Solution

The New Interfaith Works Homeless Services Program

The solution is a modern building that will meet both the emergency needs of our community and provide permanent supportive housing and services for people experiencing homelessness.

What you can do

Invest in Our Community

You have a part in contributing to the last $2 million needed to turn the new Interfaith Works Shelter into a home where quality care is never compromised. These funds will cover furnishings, a responsible reserve fund, and staffing to enable us to provide 24/7 care. Those we serve need your support, and our community deserves solutions to the housing crisis.

Our residents call the Interfaith Works Shelter home - and with your help, we’ll build a structure that reinforces that message at every turn.

This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

2828 Martin Way

Shelter, Housing and Support

Shelter

The ground floor will house a 60-bed shelter, increasing our sheltering capacity by nearly 50%. The space will include a full kitchen, bathrooms with showers, storage space, and washers and dryers. The shelter will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as opposed to our current night-time-only operation. This will better serve not only our guests but the community at large by providing our guests a place to be during the day.

Partnership

The City of Olympia has purchased a site at 2828 Martin Way in Olympia, and is partnering with the Low Income Housing Institute, a non-profit organization that develops and manages hundreds of affordable housing complexes statewide, on this exciting project. We are committed to working together with the surrounding neighborhood to ensure this effort is successful for everyone.

Supportive Housing

Above the shelter will be 65 apartments whose tenants will receive support services designed to build independent living and tenancy skills and connect people with community-based health care, treatment and employment services. This is known as permanent supportive housing, which is in very short supply in Thurston County.

Budget

The investment for this project is $18.1 million. The construction cost of $16.6 million will be secured through the Washington State Trust Fund, the City of Olympia Home Fund, the Thurston County Housing Pipeline, and the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.
We now need just $2 million to support the building, staff and programs that will ensure that quality care is never compromised.

Closing

A Lifeline

Marco (name changed for anonymity), is 60 years old, and has lived unhoused in Thurston County for over 20 years.

Two years ago he experienced frostbite on both feet from sleeping outside. Another camper brought him to the shelter. Since then, he has had six amputation surgeries on one leg. Each one fails to properly heal, becomes infected, and more of his leg is lost. Recently a toe on his other foot was amputated, which will likely begin the process of amputations on that leg. Marco has accessed every possible resource in Thurston County yet continues to fall through the cracks of the safety net.

The Interfaith Works Shelter has been the only consistent place for him to land.
Our staff and shelter guests have found him under bridges and in train tunnels and brought him home.

When he is in the hospital, he calls the shelter daily to say hello. His Interfaith Works side-by-side advocate has worked tirelessly to coordinate with hospital staff and social workers, specialists and primary care providers to ensure that he has a safety plan and wound care in place each time he’s released from the hospital back to the shelter.

Without the lifeline of the shelter, Marco would have died years ago. He will be a prime candidate for residency at 2828 Martin Way.

Sergio Jarmillo

In 2019, "Marco," whose real name is Sergio Jaramillo, passed away. Sergio was deeply loved by everyone who knew him. His spirit was so vibrant, creative, brilliant, and fiery. This development's inspiration has always been to create a space for people like Sergio with no other options. However, we did not get it done soon enough for Sergio. The work we do is literally life and death each day. We continue our resolve to create the solutions we know we need so people like Sergio may live full, healthy, and safe lives.