General operational support for FUSION's Family Center

Grant Information
Categories	Community
Location	United States
Cycle Year	2023

Organization Information
Organization Name (provided by applicant)	Fusion-Friends United to Shelter the Indigent Oppressed and Needy
Organization Name (provided by automatic EIN validation)
EIN	01-0814641
Website	www.fusionhousing.org

Contact Information
Contact Name	Ms. Melinda Lowe
Phone	253-273-2319
E-mail	melinda.lowe@fusionhousing.org
Address	P.O. Box 23934 Federal way WA 98093

Additional Information
Used for	FUSION provides essential trauma-informed case management and emergency shelter to families experiencing homelessness in our community, for stays of up to 60 days, with a possible extension up to 90 days, at the Pete Andersen FUSION Family Center.
Benefits	A grant of $10,000 would permit FUSION to cover the expenses for approximately 120 bed nights at our Family Center, at a cost of $83/night for one family. FUSION expects to serve no less than 149 families within the calendar year 2024 in our Pete Andersen FUSION Family Center, based on 2022 and 2023 (year to date) data. FUSION’s trauma-informed case managers will provide counseling, support, and guidance in helping these families return to a place of self-sufficiency within the time parameters of the program.
Proposal Description	FUSION invites the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation to continued sustained support for FUSION to shelter families staying in our Pete Andersen FUSION Family Center. The Center, consisting of thirty-one private, secure rooms with 24/7 staffing of the facility, shelters families with minor children in their care. The Center is in Federal Way, Washington. The Pete Andersen FUSION Family Center opened on Christmas eve 2020, during the pandemic, with the admittance of one family, and in the time since, has become a trusted resource in Federal Way and South King County for families and the community at large. We enjoy a strong relationship with the City of Federal Way, and they turn to us when other needs arise, such as providing a 24/7 drop-in warmth shelter during cold winter days when the temperature drops below freezing. In 2022, FUSION sheltered no less than fifteen individuals (not just family members) for stays of less than a week. The Pete Andersen FUSION Family Center is contracted with the City of Federal Way to house no less than twenty-nine families at any given time. Through re-arranging the rooms available in the Family Center, we have increased our capacity to thirty-one rooms. Based on our September 2023 monthly operational report, our current average stay is 72 days. This is a significant improvement over our contracted agreement with the City of Federal Way to house families for no more than 90 days. A grant of $10,000 would permit FUSION to cover the expenses for approximately 120 bed nights at our Family Center, at a cost of $83/night for one family. The positive outcome for all families is to return them to permanent housing and a place of self-sufficiency. Funding from donors such as The Dougherty Foundation permits FUSION to continue supporting families demonstrating high need, and that present with multiple barriers to return to self-sufficiency. Barriers may include a lack of proper funding to move into a rental unit, loss of job, loss of reliable transportation, family illnesses, past rental evictions, and other significant barriers. Based on data shared in our 2022 Annual Report (attached), FUSION served 149 families, 480 individuals, and 122 children under the age of five, and for a total of 1,315 bed nights. FUSION anticipates that our projected service numbers will remain essentially the same, but with our direct service team of thirteen now fully trained and working together more cohesively, FUSION will identify more efficiencies to achieve the stated outcome of 60-day stays. Additionally, FUSION has secured funding in 2023-2026 that will permit FUSION to accelerate families returning to permanency—by direct funding for families to be applied to first and/or last month’s rent, a security deposit, past eviction/credit repair, and/or moving expenses—all of which are oftentimes barriers for families to return to permanency. In closing, these families have shared their thoughts and feelings about the support they have received from the staff at the FUSION Family Center: “Thank you, FUSION Family Center Staff! You all have been wonderful. My family and I have had the experience of feeling welcomed, safe and supported during our stay. Ladies and gents, you do good work. 5 stars!” ~ Liberty and Sally “Dearest Folks, how can we find the words to say thank you. You are wonderful, all of you have been so kind and it is wonderful. The holidays was so sweet and the gifts very much appreciated. We will remember your gentleness forever. God bless you and return your gifts seven times over like Jesus said it. We send our love your way. Thank you so very much.” ~ Meme and Denise FUSION’s work in the community continues apace with the demonstrated need. We are tireless in our efforts to make continual improvements to our processes so we can maximize our effectiveness in meeting the needs of families as they occur.