Shelton proclaims October Domestic Violence Awareness Month; local groups outline youth homelessness services and housing plans

Shelton City Council on Oct. 7 proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and heard from local advocacy and youth-service organizations about ongoing programs and near-term events.

Council member Stearns read the proclamation noting the community impact of domestic violence and calling for public support of prevention and survivor services. Turning Point Survivor Advocacy Center delivered a brief statement thanking the council and outlining upcoming events and training; the Turning Point speaker urged community members to check on friends and family and listed several October activities, including a Clothesline Project and a survivor-resilience concert.

Separately, Annie Aikens, outreach specialist with Unity Connection (serving Mason County and surrounding communities), told the council her organization served 527 young people in September and that through the organization's care team they helped four young people move into permanent housing and prevented additional households from losing housing. Aikens said Unity Connection provides daily meals and distributes take-home food bags and that its supplies were low as demand had risen. She thanked the city manager for support through a CHIP grant that is helping a transitional housing project that would create 12 units of supportive housing for youth; she said the organization had submitted a housing trust fund application and, if awarded, expected to be fully funded and complete the project.

The council heard the presentations during the public-comment and proclamation portions of the meeting; no policy votes accompanied the presentations.

Turning Point also promoted events and trainings scheduled in October, and Unity Connection asked for continued partnership and support to address youth homelessness in Mason County.