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This story appeared in the January 20, 2023 edition of This Week in Renton.
Our 2023-2024 budget contains $812,000 in human services funding for residents. This increased funding was approved by the city council and will be used by local and regional providers to assist members of our community.
The Human Services Division coordinated the application process and executed the distribution of funds. The division is within the city's newest department, Equity, Housing, and Human Services Department (EHHS). EHHS was formed to unite divisions dedicated to improving residents' health and livability by funding resources and streamlining providers' application and distribution processes.
We received applications from 91 providers for this funding cycle. The Human Services Advisory Committee spent months thoroughly reviewing applications and recommended funding for 64 human services providers. For the convenience and to reduce multiple applications, providers submitted applications using the Human Services Funding Collaborative, a collection of 16 cities in King County. The collaborative's application process allowed providers to enter their information once and have it sent to each member city. Joining Renton in the collaborative were the cities of Auburn, Bellevue, Burien, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, SeaTac, Shoreline, and Tukwila.
The applications were placed into six priority areas: Basic Needs, Connector Services, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Services, Economic Opportunity/Self Sufficiency, Health and Wellness, and Homeless/Housing Services for review. The advisory committee used a 15-point matrix incorporating priority and equity as part of the review process.
Once an application is executed with a service provider, quarterly reporting is required to track and ensure Renton community members receive services. Data collected from 2021-2022 indicated primarily women and children served. The reporting also includes narratives that provide a view into the impact of the services. These stories are both powerful and impactful.
Allocating funding and working with service providers are the first steps in providing help. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please have them contact our Human Services Division at 425-430-6600.
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