Reminder: Youth shelter meeting tomorrow night
Details below.
From: Jonathan Kagle [mailto:jonkalist@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2011 3:13 PM
To: 'everyone@vuecrest.net'
Subject: Meeting: Proposed youth shelter
Dear Neighbors,
You are invited to participate in a meeting between our neighborhood,
Friends of Youth, and Grace Lutheran Church discussing the proposed youth
shelter near Vuecrest.
The meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 8th at 7pm in Pearson Hall
at Grace Lutheran Church, 9625 NE 8th Street. This is the same location as
the Vuecrest annual meeting.
Regards,
-Jonathan
Jonathan Kagle
President
Vuecrest Community Association
From: Jonathan Kagle [mailto:jonkalist@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 11:39 AM
To: 'everyone@vuecrest.net'
Subject: Proposed youth shelter near Vuecrest
Dear Neighbors,
The board has recently become aware of a proposal from Grace Lutheran Church
(www.bellgrace.org) and Friends of Youth (www.friendsofyouth.org) to create
a permanent youth shelter at the Grace campus on NE 8th Street, across the
street from Vuecrest.
The board is working to arrange a meeting with Grace Lutheran Church and
Friends of Youth where our neighborhood can hear more about the proposal,
ask questions, and give feedback. I will send out a meeting notice when the
date and time have been set.
I have attached a letter from Grace Lutheran Church explaining the proposed
shelter below.
Regards,
-Jonathan
Jonathan Kagle
President
Vuecrest Community Association
October 22, 2011
Dear Neighbors of Grace Lutheran Church,
Here at Grace we are excited about the possibility of a new ministry
partnership with Friends of Youth. This organization has been providing
services to youth and young adults in our area since its beginning in 1951.
Currently, Friends of Youth runs an emergency shelter called The Landing for
youth aged 18-24. The program is housed five nights a week at the YMCA
located on Bel-Red Road. Two nights a week it is hosted at various faith
communities on the Eastside. The situation is not ideal for two reasons.
The first reason is obvious since the "Y" is primarily a health club the
space not dedicated to housing a shelter. So, the young people must arrive
at 8:30 pm, near closing time, and leave early the following morning.
Secondly, the "Y" cannot host the shelter on weekends. Going back to the
street after five nights in the shelter can be devastating. To address this
need, FOY has located the shelter in various churches on the Eastside. Of
course this is not ideal since young people in need have to find the shelter
as it moves around the Eastside, in various cities and neighborhoods.
With these issues in mind, FOY approached Grace initially in hopes that we
might be able to host the shelter for two nights sometime during the year.
The conversation also included discussion of Friends of Youth's goal to find
a permanent home for the Landing, as well as a place where youth could
access limited services during the day-with the hopes that this arrangement
could help them during crisis and prevent them from becoming homeless or
staying homeless. As those discussions began it became apparent that there
was an opportunity to forge a partnership that would meet the church's
mission to help those in need and improve services to this population of
young adults.
The idea was that one of Grace's buildings might provide a permanent home
for the Landing. Several members of the congregation visited a similar
shelter arrangement in Seattle in the basement of a church. With church
council approval, the talks continued through September. Finally in October
the congregation was informed of the possibility and Terry Pottmeyer was
invited to come and explain the program to members. It appears that the
congregation is generally in favor of having the Landing shelter on their
campus.
The next step, for the church, is to set a congregational meeting where
members could ask additional questions, and vote as to whether Friends of
Youth Landing could locate itself at Grace. Such a congregational meeting
could not happen until at least December. For Friends of Youth, the next
step is to inform the neighbors. Should any neighborhood groups wish a
meeting, we would be happy to offer Pearson Hall and Terry Pottmeyer, CEO
for Friends of Youth, is more than happy to come and speak to anyone about
the logistics of the shelter.
God's peace,
Sue Giaimo, Congregational Representative, Grace Lutheran Church
425-454-4344
Terry Pottmeyer, CEO, Friends of Youth
425-869-6490 ext. 313
. Be reminded that this is a shelter for 15 youth aged 18 to 24.
There would be full time awake supervision while the clients are in the
area. These young people would approach the church from NE 8th and would NOT
be allowed to loiter in the neighborhoods surrounding the church.
. The shelter would require extensive remodeling of Grace's
Education Building and that would include improved outside fencing, lighting
and signage.
. Grace has, in the past, sheltered homeless men and women. There
has been little or no impact on our neighbors and it would be our intent to
insure that this endeavor to assist homeless youth would have no more impact
than those.
. Finally, 24 hour supervision and occupancy on the campus of the
church is likely to reduce any opportunity for mischief at night.