In April 2019, Ronita Boullt lost her job as a Program Specialist with a local managed care organization. Three days later, a community member who was a retired pastor knocked on her door. 81 years young, this gentleman played the banjo, built his own instruments, had computer skills and wanted to start a Bible study in the community. He was also caring for his wife, who was experiencing post-hip surgery falls. Lacking any nearby family to provide support, this lovely couple was unaware of the state or county assistance that could provide in- home care support. Hearing this story, Ronita offered to assist in identifying resources for them. The pastor then began to introduce Ronita to other community members who also needed help with connecting to community resources.
One of those community members was a young Hispanic woman,who had some chronic health issues and three small children with disabilities. Ronita learned that the young woman next door neighbor had been providing transportation, to and from doctor’s appointments to the young woman and children and providing advocacy assistance @ the doctor’s and school, for the past three years without pay. The neighbor was not aware of state programs that could pay her for the services she’d been providing. Ronita learned that this neighbor had relocated to Graham, from Maryland with her husband, had worked as an administrator @ the Galledat University for Deaf and Hard Hearing, knew American Sign Language (ASL) and was a seamstress.
Ronita shared these resources with the community members and offered to assist the community members in navigating and linking to other resources that will be beneficial to her professional development. As Ronita mentored this neighbor, this relationship spanned business development as a seamstress, and later work as an independent contractor for ASL, certified Peer Counselor, and licensed home care aide. This neighbor now serves as a Peer Navigator Advocate/Mentor with CwCC, a strong example of the diverse experience among our team members.
In October, 2019, Ronita filed for 501(c) 3 nonprofit status. However, only a few months later, the Covid pandemic began disrupting services, particularly programs assisting our most marginalized, vulnerable, underserved community members. In December, 2020, CwCC applied for our first grant, $25,000, which enabled the purchase of computers and equipment to provide remote service and continue connecting those in need with the resources that help them.
CwCC's volunteers provided direct services outreach, and professional services (accounting etc). In March, 2021, Ronita contracted with Washington, Healthcare Authority as a “Foundational Community Supports” (FCS) provider, to provide supported housing and employment services. CwCC also was awarded a grant from the Washington State Office of Crime Victim Assistance (OCVA) to provide crime victim support, a natural outgrowth of our work with the consequences of trauma.
Currently CwCC is staffed with Peer Navigator Advocates (PNA) that are “Certified Peer Counselors“ but also individuals with lived experience as providing “systems navigation” and advocacy, for our core services (supported housing, employment, and crime victim services) to community members, in Pierce, King, and Thurston counties. We received 2022-2024 funding to expand our services and establish our “Health Wellness Empowerment’ program initiatives. CwCC is working to secure a building/office space, in unincorporated Pierce County as our homebase, for community development, and providing our Health Wellness Empowerment program initiatives to our “Black Indigenous People of Color” (BIPoC), marginalized, vulnerable, underserved community members, in this community and surrounding rural cities.
CwCC has established a Recovery Residence, located in Graham, Washington. The Caring with Compassion Community House (CwCCH), is accredited by the Washington Alliance For Quality Residences (WAQRR). CwCC has also partnered with Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA), as a Microenterprise Development Organization (MDO) to provide business development and technical assistance, to small business owners and entrepreneurs, within BIPoC, marginalized, vulnerable, and underserved community members. CwCC also received 2021-2022 Statewide & Urban Grants, to establish a similar MDO for nonprofit organizations. Both of these programs provide technical assistance navigating funding resources and business planning development, to create economic community development and financial empowerment.
We support everyone's potential, recognizing and building on their strengths, and infusing purpose through community. In turn, individuals move from the safety net to greater productivity and are able to make their own community contributions.
One of those community members was a young Hispanic woman,who had some chronic health issues and three small children with disabilities. Ronita learned that the young woman next door neighbor had been providing transportation, to and from doctor’s appointments to the young woman and children and providing advocacy assistance @ the doctor’s and school, for the past three years without pay. The neighbor was not aware of state programs that could pay her for the services she’d been providing. Ronita learned that this neighbor had relocated to Graham, from Maryland with her husband, had worked as an administrator @ the Galledat University for Deaf and Hard Hearing, knew American Sign Language (ASL) and was a seamstress.
Ronita shared these resources with the community members and offered to assist the community members in navigating and linking to other resources that will be beneficial to her professional development. As Ronita mentored this neighbor, this relationship spanned business development as a seamstress, and later work as an independent contractor for ASL, certified Peer Counselor, and licensed home care aide. This neighbor now serves as a Peer Navigator Advocate/Mentor with CwCC, a strong example of the diverse experience among our team members.
In October, 2019, Ronita filed for 501(c) 3 nonprofit status. However, only a few months later, the Covid pandemic began disrupting services, particularly programs assisting our most marginalized, vulnerable, underserved community members. In December, 2020, CwCC applied for our first grant, $25,000, which enabled the purchase of computers and equipment to provide remote service and continue connecting those in need with the resources that help them.
CwCC's volunteers provided direct services outreach, and professional services (accounting etc). In March, 2021, Ronita contracted with Washington, Healthcare Authority as a “Foundational Community Supports” (FCS) provider, to provide supported housing and employment services. CwCC also was awarded a grant from the Washington State Office of Crime Victim Assistance (OCVA) to provide crime victim support, a natural outgrowth of our work with the consequences of trauma.
Currently CwCC is staffed with Peer Navigator Advocates (PNA) that are “Certified Peer Counselors“ but also individuals with lived experience as providing “systems navigation” and advocacy, for our core services (supported housing, employment, and crime victim services) to community members, in Pierce, King, and Thurston counties. We received 2022-2024 funding to expand our services and establish our “Health Wellness Empowerment’ program initiatives. CwCC is working to secure a building/office space, in unincorporated Pierce County as our homebase, for community development, and providing our Health Wellness Empowerment program initiatives to our “Black Indigenous People of Color” (BIPoC), marginalized, vulnerable, underserved community members, in this community and surrounding rural cities.
CwCC has established a Recovery Residence, located in Graham, Washington. The Caring with Compassion Community House (CwCCH), is accredited by the Washington Alliance For Quality Residences (WAQRR). CwCC has also partnered with Washington State Microenterprise Association (WSMA), as a Microenterprise Development Organization (MDO) to provide business development and technical assistance, to small business owners and entrepreneurs, within BIPoC, marginalized, vulnerable, and underserved community members. CwCC also received 2021-2022 Statewide & Urban Grants, to establish a similar MDO for nonprofit organizations. Both of these programs provide technical assistance navigating funding resources and business planning development, to create economic community development and financial empowerment.
We support everyone's potential, recognizing and building on their strengths, and infusing purpose through community. In turn, individuals move from the safety net to greater productivity and are able to make their own community contributions.