Street Outreach Specialist – A Bridge for Our Community
Street Outreach Specialist – A Bridge for Our Community
by Käaren Flint, Engagement Manager
Helping Hands Food Bank
We have all witnessed in our community; someone who needs support, maybe unhoused or struggling with other challenges. Many of us walk by and pretend not to notice; some of us stop and offer help, and for many we feel ill-equipped to help, we just don’t know what to do. This is where Lisa Niegowski Helping Hands Street Outreach Specialist, comes into help.
Lisa started as an intern with Helping Hands and quickly became an invaluable part of the organization. With a passion for helping her community, Lisa is the perfect person to create a bridge between the unhoused and those of us who want to help but aren’t sure how.
The Street Outreach Specialist (SOS) position was created after Janicki Industries offered their generous support for the unhoused in our community. It’s challenging to build relationships with unhoused locals and understand the root causes of their situation when most interactions are one-time transactions that typically involve minimal conversation. To overcome this obstacle, Janicki Industries offered the solution of a new position, the SOS, which is fully funded for three years. With the resources to discover root causes of homelessness, we can help take people from surviving to thriving.
The position also supports local businesses in Sedro-Woolley, providing an alternative to calling 911 when a situation isn’t urgent. Partnering with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of everyone involved is paramount, and we are grateful for their support. Not all situations are emergencies, and that is when the SOS can be engaged.
Lisa can be reached during and outside regular business hours but will not take calls in the middle of the night. If you need assistance in the middle of the night, please call the Sedro-Woolley Police Department non-emergency hotline (360) 428-3211 unless it is an emergency; in that case, please call 911.
Lisa Niegowski phone: 360-618-2049 or email: Lisa@HelpingHandsFoodBank.org
You can also support this program by donating much needed items, such as:
- Tents
- Socks
- Large Umbrellas
- Hand Warmers
- Blankets
- Sleeping Bags
- Travel Size Hygiene Products
It is our hope that with one-on-one support, access to resources, and helping each person feel seen and heard; we can impact the lives of those living unhoused in Sedro-Woolley, East County, and Anacortes. Will you join us? Because, together, as a community, we can make a difference.
Thank you.
