What we are facing...

	A significant population at or near the poverty level…50% of the county's public assistance recipients live in South King County.
	An influx of refugees and immigrants speaking over 100 different languages from around the world, and not enough services to help them start a new life.
	A disproportionately high number of children and seniors.
	Within the City of SeaTac, no affordable housing built for seniors; no medical clinics; no doctors.

Several assessments have identified southwest King County as severely lacking in available human services. The result is an underserved population of over 630,000, which has grown 55% in the past twenty years. This far exceeds the 34% growth rate for the county as a whole. South King County has a high percentage of low-income families. Fifty percent of the county’s public assistance recipients live in South King County.

Childcare
A disproportionately high number of young children and seniors also live in South King County, and these populations are expected to grow faster than the general population. Child Care Resources reports only one licensed childcare slot for every two children in need of services in the area. Due to the proximity of the airport and the many hotels in SeaTac, there is an urgent need for infant care and care for children of parents who work non-standard hours. Across Washington State, only 1 percent of childcare centers and 4 percent of family home providers offer weekend care. Only 9 percent of childcare centers and 10 percent of family home providers offer care throughout the evening.

You could find…

A young family. They struggle to get by on low-paying service jobs at the airport and nearby hotels, working the night-shift and weekends... and then to not find decent childcare. And if their children get sick, there’s no doctor in the city. Not even a clinic.

A refugee from East Africa. Hardly anyone speaks his language who can help him learn English and get a job. His new life in America is painful and lonely.

A widow. She's deeply attached to her home and neighbors. Her kids live far away, and they're distressed as they watch her aging. They fear she shouldn't be on her own.

Healthcare
The South King County region has a significant population that is at or near the poverty level and does not have access to medical care. Due to the lack of medical facilities in the area, the residents of the SeaTac community need to travel to surrounding communities to receive medical care. This is a hardship due to the time and cost of travel.

Refugees and Immigrants
Refugees and immigrants have been moving to South King County in large numbers. An average of 3,000 refugees and immigrants relocate here each year. Most of these individuals come from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Very few services in the area are available to these individuals in their native languages, and resettlement is often a difficult and painful process. Most agencies that do provide services in South King County report language barriers as one of their biggest challenges.

Senior Services
Services for seniors are also limited. South King County grew by 55% between 1980 and 1998. In just the last 8 years the number of senior citizens has grown by 32%. Since 1996, Meals on Wheels reports a 30% increase in the number of homebound seniors in need of services. It is expected that the number of people needing in-home care in South King County will be 5 times greater by 2010. All South County jurisdictions acknowledge an ever-increasing need for senior services.