Sequim Gazette staff

Four Sequim and Port Angeles Rotary clubs plan to fight homelessness with a $10,000 Family Homelessness grant from Rotary International District 5020.

The clubs matched the grant, for a total of $20,000, to provide housing intervention and financial assistance to homeless and at-risk families with minor children in Clallam County.

Partnering social service agencies — Serenity House of Clallam County, Healthy Families of Clallam County, the Peninsula Housing Authority and First Step Family Learning Center — pledged an additional $12,150 for services and case management to total $32,150.

Organizers estimate at least 16 households will be served with guidance from Clallam Housing Resource Centers. Assistance could include short-term rental, utilities and transportation assistance and developing strategies to stabilize income and become self-sufficient with housing.

Local participating clubs were the Rotary Club of Sequim, Sequim Sunrise Rotary, Port Angeles Rotary Nor’wester and Rotary Club of Port Angeles. This grant marks the first successful jointly funded project by the clubs, each pledging $2,500.

Rotary International District 5020 covers southwest Washington, the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island.

For Rotary information, contact Ron Gilles, Sequim Sunrise Rotary president, at ron@realestatesequim.com, 808-2242 or Carolyn McGinty, Sequim Sunrise Rotary foundation chairman at cmmcginty@hotmail.com or 681-2620; Sara Maloney, Rotary Club of Sequim president at saralmaloney@hotmail.com or 683-3300; Chuck Hatten, Rotary Club of Port Angeles president at chuckchdist@wavecable.com or 457-2757; Norm Schaaf, Port Angeles Rotary Nor’wester president at nschaaf@merrill ring.com or 452-2367; and Kathy Wahto, executive director of Serenity House at kwahto@yahoo.com.