Family Support

Family Support Services Weekly Resource List

For more information, please contact Jenny Miller at 206-252-7230 or email jlmiller1@seattleschools.org

Free Lyft Rides in King County

What: Crisis Connections is now offering Free Lyft rides for medical, job, housing, food, legal and other purposes through the Ride United program. To qualify, rides must originate within King County but outside of Seattle. Ride United covers fares up to $22 each way, for a total of $44 round trip.

Requirements:

• Rides must be for non-emergency medical, job, housing, food, and other transportation needs
• Rides must originate in King County but outside Seattle
• Rider must able to get to and from the designated pick-up location
• Rider must live in an area where Lyft is available
• Rider must be 18+ years old or accompanied by a guardian

Everyone in the vehicle MUST wear face coverings, leave the front passenger seat empty, and keep windows down when possible.

More Info: Visit Crisis Connections’s Ride United page

Free Tax Help

When: February 2 – April 21, 2022

What: United Way of King County’s Free Tax Preparation Campaign starts next Wednesday, February 2. IRS-certified volunteers will be available virtually and in person at multiple locations across King County to offer you free tax preparation assistance.

Are you an international student or do you have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a social security number? We can help! Translation services will also be available if you need them. An appointment is not necessary for in-person services.

The due date to file your taxes, and for making tax payment, is April 18, 2022.

More Info: Go to the United Way of King County’s Tax Help webpage

Help Paying Energy Bills in King County

What: Your family’s monthly income may qualify you for free or low-cost energy services. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program administered by Byrd Barr Place that helps low-income households to meet their immediate home energy needs.

LIHEAP assistance is now available year-round. You may now be eligible to receive assistance once every 12 months.

Discounts on Utility Bills

What: The Utility Discount Program (UDP) helps you get current and stay current on utility payments by offering a discount of up to 60% on your Seattle City Light bill and a 50% discount on your Seattle Public Utilities bill. This program is available for residential City Light and Seattle Public Utilities customers only.

You may be eligible:

• If you have a City of Seattle light bill
• If you are the homeowner or renter (If your landlord pays all utilities, qualifying low-income tenants may still be eligible for utility financial help)
• If you meet certain requirements for household size, gross monthly income, and gross yearly income.
• Go to King County’s Energy Assistance webpage for details on eligibility.
• To apply, gather and complete the following documents:
  • Signed and dated City of Seattle application.
  • Gross income documentation from all sources for all household members age 18 or older for the last month prior to the date of your signature on your completed application.
• Monthly housing expenses including:
  • Lease/Rental agreement and current rent payment receipt – required; or
  • Mortgage (payment coupon) or tax statement – required
• Copy of state driver(s) license or state identification card for everyone in household 18 years and over.
• Financial aid award(s); grants and loans verification:
• Check stubs from work-study employment
• Send your completed application to:
  • Mail: Access & Outreach, Public Health – Seattle & King County, 401 5th Avenue #1000, Seattle WA

Youth Suicide Prevention – Free Coaching for Students

WHAT: Crisis Connections is excited to offer free trainings in partnership with local cities. Our qualified trainers encourage students to talk openly about stress, coping, depression, and suicidal behavior. These trainings can also be delivered virtually; please call to see if you are in an eligible area.

Trainers include information on:

• youth suicide
• an overview of local resources
• help for teens to identify warning signs
• how to support themselves and others who may be dealing with mental health challenges

More info: lease contact Crisis Connections at 206-204-9520 or training@crisisconnections.org to schedule a training or get more information.

Seattle Ticket Debt Reduction Hearings

When: Thursdays, 11am-1pm

What: Starting on Thursday, February 3, the Seattle Municipal Court will offer hearings for people with low incomes who can’t afford to pay their debt from overdue Seattle parking, traffic, or camera tickets. These hearings are an opportunity for people with ticket debt to speak with a court magistrate to request to reduce their fines and remove their tickets from collections.

Hearings will be held by telephone every Thursday from 11am to 1pm. 

To Register: Go to the Seattle Municipal Court’s Ticket Debt Reduction webpage

New Deadline for Rental Assitance in King County

What: If you’re behind on your rent and haven’t already pre-registered for rental assistance through the King County’s Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program >  (EPRAP), you now have until the end of the day on Monday, February 28, 2022. After that, the program will no longer be accepting new pre-registrations.

Assistance is not guaranteed, but pre-registering gives you a chance to be chosen randomly from a pool of tenants. Eligible tenants can receive up to 9 months of current and/or past due rent and up to 3 months of future rent, for a total of 12 months of possible assistance per household.

More Info: Go to the King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program >  webpage.

To Pre-register: Go to the Tenant Registration Portal

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Eviction Moratorium Ends March 1

WHAT: Seattle’s eviction moratorium will end on March 1, 2022, but there will still be additional eviction protections in place for renters in the city. Those include:

• COVID-related inability to pay: Bans eviction of tenants with delinquent rent accrued between March 3, 2020, and the end of the moratorium.
• Winter moratorium: Bans evictions between December 1 and March 1 for income-qualified tenants.
• School year moratorium: Bans evictions from September to June for households with students (childcare – under 18), educators, and employees of schools.

If you get an eviction notice, call the Renting in Seattle Helpline, 206-684-5700. They will review your notice to see if it complies with city regulations and refer you to resources. You can also call 2.1.1 for the most up-to-date rent assistances resources.

Remember: As a renter, you have a right to counsel when facing eviction. If you are being evicted and cannot afford an attorney, the Housing Justice Project may be able to help you. Call HJP directly at 206-267-7069 or email hjpstaff@kcba.org .

More Info: Call the Renting in Seattle Help Line at 206-684-5700 or go to the Renting in Seattle homepage

Free Training for IT Support Jobs

When: Applications due Feb. 21, 2022.

What: Per Scholas Seattle’s free IT Support job training program begins March 2022. This full-time 15-week training program for low-income students meets Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm. IT Support training provides opportunity to earn the Google IT support professional certificate and the CompTIA A+ certification and equips students with knowledge to fill a wide range of entry-level technology jobs.

Tuition, materials, and hardware are provided at no cost to students. Space is limited.

Per Scholas Seattle also has upcoming training programs for full-stack Java development

Minimum requirements:

• At least 18 years old
• High school graduate or GED recipient
• Low-income
• Available to attend remote daily classes Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.

To Apply: Go to the Per Scholas Seattle website <

Questions? Contact Brian McRae at bmcrae@perscholas.org .

Rent Smart/¡Inquilinos Inteligentes!

When: All sessions are on Wednesdays, 2-4pm

Where: Zoom

What: Virtual Renters’ Rights Workshop Series

Rent Smart Webinars in English

• 2/23/22: Domestic Violence-Know Your Rights in 2022
• 3/9/22: Housing Search Series: Part 1 – Looking for Housing 
• 3/23/22: Housing Search Series: Part 2 – Overcoming Barriers to Housing 
• 4/13/22: Housing Search Series: Part 3 – Renting with an Eviction on Record 

¡Inquilinos Inteligentes! Talleres Virtuales en Español

• 2/24/22: Información General – Aprender los conceptos básicos
• 3/31/22: Cómo manejar los problemas con reparaciones, moho, depósitos, y responsabilidades del propietario
• 4/28/22: No puedo pagar la renta completo. ¿Cuáles son mis opciones? ¿Cuál es la mejor manera de proceder?

Need More Help? / ¿NECESITA MÁS AYUDA?

• King County residents being threatened with eviction can contact the Housing Justice Project for legal assistance at 253-234-4204 or hjpstaff@kcba.org
• Si actualmente vive en el Condado de King y está siendo amenazado con el desalojo, comuníquese con el Proyecto de Justicia de Vivienda para obtener asistencia legal 253-234-4204 o hjpstaff@kcba.org
• Washington State residents can visit Solid Ground’s For Tenants < website for self-help information, or call Solid Ground’s message-only Tenant Services Message Hotline, currently open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 10:30am – 1:30pm (hours and days are subject to change): 206-694-6767 | TTY: 7.1.1.
•   Los Residentes del Estado de Washington pueden visitar el sitio web Para Inquilinos >  de Solid Ground para obtener información de autoayuda, o llamar a la línea directa de mensajes de Servicios para Inquilinos de Solid Ground cual es abierta los lunes, martes, y jueves de 10:30 a.m. a 1:30 p.m. (las horas y los días están sujetos a cambios): 206-694-6767 | TTY: 7.1.1.

Rent Smart is offered in partnership with Solid Ground’s Tenant Services and the King County Library System (KCLS). / ¡Inquilinos Inteligentes! se ofrece en asociación con los Servicios para Inquilinos de Solid Ground y La Sistema Biblioteca del Condado de King (KCLS).

Child Care Aware of Washington Family Center

What: Child Care Aware of Washington Family Center is a statewide call center assisting families in finding licensed child care providers, navigating child care financial assistance options, finding alternative forms of care, and connecting families to COVID-related resources in their community. We also assist families to navigate the state subsidy system, including connecting families experiencing homelessness with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Working Connections Homeless Grace Period (HGP), which may authorize 12 months of child care subsidy without a copay.

What this means for families:

• Experiencing homelessness and income verification are the only eligibility criteria to obtain child care subsidy.
• DCYF will authorize the family for full-time care.
• Families will have 12 months to participate in employment activities to reauthorize for Working Connections after the grace period ends.
• No copay will be required during the grace period.

More Info/Help: We are able to assist families over the phone in multiple languages! Call 800-446-1114 for assistance Monday-Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm or email familycenter@childcare.org

Comcast Internet Essentials

What: Comcast’s Internet Essentials program is the largest, most comprehensive, and most successful broadband adoption program in the nation. It provides low-cost internet ($9.95/month) to low-income families and individuals within the Comcast service area. New customers who apply before Dec. 31, 2021, receive their first two months of Internet Essentials for free.

Eligibility: To qualify, applicants simply need to show they participate in one of more than a dozen different government assistance programs, including:

• Medicaid
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Comcast also accepts applications from households that:

• have a student eligible for the National School Lunch Program
• live in public housing
• receive HUD Housing Assistance (including Section 8 vouchers)
• participate in the Veterans Pension Program, as well as low-income seniors in select pilot markets

More Info/To Apply: Visit the Internet Essentials website

Safelink Wireless Smartphones & Data Plans

What: Coordinated Care of Washington, Inc. is proud to be working with SafeLink Wireless/ LifeLine program at no cost to eligible customers receiving unemployment benefits. Customers may qualify for SafeLink service by submitting a notice of unemployment benefit payments that at a minimum includes: 1) Name, 2) Household’s current income information, 3) Dated within the last 3 months.

With SafeLink Health Solutions®, eligible customers will get:

• A free smartphone, 3GB of data, and 350 monthly minutes*
• Unlimited text messages with health tips and reminders
• Calls to Coordinated Care Member Services will not count toward your 350 minutes
• Note you must make at least one phone call or send a text message each month in order to keep your LifeLine benefits.
• Already have your own phone? Choose the keep your own smartphone** program and receive a sim card at no cost.

Apply/More Info: Enroll in the Coordinated Care Phone Program call SafeLink at 1-877-631-2550.

*Unused minutes and data will not carry over from month-to-month. A month equals 30 days.

**To keep your own smartphone, you must have a compatible Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) phone (which includes T-Mobile and AT&T compatible phones). Your phone must also be unlocked. Several other carriers also use GSM networks. To confirm yours is included, call your carrier.