“I’m sick of looking back, I want to look forward. I want to leave a positive legacy and let people know not to give up, never to surrender.” At age 14, Jack left an abusive home and dropped out of school. He became emancipated so he could get an apartment and a job. He married [...]
Three years ago, Angiee Lafferty joined the Multi-Service Center (MSC) staff as an energy assistance counselor. When asked why she wanted to work at MSC, she replied, “I do it because I’ve been on the other side of the table, and it makes me feel good to help. It’s good a karma career.” Angiee and [...]
A small focus group comprised of veterans (and some current duty service members) recently selected William J. Wood Veterans House as the name of the Multi-Service Center’s Veterans Housing Project being built on Pacific Highway near Dash Point Road in Federal Way. The selection committee represented a diverse group of veterans from all branches of [...]
Last Tuesday we held MSC's GED Graduation Celebration to honor the 21 graduates MSC has had so far this year. This has consistently been one of my favorite events and, in my 15 years of working at MSC, I have rarely missed a graduation. As a former public school teacher (with family members who also [...]
In his teens, Rob made the decision to leave high school for a job at an independent tech store. He did well, starting out as a janitor but quickly moving up in the ranks to become head tech. His employers recognized his skill and knowledge, and rewarded him for it. Unfortunately, after seven years as [...]
“For the first time in eight years, I have my own real bed,” shares Lola. Lola had worked for years with a local hotel chain and was doing okay, making ends meet at least, until the day she started to get sick. It turned out that the hotel had a mold problem, and it was [...]
Sarah was walking down the hall of the nursing home when a partially opened door caught her eye. She saw the name of a man and a woman on the door that she did not recognize. As a volunteer Long-Term Care Ombuds, she regularly visited residents to make sure their needs were being met and [...]
"Their willingness to be open and put aside bad experiences and trust me, it's changed me. I'm more compassionate. I don't want to let them down," shares Julie Tran. Julie is a MSC Education and Employment Support Specialist and an AmeriCorps volunteer. Julie leads GED prep courses and community workshops on financial empowerment. She is [...]
Summer means less access to food for many children in our community. Families who receive free and reduced meals at school struggle to find a way to replace those meals during school vacation months. It is also a time when food bank resources are low. Local businesses and organizations can help ease this burden by [...]
“Tammy at MSC was the nicest lady, she went above and beyond to help me,” shares Donald. Donald was on his way to his job as a technician for a medical supply company bright and early on a snowy morning in December 2013 when an accident changed his life forever. He was near the federal [...]
