Submitted by San Juan County

The San Juan County Department of Health and Community Services is working with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Community Services Division, Opportunity Council and the three local resource centers to host three community listening forums throughout the county. These forums come as a result of DSHS’s Economic Service Administration’s goal of decreasing poverty in half by 2025 in a way that eliminates disparities. The focus of these forums is to communicate the unique economic hardships and barriers that face San Juan County residents, and explain the systems currently in place to help alleviate these hardships.

DSHS staff would like to explore what the main drivers of poverty in San Juan County are and if they are changing. They would also like to know what promising community-led programs there are to reduce poverty and create intergenerational opportunity.

Attendees should be prepared to share specific information on how people see these programs working. Is there a role for the state to play in supporting these efforts? Staff hope to learn about innovative, local best practices employed to promote intergenerational opportunity and develop better relationships between state policies and programs and the unique needs of local communities.

The forums will take place on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands on the following days and times:

12:30-4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, San Juan Island Grange, at 152 First St., San Juan Island.

8-11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 7, Emmanuel Episcopal Parish, at 242 Main St., Orcas Island.

1:30-5 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 7, Lopez Family Resource Center, 23 Pear Tree Lane, Lopez Island.

To attend, RSVP by sending your name and which island forum you will be attending to vista@sanjuanco.com.