Filling bellies and hearts

Full Life adapts as COVID impacts the mission

John Deagen is glad now that he had a smattering of Spanish to fall back on.

As a Full Life Care Housing Stabilization Community Choice Guide, he’s usually solving challenges for clients looking for new housing alternatives. But in the era of COVID-19, now he and some of his co-workers are now delivering much needed food to older folks. And for a good number of them, English is a second language.

“I kinda had fun with one guy I delivered to,” John said this week. “I told him I understand (Spanish) more than I can speak it, and he said, ‘I’m the same with English.’ We both thought that was pretty funny.”

A delivery on behalf of Filipino Community Center on Thursday, April 23.

Full Life Care is innovating and transforming as the current pandemic forces everyone to change the way they live and work.

Earlier this month, Full Life partnered with Seattle Aging and Disability Services (ADS) to help with its food delivery efforts as part of the City of Seattle/ADS COVID Response Food Access Project. Cricket Farr, Full Life Director of Housing Stabilization and Supports, worked with the local health officials to outline a contract for meal delivery services, with funding from the federal Older Americans Act.

In the first four days of services last week, Full Life delivered 174 meals and 30 bags of groceries to 40 households. The nutrition programs served included Korean Women’s Association, First Tongan Senior Nutrition, El Centro de la Raza, Tilth Alliance and Filipino Community of Seattle.

In an email last weekend, ADS contract monitor Cynthea Pope praised the Full Life effort.

“I want to take a few moments to reflect on the past week and congratulate everyone involved in the planning and execution of food access support with special kudos to Full Life Care on their ability to quickly redirect their services/staff to support our ADS nutrition programs,” she wrote. “Thanks to everyone for helping make this a success.”

“This has been one of the many examples of how we’ve worked with government agencies to modify program delivery and benefit the community during this difficult time,” commented Scott Slater, Full Life VP Operations. “Kudos to Cricket and her team!”

True, it’s not the kind of work they usually do. But the mission remains the same – helping those in need.

Because of you, our Full Life Care supporters, we remain nimble and responsive in the ongoing health emergency. We can do this work because we have partners like you who invest in positive and effective solutions.

We need your continued support to keep going. And a great opportunity is coming. On May 5-6, thousands of people are going to show their support for their favorite Washington nonprofits during GiveBIG. As we navigate COVID19 we are faced with some of the most challenging circumstances in our history. Yet, we are here every day and our staff is working tirelessly to make sure that our clients are safe, fed and receive all the care they need.

Early giving is already open. If you can, donate now, or wait until GiveBIG officially opens on May 5.