence.” —Maddy Atlantic Street Center Leveling the playing field Atlantic Street Center’s Early Learning Program pairs families with children ages 16 to 48 months with Early Learning Specialists. Children learn techniques necessary to start school at the same level as their more affluent peers. Parents and guardians work with the Specialists to learn to be their child’s lifelong teacher. ASC also added a nurse to help these children achieve physical milestones. Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Sister inspires big dreams Monica and Tracy were matched by Big Brothers Big Sisters when Tracy was 9 years old. Monica has been someone who Tracy can rely on for emotional support. Monica helps Tracy have confidence in herself. They met often during the pandemic to explore Tracy’s interests in crafting and journaling. Tracy is very creative and has big dreams for the future. Asian Counseling and Referral Service A journalist in danger finds refuge Indunil came to Seattle from Sri Lanka with the goal of establishing a community-based newsroom in her homeland. However, the dangerous environment for journalists in Sri Lanka forced her to change her return plans. Unable to work, Indunil turned to Asian Counseling and Referral Service for help, where she received support and guidance for accessing resources for refugees. Akin A mother and son reunited When Leandra experienced major complications during her pregnancy and was put on life support, her newborn son Thiair was removed from her custody. Leandra recovered within weeks, but Thiair remained in foster care for almost four years. Working with Childhaven, Leandra was finally granted full custody, and Thiair learned vital life skills and developed a strong attachment to his mom. Hopelink A partner for life’s biggest challenges Hopelink provides stability-building services for immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities and people experiencing poverty. Hopelink’s nine programs work in tandem to support each family or individual’s unique needs, including housing, food assistance, financial assistance, adult education, energy assistance, financial capabilities, family development and transportation. Kent Youth and Family Services Finding strength through mental health care Cameron came to Kent Youth and Family Services with symptoms of severe anxiety and depression. She was falling behind in school and in danger of not graduating from high school. With her KYFS therapist, Cameron was able to create a safe environment to discuss her fears and concerns. Cameron not only graduated high school, but started college this fall, stronger and more resilient. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US RAISE $2.9 MILLION. Your compassion and generosity helped make this year’s Seattle Times Fund for Those in Need giving campaign a success. Your contributions will directly support 13 local nonprofits that help children, older adults and families in need. On their behalf, we thank you. 119.27464% $ 2,981,866 $ 2,500,000 Select a mount or enter the number and click to Donate Now $ $ Donate Now The people and places behind our annual drive. A play group for the kids — but also for the parents — at Akin Kaleidoscope Play and Learn group in Auburn, created by immigrants ... Read more Teens find their voices and futures with help from Youth Eastside Services You could see the stress in students’ eyes, just above ... Read more This Kent center was there for her kids — and now her grandkids, too Valerie Brown had recently moved into a King County Housing ... Read more As a new foster mom, she was sinking fast. So she grabbed a raft The training to become a foster parent is extensive, with ... Read more After losing her mom to domestic violence, LifeWire volunteer works to prevent similar tragedies BELLEVUE — Maddy Brockert was 16 and a sophomore at ... Read more Readers donate $1.5M so far to The Seattle Times Fund for Those in Need For Dorothy Schedvin, Christmas is synonymous with a donation to ... Read more How Wellspring helped turn around a family’s fortunes Darkness filled Helen Zegeye’s first days in Seattle. In December ... Read more How Atlantic Street Center helped a domestic violence survivor A year ago, Elizabeth Perez was living in a homeless ... Read more How making a cup of coffee at Seattle’s Cafe Hope can give people something to call their own As Sombath Khem walks down the central staircase inside Seattle’s ... Read more Care for caregivers: Sound Generations aims to help in King County When we close our eyes, we can focus our attention ... Read more Years after dropping out of high school, Bellevue woman found second chance at Hopelink In December 2018, Cheré Bautista was forced to confront a ... Read more When he charted a path opposite his friends, a ‘big brother’...