Opportunity Council

OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL HELPS PEOPLE IMPROVE THEIR LIVES THROUGH EDUCATION, SUPPORT, AND DIRECT ASSISTANCE WHILE ADVOCATING FOR JUST AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES.

COMMUNITY SERVICES (CS), COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, HOUSING SERVICES, AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE - A MULTI-FACETED PROGRAM DEDICATED TO SERVING OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. CS STRIVES TO SERVE THOSE IN NEED WHEREVER THEY ARE. WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS ELIMINATED THE OPTION OF SERVING MEALS TO GROUPS OF CLIENTS IN 2020, WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO HYBRID SERVICE DELIVERY OPTIONS IN 2021, AND STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS PACKAGED, SERVED, AND DELIVERED OVER 11,000 INDIVIDUAL MEALS TO PEOPLE IN NEED. NEARLY 150 PEOPLE GAINED JOB SKILLS AND WORK EXPERIENCE THROUGH OUR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROGRAMS. OUR RESOURCE CENTERS IN THREE COUNTIES RESPONDED TO OVER 15,000 REQUESTS FOR SERVICES AND INFORMATION. WE SECURED HOUSING FOR OVER 3,000 HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, TEMPORARY HOUSING, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES. TENANT ENRICHMENT SERVICES AND OTHER PROGRAMS ALSO PROVIDE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. WE PROVIDED NEARLY 10,200 PAYMENTS FOR ENERGY BILLS ON BEHALF OF FAMILIES IN NEED SO THEY DID NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PAYING FOR ENERGY OR OTHER BASIC SERVICES.

EARLY LEARNING AND FAMILY SERVICES (ELAFS) - ONE OF OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL'S LARGEST DEPARTMENTS, IS COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE PROGRAMS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO 12 YEARS. SPECIFIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: HEAD START, WA'S EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS, EARLY HEAD START, EARLY SUPPORT FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND A QUALITY CHILDCARE DIVISION, WHICH INCLUDES REGIONAL WORK ON CHILD CARE QUALITY, INFANT/TODDLER MENTAL HEALTH, CHILD NUTRITION AND A CENTER FOR RETENTION & EXPANSION OF CHILD CARE (C-RECC). IN WHATCOM COUNTY, ELAFS IS ALSO A CENTRAL PLAYER IN THE SINGLE-ENTRY ACCESS TO SERVICES (SEAS) AND HELP ME GROW COLLABORATIONS THAT ARE AIMED AT GETTING EVERY LOCAL CHILD OFF TO A STRONG START. DURING 2021, MOST PROGRAMS BEGAN THE JOURNEY TO RESUMPTION OF IN-PERSON SERVICES AS THE PANDEMIC LOOSENED ITS GRIP. WHEN ILLNESS SPIKES OCCURRED, STAFF FOUND NEW WAYS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING ITS CUSTOMERS, INCLUDING DISTRIBUTING PACKETS OF EARLY LEARNING MATERIALS AND TOOLS TO HOMES AND CHILD CARE BUSINESSES. THANKS TO THE INNOVATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY, 416 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN OUR HEAD START AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PRESCHOOLS. A TOTAL OF 87 CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO THREE AND THEIR HIGHLY IMPACTED FAMILIES WERE SERVED BY OUR INTENSIVE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM'S WEEKLY HOME VISITS. THE COMMUNITY'S SINGLE-ENTRY ACCESS TO SERVICES (SEAS) SYSTEM OPERATED BY ELAFS MANAGED 1,008 REFERRALS FROM HOSPITALS, DOCTORS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND EDUCATORS WHEN A CHILD WAS KNOWN TO HAVE OR SUSPECTED OF HAVING A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY OR SPECIAL NEED. EARLY SUPPORT FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS SERVED ON MORE THAN 268 CHILDREN AGES 0 TO 3 EACH MONTH TO HELP ADDRESS DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS THROUGH THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS AND FAMILY RESOURCE COORDINATION. OUR QUALITY CHILD CARE DIVISION (QCC), THROUGH CHILD CARE AWARE OF WA, BROADLY SUPPORTED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, FURNISHED RELIABLE DATA TO POLICY MAKERS, AND ASSISTED FAMILIES IN SEARCH FOR CHILDCARE INFORMATION AND REFERRAL OR IN NEED OF AN EMERGENCY VOUCHER TO MAINTAIN CHILD CARE ENROLLMENT. IN 2021, THE QCC DIVISION SERVED MORE THAN 550 LICENSED CHILDCARE/EARLY LEARNING BUSINESSES IN EARLY ACHIEVERS, WASHINGTON'S QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM (QIS), BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING AND COACHING TO IMPROVE QUALITY. C-RECC WORKED WITH EXISTING AND PROSPECTIVE CHILD CARE PROVIDERS OF DIVERSE SIZES IN THE FIVE NORTHWEST COUNTIES OF WA, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GRANTS TO MEET THE VARIED NEEDS OF THE SECTOR AND LOCAL EMPLOYERS.

WEATHERIZATION AND HOME REPAIR SERVICES - BY SERVICING EXISTING HOMES, THE HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PRESERVES VITAL HOUSING UNITS (A KEY COMPONENT OF ENSURING AFFORDABLE HOUSING), WHILE ALSO IMPROVING COMMUNITY HEALTH, SAFETY, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY. WE WEATHERIZED 106 HOUSES SO FAMILIES COULD REDUCE THEIR ANNUAL ENERGY USE AND EXPENSES, AND REHABILITATED 65 ADDITIONAL HOMES AND 75 FURNACE REPAIR PROJECTS TO IMPROVE DURABILITY, INDOOR AIR QUALITY, AND ENSURE HOME SAFETY.