Restauranteur serves Housing Hope fundraiser

Held last week at Adam's Northwest Bistro and Brewery in Monroe, Housing Hope's An Evening at Adam's fundraiser was considered a huge success. The dinner generated a total of $8,500 for Housing Hope programs in east Snohomish County.

The Aug. 3 event included a four-course, gourmet meal prepared and served by Chef Adam Hoffman and his staff, who volunteered their time to participate in the event. Chef Hoffman planned an exclusive menu and donated his facility, staff time and food for the event. This allowed 100 percent of the ticket sales to go directly to the Housing Hope organization.

Hoffman said he enjoys using his skills in the kitchen to support the community, as does his staff at his Monroe restaurant. Several of Hoffman's employees signed up to volunteer their time for the event.

Housing Hope administration, including Director of Services Elizabeth Kohl and Chief Operating Officer Fred Safstrom, thanked attendees for their support in speeches at the event.-á

-áSafstrom served on the Housing Hope board for nine years before joining the organization in 2006, after 25 years in the banking industry. He rose through the ranks to become deputy executive director in 2008 and chief operating officer in 2009.

Safstrom spoke passionately about working to reduce poverty and homelessness.-á -á

"Our work is affordable housing and tailored services. We are a true combination of a housing development corporation and a social services agency,GÇ¥ he said. "We create affordable housing and we deliver the services that the residents need to overcome the issues that lead to their homelessness and poverty.GÇ¥

Housing Hope has been actively pursuing its mission in east Snohomish County since 2003. Safstrom highlighted the organization's progress in the county so far, which has included creating 40 affordable rental units and 48 low-income family homeownership units in Gold Bar, Sultan, Monroe and Snohomish.

Currently, Housing Hope is on the brink of substantially increasing its level of housing units in east Snohomish County. In addition to 47 new low-income and affordable rental units at the newly constructed Monroe Family Village, there are 23 Team Homebuilding homes that have either just been completed or are currently in the construction process.

Through Housing Hope's Team Homebuilding program, future homeowners are tasked with building their own homes. Families earn the down payments for their new residences through "sweat equity.GÇ¥ The future homeowners work to construct the homes while continuing to navigate their day-to-day responsibilities, including working, raising children and furthering their education.

A Team Homebuilding project culminates with a key ceremony once all the homes have been completed. A key ceremony will be held at French Creek Bluff, a 10-home development located northwest of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, on Friday, Aug. 14.

Slated for completion next spring, a 13-home Team Homebuilding project is under construction on West Main Street near Dennis Way. Additionally, Housing Hope recently secured the financing for an additional seven-home Team Homebuilding development in the Monroe area.

Safstrom said Housing Hope is about taking steps to reduce the level of homelessness and poverty in Snohomish County as a whole.

"I believe that homelessness in a society as wealthy as ours is unconscionable. It cannot be allowed,GÇ¥ Safstrom said. "These are our fellow human beings; these are our children that are living in homelessness. It just cannot be tolerated ' here or anywhere else.GÇ¥

Housing Hope takes a holistic approach when addressing the issues of homelessness and poverty. By offering in-home case management and life skills classes, the organization is able to help its residents become self-sufficient and successful.

Safstrom referred to homelessness and poverty as "scourges,GÇ¥ which he defined as "a source of widespread, dreadful affliction and devastation, such as that caused by pestilence or war.GÇ¥

"Does homelessness and poverty rise to this level? If you think of today's societal problems, you will find poverty alongside them all; poor education, crime, ill health, substance abuse, behavior problems, emotional problems and disengagement,GÇ¥ Safstrom said. "I believe that homelessness and poverty indeed rise to the level of scourges, and the work we do in solving homelessness and poverty addresses each of these issues head on.GÇ¥

Donations collected during the event will be used to provide homeless and low-income families with a variety of support services, including internship opportunities for single mothers, family sessions with a Housing Hope family services specialist, life skills curriculum at the Monroe Family Village, work clothes, resume-writing workshops, gas cards and diapers.

A 501(C)3 nonprofit, Housing Hope works to maximize donations by keeping a low overhead. Eighty-eight percent of the organization's expenses are dedicated to programming, while 12 percent is dedicated to fundraising and administrative costs. Housing Hope operations are dependent on grants, corporate sponsorships and community-based donations.

This year's Community of Hope fundraising dinner was held in March, and more than 150 guests helped bring in more than $41,000.

Housing Hope East County Board President Chris Gray explained that she and her husband, Ed, became involved with the nonprofit after attending the Community of Hope dinner in 2005. They were drawn to an organization that supported families and motivated by dismal statistics outlining the impacts of homelessness and poverty on children.

"Ed is with us tonight. If you haven't met him before, he's in a picture over there on the bar,GÇ¥ Gray said. "He passed away 2 1/2 years ago, but he is with us in spirit, and applauding what this organization does and what each and every one of us does to support this great cause.GÇ¥

Find-ámore information about Housing Hope here. -á