7/31/08

New non-profit hopes to fill gap for needy

by Beckye Randall

Sadiqa Sakin is all too aware of the gaps in service that can be devastating to a person who suddenly finds herself in need.

As a military wife and mother of four, Sakin and her husband earned a respectable living. In addition to her husband’s military pay, she was a registered nurse. But as her marriage became more and more volatile, she decided that, for her safety and that of her children, she needed to leave the state.

She fled to Washington state to temporarily live with relatives, but soon found out that she was in deep financial trouble. Sakin’s husband had drained her savings account and reneged on a promise to have her car transported to her. Having her nursing license transferred from Hawaii to Washington would take four months and in the meantime she had no income.

With $25 to her name and four children to support, Sakin turned to the Washington Department of Social Services. She couldn’t qualify for help, however, because she was married and her spouse’s income made her ineligible. Counselors there suggested she contact the military for assistance.

After months of phone calls and e-mails, military officials finally produced a letter stating that she and her husband were separated. Now a 90-day waiting period would be required before she could collect any benefits.

So Sakin began borrowing money from family members, trying to get on waiting lists for shelters or other housing programs only to find out the wait was at least three months or more.

Defeated and out of options, Sakin packed up her children and returned to her husband’s home. Fortunately, the story didn’t end in tragedy for Sakin, as it does with many abused women who are forced to return to a troubled relationship. She spent the next several years working and planning for her independence, and when she left again she was fully prepared for the transition.

But her experience showed Sakin that there were folks in desperate need who were not eligible for assistance through any of the standard pathways. A determined and motivated young woman, she decided to do something about those gaps in social services. Her first move was to spend 100 hours in volunteer work with various agencies, learning about their services and hearing first-hand from those who sought help.

When Sakin met up with Amanda Haase, the two women developed an instant bond and a commitment began to grow. Through the Volunteers of America in Everett, the women raised $30,000 for a Giving Basket Day and supplied Christmas gifts, trees, food and more to 210 local families.

The project was such a success, Sakin and Haase decided to take it to the next step. Together, they have founded World of Hearts, a non-profit service agency “devoted to uplifting families who are experiencing an unexpected adverse situation.”

“Our goal is to help people before they become poverty-stricken,” said Sakin. “Nearly 20 percent of the people in Snohomish County are living paycheck to paycheck. One bad break can spell disaster.”

In Sakin’s case, “I just needed 90 days to get on my feet,” she said.

World of Hearts hopes to be able to offer that temporary assistance, what the women call “welfare aversion.”

Starting a non-profit service agency is a daunting task, and Sakin and Haase have been working diligently on the planning, structure and partnership-building phase of the project for more than a year. They have now entered the fund development phase and are seeking community support for their vision.

“We hope to open our doors in September—yes, in two months,” said Haase. They’ve found the perfect location in downtown Everett, large enough to service their target of 3,300 families each year, close to all vital services, and with classroom space for planned self-sufficiency and career skills workshops.

Their funding goal is aggressive: $33 million for five years, or just over $6.8 million each year. About 16 percent of that will cover administrative costs, while the rest will be funneled into services.

“I’ve always had a saying: Go big or go home,” said Sakin, acknowledging the enormity of the organization’s goal. “But it only takes one person to recognize the need and decide to help.”

Haase, a real estate agent and the organization’s treasurer, is excited about the possibilities offered by World of Hearts and her role in making it happen. “Something was missing from my life before this,” she said, “and now I’ve found my bliss.”