LYNNWOOD, Wash. — VOA Western Washington raised $156,000 at its seventh annual Hope is Brewing breakfast fundraiser, bringing the organization closer to its $200,000 fundraising goal as it highlighted programs serving families, people experiencing homelessness, seniors and residents facing behavioral health challenges.
The Oct. 8 event brought community members, nonprofit leaders, business representatives and elected officials together for a morning focused on the organization’s work across Snohomish County and Western Washington.
The fundraiser was held as the organization formally introduced its new name, VOA Western Washington, shortened from Volunteers of America Western Washington.
“We are still here to help our neighbors find the support they need to move forward and build greater stability,” Jessica Moore, VOA Western Washington’s vice president of development, told attendees.
The name change is part of a broader effort by Volunteers of America organizations nationwide to adopt the shorter “VOA” name. Moore said the word “volunteer” has evolved in its meaning since the national organization was founded 130 years ago, and the shorter name better reflects the breadth of the organization’s work today.
The organization retained its familiar “V” logo and red, white and blue color scheme while adopting the VOA Western Washington name.
The change was met with a lighthearted moment during the breakfast, when Moore divided the room into three sections and had attendees call out “V,” “O” and “A” before having the entire crowd shout the organization’s new name together.
The event also featured interactive displays highlighting nine areas of service. During breakfast and networking, attendees could visit program tables, learn about VOA services and participate in activities including writing notes for hygiene bags, decorating bookmarks for early learning students and making “pocket hugs” for seniors at VOA centers.
VOA Western Washington Interim CEO Kristi Myers said the organization received more than 500,000 requests for help in 2025.
“Each request represents a moment when someone turned to us for support, a family worked to regain stability, or a neighbor needed to know they were not alone,” Myers said.
She pointed to several recent expansions and developments, including the opening of the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center in January and Ballington Flats, an affordable housing community in Skagit County that provides housing for 42 households, including 12 units reserved for veterans.
The organization also highlighted its response to rising food insecurity.
In July, the Everett Community Food Bank served 11,664 people, which VOA said was the highest number served in a single month in the food bank’s history.
Across its food banks, pantries, home deliveries, children’s Snack Packs and partnerships with the Snohomish County Food Bank Coalition, VOA distributed nearly 8 million pounds of food in 2025, according to the organization.
Housing assistance was another focus of the presentation. VOA said its Housing Services team helped 168 households avoid eviction last year, while 104 households that had previously lost housing received assistance and ultimately received keys to permanent housing.
The organization also operates the Women and Children’s Pallet Shelter Village in partnership with the City of Everett, providing temporary housing and services for families working toward permanent housing.
Behavioral health services were another major component of the morning’s presentation.
Levi Van Dyke, VOA Western Washington’s chief behavioral health officer, said the organization’s behavioral health team responded to 286,375 calls, chats and texts in 2025 through services including 988, the Native and Strong Lifeline and regional crisis services.
“Our programs help people determine their next step,” Van Dyke said, describing the organization’s approach as one that recognizes that people experiencing a housing crisis may also be dealing with recovery, employment, behavioral health or other challenges.
The organization also provides community resource navigation, dispute resolution, personal support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and programs for seniors.
VOA highlighted a workforce development culinary program launched this summer at the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center. The program combines hands-on commercial kitchen experience with employment preparation and support.
The program’s first cohort is scheduled to graduate Oct. 9, with the organization preparing to open the Piazza Café at the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center in the coming weeks. The café will provide students with additional hands-on experience while serving the community.
Boeing, one of the event’s sponsors, also renewed its financial commitment to the workforce development program with an additional grant, according to Myers.
Early childhood programs were also highlighted during the breakfast. VOA said 214 children are currently served through its early learning programs, while its Operation Backpack program distributed 771 backpacks filled with school supplies this year.
For older adults, VOA operates senior services through the Carl Gipson Center in Everett and Sky Valley Center in Sultan. The organization also operates Old Friends Club, a program for adults living with memory loss that provides activities and social connection while giving family caregivers time away from caregiving responsibilities.
Myers said VOA recently expanded Old Friends Club to the Carl Gipson Center in Everett.
“This work is possible because people in our community, like you, choose to invest in it,” Myers said.
Dr. Amit Singh, president of Edmonds College and a member of the VOA Western Washington Board of Directors, made the fundraising appeal to attendees.
Singh said VOA’s work aligns with Edmonds College’s mission of helping people build stronger futures through education and emphasized the connections between the organization’s various programs.
“We saw that mission in action this morning,” Singh said, pointing to stories of people working toward housing stability, preparing for new careers and receiving support through programs for people experiencing memory loss.
The organization’s goal for the event was to raise $200,000. By the conclusion of the fundraiser, attendees had contributed $156,000.
“Each of us has a different ability to give,” Singh said. “I invite you to make a gift that is meaningful to you.”
The event also recognized the more than 700 employees working for VOA Western Washington, as well as its volunteers. Myers said 1,086 volunteers contributed nearly 33,000 hours of service to the organization’s programs during the previous year.
Eric Tagle, a VOA minister who has worked in the organization’s Personal Support Services for 15 years, opened the breakfast with an invocation focused on people experiencing hunger, homelessness, isolation and uncertainty.
For VOA Western Washington, the fundraising event comes as the organization continues expanding its presence in the region while responding to increased demand for basic needs, housing assistance and behavioral health services.
The organization said its goal remains centered on helping residents move toward greater stability while strengthening the communities in which they live.
“Building community takes all of us,” Singh told attendees. “Your gift today can make a difference in the life of a neighbor.”
Author: Kienan Briscoe
