Compass Housing Alliance’s Shoreline Veterans Center (SVC) enhances the lives of veterans through a partnership with the Employees Community Fund of Boeing (ECF), which has invested more than $275,000 since 2008. This collaboration has facilitated vital accessibility improvements, including upgrades to garden pathways, door access, kitchen flooring, and the installation of a wheelchair lift in the community van. Program manager Shree Vigil highlights the ECF’s understanding of veterans’ needs and their responsiveness to requests.
Residents, such as James, have experienced significant changes; the van lift has granted him newfound independence, allowing him to travel on his own. Another resident, Joe, finds joy in gardening, a passion rekindled by the improved accessibility to garden beds. He expresses that gardening gives him a sense of home and purpose.
The ECF, which pools donations from Boeing employees, funds various nonprofit organizations, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024 and donating $5.7 million to charities nationwide last year. Vigil emphasizes the importance of organizations like the ECF in improving the daily lives of residents at SVC and looks forward to future collaborations.
