In partnership with Renton Regional Community Foundation (RRCF) and other local organizations, a new county initiative will help support immigrant and refugee communities throughout King County.
The South King County Immigrant and Refugee Futures Fund (SIRFF) is a new initiative from King County to support immigrant and refugee communities that have been affected by federal immigration enforcement activities in South King County.
This new public-private partnership will invest $900,000 into these communities, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced on Aug. 18.
This funding will be provided to support the organizational networks that help communities that have been impacted, according to a King County Public Health Insider press release on Aug. 18.
Support will include providing resources for “funding basic needs, rapid response training for families, safety education and programs focused on mental health, community care and healing,” said the press release.
“King County is stronger when every resident – regardless of their immigration status – feels safe, welcomed, and has the support they need to thrive,” said Executive Zahilay.
This funding adds to Executive Zahilay’s previous initiative, the Protecting Immigrant and Refugee Communities Executive Order from this past February. This executive order distributed $2 million in emergency funds to community based organizations that support these communities in King County.
“I’ve heard directly from immigrant and refugee residents about how the fear of federal immigration enforcement is taking a toll on their health and wellbeing, especially for communities in South King County,” said Executive Zahilay. “That’s why we are advancing this public-private partnership with trusted community organizations to connect people with the resources, services, and support they need.”
The partnership will be led by Communities of Opportunity (COO) and the Community Well-Being Initiative (CWI). Both organizations will work with the RRCF and the Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation to invest in these same communities, according to the press release.
Most notably, RRCF will at minimum match $250,000 of King County’s contribution to SIRFF, which will run through 2027, said the press release.
Additionally, RRCF will lead the implementation of the fund along with the Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation and other organizations with similar missions.
“[SIRFF] follows our community-identified priority to ensure that philanthropic resources move quickly, responsibly, and with deep community accountability to trusted frontline organizations leading response, care, and protection efforts. This partnership will enable rapid and long-term, community-informed action with immediate impact. We invite other philanthropic organizations to join the fund’s effort,” said LeAnne Moss, Executive Director of RRCF.
