TENT CITY TACOMA HOLDS PUBLIC INFORMATION EVENT
Tent City Tacoma (TCT) is dedicated to providing a fresh, safe and tested interim option for the city’s homeless population. On Jan. 5, the group will hold a public information event where the community can learn about the TCT project, hear how the model works in Seattle, hear reports from several host churches, the next forward steps, how you can help with funding and supplies and how to join the TCT development team.
The event will be held at First United Methodist Church, 621 Tacoma Ave. S., 4-5:30 p.m.
Tent City Tacoma was formed in January of 2013 by some folks who were involved in the camp set up in the park at S. 21st and Pacific by some activists from Occupy Tacoma. While the initial "campers" were activists addressing income inequality and other large social issues, it didn't take long before homeless folks began to show up and join the camp. With the help of activists and other supportive community members, that group grew to about 75 people with individual tents, kitchen facilities, portable toilets, wash stations, community gathering areas, media tents, etc. This self-organized and self-governed community lasted for four months and, when asked by the owners of the property, WSDOT, to vacate the land, all the structures were removed and the site was cleaned up in a peaceful, respectful manner.
A few months later, some of the people who had lived at and helped administer the camp raised the following issue within an Occupy Tacoma meeting: could it be possible to replicate that safe-and-secure place for homeless people somewhere else in the city, with community approval and support?
The activists who had homes returned to them when the camp disbanded. The homeless residents who had for a brief period of time experienced a safe, secure and empowered community returned to their daily scramble to find places to sleep, food to eat, and ways to deal with their basic hygiene needs. Some returned to shelters but those are very temporary solutions which, though much improved over conditions not too many years back, still don't address many of the needs of homeless folks. Some of our members had lived in a few of the Tent Cities in Seattle and felt it was time for Tacoma to provide that option here at home. Thus Tent City Tacoma was launched and a team began meeting independently of the continuing Occupy Tacoma group to make this vision a reality.
Over the past year or so, a small group of dedicated people have created an online presence, written documents to be used by the camp residents and host institutions, started outreach to some of the local religious organizations and worked with the City of Tacoma's Planning Department to hammer out new code language to cover Temporary Homeless Camps.
The RCW (Washington State laws) gives religious organizations the right to host these temporary homeless camps with minimal restrictions from the City. We are now in a position to create our first legally-permitted and regulated but self-organized community for some of our homeless neighbors. All that work has brought us to the point of needing the help of those who have property, supplies and funds which are required to help this vital “city within the city” become a reality.
What would that help look like? The City Planning Department has identified a list of over 40 religiously owned or controlled properties within Tacoma city limits that meet the criteria they have set for host sites. There are others that didn't appear on that list but which we have confirmed are appropriate for a tent city. Hosting a Tent City Tacoma on a church-controlled site involves a 3-4 month stay at any one time. Churches which have a good experience hosting this “mobile community” often choose to have it return on a regular basis. Church leaders who want to know more about the experience of hosting will be put in touch with congregations which have an extended “track record” they are happy to share.
Congregations that don't have the land available can still help by (1) raising money for initial set up and ongoing expenses, (2) organizing donations of food and other needed materials (tents, pallets, etc.), (3) volunteering time and effort to set up the camps, (4) doing outreach to the surrounding community, and (5) raising awareness of the dire situation we face regarding our growing homeless population.
So what's the next step? Those who are moved to help our development team are invited to join it. It meets the first and third Mondays of each month at 4 p.m., at the First United Methodist Church, 621 Tacoma Ave S (enter under the First Tower sign). Those congregations open to considering the ministry of hosting Tent City are invited to contact the development team so that two or three members can come to talk with their leaders. The team has a brief PowerPoint presentation on the need, how we plan to address it and some of the concerns that often come up regarding homeless camps. The team can be reached through its website at tentcitytacoma.net, by email at tentcitytacoma@gmail.com, by phone at (253) 882-7577 or on Facebook (TentCityTacoma). This is the story to date. It will continue until the urgent need is being met as best this great Tacoma community can.
UNIVERSITY Y STUDENT CENTER OPENS AT UWT
With a swiftness born of dedication, construction on the University Y Student Center has been completed and the facility opened to the public on Jan. 1. UW Tacoma and YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties will host a community celebration and grand opening on Jan. 6.
The project, designed by McGranahan Architects and constructed by Mortenson Construction, moved quickly, with less than a year between the issuance of the building permit in December 2013 and owner occupancy in December 2014.
“The momentum behind the project speaks volumes about the commitment of UW Tacoma and the YMCA. We knew from the beginning what our collaboration could bring to the community, and we were determined to do what we could to get there,” said UW Tacoma Chancellor Kenyon Chan.
“UW Tacoma is a natural partner and we are thrilled not only to serve the students, faculty and staff of the University, but to create a community asset that serves to strengthen Tacoma,” said Bob Ecklund, president and chief executive officer of YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties.
The University Y Student Center is a one-of-a-kind facility. The building was built and is owned by UW Tacoma and will be operated by the YMCA. It houses a large, well-equipped health and fitness center, and also office, meeting and social space for UW Tacoma students. With this mix of uses, the facility simultaneously reaches into the heart of campus life and bridges out to the community.
It’s not just the mix of uses that sets the Center apart. Students voted to increase their student fees to fund a portion of the building and operational costs. As part of the partnership, the YMCA will extend the benefits of membership to all registered UW Tacoma students. This means students, many of whom are commuters, can use not just the University Y, but any YMCA facility in Pierce & Kitsap counties. And the University Y will be open to all local Y members, whether or not they are students.
Jocelyn Patterson, president of the Tacoma campus’s student government, said, “When the University Y opens, we feel we won’t just be enhancing the student experience, but strengthening our connection to the community. We are excited by this new adventure, and can’t wait to see what it brings not only for our campus but for the city of Tacoma.”
The impetus for this unique collaboration emerged almost simultaneously in the two organizations. At UW Tacoma, Cedric Howard, the vice chancellor for student enrollment and services, commissioned a campus facility study in 2008. The top recommendation was the creation of a student union. In that same year, “community and business leaders challenged the Y to reach outside our walls and further into the community to deliver our healthy living and youth development programs,” said Bob Ecklund of the Y.
The catalyst that drew the two organizations together was UW Tacoma’s late chancellor Debra Friedman. She served as chief administrator of Arizona State University’s downtown Phoenix campus from 2008-2011, as planning for a student union attached to an existing Y facility was underway. “When Chancellor Friedman joined UW Tacoma, she brought with her a vision for what we could do together. With the University Y complete, her vision will impact the community for years to come,” said Ronn McMahon, the Y’s senior vice president for strategic advancement and collaborations.
Rai Nauman Mumtaz, president of UW Tacoma’s student government during 2010-11, said, “This building was a multi-year and multi-million dollar process. It was truly a collaborative effort that has already brought – and will continue to bring – the greater Tacoma community together. Once the University Y Student Center opens, our community will be even stronger.”
OPERATOR SELECTED FOR YOUTH CRISIS CENTER
The City of Tacoma and Pierce County have selected Community Youth Services, through a competitive Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, as the operator of a planned Youth and Young Adult Crisis Center and Emergency Shelter.
The City and County are working together to address youth homelessness. According to the most recent Point-in-Time Count that was conducted in January 2014, throughout the year nearly 500 youth and young adults in Pierce County are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, including “couch surfing.” Access Point for Housing has identified over 300 unaccompanied youth and young adults who are in need of housing and critical support services.
“The crisis center and emergency shelter will fill a gap in service that currently exists in Tacoma and Pierce County for our youth,” said Pamela Duncan, City of Tacoma human services division manager. “We know this is an important service that is vitally needed in our community.”
The City and County have partnered to select an operator and provide funding for the purchase, rehabilitation and ongoing operations of the Center. The youth and young adult crisis center and emergency shelter is still in the planning phases. Community Youth Services, a youth service organization based in Olympia will work with the City and County to locate a site and prepare for Center operations. The partners will begin a search for a center location in the first quarter of 2015.
“Community Youth Services brings over 40 years of experience working with youth and young adults in crisis,” said Tess Colby, Pierce County housing, homelessness and community development division manager. “We look forward to partnering with this agency to bring much needed services to vulnerable youth and young adults.”
TACOMA STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM YOUTH ACADEMY
The Washington Youth Academy celebrated the graduation of students from the Tacoma area during commencement ceremonies on Dec. 20.
The students who have completed the program include Tacoma students Audre'Ana Fomby-Stewart, Marcos Armendariz, Shamontae Clark, Irvin Collins, Christopher Derewlanka, Giovanni Echaniz, Aliyah England, Austin Fuaga, Isaac Grant, Shamayam Johnson, Heidy Morales, Justice O'Neal, Bradley Paima-Barker, Syrus-Ray Rayno-Lincoln, Joanna Richardson, Williams Seng, Andre Stephens, Kayla Terry, Celeste Trujillo as well as Joshua Rogers of Lakewood and Kyle Minott of University Place.
These students were among 144 graduates who will all return to high school to get their diploma or seek an alternative path to finish their high school education, such as a GED or by joining Running Start.
The class is the largest to graduate from the Youth Academy since welcoming its first class in January of 2009.
This year’s cadets donated more than 11,000 hours of service to the community with an estimated value of $273,000 to the community.
The mission of the Washington Youth Academy is to provide a highly disciplined, safe and professional learning environment that empowers at-risk youth to improve their educational levels and employment potential and become responsible and productive citizens of the State of Washington. The Washington Youth Academy is a division of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. Established under authority of both federal and state law, the WYA is a state-run residential and post-residential intervention program for youth who have dropped out of high school or are at risk of dropping out. The free program places cadets in a 22-week intensive residential phase. For the following year, the youth receives intense mentoring and placement follow-up. The school is in Bremerton, but anyone from around the state can apply.
A Test of Adult Basic Education found that cadet skill levels increased an average of 2.3 grade levels by the end of the 22-week program compared to when the cadets entered the program. Remarkably, 132 of the 144 cadets achieved the maximum eight credits students could receive from their stay at the academy. Only 29 of the cadets who entered the program had enough credits to be classified as seniors. Today, 108 graduates of the program have the credits needed to be classified as seniors.
“This journey is not about their past; it’s about their future,” Washington Youth Academy Larry Pierce said at graduation.
More than 1,300 students have gone through the program since its inception.
For more information, visit the new website http://www.mil.wa.gov/youth-academy.
Videos of cadet speeches and pictures available at http://www.facebook.com/WashingtonYouthAcademy.
TIME FOR THE TACOMA HOME AND GARDEN SHOW
The 32nd annual Tacoma Home & Garden Show features over 750 exhibitors, television personality and designer Rachel Kate, the popular Vintage Market, a major kitchen showcase, the Plant Market, around-the-clock “how-to” seminars and more, Jan. 22-25 at the Tacoma Dome.
Sponsored by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers, the state’s largest combined home and garden event is a one-stop opportunity for show-goers to discover a huge range of products and services for the home and garden. For added value to showgoers, parking in the Tacoma Dome parking lots is free every day of the show.
Rachel Kate, “HGTV’s Design Star” finalist and recurring guest on “Rehab Addict,” appears at the show on Friday, Jan. 23 (1 p.m.) and Saturday, Jan. 24 (12 p.m.). Her presentations will include 2015 home trends and D.I.Y design ideas. Rachel combines her knowledge of textiles, manufacturing and design to create a fun, new line of bedding and home goods.
The popular “Vintage Market” returns this year as repurposed and “shabby-chic” items for the garden and home are spotlighted by over a dozen local vendors. From farmhouse collectibles and classic cowboy goods, to architectural salvage, repurposed lighting and furniture pieces, all of these and more can be found at The Vintage Market.
The latest trends for kitchens are showcased in major displays by the Puget Sound Chapter of the National Kitchen & Bath Association with live presentations by local chefs. Sponsored by Tri-State Distributors, the displays spotlight the latest generation of appliances, cabinetry and labor saving features.
This year’s show continues the tradition as an “idea generator” with a spectacular feature garden created by Marenakos Rock Center and Olympic Landscape.
Sharing their know-how and expertise, top Northwest garden authorities Ciscoe Morris, Marianne Binetti, Marty Wingate, Sue Goetz and many more will be on hand in round-the-clock seminars. For more information on show speakers and seminar schedules, visit http://www.otshows.com/ths/seminar-schedule/green-theater.
Get a head start on spring planting with great buys at the Plant Market, featuring a wide range of colorful and unique species. Blooming daphnes and hellebores, houseplants, trees and shrubs are among retail offerings.
Admission to the show is $12 for adults and free to children 16 and under. Discount Coupons good for each day at the show are available online at http://www.otshows.com/ths. Show hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday (Jan. 22-24), and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 25). The 2015 Tacoma Home and Garden Show is produced by O’Loughlin Trade Shows of Tacoma. For more information call (253) 756-2121 or visit the company’s website at http://www.otshows.com.
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MUSICIANS TO PERFORM AT SKYLINE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Willamette University Chamber Choir and Willamette Singers, under the direction of Wallace Long, will perform Sunday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. at Skyline Presbyterian Church, 6301 Westgate Blvd., Tacoma.
Choirs from Tacoma Community College, under the direction of Ann Lyman, Lakes High School, under the direction of Ryan Bacheller, and Bellarmine Preparatory School, under the direction of Frank Lewis, will also perform in the classical portion of the concert. The concert will open with a vocal jazz performance by the Willamette Singers, followed by the local guest groups and the Willamette Chamber Choir. The concert is free and open to the public, although a goodwill donation is encouraged.
The performance will include a variety of sacred and secular works, both a cappella and accompanied. The Chamber Choir’s performance will include “Past Life Melodies” by Sarah Hopkins; “O Magnum Mysterium” by Kevin Memley; and “How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place” from the Brahms’ Requiem. The Willamette Singers will perform selections including “Air Mail Special” by Benny Goodman; “Stella by Starlight” by Victor Young; and “Sent for You Yesterday” by William “Count” Basie.
The Willamette Chamber Choir is a 44-voice ensemble that performs throughout the Northwest. Archbishop Desmond Tutu invited the choir to perform in South Africa in 2004, and music from their South African tour is featured on their fifth CD, “Thula Sizwe: A Celebration of Hope.” Their latest CD, “The New Moon,” is a compilation of recordings from 2006-’10 and was released in the fall of 2010. The Willamette Chamber Choir performed at the Northwest Regional Convention of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) in Seattle in March of 2012.
The Willamette Singers is a 17-member vocal jazz ensemble. The Singers’ 18th CD, “Love, My Old Friend,” was released in the fall of 2014. The Willamette Singers performed at the National Convention of the ACDA in Dallas in March of 2013 and at the Northwest Regional Convention of ACDA in Seattle in March of 2014. DownBeat Magazine selected the Singers as the “Best Large Collegiate Vocal Jazz Ensemble” in the nation for 2013-14.
Both groups have recently performed at regional, national and international conventions of the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the Oregon Music Educators Association and the International Association of Jazz Educators.
UWT’s CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM GETS ACCREDITATION
A national consortium has accredited UW Tacoma’s Certified Public Manager (CPM) certificate program as the only such authorized program in the state of Washington.
The CPM certificate is offered by the KeyBank Professional Development Center, the continuing education arm of UW Tacoma. The certificate is aimed at federal, state and local government managers and supervisors who want a comprehensive leadership development program. Upon completion of the certificate, these professionals will be equipped to lead their agencies toward continuous improvement and greater efficiency.
The first cohort to graduate with the CPM certificate graduated in December 2014, and the next cohort is scheduled to start in January 2015.
“Based on my experience with the program, I am making successful completion a requirement for our senior management team,” said Micah Matthews, a recent CPM graduate and deputy executive director of the Washington State Medical Commission. “The CPM program serves as an excellent refining process with a Washington focus, whether you’re a long-standing manager or a freshly-minted MPA [Master of Public Administration].
“One of the strengths of this CPM certificate program is how closely it is tailored to the real-world situations of public sector agencies. We have a great team of local and national faculty, who offer plenty of practical experience to the students,” said Lisa Reeves, director of the KeyBank Professional Development Center.
Those students are coming from a wide range of agencies: higher education, an Indian tribe, a port and a state commission were represented in the first cohort. Students complete a year-long, 300-hour program culminating in a capstone project that allows them to apply what they’re learning in their own agencies immediately.
“The best part of the program was the group of industry-leading instructors. The amount of practical information they were able to convey within this intensive yearlong course was truly amazing,” said Jason Van Gilder, another recent CPM graduate and utility engineer with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
UW Tacoma’s certificate program was accredited by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium in September 2014. The Consortium is a non-profit organization based in San Diego representing all the CPM credentialing programs in the U.S. The consortium ensures member programs uphold high standards, establishes the curricular framework for the programs, and polices the use of the trademarked Certified Public Manager designation. The consortium accredits only one CPM program for each state, so UW Tacoma holds the distinction of being the only source for this nationally recognized credential in Washington.
“The CPM program is a great example of UW Tacoma’s responsiveness to the South Sound community. Our late chancellor, Debra Friedman, was a big fan of the CPM program and new the importance of bringing this opportunity to the region. Debra supported the development of the program and anticipated that we would earn full accreditation,” said KeyBank Center director Reeves.
The KeyBank Center itself is a product of the community, having been founded with a 2001 gift from KeyBank and the Tacoma-based Dimmer Family Foundation (John C. Dimmer was on the KeyCorp board of directors). The Center offers advanced, non-degree education in the form of certificates, seminars, workshops and courses. Besides the CPM program, certificates are offered in subjects including contract management, Lean Six Sigma, nonprofit management, paralegal studies and project management.
TIPS TO ‘TREECYCLE’ YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE
As you recycle your wrapping paper, don’t forget to treecycle your Christmas tree.
Pierce County residents who subscribe to yard waste collection service can place their unflocked tree in their container. Flocked trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of as garbage.
Residents may also recycle their tree free of charge at Pierce County’s transfer stations. For locations, visit http://www.piercecountywa.org/treecycle. To treecycle, remove the tree stand, tinsel, decorations and any nails or staples. Place the tree in your yard waste container for pick up on your regularly scheduled collection day. The tree must fit into the closed container, so cut the tree into pieces if necessary. If your tree isn’t in the cart, you may be charged for the additional pick up.
“All trees collected are composted into Cascade Compost, a beneficial soil amendment that is popular with home and commercial gardeners,” said Sheryl Rhinehart, Pierce County Public Works and Utilities outreach coordinator. “The compost created enhances soil quality, saves water, and reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers. Treecycling also helps save valuable landfill space.”
The cities of Milton, Orting, Tacoma, Puyallup and Ruston have special collection programs for households within their city limits. Contact your city hall or local garbage hauler for more details.
For more information about preparing for winter, visit http://www.piercecountywa.org/winterwise.