Eastside social services get boost: - Bellevue City Council to vote on distributing federal funds tonight

by Jeff Switzer
Journal Reporter

BELLEVUE -- More space, new roofs and other long-delayed building repairs for agencies that help the needy will be possible with nearly $900,000 in federal funding that's on the table for the Bellevue City Council to dole out tonight.

For one recipient, the Kindering Center in the Crossroads neighborhood, Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland are to split $42,000 in work. The center is in the middle of an expansion project that will nearly double its size.

``We've been turning away more and more infants and toddlers with disabilities for three years, and up to 166 were denied care in 2000,'' said Mimi Siegel, executive director of Kindering Center.

Once the work is done, the nonprofit agency will be able to help 350 more infants and children each year who have been abused or have physical or mental disabilities.

``For (the cities) to continually support us is very affirming,'' Siegel said.

The Kindering Center project is on a list of nine capital projects for $665,000 in annual federal funding through Community Development Block Grants.

Bellevue is giving $340,000 to its home repair program, which helps elderly and low-income homeowners fix their roofs and make other safety improvements. A Regional Coalition for Housing -- also known as ARCH -- will get $100,000 toward acquiring or building low-income housing.

The Friends of Youth youth shelter will receive $19,000 for a new roof and paint job. Senior Services of King County will get $70,000 to build more space for Bellevue seniors' Meals on Wheels and volunteer transportation programs.

These agencies are ``so strapped they never have money'' for capital projects, said Diana Thompson, chairwoman of Bellevue's Human Services Commission. ``They really rely on us. We fund a lot of groups.''

In addition to the block grants for capital projects, roughly $120,000 will go to six programs to which Bellevue gives ongoing funding. They include Jewish Family Services' refugee and immigrant services, $40,000; YWCA low-income transitional housing, $36,000; and YWCA low-income employment services, $22,000.

The city's administration of the money, including planning and assistance to social service agencies, is to cost $110,000.

Jeff Switzer can be reached at jeff.switzer@eastsidejournal.com or 425-453-4234.

Article published November 5, 2001