Human and Emergency Services

Seeking to address immediate aspects of human suffering such as hunger, healthcare and homelessness, our Frances Martinez Community Service Center provides diverse, bilingual human and emergency services.

Enhanced Outreach to Women Veterans & Veterans of Color

Many of our community members served in the United States Armed Forces and come home only to struggle to access the benefits they have earned. To address this issue, El Centro de la Raza has adopted King County's Enhanced Outreach to Women Veterans & Veterans of Color Program. Our program is committed to connecting Veterans and their families to the federal, state, and local benefits they have earned. We provide information and referrals to trained personnel who can assist Veterans with filing claims, appealing a VA decision, PTSD and crisis management, Military Sexual Trauma, employment assistance, a wide range of services within King County, and services provided at El Centro de la Raza.  Click here to contact us.

Crisis Advocacy

Provides crisis intervention services for families that are facing new and/or additional challenges as result of economic hardship. This program provides comprehensive advocacy, translation, information and referrals for community members seeking emergency services such as sexual assault/abuse support, substance abuse recovery, food, shelter, eviction money, childcare, and various other emergency needs.

Senior Nutrition & Wellness

Addresses emotional, physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and vocational health through nutrition education, balanced daily congregate meals, a weekly grocery bag from our food bank, and home delivered meals to homebound seniors every week. Seniors age 60 and older partake in various social and educational activities daily and exercise classes are offered three times a week.

BEBES Infant Mortality Prevention

Targeting families and women of child bearing age (15-40), pregnant and women with children under three, this program works to reduce the risk of infant mortality through education, advocacy, case management and outreach. This program emphasizes and promotes maternal health behaviors and early perinatal care and assists families with accessing and staying in appropriate health care – prenatal care, pre- and interconception care, and well-child and family health care.

Comadres Women’s Group

In cooperation with the Infant Mortality Prevention Program, COMADRES is a support group for Latina women. This group was created in response to a great need in the Latina community for building a network of mothers, sisters, cousins and neighbors that can be lost when one immigrates to the United States. For many women, this is the first time they find themselves alone at home with no one to converse with and this solitude can lead to depression, which negatively affects relationships with family and friends. COMADRES helps prevent isolation and provides opportunities for women to network, build new relationships, relax, and find support in our community.

Homeless Assistance

Addresses the issue of homelessness by providing comprehensive housing assistance to homeless Latino/a families with dependant children, generally limited English proficient and/or immigrants, who are presented with multiple barriers to stable housing. Participants receive case management focused on stabilizing their situations, and finding and maintaining permanent, affordable housing. This program provides emergency shelter vouchers prior to placing families into permanent housing with rent subsidies, assistance with some move-in expenses and partners with local landlords to place families in affordable, quality housing.

Food Bank

Addresses the issue of hunger in our community through our Food Bank, which provides nutritious, emergency and supplemental food to low-income individuals and families in the Seattle area three days per week. The Food Bank also assists people in securing food stamps and other non-emergency food resources, and provides nutrition education.

“La Cocina Popular” Latino Hot Meal

Addresses the issues of hunger and poor nutrition among homeless and other low-income communities, including students, by providing free, nutritious, hot lunches to individuals and families in a diverse community setting on-site that offers social support and fosters good nutritional health.

Basic Healthcare Plan

This program combats the current healthcare crisis and lack of access to basic healthcare among low-income families and individuals. El Centro de la Raza subsidizes participant premiums in the Washington State Basic Healthcare Plan each year. This office is located in Tacoma.