This week, King County Solutions tracked 72 public-sector and nonprofit updates for the period ending Nov. 29. From major budget decisions in Seattle and King County to emergency food responses during the federal SNAP shutdown and new supports for veterans, the through-line is clear: Local institutions are scrambling to shore up basic needs and long-term resilience as winter and federal uncertainty set in.
Veteran health, healing, and empowerment
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is spotlighting how care is changing on veterans’ terms. Veterans who can’t get timely appointments at VA facilities can use the Community Care program, outlined in Navigating care in the community, while the Whole Health model described in Whole Health: Putting Veterans at the center of their care emphasizes personalized, preventive care and wellness tools like coaching and mindfulness.
Cancer stories underscore what that support looks like in practice. A Navy veteran’s breast cancer journey in A Navy Veteran’s journey through breast cancer and the power of VA care and survivor profiles in Veterans Triumph Over Breast Cancer and Army Veteran completes final chemotherapy treatment show coordinated oncology, mental health, and peer support. VA’s Live Whole Health #293: Thanksgiving in a bite adds seasonal guidance on gratitude and mindful eating.
Mental health and moral injury remain front and center. VA’s How Veterans can find relief when life gets heavy, or just heavier and Mental health matters highlight crisis lines, peer groups, and holistic supports. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) pushes for systemic change in Nuclear past haunts airmen: Veterans fight for toxic exposure recognition and invests in its own capacity through The future of DAV belongs to those who serve and Another leap forward: DAV expands training platform to volunteers.
Economic empowerment rounds out the picture. VA’s Hiring Veterans: Jobs of the week for Nov. 24, 2025 and new skills-mapping tool in It takes two to hire well connect veterans to civilian careers, while DAV’s Empowering veterans as business founders backs veteran entrepreneurs. Locally, Compass Housing Alliance’s profile “I penalized myself by keeping it in.” follows a Seattle veteran from PTSD and homelessness into peer leadership at Blaine Veterans Center.
Housing, homelessness, and rental justice
Budget decisions in Seattle and King County are steering more money toward keeping people housed. The Low Income Housing Institute details new rental assistance and tiny house village funding in 2026 Budget Wins!, including $10 million in Seattle rental aid and county dollars for a Tukwila village.
At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Justice is targeting market practices and safety risks that hit renters hardest. A proposed settlement in Justice Department Requires RealPage to End the Sharing of Competitively Sensitive Information and Alignment of Pricing Among Competitors would curb rent-setting software accused of inflating prices, while Lowe’s Home Centers to Pay $12.5M Penalty for Lead Paint Violations During Home Renovations reinforces lead-safety rules in older housing.
Washington’s Department of Commerce highlights permanent supportive housing in Lincoln Place II: Serving unhoused Vancouver residents through a unique healthcare and housing partnership—a model relevant as King County scales Apple Health and Homes. Mary’s Place focuses on children’s trauma and school disruption in Breaking the cycle: supporting children experiencing homelessness, while Compass Housing Alliance’s veteran story again illustrates how untreated PTSD can lead directly to housing loss.
Food security, SNAP disruption, and holiday giving
With federal SNAP benefits halted during the partial shutdown, Seattle moved quickly. The city’s Coming Together to Support Students and Neighbors During the Government Shutdown and More than $1 million in food assistance reaches Seattle food banks, meal programs during SNAP disruption detail a limited civil emergency, $1 million per week for food providers, and 8,800 food boxes distributed through Seattle Public Schools.
Nonprofits are filling gaps for seniors and people with disabilities. United Way of King County’s Meeting Our Neighbor’s Needs With Home Grocery Delivery profiles a Renton resident relying on home-delivered groceries, while the Hunger Intervention Program’s Getting to know Dave shows how Senior Community Meals are a lifeline after a key grocery store closure.
Holiday giving campaigns are ramping up. Hospitality House invites residents to adopt a shelter guest or donate essentials in Holiday Help – Here’s what YOU Can Do!, and Westside Neighbors Shelter seeks cooks and servers for Thanksgiving dinner in It’s Thanksgiving! Got some time to help?. Transforming Age’s Mission Matters: Thanksgiving 2025 underscores how senior-focused grocery and meal programs keep thousands of low-income older adults fed and housed.
Budgets, equity, and community resilience
Transit and climate investments are central to regional resilience. King County Metro’s Approved: King County Metro’s 2026-27 budget adds service, invests in zero emissions, safety and cleaning adds 400,000 bus service hours, expands RapidRide, and accelerates zero-emission fleets. The Department of Commerce’s November 2025 transportation electrification open funding opportunities lists grants for EV charging and cleaner freight, with direct implications for multifamily housing and fleets in King County.
Seattle’s 2026 budget, signed by Mayor Bruce Harrell and summarized in Mayor Harrell Signs City of Seattle’s 2026 Budget into Law, commits record funding to affordable housing, homelessness response, food access, and youth levies. The Office of Economic Development details small-business and neighborhood investments in City Council adopts 2026 budget: Highlights for OED, including support for grocery access and vandalism recovery.
Equity planning and community power are also in focus. Bellevue’s Council Roundup: Inside look at Diversity Advantage Plan 2035 outlines 41 long-term DEI objectives, while the Inatai Foundation’s Nichole June Maher: Seven Years of Learning and a Vision for the Next 50 Years calls for multi-decade, community-led racial justice investments statewide. For local entrepreneurs, Seattle’s Tabor 100 Office Hours for December 2025 offers drop-in support to women- and minority-owned firms at the Tabor 100 Hub in Tukwila.
Other updates
Other notable posts include Operation Homefront’s Final Call for 2026 MCOY Nominations honoring military youth, Seattle’s profile of African American Reach and Teach Health Ministry (AARTH), and Sound Transit’s rider guide South King Link: How to ride and transfer ahead of new Link stations in Kent and Federal Way. Youth Eastside Services, Cancer Lifeline, senior centers, libraries, and others also shared stories of resilience, gratitude, and upcoming events as the region heads into winter.
We’ll continue to pull the most actionable updates from partner feeds each week. Let us know if there’s a topic you’d like covered in more depth.
