FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Helping families and individuals achieve well-being and feel empowered to
promote justice and build safe, caring communities.

Client Story

"A better life is possible." A family of six finds urgent help

at Everett Community Resource Center.

LCSNW’s four regional Community Resource Centers in Washington are warm, welcoming places that help low-income individuals and families get on their feet when they are struggling to meet life’s basic needs.

At CRCs in Everett, SeaTac, Port Angeles, and recently opened in Bremerton, they can find help with housing, food, job search, mental health services, utilities and more.

Our staff see people in challenging situations, but few are as complex and serious as the family who came to the Everett CRC last fall.

Three young women who are sisters, with their children ages five, four and seven months old, found their way to the center. They were hungry, sleep-deprived and disoriented. They fled Mexico and are seeking asylum to escape domestic violence and cartel activity.

After sleeping at the airport, huddling under bushes in a public park, and riding public buses looking for help, they eventually arrived at the Everett CRC. That’s when our team jumped into action.

The sisters were grateful that several staff spoke Spanish. Program Coordinator Yolanda Estrella-Gonzalez addressed the most urgent needs first: food and clothing.

Yolanda brought baby clothes and a stroller from home. She started on the long list of family needs: medical, DSHS, immigration, legal assistance, school for the kids, baby supplies, and more. Yolanda said her training and experience in trauma-informed care were helpful.

The housing team immediately started looking for shelter. The family was in temporary housing for awhile, then moved into an apartment in the spring of 2024.

For Yolanda, assisting the family is a blessing. “Situations like this really give me the opportunity to serve and give hope to the clients. It’s hard to hear these stories, but I don’t ever want to lose hope that a better life is possible for everyone we help."

Staff Profile

Guadalupe Garcia Flores

Guadalupe is a Family Engagement and Enrollment Specialist in our Yamhill County, Oregon, District.

For the past year she has worked in our Parent Education program, which equips moms and dads to meet the challenges of raising children while not neglecting their own needs.

“My main role at LCSNW is to engage with families who are looking for support,” she said.”I look forward to each day at LCSNW so that I can bring some hope to a family that would like a hand to support their family.”

Because she is bilingual, Guadalupe is well-equipped to help Spanish-speaking families in the Willamette Valley cope with issues such as trauma, difficult childhood behaviors and parental depression.

“Seeing a smile of happiness on a child inspires me personally and professionally,” she said.