We are sharing three letters from the Neighborhood House community over the next couple of weeks to mark moments from 2021. Happy New Year and thank you for your continued support! Please find our staff member Naeem Anis’s message below.
My name is Naeem and I am an Employment Case Manager at our Birch Creek location in Kent. I am humbled to know that over the years, our Birch Creek location has become famous for being a place of hope for refugee and immigrant communities in South King County.
Families with 2-5 children and sometimes 10 children come to our doors, sometimes brand new to this country and do not know where to start.
This summer, a woman came in speaking no English and a staff member recognized the language spoken was from Afghanistan, a language I spoke. She had previously visited our office with a family member and had built enough trust with us to come in on her own this time.
She wanted support building her own path to provide more for her family. After she expressed interest in the English language classes Neighborhood House offers, I helped enroll her in the courses, and after a few weeks of attending, she was coming in and having conversations with our staff. Soon after, we were working together to apply for jobs, prepping for interviews, and I felt just as joyous as she did when she secured employment with a local organization. We were also able to connect her children with subsidized childcare. This woman found hope coming through our doors and built confidence through the guidance of our programs and the care of the staff at Neighborhood House.
We at Neighborhood House help achieve well-being in partnership with families. When we first connect, families talk to us about the vision they have and we work together to determine the steps needed to meet their goals.
One of the best things about Neighborhood House is our staff. Our staff go beyond only providing services. Our people provide kindness, time, and energy beyond employment or specific programs. Our community needs social workers, and agencies like ours need additional funding in order to serve our communities better every day.
Thank you for your helping our communities.
Sincerely,
Naeem, Employment Case Manager II
