David's Corner

Our Value #1: We are driven by a clear sense of purpose and mission rooted in traditions of servanthood and social justice. It shouldn't be surprising that "mission" is mentioned in our first value since we value that shared sense of why we exist and what we do: To partner with individuals, families and communities for health, justice and hope. LCSNW has a strong history--100 years--of social responsibility. We have always cared about the welfare of people. Our mission motivates us. It also serves as a kind of "glue" in our agency, meaning we hire people--and people stick with us--who have a servant heart and love the work we do. There is an African proverb that says, "When you pray, move your feet." the employees who really live our value of being " driven by a clear sense of purpose and mission.. " put proverbial feet to it. They take personal responsibility in seeing our mission fulfilled. They're high performers. They want to have a b...

Let's be honest: I don't think many of us could pass a quiz on our agency's core values. Why bother having values if we don't even know what they are? In a 2020 study: Among a group of 90 possible factors, personal commitment to an organization's values is the top driver of employee engagement. 555 of respondents who didn't know their agency values reported being engaged while 90% of those that did know the values reported engagement. 65% of employees who could name their values say they had a strong grasp on their organization's objectives vs. only 23% of respondents who say they didn't know any of their organization's values. Clearly, there seems to be a direct connection between understanding organization values and engagement and working toward goals. So, I think it's a good time to re-engage with our values. They're included in our Employee Handbook. For easy reference, I'm listing them below. Over the next several Friday Notes I...

I had a marvelous opportunity this week to celebrate the service of Bob Pickle who retired from LCSNW after 25 years of service leading the Klamath Falls district. Bob was the first recipient of our Buffalo Award, which recognizes bold leadership. The award takes its name from the unique way buffalo respond to storms. Instead of running away from inclement weather, they run directly at it. By running straight through the storm, buffalo minimize the amount of pain, time, and frustration they experience from that storm. Garret Jackson helped us celebrate Bob with an indigenous people's blanket ritual, which recognized Bob's transition and accomplishments. It was a meaningful Ceremony. Four buffalo in Red, Yello, White and Black gather around a medicine wheel, pointing in the sacred Four Directions. The Lakota people depended on Pte, the bison for food, clothing, and shelter, and honored them as "The Buffalo People." In this design, artist Jim Yellowhawk embraces Mitakuy...

A large part of my job as Executive Director is telling our story to donors. Sometimes we have a connection already and sometimes I'm telling someone for the first time about what you all do in the community every day. If the donor connects with the issues we are trying to solve or they know something about the needs of the people we serve, they may choose to spend their money or volunteer with LCSNW. When we affiliated with Compass, I expanded my storytelling to include people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, so I really appreciated the information that Compass Executive Director Mary Steele shared at the recent Board meeting. Mary let us know that each January, volunteers across King County count as many unhoused people as possible. Some startling numbers: On any given night, about 12,000 people are experiencing homelessness in King County About half are in shelters; the rest are split between tents and vehicles; And these heartbreaking facts: The rate of minors ...

We are pleased to announce our 2021 DEI Committee A huge thank you to all who submitted a lottery entry form to be on this year's DEI committee. Your interest demonstrates an agency-wide commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, so a BIG shout out to you! This year, we used a lottery system, drawing from entry names in each district and one from shared services. We are pleased to announce that the following employee names were drawn and all have accepted a commitment to serve on this year's agency-wide DEI committee: DawnDee Walraven, Early Childhood Program Manager, A Family Place, Yamhill District Garrick Jackson, Mental Health Clinical Manager, Mental Health Program, Klamath Falls District Jody Gentemann, Director of Fiscal Planning and Analysis, Shared Services Masami Villa, Case Manager, Refugees NW Foster Care Program, North Puget Sound District Sarah Williams, Program Director, Behavioral Health Program, MultiCultural Community Services District Sharon Alfaro, Peer...

This week’s Friday Note is written by LCSNW CFO Karyn Huffman, in response to the shooting this week in Boulder, Colo. David Yet again.    I imagine for some, two more mass shootings draw us into an old story or memory. Eighteen more innocent people killed by two young men with powerful guns. Six days apart. Separated by 1,422 miles of hills, rivers, trees, plains, and fields. We know the all-too-familiar rituals, this time playing out in Atlanta and Boulder. Media trucks and reporters packed like tumbleweeds jammed into a fence, waiting for the wind to shift and blow them toward the next news story. Flower bouquets, candles, crosses, teddy bears, and photos build a small mountain on the sidewalk. The fences bear witness to grief.  Not again. We quietly utter or shout, “Not again.” We search for answers. We grieve. We look for justice on behalf of the victims, families, and communities. Some want lawmakers to act. Some respond with greater self-protection. Others are more...

  LCSNW Team, Anti-Asian hate crimes have risen globally in the wake of the pandemic, and especially in the U.S. This is completely unacceptable. I know you are heartbroken and horrified to see another tragic shooting, this time a hate crime against Asian Americans. The loss of life is tragic and what makes it even more painful is that every day we see the effects of racism, violence, mental illness, and trauma on the people we serve.   There is real fear in the Asian American and Pacific-Island communities right now. I want to say to the families of the victims: My heart and prayers are with you.  Like most of you, I feel helpless when these acts occur. However, we can’t remain silent.   So I say this to all of you: Keep doing what you are doing. Keep reaching out to people who need support. Keep spreading hope, compassion and love. The world and our country need you.   I also hope that you lean on each other. Reach out to HR, our EAP, or someone you trust if y...