As we wind down another challenging year, the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center would like to acknowledge the tremendous work that was quietly and efficiently done by the Town of Friday Harbor to address a multitude of critical community needs. Town Administrator Duncan Wilson, Mayor Farhad Ghatan, Town Council members and administrative staff all worked in a thoughtful, efficient manner to ensure that American Rescue Plan Act funds reached community members where needs were the most critical. This past year, the town has allocated over $127,000 to the Resource Center, to go directly toward needs such as childcare, affordable mental health counseling, rental assistance, home outreach to vulnerable seniors and medical transportation. Each day, staff at our organization see the real-life positive impacts this funding has on helping local households regain stability and health. In some instances – such as childcare funding – support from the Town of Friday Harbor is a big part of building critical community capacity that will have a positive impact for generations to come. While we do not know what new challenges 2022 may bring, our agency is profoundly grateful for this strong work and the town’s commitment to collaborative partnerships that enable timely, responsive solutions to residents’ needs.

Gratefully,

Jennifer Armstrong

Executive Director, JLS Family Resource Center