In addition to regular programs and services that help families and individuals gain and maintain stability, Hopelink offers additional support for school-aged children; including food for kids on summer break, backpacks filled with school supplies for youth going back to school, and holiday toy and gift rooms. Hopelink also partners with several community organizations to provide access to legal assistance, a health clinic, and tax help.
Is providing food for your family difficult when school is out? Hopelink manages the End Summer Hunger (ESH) Program during July and August at all of our food banks. If you have school-aged children (6-18 years old) who are entering grades 1-12 and you need help with food, you may qualify for the ESH Program! ESH food is available to households that are registered for one of our five food banks. The program is aimed at increasing the amount of nutritious breakfast and lunch-type foods available to students when school is not in session. It’s also intended to help parents handle the added cost of feeding children while school is out. To use this program, please enroll in one of our food banks. Hopelink food banks may offer the following additional foods during the summer months: peanut butter, jelly, fresh fruits, milk, cereal, mac n’ cheese and snacks.
Call the Hopelink center nearest to where you live for more information.
Some cities also offer the Summer Food Service Program which offers free lunches to students. These are typically held at community sites like schools, churches or parks. Summer Food Service Program sites are finalized in late spring. Visit www.summerfood.usda.gov to find a summer meal program near you!
In November and December, Hopelink provides eligible families with gift cards they can use to shop for gifts on their own. Parents can then use those gift cards to buy books, games, toys or whatever lights up a smile for their children during the holidays.
Providing school children with the essential supplies they need to learn can be expensive, but Hopelink is here to help you. Items such as backpacks, pens, paper or other basic school supplies can be obtained, at no cost, through our Kids Need School Supplies Program during August.
Hopelink is hosting two tax sites this year at our Bellevue and Shoreline locations in partnership with the United Way of King County. Click here for more details..
The Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) is a non-profit legal aid organization that helps people in north and east King County with their civil legal needs. ELAP’s team of volunteer attorneys offers 24 legal clinics every month in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland and Issaquah. The clinics can help you with family law, immigration issues, bankruptcy and general law. ELAP also provides services to domestic violence survivors throughout King County. Telephone interpreters are available to help those who do not speak English. The Immigration Legal Clinic is held at Hopelink’s Bellevue Center twice a month. ELAP also conducts a family and general law clinic at the Kirkland Center twice a month. Additional clinics meet at other eastside locations.
To make an appointment for a free 30-minute consultation with an attorney, call 425-747-7274 Monday-Friday from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. This line is available in both English and Spanish, and through the use of telephonic interpreter services, ELAP is able to accommodate most other languages as well.
ELAP also organizes free public lectures on various legal issues. These are held in public libraries, community centers and schools. Lectures are held during the day and also in the evening. If you are interested in learning more about these free lectures, call ELAP at 425-747-7274. Children are welcome.
