“There’s so much need going on. I can’t just sit on the sideline.” Let’s go back to before Paul started volunteering at the Edmonds College Food Pantry to make sure his classmates had enough to eat. Before he began serving at the Lynnwood Hygiene Center – a converted emissions testing site – to ensure the homeless had access to showers, toiletries, and food. Before he went back to school and enrolled at Edmonds College, to become a Substance Abuse Counselor. Let’s go back to the summer of 2018. Before that, Paul had a career as an auto mechanic. But, a busted ankle left him in a wheelchair that summer. He’d struggled with alcohol before, but with no structure to those long days, why not take a drink? He couldn’t work – and maybe would never be a mechanic again – and was worried about losing his place in Lake Stevens, so he called 211. The operator connected him to VOA Prevention Navigator Anne Hoffman. “She has been super. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have been able to make it.” Anne helped find rental assistance for Paul, first from one source than another. “It’s turned my world around,” says Paul. “I feel blessed because of all the people who supported me.”

“Awful.” That’s how Melissa envisions her fate without 2-1-1. For those who don’t have anyone else turn to, those three digits are a lifeline. Tears of gratitude flow as she tells about the call that lifted her out of the fear and uncertainty she never could have predicted as this year began. Melissa loved her job as a Trader Joe’s crew member. Setting up store displays, handing out food samples, and “doing anything else that needed to be done” for seven years allowed her to contribute to a 401(k) and retirement plan. Taking a chance, she cashed those out, left Trader Joe’s, and fulfilled a lifelong dream of starting her own business. Melissa Lynn’s Permanent Cosmetics specialized in cosmetic eyebrow tattooing. However, as business slowed, she returned to Trader Joe’s to have more income stability as a single mom and briefly stayed in her mother’s one-bedroom apartment. Three generations made the best of it. “We blew up an air mattress every night to sleep,” Melissa says with a chuckle. This year started full of promise. Then, schools closed. She had little choice but to quit her job to stay home and care for her 10-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter. Melissa collected unemployment, cleaned houses, and supplemented with child support payments. It still wasn’t enough. Helplessly watching income dry up over the summer, a fateful encounter in August with another Edmonds mom changed everything. “She told me about 2-1-1 and food assistance, so I could get an EBT card.” Brandi, who Melissa calls an angel, was on the other end of the line. Brandi quickly connected Melissa with Sue, a Fair Housing Counselor who specializes in landlord-tenant relations at the VOA Dispute Resolution Center, and Sue was able to secure three months of housing, seeing Melissa’s family through to the end of this year. Melissa has now extended her home to her mom, and three generations are still making the best of it. Looking forward to post-pandemic life, Melissa will emerge as a lash technician and hairstylist, making people feel beautiful and confident once more. Volunteering is also in her future, extending a hand to single mothers facing similar circumstances, paying forward the generosity she received through that late-summer call to 2-1-1. Instead of despair, “You have hope,” she declares. “You have options. You have people to help you. Just make the effort to reach out.”

For Diana and her boyfriend Christian, movies are a holiday tradition, always in a theater. Last Christmas it was Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Go back through the holidays, and you’ll find Avengers, Wonder Woman, Deadpool, and even Jumanji, on New Years Day in 2018. This year it’ll be Wonder Woman: 1984, streaming in their apartment. An apartment they weren’t sure they’d be able to keep. “If Robin hadn’t called me, I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through.” Diana works, but Christian hasn’t had steady work and his mom, Maria, is unable to work. For the first time in their lives, they visited the food bank for Thanksgiving, and they were falling behind on rent. One day, their property manager connected Diana with VOAWW. That’s when she met Robin, an Early Resolution Specialist with VOA. “Robin answers every time I call. She answers all of my texts. I didn’t expect that.” Robin connected Diana with rental assistance to pay for two months in back rent. When Diana found out, “It was just incredible.....I cried.” “What I would like to share most is that there are always helpers out there. I think Mr. Rogers put it best: ‘Always look for the helpers.’ There should be no shame or guilt with asking for help, no matter how much or how long you need it. Our hope with our little family is that we can repay this back in the future in some way.” “Although we may not ever get to meet Robin in person, we are so grateful for her efforts! Thank you so much for all you do!”

Meet the VOAWW Executive Team Leadership Volunteers of America Western Washington has a dynamic leadership team with a breadth of experience and a passion for serving others. Board Members Executive Team Kristi Myers, CFRE Interim CEO & Chief Operations Officer John Ng Chief Financial Officer Levi Van Dyke Chief Behavioral Health Officer Nelia Viloria Director of Executive Affairs Dixie Behn Vice President of Infrastructure Claire Danielson Vice President of Finance/Controller Kristin Ely Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Olga Fedorovski Vice President of Human Resources Jessica Moore, CFRE Vice President of Development Amanda Etchey Executive Director, Integrated Community Services Brenda Priest Executive Director, Personal Support Services Cory Armstrong-Hoss Executive Director, Senior Services Galina Volchkova Executive Director, Housing Services John Glennon Executive Director, Hunger Prevention Services Rena Fitzgerald Executive Director, Behavioral Health Robin Hoover Executive Director, ECEAP Services Rick Schoentrup Executive Director, Dispute Resolution Center

Discover the Sky Valley Center, a welcoming community hub offering programs, activities, and meaningful connections for older adults in Sky Valley. Find a cooling center near you. Click here to view a list of locations. Sky Valley Center Sky Valley Scoop Lunch Activities Venue Rental At the Sky Valley Center, you’ll find a welcoming place to gather, learn, and connect. Whether you’re looking to meet new friends, try a new activity, share a meal, or simply spend time in community, the Center offers engaging programs and opportunities designed to help you stay active, involved, and supported. We’re here to create a space where you feel valued, connected, and at home. 617 1st St, Sultan, WA 98294 Hours of Operation Monday - Thursday | 9am-2pm (360) 395-2133 @skyvalleyseniorcenter Sky Valley Center Meals Lunch is served Monday- Thursday, 11:30am-1pm Member Pricing Individual Lunch: $8 | Punch Card: 4 meals $30 Non-Member Pricing Individual Lunch: $10 | Punch Card: 4 meals $37 Children Ages 1-7 Pricing | Individual Lunch: $6 Click here to view the August menu. Community Pancake Breakfast Every 1st Saturday of the month from 8am-11am Get involved at SVC! Explore our event calendar and activities to find upcoming classes, social gatherings, special events, and opportunities to connect. There’s always something to look forward to. Learn More > Calendar Learn More > Activities Did you know? By becoming a member you: Receive discounts on special activities & classes Membership prices on facility rentals Plus discounted lunches! Yearly Membership: $50 Membership Form Code of Conduct Rent the A-frame! Looking for a welcoming space to host your next event? The Sky Valley Center offers flexible rental spaces perfect for meetings, celebrations, workshops, and community gatherings. Enjoy a convenient location, comfortable accommodations, and the opportunity to host your event in a space that supports and strengthens the local community. Fill out the inquiry form to get started! Rental Rates

Explore VOAWW events by location, from fundraisers to community gatherings. Discover what’s happening near you! Connect, get involved, and support your local community. Events & Community Gatherings Arlington Everett Lynnwood Join us and our partners as we bring people together across our communities. ARLINGTON Operation Backpack: End of Summer Celebration (Community Event) Saturday, 8/22 | 10AM-2PM FREE event with activities, information, free backpacks and school supplies* To register, call 360-322-6988. Must be low income - verification required at event check in. Accepted verification: EBT card, Provider One card, or free and reduced lunch. Presidents Elementary School • 505 E 3rd St, Arlington, WA 98223 EVERETT 4th Annual March Against Hunger 5k (Fundraiser) Saturday, 3/20/2027 | Starts at 9am Your support benefits the Everett Community Food Bank, where we served more than 88,000 children, adults & seniors in need last year. Box Car Park • Port of Everett LYNNWOOD Resources on Wheels (Community Event) Tuesday, 8/25 | 10am-2pm Join us for this free community event where individuals and families can connect with local resources and services. We will have vendor booths setup outside with health and wellness workshops indoors. This event is being hosted by VOAWW Lynnwood Community Resource Center and the LNC. Lynnwood Neighborhood Center • 19509 64th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036 Hope is Brewing (Fundraiser) Friday, 9/25 | Breakfast at 7AM, presentation from 8AM-9AM Start your morning with purpose at Hope is Brewing, a meaningful gathering that brings our community together to share stories, spark hope, and support neighbors in need. Lynnwood Event Center • 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036