Yellow Pages
MOUNT VERNON — Violeta Singingan felt as much as anyone the hole that was left when the Skagit Community Action Agency Family Shelter closed for one year during construction.
While contractors upgraded the four-unit shelter into a 10-unit facility, families — especially parents with teenagers — had few options. Shelters for teens didn’t allow adults, and women’s shelters didn’t allow teenagers.
So when Singingan, 50, lost her job and then her home, she lived in her car while her kids stayed at a nearby teen shelter.
Now she and her two teenagers are staying at the newly remodeled shelter, and they’re preparing to move into permanent housing they found with the help of Jennifer Milton, who works with tenants at the shelter to secure jobs and housing.
Singingan said she can’t just sit back and wait for a job to come to her, and she’s willing to do anything Community Action suggests to keep the agency’s support and get back on her feet.
“I raised children all my life by myself,” Singingan said. “That’s why I’m in this situation. I just want to focus on myself with my children.”
The $1.7 million shelter re-opened for families in August while contractors completed the final touches on the building. The shelter was paid for with a Housing Trust Fund and donations from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Boeing Co. Funds, and several local donations.
Area churches “adopted” units at the building and furnished and decorated them.
Singingan’s unit is furnished and equipped with dishes and cookware. With a temporary home and support from Community Action, she can focus on her work instead of where she’s going to sleep at night.
Singingan found a job at the Best Western CottonTree Inn and explained to her kids that while she “brings home the bacon,” they have to work bringing home good grades. She hopes her kids will eventually go to college.
“My job is to work; your job is to be in school,” Singingan said to her kids. “Your job is to bring home a B-plus.”
Community Action Director Bill Henkel said he’s happy to have the new building open, but the transition was difficult.
“It was hard to do it. Construction takes a long time,” Henkel said.
And Henkel said the economy continued to get worse during construction.
“We’re seeing more and more pressure and more and more people on the verge of losing their houses,” Henkel said. “When we were closed it was even tougher on folks.”
Milton sees it firsthand at the shelter. The rooms are all booked, and she maintains a 70-person waiting list.
“Unfortunately, the list grows every day,” Milton said.
Those eligible must be homeless and have children. Families are allowed to stay at the site for 30 days and receive one-on-one help from Community Action in acquiring jobs and housing. After 30 days, some can qualify for a 30-day extension.
“We really want to focus on those families who are motivated,” Milton said.
The new facility sports a community space with toys and educational supplies for children. Milton uses the space to hold classes on finding a job and managing finances. She hopes to have child-focused programs as well, like art classes or story time.
* Aaron Burkhalter can be reached at 360-416-2141 or .
