I. Purpose

 

The purpose of this evaluation report is to provide an overview of programs, services, and partnerships that connect the Anacortes Family Center (AFC) to our clients and the community.

 

This report began as a vehicle to highlight the services provided in our Emergency Shelter Program.  Since we have grown to a full campus of housing, programs, and services, we are expanding our 2024 report to include clients and activities related to our Family Transformation Center, The Launch Affordable Apartments, and The Landing Affordable Apartments (including the Early Learning Center provided in partnership) and, along with our Emergency Shelter, create our Anacortes Campus. 

 

Our 2024 report will remain primarily focused on the details and statistics of the Emergency Shelter, and we will expand our reporting in 2025 even more to include additional campus activities and outcomes.

 

II. Methodology for The Emergency Shelter Program Analysis

 

The program is evaluated in terms of the achievement of AFC’s mission and goals.

 

• The mission of the Anacortes Family Center’s Emergency Shelter is “to serve homeless women, children, and families in crisis by providing shelter in addition to transformational services to achieve long lasting personal success and self-sufficiency.”

• The primary goal of the Anacortes Family Center’s Emergency Shelter is to assist clients to achieve self-sufficiency by the conclusion of their participation in the program.

 

In partnership with staff at the Anacortes Family Center, Heather Rudolph prepared this report by examining confidential case files to obtain information regarding the clients served in 2024. The information was obtained for the purpose of analysis in this review. The case files for each household contained additional detailed case management information that was not used for the purpose of this evaluation.

 

Records were reviewed for clients that exited the Emergency Shelter program in the calendar year 2024. Please note this includes clients who began services in 2023 but exited the program in 2024, and excludes clients who began services in 2024 but did not exit the program by December 31, 2024.

 

Information was gathered from many categories including: client demographics, homelessness history, domestic violence victimization, disabilities and health conditions, criminal history, employment and income, obstacles faced, services provided, reason for leaving the program, and destination when exiting the program.

 

We also tracked housing outcomes in Skagit County and surrounding counties, as well as noting clients who upon successful program completion at the Emergency Shelter were housed on AFC’s campus in the Family Transformation Center, The Landing Apartments, or The Launch Apartments.

 

We began collecting new data in 2024 that will be included throughout this report, including Emergency Room visits, recent history of jail, senior and Veteran status.

 

Below are overview results and outcomes from AFC’s Emergency Shelter Program. See Appendix C for a visual presentation of data highlights and some comparative statistics beginning in 2018.

 

III. Emergency Shelter Program - Summary and Highlights

 

• 43 families comprised of 52 adults and 68 children for a total of 120 clients served.

• 9,154 safe bed nights were provided for our families. This is a 16% reduction in bed nights provided.

  • Results were calculated by the number of family members and their total nights spent at AFC.

  • AFC supported more single adults than in 2023 which contributed to the reduction in total bed nights AFC provided to the community.  Four shelter units housed a single person for 341 bed nights.

• 88% of all households successfully completed the program.

• 73 days was the Average Length of Stay.

• 82% of families remained in Skagit County after exiting AFC’s Emergency Shelter.

• 42% of families exiting the AFC’s Emergency Shelter with a successful outcome received permanent housing at one of AFC’s three housing facilities.

• 74% of clients self-reported being diagnosed with a mental health condition.

• 24% of families were actively fleeing domestic violence, including 25% of all children.

• 12% of families had five or more household members and all were headed by a single mother.

• 58% of households earned <30% AMI upon program entry and only 20% were <30% AMI upon exiting the program.

• 40% of households utilized emergency room or ambulance services in the last six months.

• One (1) reported Veteran and no seniors were served in 2024.

 

IV. Detailed Findings

 

A. Demographics

 

In 2024, the Anacortes Family center served 120 individual clients from 43 total households.

 

• 52 adults and 68 children were served.

• Adult clients comprised of 38 women (73%) and 14 men (27%).

• 68% of all clients were children under 18 years old.

• The average age of our clients was 37 years old for adults and 8.5 years for children.

• Seven households had children one 1 year old or younger, 3 women were pregnant during their time in the program and one of those women has a child 1 year old or younger.

• Five families (12%) had five or more household members, and all were headed by a single mother.

• We began collecting sexual identity status and based on the data collected from 23 adults reported 78% of those reported identified as heterosexual and 22% are bisexual.

 

The head of households for the 43 families identified the family race/ethnicity:

 

67% White

5% Black

16% Hispanic

2% Pacific Islanders

7% Native American

1% Asian

 

The households were comprised of single females with children, two adult households with children, single females, single males with children, and a single male.

 

• Single parent households - 72%

  • Single females with children – 35 families

  • Single males with children – 1 family

• Two partner households – 20%

  • 10 families

• Single adults – 14%

  • Single females – 5

  • Single male – 1

 

Six (6) families (14%) with children reported involvement with CPS within six months of entering the Emergency Shelter.

 

A vulnerability score is calculated for each client upon completion of the coordinated entry process paperwork. The vulnerability score allows housing programs to prioritize the most vulnerable clients.

 

• The average vulnerability score for the clients that entered the Emergency Shelter program in 2024 was 15. The scores ranged from five to 28.

 

B. Homelessness

 

Every client household was considered “literally” homeless upon application to the Emergency Shelter program. Twenty-nine (29) or 71% of families were currently unsheltered when they entered the program, meaning they were either living completely unsheltered outside or living in a place not suitable for habitation (tent, car, etc.).

 

The families not considered “currently unsheltered” were in temporary shelter situations (other homeless shelter, staying in a motel/hotel through a voucher program, etc.)

 

Many of our families have faced chronic homelessness, defined as continually homeless for one year or longer, or four more instances of homelessness in the last three years that equate to one year or more of homelessness. Forty-nine percent (49%) of households fell into this category and 49% of all households experienced homelessness under 18 years old. Thirty-five percent (35%) of those experiencing homelessness under 18 years old also report chronic homelessness as adults.

 

Previous evictions history is a major barrier to securing permanent housing and 24% of our households have experienced this in their past.  This is one of the many barriers we address in our required Rent Ready program. 

 

AFC assists clients to combat the barriers to housing they are facing through the “Rent Ready” program. This program is designed to prepare clients to secure housing upon completion of the program and development of a housing resume. It includes budgeting lessons, identifying challenges, competing and follow up on housing applications, how to read lease agreements, the move in and out process, and how to be a good neighbor. 

 

The Rent Ready program was completed by 93% of our families in the program.  When clients complete the program, they will have a housing portfolio including a rental resume, letter of explanation, proof of ability to pay, reference letters, roommate and pet information, proof of renter’s insurance, and the rent ready certificate.

 

C. Domestic Violence

 

Domestic violence impacted 63% of our households in their lifetime and 24% were currently fleeing domestic violence when entering the program. There were 17 children from 10 families fleeing domestic violence with their primary parent/guardian.  Three single women were also fleeing domestic violence when they entered AFC.

 

D. Disabilities and Health Conditions

 

Just over half, or 53%, of our families reported physical or developmental disabilities, and of those 23 families 52% report their disability affects opportunities to secure and maintain housing. 

 

Thirty-four (34) households or 79% of all families said they had sought or received mental health services in the past and 94% of those families have household members who have been diagnosed with mental health condition by a professional.

 

Below are the physical and mental disabilities reported by our clients:

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49% of clients reported they were in recovery from substance use and 26% of those clients disclosed they are currently receiving treatment.

 

Clients reported they were active in these community treatment programs:

 

AA (multiple chapters)

Intensive Outpatient Programs

AA 12 Step Program

Jennifer Paddock

Catholic Charities

Outpatient Therapy

Cocaine Anonymous (CA)

Relapse Prevention

Didgwalic Wellness Center

Skagit Sober Cafe

Ideal Options

 

E. Criminal Behavior

 

A client with a criminal background can face additional barriers to obtaining long term housing due to the application requirements for subsidized housing. All clients applying for public housing assistance will undergo a background check, and some felonies can disqualify an individual from assistance.

 

• 47% of families disclosed an adult member had been arrested, charged, or convicted of a misdemeanor crime.

• 21% disclose having been arrested, charged, or convicted of a felony crime.

• 21% of our clients spent one night in jail or prison in the last six months.

 

F. Employment, Income, and Budgeting

 

While enrolled in the Emergency Shelter program, clients are provided with rigorous case management. The case manager and other staff members work together to provide clients with the tools they need to obtain and maintain employment, and to better manage the family’s finances.  Weekly required Life Skills classes reinforce our Case Management support.

 

The AFC program emphasizes securing employment while in the program because stable employment means stable income, which leads to secure housing. The following table reflects adult employment upon Enrollment and Exit from the program and their average earnings at that point in time.

 

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• Additional income was reported from the following sources in order of frequency: Child Support (6 families), TANF (3 families), SSI (2 families), followed by the following sources reported by one family each for SSDI, Veteran’s Disability Payment, General Assistance, Pension, and Other Income (consulting/own business).

• Six (6) families did not report any income.

 

Household income was assessed to determine if the family was below the poverty level, or less than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). See the table below for reference.

 

• Families earning less than 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) were recorded at 58% upon enrollment and 20% at exit. 

 

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​​​​​G. Client Identified Barriers and Learning Opportunities

 

Upon enrollment in the program, clients were given a list of barriers and topics they would like to learn more about.  The following table identifies the options and percentage of families that selected each item. Note that responses here may vary from those collected on the Vulnerability Survey since the documents are done separately and may lend to different responses.

 

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​​​Upon exit from the Emergency Shelter, clients were asked which services and Life Skills classes best assisted them while participating in the program.

 

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H. Service Providers

 

A feature of the Emergency Shelter program is providing service referrals to additional providers in the area that can support clients participating in the program. Seventeen (17) households reported using referrals to our partners in the following categories:

 

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I. Reasons for Leaving Program

 

When each household exits the Emergency Shelter program, the case manager categorizes how the client leaves the program. The reasons are broken down into the following categories: completed program, non-compliance with program, needs could not be met by the program, disagreement with rules/program, criminal activity/destruction of property, unknown/disappeared, or other.

 

• Eighty-Eight (88%) of households successfully completed the program.

• Twelve percent (12%) or five families left the program due to non-compliance or had needs that could not be met through the program.

 

J. Destinations by Outcome

 

The case manager recorded the destination of the household at the time of exit in addition to the reason for leaving the program.

 

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​​​​​​K. Destinations for Families

 

We also tracked the geographic and physical locations of our families’ destinations upon exit. 

 

82% of all clients remained in Skagit County while 18% departed to other counties in Washington, two families moved out of state and five families left to unknown destinations.

 

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​​With the growth of our AFC housing facilities, we were able to house 42% of the families who successfully completed the Emergency Shelter Program in an AFC facility:

 

• Family Transformational Center – 14 families

• The Landing Apartments – 1 family

• The Launch Apartments – 1 family

 

IV. In Their Own Words…Accolades and Gratitude from our Clients!

 

• Thank you very much for your caretaking of us in our time of need.  I learned about time management and budgeting and tracking my spending.

• We would like to add how grateful we are for all of the AFC family for helping us!

• All needs were generously met! I think AFC is an asset/resource the community should be proud of!  I hope to volunteer one day!

• My case management was amazing!

• We are pretty amazed overall.  The resources and info we have received.

• We are very thankful for everything AFC has done for us.  In the end, we would love to be on of your success stories.  I'm excited for our future in thanking AFC for the safe opportunities.

• This program was exceptionally helpful and greatly helped us in this time of need.  All the staff are absolutely amazing.  We will miss you all!

• I love this program and all of Rachel's help and easy access to resources.

• The personnel were very helpful, all very professional, very kind.  Thank you for this great help!

• 2. I like you very much for the support you gave me during the time I was in AFC.  Thank you also for your words of friendship for when my daughter left.

• I found the program helpful for getting me through all my classes to be quickly reunited with my family.

• Overall amazing staff made us feel very welcome.  Extremely valuable information has helped out so very much.  I am so very grateful for everything!

• I really enjoyed working with staff here.  I felt discouraged with my income being so low, but I was supported through that.

• Everything you provided and resources were very helpful.  Thank you!

• This program was helpful.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to stay here while I paid off debts and got housing.

• Everyone was very helpful, overall, a fantastic program.

• I actually had all of the resources that I needed and some extra.  Overall, my stay here with my children was amazing and my kids loved the kids’ program on life skills.  My oldest friend also enjoyed her time as well.

• Everyone was very patient and helpful.

• I got everything I needed.  This program was great!

• I found all the resources helpful, and they inspired me in many more ways than one!  I gained a lot of confidence and overcame a lot of hardships at AFC.  It's truly a positive and helpful program!

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