Everyone we serve at Solid Ground has a unique set of assets, experiences, and barriers that shape their immediate needs and hopes for the future. At our Sand Point Housing campus, one experience all residents share is homelessness – however, the stories behind this experience are as varied and complex as the residents themselves.

Rather than generalizing our community’s needs, Sand Point uses case management and advocacy to identify and address the specific barriers or requests each family expresses. But we can’t solve homelessness alone. Alongside the hard work of Sand Point staff, we rely on powerful community partnerships that provide complementary, impactful services and resources for residents.  

As we see community needs grow due to inflation, rising housing costs, and the ongoing effects of COVID, these partnerships help Sand Point scale our services and respond directly to self-reported participants’ needs so they can thrive. 

Nourishing community  

People living on low incomes across King County have been among the most vulnerable to the rapidly rising cost of groceries and other necessities. And unfortunately, the Magnuson Park neighborhood is located within a food desert, meaning it can be hard for residents to get healthy and affordable food because there are so few nearby grocery stores and public transportation options.  

At Sand Point, we work to help residents build stability into their lives by collaborating with community partners to make nutritious, warm, and accessible meals available right on our campus. Residents have long benefitted from the generous support of OneLife Community Church, whose volunteers serve dinners for the entire Magnuson Park community every week. These free hot meals are open to all and provide opportunities to build community over shared meals. Other partners, including St. Bridget Catholic Church and the University District Rotary Club, provide additional community dinners, outdoor BBQs, and free summer meals for kids out of school. 

Sand Point residents can also pick up fresh produce and pantry basics every week from the Magnuson Park Community Food Pantry (offered in partnership with Mercy Housing NW, University Family YMCA, and the University District Food Bank). The food pantry serves residents of the Sand Point Housing and Mercy Magnuson campuses, as well as other community members.  

Furnishing new starts 

When new residents arrive at Sand Point, one of the first things they do is stop by our Resource Room to collect some of the critical items needed to turn an apartment into a home. Whether they’ve been homeless for years or lost their housing only recently, the Resource Room can provide furniture, school supplies, homewares, bedding, toiletries, and cleaning products to help them get settled in.  

Visits to the Resource Room ensure families and individuals have what they need for safe, stable, and comfortable stays at Sand Point. Individual donors, grant partners, and local businesses – including Mattress Firm and University District Rotary Club – provide funding as well as discounted and/or donated items.  

Focusing on healthy futures  

Childhood experiences with poverty and homelessness set many kids at a lifelong disadvantage, leading to worse health and income outcomes throughout their lives. That’s why we’re committed to investing in the social-emotional and academic development of young people at Sand Point through onsite programs and access to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.  

With the support of our grant partners, including Seattle Children’s, the Aven Foundation, and University Rotary, we cover enrollment and equipment costs so children can safely participate in sports and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities. Further, some of our local partners provide Sand Point discounted rates so we can maximize impact and opportunities for resident youth to activate their bodies and minds – establishing healthy habits as strong foundations for thriving futures. 

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We couldn’t do this work without the support of each of our funders and Sand Point’s community partners! Specifically, we’d like to thank the following funders that contributed to Solid Ground’s community impact last quarter: 

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Image at top: Case Manager Amadanyo Oguara goes through dishware in the Resource Room. Photo by Neal Simpson.