NUHSA recognizes community volunteers at annual meeting

Award winners for Volunteer of the Year, Art Mabbott,
and Volunteer Program of the Year, Care Day.

On December 9, the North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) held its annual Human Service Awards and Membership Meeting at Shoreline City Hall.

NUHSA has been celebrating the accomplishments of local individuals and organizations since 2008. Each year NUHSA encourages agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community members to acknowledge the work of those who strengthen North King County’s safety net.

This year NUHSA honored Care Day, a one­ day resource event for low­ income families in Bothell, for Best Volunteer Program, and Art Mabbott, a volunteer at Friends of Youth and Safe Place, for Volunteer of the Year.

Guest speaker, King County Council member Rod Dembowski, delved into his work on transportation, health and the Youth Action Plan.

Art Mabbott from Friends of Youth won the Volunteer of the Year award. He is a retired math teacher who volunteers with Friends of Youth and is now training other volunteers how to respond to youth in crisis around the clock as an on-call volunteer with Safe Place, an outreach program designed to provide immediate access to help and safety for youth ages 11-17.

He works wonderfully with the youth and can always be counted on to be the "backup" for the other volunteers on call. According to his supervisors, "No matter the time of day (or night), when Art is called, some of his first words are always, 'Do you need me?' He is prepared and faithful to answer the call to help the youth in our community."

Care Day won for Volunteer Program of the Year. Care Day’s goal is to show compassion for people experiencing need, to strengthen the safety net of human service providers in the Northshore community, and to engage with volunteers to raise community awareness.

On August 15th, the effort made towards these goals came together through an event that brought 62 providers and 180 volunteers to Bothell High School to provide tangible services to approximately 250 men, women and children within our community.

This year's nominees:

For Volunteer of the Year:

• Colleen Blake of Center for Human Services 
• Dwight Binge of the Senior Services Volunteer Transportation Program

For Volunteer Program of the Year:

• The Senior Services Volunteer Transportation Program
• Farms for Life

The North Urban Human Service Alliance (NUHSA) is an alliance of City, County and State staff, non-profit human service providers, United Way, school districts, faith communities and concerned citizens.

NUHSA works to promote a sustainable system of social and health services for residents of Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline and Woodinville in North King County, Washington