NEWS GLEAMS | State Collects Funds for Long-Term Care; Community Improvement Fund Open for Applications

A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

Washington State Starts Collecting Funds for Long-Term Care

To support the long-term care needs of Washington State residents as they age, including residents not covered by existing Medicare or health insurance, the WA Cares Fund has begun collecting additional taxes for future services and supports.

Working Washingtonians will contribute to a shared fund and eventually receive more back than they contribute, though some exemption applications are available for certain groups. Collectively, the funds will likely not cover the full extent of long-term care each person will eventually need, but will serve as a meaningful supplement.

This program, called the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Trust Act, was created in 2019 and is the first of its kind in the U.S. The Washington State Legislature modified it in 2021 to improve coverage for adults with disabilities that onset prior to age 18. In 2022, the Legislature also offered a "pathway to partial benefits for near-retirees" and established "voluntary exemptions for certain groups (out-of-state workers, workers on non-immigrant visas, military spouses, and veterans 70%+ disabled)," explains the WA Cares Fund website.

Benefits will be available starting in 2026 for certain qualified and eligible individuals. Similar programs are now being considered by other states.

South King County's Community Improvement Fund Is Now Open for Applications

Projects and community-led groups that increase economic opportunities and support job creation around the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) area can now apply for the South King County Community Impact Fund Economic Recovery Program. Port-related industries that are covered include aviation, maritime, construction trades, and green career industries.

Funding is available for up to $100,000 for a single year of funding or $250,000 in multiyear funding, and communities from historically underserved communities in South King County are encouraged to apply.

According to a press release from the Port of Seattle, the following six projects received funding during the last cycle:

• African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest (ACCPNW): ACCPNW's African Drayage Trucking Business Support Project (ADT-BUS) will provide business technical support to drivers to help their trucking businesses survive and grow and educate on small-business management to ensure trucking business entrepreneurs serving Port facilities can successfully run their own businesses.
• BIPOC Apostrophe: BIPOC Apostrophe trains youth from 18—25 years old in the areas of aircraft cargo management, logistics centers and warehouse activities, and aircraft marshaling.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of King County: Boys & Girls Clubs of King County's YouthForce program, in partnership with 7GEN and SIXR, will connect economically vulnerable youth from near-airport communities to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training pathways in green technology and advanced manufacturing.
• Casa Latina: Casa Latina's construction program builds on experience recruiting, training, and ensuring Latino workers have the skills and training needed to obtain jobs in the construction industry. This program includes case management and wraparound services to support adults and young adults.
• Serve Ethiopians Washington: Serve Ethiopians Washington's New Start program provides outreach and recruitment for immigrant BIPOC ride-share and taxicab drivers to pursue a career as an aircraft mechanic at SEA Airport and participate in the Introduction to Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) course offered by Airport University.
• Your Money Matters Mentoring: With Your Money Matters Mentoring, Participants will acquire construction skills, competencies, experience, and education to secure jobs in the construction industry by providing education and mentoring support through the introduction to a construction training program. Participants will obtain certification in Abatement and Demolition.

The first step in the application process is an Eligibility Determination phase. Apply by July 21, 2023, at the Port of Seattle website.

Translations are available in Amharic, Arabic, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Free Drop-In Meals This Summer

This summer, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Human Services Department, and United Way of King County have partnered for the Summer Meal Program, which will offer free meals and recreation activities Mondays through Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from July 12 to Aug. 25.

Services will be available at 11 park sites across the city, rain or shine. In South Seattle, they are available at the following locations:

• Beacon Hill Playground
  1902 13th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144

• Brighton Playground
  6000 39th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98118

• Georgetown Park
  750 Homer St., Seattle, WA 98108

No fee, sign-up, or proof of identity or legal status is required to receive summer meals. A full list of locations can be found on the City of Seattle's Parks and Rec website.

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