Free Holiday meals this weekend

Seasons Greetings! If you, your family, and/or someone you know are hungry this holiday season or are looking for a free place to have a holiday meal, there are many organizations throughout King County offering free meals this weekend that you might want attend.

Friday, December 23rd
St. James Cathedral Hall, 907 Columbia St, Seattle, WA, 98104; (206) 264 - 2091
Christmas Eve meal.
All are welcome!
Meal Service: Line up at 3:30 PM. Enter through the door on Columbia St. First come, first served.

Friday Feast – ROOTS
1415 NE 43rd Street, Seattle (alley entrance)
Traditional Christmas dinner
All are welcome!
Meal service: 5:30 – 7:00 PM

OPERATION: Sack Lunch
Meal Site: Outdoor meal Site, 6th and Columbia under freeway in parking lot.
All are welcome! No ID required.
Meal service: Breakfast 8:00 AM; Lunch 1:00 PM 3

Saturday, December 24th
Bread of Life Mission
97 South Main Street, Seattle 98104; (206) 682-3579
Individuals and families who are homeless are given priority.
Walk-ins welcome. It’s recommended to arrive early!
8:00 AM Breakfast, Dinner 6:00 PM

Sunday, December 25th
Shared Breakfast
First United Methodist Church of Seattle
180 Denny Way, Seattle, (206) 622 – 7278
All are welcome!
Meal Service: 8:00 – 9:00 AM

YWCA Angeline’s Center for Homeless Women
2030- 3rd Avenue, Seattle 98121; (206) 436-8650
Women ages 18 and older. No ID required.
Meal service: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM.
Arrive at 11:00 AM for meal ticket.

Blessed Sacrament Church
5050 8th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98105; (206) 424-3020
Christmas meal.
All are welcome!
Meal Service: 12:00 – 2:00 PM

Community Lunch on Capitol Hill
Central Lutheran Church, 1710-11th Avenue, Seattle 98122; (206) 487-7247
All are welcome! No ID required.
Meal Service: 12:00 Noon.

Salvation Army – William Booth Center
811 Maynard Avenue South, Seattle 98104; (206) 621-0145
All are welcome!
Meal service: 12:00 – 1:15 PM

Union Gospel Mission, (206) 622-5177
318 – 2nd Avenue, Ext. South, Seattle 98104 (Corner of 2nd Ave. Ext. South and Washington)
Meal service: Breakfast - 7:15 AM.; Dinners - 4:15, 5:15, & 6:15 PM. (Spanish speaking service at 6:15 PM.) (IMPORTANT: all meals (breakfast and dinners) are preceded by a mandatory 30-minute chapel service. The 6:15 PM chapel service is in Spanish. Arrive early to obtain a meal ticket for entry to chapel/meal service.
All are welcome!

South Park Neighborhood Center 8201 10th Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98108 Christmas lunch.
All are welcome.
1:00 – 3:00 PM 4

Thai Siam Restaurant
8305-15th Avenue N.W., Seattle 98117; (206) 784-5465)
Anyone in need is invited to attend. No ID required, proof of need preferred. Meal service: 12:00 – 2:00 PM

Bread of Life Mission
97 South Main Street, Seattle 98104; (206) 682-3579
Individuals and families who are homeless are given priority.
Walk-ins welcome. It’s recommended to arrive early!
Dinner 6:00 PM

For questions or corrections to this list please contact Meals Partnership Coalition at (206) 957-3857. Happy Holidays!

Free Flu Vaccinations at Capitol Hill Walgreens, Saturday 12/17

Protect yourself and your family from flu. Get a free flu vaccine this Saturday, tomorrow at Walgreens in Capitol Hill from 10 to 6. Flu vaccinations will be available at no charge for people seven years of age and older who are uninsured and cannot afford to pay. It’s not too late to vaccinate and protect against the flu. Flu vaccine is recommended for everyone—especially children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with health problems like diabetes and heart disease. That’s, tomorrow Saturday, Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or until there is no more vaccine available) at Walgreens in Capitol Hill at 1531 Broadway (which is on Broadway & Pine) in Seattle. No appointments needed! Walgreens and Public Health – Seattle & King County are partnering to offer these free flu vaccinations tomorrow at Capitol Hill Walgreens. For more information visit kingcounty.gov/health/flu.
Stay healthy!

Toys for Tots: free toys for low-income families

If you or someone you know have children under 14 and receive benefits from DSHS such as food stamps or TANF, I want to let you know about Toys for Tots, a program which distributes free new toys as holiday gifts to needy children in the community. Toys for Tots in King County is again partnering with DSHS for its holiday toy distribution. Anyone in King County receiving any type of aid from DSHS is eligible to receive toys from the program for their children. You do not need to apply or pre-register. All you need to do is attend one of the distribution events. You may only receive toys once during the holiday season. Please bring your client ID number with you to the Toys for Tots distribution event, to save time. All distribution events are from 9am-3pm. Here is the schedule of distribution events for the 2011 Toys for Tots campaign:

Tue 12/13/11
LS Foursquare Church, 14434 NE 8th Street, Bellevue
Or King South CSO, 1313 W. Meeker St, Kent

Wed 12/14/11
King South CSO, 1313 W. Meeker St, Kent
Or King North CSO, 9600 College Way North, Seattle

Thu 12/15/11
White Center CSO, 9650 15th Ave SW, Seattle
Or Renton CSO, 500 S.W. 7th St, Renton

Mon 12/19/11
White Center CSO, 9650 15th Ave SW, Seattle
Or Belltown CSO, 2106 2nd Ave, Seattle

Tue 12/20/11
White Center CSO, 9650 15th Ave SW, Seattle
Or Rainier CSO, 3600 S. Graham Street, Seattle

Wed 12/21/11
First United Methodist Church, 100 N Street SE Auburn
Or Federal Way CSO, 616 348th St, Federal Way

Thu 12/22/11
Federal Way CSO, 616 348th St, Federal Way
Or Capitol Hill CSO, 1700 E. Cherry Street, Seattle

Remember all distribution events are from 9am-3pm.
For questions concerning toy distribution, please contact Gary Hartline at hartlgw@dshs.wa.gov or visit the King County Toys for Tots website.

Happy Holidays!

New CenturyLink Internet Basics subsidized internet program

Would you like to have high speed internet at home but can’t afford it? A new program from CenturyLink called Internet Basics offers high speed internet for $10/month, a laptop computer for $150, and free internet training, for people who receive benefits from DSHS, such as food stamps. The Internet Basics program was created because when CenturyLink acquired Qwest, the Federal Communications Commission signed off on the merger so long as CenturyLink agreed to help low-income households get online. This program is similar to the "Internet Essentials" program that Comcast launched in August, however many more people are eligible because CenturyLink’s eligibility requirement is only that you receive DSHS benefits, rather than Comcast's eligibility requirement of having a child who receives free school lunch.
Participants in the Internet Basics program will receive:
• Fast home Internet for just $9.95 a month + taxes and fees
• A low-cost netbook computer available at initial enrollment for just $150 + tax
• Access to free Internet training, in print or in person

Your household is eligible to participate if it meets all of the following criteria:
• Reside where CenturyLink offers Internet service
• Have not subscribed to CenturyLink Internet service within the last 90 days and are not a current CenturyLink Internet customer
• Do not have an overdue CenturyLink bill or unreturned equipment
Participate in any of the following DSHS programs: Food stamps (or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), State Family Assistance, Refugee Assistance, Specific Medical Programs, DSHS Chore Services/COPES, Medicare Cost Share Programs
You must provide a copy of a program identification card or other social service agency documentation showing current participation for each program checked above.

Note that there is a one-time activation fee of $20. The download speed is up to 1.5 Mbps for $10 a month. Faster speeds are also available as part of the program, such as up to 7 Mbps for $15 a month or up to 12 Mbps for $20 a month. You must sign a 1 year contract to participate in the Internet Basics program. You must sign a 2 year contract in order to get the discounted $150 computer, and pay a $15 shipping and handling fee. If you cancel service before the end of the contract you will be charge a prorated early termination fee up to $200. The modem is free for one year, after which you will be charged a modem lease rate of $6 per month, or may purchase a modem for $100, plus $15 shipping and handling. If you cannot install the modem yourself, you will be charged a $50 installation fee for 1 computer or $100 for a networking installation of up to 5 computers. The first bill will include charges for the first full month of service billed in advance, prorated charges for service from the date of installation to bill date, and all one-time charges and fees. To apply for CenturyLink Internet Basics Call 1-866-541-3330 or visit their website centurylink.com/internetbasics.

Not sure whether to participate in CenturyLink Internet Basics or Comcast Internet Essentials? Here’s what we think: Both Comcast and CenturyLink offer 1.5 Mbps internet for $10 a month, and an optional computer for a $150. But, Comcast does not require a contract and there is no activation fee, no price increases after the first year, no installation fee, shipping and handling fees, or equipment rental fees. So Comcast is clearly the better deal, but only people with kids who receive free school lunch are eligible. Therefore we suggest that if you are eligible for Comcast Internet Essentials, chose their program, their number is 1-855-846-8376 and their website is internetessentials.com. But if you don’t have kids who get free school lunch, go with CenturyLink Internet Basics, as it is still a much better deal than full price internet service. Here is the Washington State Internet Basics Application.