By Tomasz Biernacki

Being homeless is a miserable experience that most people, thankfully, never have to endure. For the percentage of our population that isn’t so fortunate, the outlook is dismal. There are currently more than 12,000 people experiencing homelessness in the Seattle region. Over half of them live in cars or tents, on park benches, in greenbelts, or on the sidewalk: seeking shelter wherever they can. 

A Go Fund Me campaign has been set up with a target of $60,000. You can donate here.

The scale of the problem is growing so quickly that the established systems can’t keep up. This is where you can step in! Sound Foundations NW is a group of volunteers, building tiny homes to serve as transitional housing for our neighbors. Those that just need a minute to catch their breath and get back on their feet. Currently, we are building tiny homes at Camp Second Chance: a clean and sober, sanctioned, homeless camp in West Seattle.

Moving in to a tiny home has given Camp Second Chance residents the opportunity to feel secure and supported. This has translated to reliably showing up for work, attending college courses, and being able to lay their heads down at night without fear of being assaulted or having their belongings stolen. Last summer, we were able to move 13 people out of tents. Our goal is to build 18 more tiny homes in 2019. Each home costs approximately $3,000 to build, and is designed to be a transitional home until residents can secure permanent housing. 

Sound Foundations NW has no paid staff, meaning that 100% of your fully tax-deductible donation purchases the materials and tools needed to build the remaining tiny homes at Camp Second Chance. 

As soon as we have enough funding for even one home, construction will resume.

These homes have no frills but they’re warm, safe, and dry. Each is structurally sound and includes:

-Insulation to keep folks warm
-A real roof to keep folks dry
-A lock to keep folks safe
-Windows for light and ventilation
-One electric light and one outlet for basic needs
-A small heater
-Durable flooring
-A twin bed frame with a hospital grade mattress 

About the Team:

In 2017, Alki United Church of Christ (Alki UCC) held their annual fundraiser and decided to put their proceeds towards addressing the homeless crisis. A core team of volunteers started building homes in March of 2018 at Camp Second Chance. The original team completed eight tiny homes over the course of the following six months, learning valuable lessons about how to streamline processes and reduce building costs. As enthusiasm for the project grew in the community, the group of volunteers welcomed anyone who wanted to participate (as a donor or volunteer). The project is an outreach project of Alki UCC, and is now as diverse as the community that it serves. We have members from all walks of life, religious affiliations, and skill levels. The current leadership team was established in the fall of 2018, adopting the name “Sound Foundations NW,” and, taking the lessons from the first eight homes, completed five more in record time. 

For more information about Sound Foundations NW, including a tour of Camp Second Chance, please visit us at: 
https://www.soundfoundationsnw.org/