Newly funded human services programs brief Sammamish commission on mentoring, early-childhood mental health, survivor services and case management

At a Human Services Commission meeting, four newly funded service providers described programs the commission funded for 2025'2026 and answered commissioners' questions about reach, staffing and reporting.

Victoria Gitzy Nelson, who manages the Links Lunch Buddy program for the Lake Washington School District, described one-to-one mentoring in elementary schools: mentors meet weekly with referred students during combined lunch and recess time to build relationships and social-emotional skills. "We know that mentoring, helps students with, with attendance," Nelson said, and she noted mentors are vetted through district background checks, complete orientation and work with staff to set goals for each child.

Nelson told the commission she had 215 mentors in the previous year and 15 returning mentors; she said the program typically has more student referrals than available mentors and uses district and community outreach to…