Seattle University student Lindsey Habenicht recently interned as a reporter with the Street Sense street newspaper in Washington, D.C. Because the internship was unpaid and housing costs were outrageously high (even for a shared bedroom), Lindsey also worked at Nordstrom in an affluent part of Virginia. She found it "eye-opening, jarring, and heart-wrenching" to go back and forth between settings of poverty and abundance, and also to watch her department store co-workers display a lack of empathy for a woman who was experiencing homelessness and spent time in the store. Lindsey reflects on her experience, takes a look at the national War on Poverty, and shares how we can all take action to address an economy that is out of balance.
Affordable Housing
Seattle’s Residents Can’t Afford to Wait
Soaring housing prices are causing hardship for people across Seattle, and they have an especially big impact on families and people who were already struggling to pay rent. Our new video shares the stories of residents who want to stay in the neighborhoods they love, but are being priced out.
Facing Rent Hikes for Unsafe Apartments, Tenants Fight for Their Rights
In August, we connected with Sahro Farah, a single mother whose rent was set to double even as deplorable living conditions threatened her children's health. Amazing things happened after we shared her story.
“This Is Our Place”: A Journey From Illness and Homelessness to Stability and Community
One year ago, our advocacy manager interviewed Charlotte Wheelock for the StoryCorps "Finding Our Way" project. At the time, Charlotte's family was homeless, and her husband Nick was in the hospital with a paralyzing spinal illness. Just six months later, everything had changed. Charlotte and Nick share their story in a moving StoryCorps conversation.
“I Had Nothing”: Mother Forced to Choose Between Abuse and Homelessness
With only $4 cash and no access to her bank account or credit cards, Jordan Hedgecock strapped her children in their carseats and fled an abusive partner. Hear about their experience with homelessness, read how their story fits into the larger context of domestic violence and homelessness in our state, and learn what you can do today to help ensure that all families have the opportunity to live in safe, healthy, affordable homes.