On the Road with PartnerCafe
A Direct Service Mobile Team

Oh, so let’s talk about doctors. The medical kind. The human medical kind. The ones that specialize in knowing us better than we know ourselves. Those folks who constantly wash their hands and and like to ask “does this hurt?” I’m 53, so I have seen my fair share. General practitioners, endocrinologists, gynecologists, psychiatrists, neurologists,…

By Michael Twiggs, Founder & Principal, Garden of Eden Urban Farming “INSIDE/OUTSIDE” BACKGROUND When I returned to college in 2011, my perspective was very different from my classmates. As a seasoned IT professional with over 40 years experience, I was more concerned about the problems I wanted to solve than what I wanted to be…

During my studies of history I always silently chuckled while scratching my head in trying to understand how each side prayed to their God to be safe during battle and victorious in the war. I could see each soldier, as they rested their head each night, asking for a quick victory. They all knew that…

I have heard people say that the truth is always the truth, that to disagree is a sign of lunacy, or something similar, and that that person should be shunned. To believe in a conspiracy theory is simply to out one’s gullibility. To think differently than the majority is to show ignorance or dissidence. To…

From our friends at Pim Savvy, we want to make sure that everyone knows about the Working Families Tax Credit and Pim Savvy’s free tax preparation! Here’s what they shared with us: Individuals and families can now apply for the Working Families Tax Credit on the Department of Revenue (DOR) website:  workingfamiliescredit.wa.gov (see the green…

Our friends at PIMM Savy  have asked us to share information about the Working Families Tax Credit! Their goal is to, “reach out to low-income families that might be interested in applying for the Washington Families Tax Credit to receive up to $1,200 depending on the number of qualifying children.” You can learn more at…

Click here to take the 15-minute survey. “We are concerned about the quality of life for American Americans in Washington state in the areas of economic stability, wellness, housing, wealth, education, child welfare, environmental and social justice. Please complete our 15-minute survey and consider participating in our online focus groups. By sharing your lived experiences…

Several years ago a young man, aged to his eleventh year, informed me of his opinions on those who believed in Santa. That old, chubby man with a red nose from the cold and a smile permanently positioned on his face, that’s the guy this young man was speaking of. I’m not the religious type,…

Please see below for more information on KWA Caregiver Opportunities: KWA IN HOME CARE- Caregiver Opportunities, Full Time & Part Time Please fill out the application at: KWA, Korean Women’s Association, 3625 Perkins Lane SW, Lakewood, WA. 98499 Receive an immediate onsite interview from the hiring staff! OR… Welcome to apply online at www.kwacares.org Questions call…

Combine two of the fastest – growing fields on the planet with a culture of performance, collaboration, and opportunity and this is what you get. Leading edge technology in an industry that’s improving the lives of millions. Here, innovation isn’t about another gadget, it’s about making Healthcare data available wherever and whenever people need it,…

Do you have a passion to serve those affected by mental illness? Would you like to make a difference in your community and be able to speak for those who are unable to do so themselves? Are you interested in advocating for changes and improvements to our mental health system? Would you like to belong…

Here’s a video, taken from the Compassion Clinic in Tacoma, last spring. On The Road with PartnerCafe and our Partners from Pierce County Aging and Disability, SeaMar Community Health Centers, Children’s Therapy Center, and our Medicare Specialists (Insurance Answers WA) had the pleasure of being there! We were able to help serve approximately 60-70 individuals…

Request for Applications – Tax Credit Community Outreach Program June 15, 2022Contracting with Commerce The Department of Commerce (COMMERCE), in collaboration with the Department of Revenue, has initiated a Request for Applications (RFA) to administer Working Families (WFTC) and Earned Income (EITC) Tax Credit Education and Outreach grants effective October 1, 2022 through June 30,…

The Pierce County Rental Assistance program will stop accepting applications on August 1, 2022.  Tenants will have until then to submit or make changes to their rental assistance application. Applications will be processed normally until all funds have been distributed.  To qualify, you must be overdue on rent and prove you have been impacted by…

Our Partners at Dads MOVE have asked us to reach out to our various networks to spread the word: They are searching for new Board Members! Dads M.O.V.E. (Mentoring Others Through Voices of Experience) started in the summer of 2011. Seven fathers who had met at various events who all had children with behavioral health…

Hello everyone, Sharing with you that Asia Pacific Cultural Center is now offering COVID-19 vaccine approved for 6 months to 5 yrs. old.  Adults and teens can also get vaccinated. Walk-ins accepted: Wednesdays 2 pm to 6 pm Asia Pacific Cultural Center 4851 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409 (253) 383-3900   Also, the attachment…

Some time ago I gave into my wondering thoughts. Knowing that they were mere atoms bouncing around in my head I saw no harm in following them, wherever they bounced. A Thinkabout is what I called it, and an undertaking of the highest peril, and of the highest reward. Most, I would gather, feared the…

According to the Washington State Department of Health, in 2020, approximately 174 people lost their lives to drowning in Washington State. Over half of these unintentional drowning deaths occurred in open water settings, i.e., lakes, rivers, oceans. Drowning fatalities are preventable. Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Tools: Water safety for lakes, rivers, beaches, pool safety,…

Good Afternoon, Please see below for a listening session from WA Department of Health: COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER LISTENING SESSION INVITATION Washington State Department of Health together with partners Northwest Regional Primary Care Association (NWRPCA) and Washington Association for Community Health are developing a project for a HRSA grant to support CHW training and experiential learning in…

I think it started the day I asked myself what I didn’t want, I only knew because I had witnessed it at some previous point. But to know what I didn’t want in an intimate relationship I had to know what I didn’t want in me. This required me to be honest with myself as…

A best friend is someone who will delete your browser history when you die. A best friend never needs an explanation. A best friend gets your quirkiness, your pet peeves, your dumb moments and your brilliant ones too. A best friend is always ready with an alibi, because so often they are your co-conspirators. A…

I remember watching my mother trying to figure out the clock on our VCR player. I used to jokingly say “you’ve got to be smarter than the VCR!” I remember doing such things for the adults around me, wondering how they managed to get to their age. Guess what: I’m officially stupid. I thought that…

Me on a bad day: I didn’t beg you then I didn’t curse you either I didn’t ask you why I didn’t hate you instead I just walked With or without you I didn’t understand then I don’t understand now I didn’t cheat back then And I don’t steal now I gave then willingly I…

From an email we received: Hello PCHSC members, The county council is taking final consideration of a resolution to transfer surplus land from the county located at 3561 Pacific Ave to the city of Tacoma or Tacoma Redevelopment Board. The executive committee is in full support of this, your help is important and needed so…

I’ve never liked sitcoms, those half hour situational comedy shows. Their predictability was un-nerving. The plot was the same no matter what show was playing. Someone did something stupid and spent the rest of the show trying to undo the damage while no one found out. And the ending was also the same: everyone found…

“The doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.” That is one definition of Feminism. Another is “A path of using tact to forward women’s rights.” That’s my own personal definition. And another is “The philosophy of acting like a barbarian towards men because men are pigs.” I’m…

Life’s too short to be routine. The humdrum of every day life can make us stagnant and just kinda blah. It can make us wish for something more, something bigger, more unique and more persuasive. We can spend our life wandering and wanting. I ask you what joy comes to you when you get that…

Volunteering is to donate one’s time to a cause they deem worthy. It’s considered a selfless act which often receives gratitude. The “cause” can range from helping sea turtles and butterflies to saving mankind/womenkind. Pick a random day on the calendar and it will read “Inter/National Save The … Day.” I’m sure that there are…

See the information below for a job opportunity with Neighborhood Clinic: The Neighborhood Clinic community is in need of a new director for their clinic located in the hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma. More information here for anyone interested: https://neighborhoodclinictacoma.org/executive-director/. Thank you, Executive Team, CHW Collaborative of Pierce County: Cathy Tashiro, Ina Smith, Nary Pung, Jan Runbeck, &…

A problem every parent, actually every adult, has to face is that question from a child to which they do not have an answer. Not that there is no answer, just that we adults don’t know it. Momentarily the child’s curiosity has surpassed our own personal need for knowledge. It can be frustrating to feel…

Korean Women’s Association (KWA) is seeking to hire full time/part-time Home Care Aides (Caregivers) 100% PAID TRAINING-Homecare Aide Certification Training and License. Competitive Wage starting at $17-.00-19.37 Base Pay, plus additional pay Depending on Experience, Please fill out the application at: KWA, Korean Women’s Association, 3625 Perkins Lane SW, Lakewood, WA. 98499 KWA In Home…

C: “I hate you!” H: “Why?” C: “Because it’s raining.” H: “That doesn’t make any sense.” C: “I hate you because I know that you made it rain.” H: “Seriously?” C: “Yes, seriously.” H: “Okay, you got me. I did a rain dance while you were napping.” C: “I knew it!” H: “Seriously?” C: “Yes,…

Message from Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness …. It is getting cold. It is getting snowy. It is Inclement Weather time – where we focus myopically on one goal and one goal alone: no one dies. Inclement weather has been called for today Saturday, December 25th, 2021 through at least the end of the…

Very few could ever guess that I have a severe mental illness. Sometimes it’s a compliment and sometimes it’s not. Either I am being praised for all of the hard work I put into dealing with my illness or I am a disappointment for not acting normal. Yeah, it’s sounds weird when I read it…

Pain sucks. And chronic pain sucks chronically. If I were asked to give a speech about pain to a room full of strangers, after my introduction I would say these two sentences and then sit back down. I’m trying to imagine the individual who would either disagree or not appreciate the weight of my statements.…

Pierce County Toys for Tots – This provides gifts to children using donations. New, unwrapped toys, legos, games, books, bikes, video games, and more may be offered. The applications are normally processed in November and early December. Town of Sumner as well as Bonney Lake– Applications are done by each child’s school. ELKS 174, 2013…

There is a time for fun and a time to adult. Fun is the ability to laugh at one self’s blunders and see the ridiculousness around them. It’s the ease at which one finds themselves in when having to be and do adult things. Fun reduces the unhealthy effects of being an adult and can…

Pierce County Coalition for Developmental Disabilities is looking to hire an Office Assistant for their Tacoma Office to start January 3rd, 2022. They are looking for someone who has experience working in an office setting, who is organized, able to self-manage and available to work 32 hours a week Monday through Friday. Candidates must be…

Read the full report here: https://www.piercetransit.org/2021-report-to-community/ Read about improvements made in 2021 to Pierce County Transit, including things like Extra cleaning and sanitizing measures New lines added to the transit system Adding Electric Busses “On Demand” Transportation locations And new digital tools, such as real time signage at stops

I think that the only people who truly understand the suffering, shaming, hating, and degradation a perfectionist fights every day is their mother. I was 16 when it was explained to me that I wasn’t going to receive any lecture or punishment for my actions because I did a far more severe job than anyone…

When I was a kid all I wanted was to be an adult. I wanted to be seen, heard, acknowledged and believed. I wanted access to the adult conversations, jokes, toys, bedtime, and the word “no”. That’s right, I wanted to be able to say no and not get my parents into a tizzy and…

Email from Duke Paulson: From: Duke Paulson <> Sent: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 2:58 PM To: Amelia Kaiser <> Subject: Community Request for Signatures Hello Community Friends, I need your help. Please don’t print and sign this, but if you want to support it, read how to respond at the end of the email. I am writing to ask…

Click on the images to view the full size announcement. Bulletin Three – Child Find.pdf

South Sound 211 has an open position for a Transportation Navigator at our contact center! This is a great opportunity for someone with call center or customer service representative skills to learn about the coordinated transportation system in Pierce County and connect people with services in the South Sound region. Please share the attached job…

The month of October is the goriest month of the year. With its goblins and ghosts, its succubi and incubi, its body parts and blood, it’s just nasty. Well, it’s just nasty if one isn’t a child, or can’t easily reach their inner child. If one is a child, it’s either dress up time or…

The Tarmarack Institute is offering a self-paced online course that helps you learn how to advocate and advance high impact ending poverty pathways in your community. The course is split into five (5) lessons and taught by Vibrant Communities’ Natasha Pei, Manager of Cities, in this new five module course. Topics include Ending Working Poverty, Governments…

One reason we live in a great country is because of our legal system. Our forbearers worked, under pressure from the loyalists and fear of being executed by the Crown, to create a document that kept any government from taking over this country and eliminating our God given rights. Those rights were given to us…

I just sat there and waited. I hesitated my anticipation of joy for fear of impending regret. Should I care if that moment was private, closing the curtains to any onlookers. I knew that soon all would be right, if just for a few precious moments, and the entire experience would be mine alone to…

Click the link below to read an article from Joan Garry about 6 Attributes of a Highly Effective Board Chair. Joan compares those traits to Ted Lasso from the Emmy-Award winning TV series of the same name. https://blog.joangarry.com/effective-board-chair/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=What+Makes+a+Great+Board+Chair%3F&utm_campaign=Blog%3A+Ted+Lasso