Annual Snapshot
1,170
32,317
446
$4.2M
341
109
17,155
100%
Our strategy is in place, our goals are achievable, and our motivation is in the faces we see and serve daily. Uplift Northwest is poised for unprecedented development and impact.
WHO WE SERVE
1170
92%
10%
69%
13
Uplift Northwest changed my life. They put me to work right away. They gave me a purpose and finally got me off the streets after three decades.
It's just so amazing, they loved your work ethic they didn't care about what you look like. They just love hard work. And they love you as you.
I got my keys! I am crying because this is the first place I've ever had that's my own private space! Thank you and the Uplift team so much!
Four Pillars of Service
Employment Social Enterprise
Classes, Workshops, Certifications
Housing
Support Services
Employment Social Enterprise
Think: a staffing agency with a heart!
Employment Social Enterprise (ESE) is a staffing agency business engine that operates through a social service lens. It earns revenue like a business, but that revenue is reinvested directly back into the programs and services the nonprofit offers. Uplift Northwest’s ESE is a staffing agency focused on connecting people with meaningful employment AND eliminating barriers that keep folks stuck in the cycle of poverty. Barriers can look like not having shelter, transportation, a phone, childcare, or can also be underdeveloped interpersonal skills for effective communication. Barriers can also look like systemic inequities, lack of work history or experience due to legal system impact, and inherited generational cycles of poverty. When barriers are removed, new paths are forged leading to long-term and stable employment.
Our workers earn wages by working for our employment partners. We reinvest this revenue earned from our business into the programs that are designed to eliminate barriers to employment. Uplift Northwest provides immediate temporary and long-term employment and on the job training to workers reentering or newly entering the workforce via community employment partners in competitive industries. Uplift Northwest deploys work crews throughout King County to serve the City of Seattle at mobile hygiene centers, with graffiti removal, and litter abatement. Workers are eligible for promotion, wage advancement, medical benefits, and 403B.
Maria,
Uplift Northwest Essential Worker
Employment Social Enterprise
Think: a staffing agency with a heart!
Employment Social Enterprise (ESE) is a staffing agency business engine that operates through a social service lens. It earns revenue like a business, but that revenue is reinvested directly back into the programs and services the nonprofit offers. Uplift Northwest’s ESE is a staffing agency focused on connecting people with meaningful employment AND eliminating barriers that keep folks stuck in the cycle of poverty. Barriers can look like not having shelter, transportation, a phone, childcare, or can also be underdeveloped interpersonal skills for effective communication. Barriers can also look like systemic inequities, lack of work history or experience due to legal system impact, and inherited generational cycles of poverty. When barriers are removed, new paths are forged leading to long-term and stable employment.
Our workers earn wages by working for our employment partners. We reinvest this revenue earned from our business into the programs that are designed to eliminate barriers to employment. Uplift Northwest provides immediate temporary and long-term employment and on the job training to workers reentering or newly entering the workforce via community employment partners in competitive industries. Uplift Northwest deploys work crews throughout King County to serve the City of Seattle at mobile hygiene centers, with graffiti removal, and litter abatement. Workers are eligible for promotion, wage advancement, medical benefits, and 403B.
Maria,
Uplift Northwest Essential Worker
875
$4.2M
193,757
$21.45
341
165
25
When we urgently needed temporary staffing for our shelter operations, Uplift NW was my first choice, They came highly recommended -- and quickly demonstrated why! They were able to provide prompt access to staffing for multiple shifts at a competitive rate. The folks they have provided have been reliable and useful additions to our staffing needs. And most importantly, we have been able to bring some of them on as employees. It's great to be able to be a part of the mission of Uplift NW and help folks on their journey to full time employment.
Our working partnership with Uplift NW is one I deeply cherish. The development we’ve made is extraordinary and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.
The Ballard Alliance, and the entire Ballard community, is thankful for our partnership with Uplift Northwest. Since 2017, our Uplift Northwest crew has worked tirelessly year-round to keep our community a clean and welcoming environment for its residents, shoppers, diners, and visitors.
Classes, Workshops, and Certifications
Uplift Northwest provides job training opportunities, employment readiness workshops, and certifications to our essential workers and training participants that strengthen their skills and advance them towards a living wage career. 7 Success Builders Workshops, 3 Ready to Work trainings, and a STEP (Strategy, Training, Employment, Performance) class are offered. Partnership trainings include Amazon AWS cloud computing, Metropolitan Improvement District, and WorkSource.
Workers have access to over 700 certification programs. Our partnership with Universal Language Service allows us to deliver trainings, classes, and document translation in over 200 languages. Our employment case managers assist workers to reduce barriers to employment and housing and provide them with continued support and tools needed to be successful as they pursue their goals.
Max,
Uplift Northwest Program Manager
JOB READINESS AND TRAINING PARTICIPATION
446
258
Classes, Workshops, and Certifications
Uplift Northwest provides job training opportunities, employment readiness workshops, and certifications to our essential workers and training participants that strengthen their skills and advance them towards a living wage career. 7 Success Builders Workshops, 3 Ready to Work trainings, and a STEP (Strategy, Training, Employment, Performance) class are offered. Partnership trainings include Amazon AWS cloud computing, Metropolitan Improvement District, and WorkSource.
Workers have access to over 700 certification programs. Our partnership with Universal Language Service allows us to deliver trainings, classes, and document translation in over 200 languages. Our employment case managers assist workers to reduce barriers to employment and housing and provide them with continued support and tools needed to be successful as they pursue their goals.
Max,
Uplift Northwest Program Manager
JOB READINESS AND TRAINING PARTICIPATION
446
258
CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE
- Food Handler’s Permit
- Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST)
- Digital Literacy
- Financial Literacy
- OSHA 10
- Flagging
- ServSafe Permit
Paul,
Uplift Northwest Essential Worker
In King County, the #1 cited reason people give for experiencing homelessness is loss of employment and barriers to employment. It’s impossible to talk about solutions to the housing crisis in our community if we omit conversations about barriers to gainful employment. Over 40,000 people in King County are experiencing homelessness. We have the third largest homeless population in the nation though our overall population is 3 times less than the top cities experiencing homelessness.
Empowering a worker into a living wage job is empowering our community. The impact of this work does not end at employment. We are breaking generational cycles of poverty and vulnerability for a stronger and more equitable Seattle – one where ALL are provided for and have the opportunity to thrive.
Housing
Uplift Northwest offers transitional housing via a two-story apartment building in the heart of Belltown. Single occupancy furnished rooms provide dignified shelter to previously homeless workers who have obtained employment. Housing Connector partners with our case managers to streamline moving clients out of homelessness and into permanent housing; and also supports in keeping them stably housed. We refer and connect workers to agencies with Rapid Re-housing funds to aid with move-in costs when housing stability is found. Additional housing referral partners include Plymouth Housing, DESC, and King County Jobs and Housing Program.
Kenneth,
Uplift Northwest Essential Worker
47
109
17155
Housing
Uplift Northwest offers transitional housing via a two-story apartment building in the heart of Belltown. Single occupancy furnished rooms provide dignified shelter to previously homeless workers who have obtained employment. Housing Connector partners with our case managers to streamline moving clients out of homelessness and into permanent housing; and also supports in keeping them stably housed. We refer and connect workers to agencies with Rapid Re-housing funds to aid with move-in costs when housing stability is found. Additional housing referral partners include Plymouth Housing, DESC, and King County Jobs and Housing Program.
Kenneth,
Uplift Northwest Essential Worker
47
109
17155
Support Services
Uplift Northwest is a community of support, accountability, and opportunity. We provide a full continuum of care through a variety of support services, from health and wellness, to technology, and work equipment. If there is a barrier preventing someone from moving forward meaningfully in their life, Uplift Northwest will develop a way to overcome it within our trusted and respected programs. We aim to be full-service, meeting people wherever they are on their journey, walking the hardships together and celebrating the wins hand in hand.
Isai, Tae, and Joe,
Uplift Northwest Essential Workers
Support Services
Uplift Northwest is a community of support, accountability, and opportunity. We provide a full continuum of care through a variety of support services, from health and wellness, to technology, and work equipment. If there is a barrier preventing someone from moving forward meaningfully in their life, Uplift Northwest will develop a way to overcome it within our trusted and respected programs. We aim to be full-service, meeting people wherever they are on their journey, walking the hardships together and celebrating the wins hand in hand.
Isai, Tae, and Joe,
Uplift Northwest Essential Workers
Eric,
Optometrist
In partnership with Walman Optical, Uplift Northwest operates King County’s only free Eye Clinic that provides eye exams and free prescription eyeglasses.
387 People
163 People
Sheryl,
Uplift Northwest Essential Worker
The Uplift Northwest Hygiene Center provides showers and laundry to our essential workers and training participants. Mobile hygiene centers are staffed by Uplift Northwest employees at multiple locations throughout the city in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities and provided more than 65,000 showers over the last 2 years.
7,056 Hygiene
34,320 Showers
The Uplift Northwest Learning Center is a WorkSource Connection site providing individuals in need of computer and internet access use of the computers for training, obtaining permits, work-related activities, or everyday needs. Access Wireless provides free phones to qualifying workers in our Learning Center.
1,820 Hours
7 Laptops
200 Smart Phones
OSL prepares and serves 3 warm meals a day, 7 days a week, through our commercial kitchen and community dining hall.
(In partnership with OSL)
1,091 Hot Meals
208,000 Guests
In partnership with King County’s Mobile Medical Van, we provide free monthly medical and dental services.
87 People
41 Vaccines
Uplift Northwest also provides transportation, work or interview clothing, childcare, lockers, and more to eligible participants.
229 Work Boots and Clothing
$2,837 Transportation
100 Lockers
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
You play a key role in our mission. Transformational impact doesn’t happen without our community of partners and supporters, and lasting change doesn’t occur without consistent support. Uplift Northwest saw record numbers of people coming to our front door seeking opportunity this year. Scaling to meet this need meant increasing our service providers by 26% and growing our budget by 7% to increase program capacities. Our future, and the future of those most vulnerable, depends on all of us.
Together we can “widen the circle of human concern because not until we all thrive are we all truly free..”*
—
* This is an excerpt from Tia Nache’ Fields Yarbrough’s spoken word piece inspired by Uplift Northwest.
$10.5 Million
