2018 NUHSA Human Services Awards

Counselors in Training
mentoring younger children
Photo courtesy NUHSA

NUHSA is an alliance of nonprofit agencies, faith communities, city and county leadership, school districts, and members of the community who advocate for a strong and accessible health and human services system in North King County, encompassing Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Bothell and Woodinville.

NUHSA’s Annual Human Services Awards ceremony has been celebrating the accomplishments of local individuals and organizations since 2008.

The North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) is proud to announce its 2018 Human Services Award winners.

Each award recipient has demonstrated a significant contribution to the health and welfare of our North King County community and has supported or advocated for a strong and accessible health and human services system, strengthening our community through their initiative and leadership.

Nominees and winners will be honored at NUHSA's 2018 Human Services Awards celebration on December 4, 2018, 5:30 – 7:00pm in the City of Shoreline Council Chamber, 17500 Midvale Ave N. King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski will be the featured speaker. 

The community is welcome! For more information or to RSVP for this community event, email staff@nuhsa.org

Srijan Chakraborty

Human Services Champion of the Year: 
Srijan Chakraborty, 

Executive Director, Hunger Intervention Program

Under Srijan’s leadership, HIP marshalled the support and developed the partnerships necessary to provide weekend food backpacks to Shoreline School District students and recently began to partner with schools in the Northshore School District. Srijan also helped lead the effort to provide Summer Meals in Shoreline parks, providing freshly made and nutritious lunches from the HIP kitchen, enabling families to stretch their food budgets.

Nominees:

• Haruka Tang, Family Support Center Volunteer, Center for Human Services
• Lauren Oliver, Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Volunteer, Center for Human Services
• Judge Linda Portnoy, Presiding Judge, Lake Forest Park Municipal Court
• Neha Raichur, Heather Corbin and Robyn Mah, Holiday Baskets Coordinators; Shoreline PTA Council
• Elvira Vojnikovic, Former Pres.; Islamic Community of Bosniaks of WA (ICBW); Board Member, Bosnian Youth of Seattle 

Counselors in Training mentoring younger students

Outstanding Human Services Program 

West Side: Counselors in Training Program

The Counselors in Training (CiT) Program provides an opportunity for youth in grades 9-12 to assist Center for Human Services in providing the Summer Learning Program for K-8th grade youth residents at Ballinger Homes, a King County Housing Authority Complex in Shoreline. CiTs provide 15+ hours of volunteer time each week over a six-week period, helping to facilitate the program and mentor younger students.

This year, a group of Shorewood and Shorecrest youth are being honored who have shown exceptional commitment and dedication by spending the last two (or more) summer breaks as CiTs. Many of these youth are Ballinger Homes residents and former participants themselves. With the CiT program, they have become leaders and have made a tremendously positive impact in their community.

Kenmore - Bothell Interfaith Group
Photo courtesy NUHSA

Outstanding Human Services Program
East Side: Kenmore Bothell Interfaith Group

KBIG and its founder, Rev. Kristin Joyner, provide leadership and action that engages the Bothell and Kenmore communities and has resulted in new and needed services in North King County. 

KBIG rallied local support to help bring the overnight Winter Shelter to Kenmore and also helped pave the way for Mary’s Place to open a year-round shelter. 

KBIG is a strong advocate for affordable housing, co-sponsoring public forums and actively participating in city and community efforts to develop a strategy for increasing affordability and reducing homelessness. 

KBIG develops strong partnerships with providers and has established or supported multiple projects benefiting schools, students and homeless youth.

Nominees:

• King County Housing Authority
• Compass Housing
• Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park 

President's Award
Shoreline City Council

President’s Award: Shoreline City Council

Shoreline has prioritized development of a thriving system of human services with leadership, funding and staffing, responding to increased needs with increased innovation and support. In 2018, the City entered into a partnership with King County to develop up to 100 units of affordable housing, and in 2017, the City Council implemented increases to the City’s funding support of direct services, ensuring Shoreline residents have access to key support services that are delivered and supported locally.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Judy Parsons

Lifetime Achievement Award: Judy Parsons

Judy has a long and impressive list of community engagement, including PTA leadership at all levels, Shoreline School Board Director, North Shore/Shoreline Community Network Board member and Lead Staff, Chamber of Commerce Secretary, co-founder of the CARE Team, and board member of Northwest Neighborhood Network. 

All this in addition to involvement in her church and choir and raising a family. Judy retired from the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center in 2017. 

Not surprisingly, she is still volunteering, currently as President of NUHSA and with the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and the Shoreline Historical Museum. 

Judy has had a significant impact on our community and in advocating for the most vulnerable. NUHSA celebrates her dedication to the health and wellbeing of all of our citizens and honors her lifetime of service.


NUHSA, through partnership and collaboration, supports providers, funders and the community to enhance existing resources and build our capacity to effectively respond to community needs. For more information, email staff@nuhsa.org or call 206-550-5626.