Chief Seattle Club

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿.

At Chief Seattle Club, we've learned that the reality is much more complex.

Housing can provide safety, stability, privacy, community, and access to support. Those things matter. They change lives. But housing alone cannot erase years of trauma, illness, addiction, grief, or systemic barriers overnight.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀.

Someone might see a person who is housed but still struggling and ask:
"𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳?"

A more helpful question might be:
"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮?"

That's the difference context makes.

As a Native-led housing provider, our team spends a lot of time helping people understand both the value of housing and the reality that healing, recovery, and personal growth look different for every person. We can provide housing, relationships, cultural connection, and access to support. We cannot make decisions for our Relatives.

This reflection comes from a recent conversation CSC shared at the UIHI FIRES Conference about homelessness, healing, and the stories we tell about one another.

Because every Relative is more than a diagnosis, a housing status, an addiction, or a difficult chapter.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Urban Indian Health Institute

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲?

At our Memorial Walk, we carry names. We carry songs, stories, laughter, grief, and memories that live between people. We remember our Relatives not only for the hard things they experienced, but for the full lives they lived and the many ways they belonged to this community.

That also matters in how we talk about one another.

When someone has navigated homelessness, addiction, illness, grief, or another painful chapter, that chapter can become the only part of their story that other people hear. Sometimes we repeat something a Relative trusted us with to someone who does not know them, their history, or everything surrounding that moment.

Before we share, we can pause and ask:
𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁? 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺?

At Chief Seattle Club, these questions shape how we remember our Relatives and share their stories. We work alongside people navigating homelessness, housing, recovery, illness, grief, and loss. Those experiences matter, but they never show us the entirety of a person’s life.

These photographs remind us that every Relative holds more than strangers can see. Our Relatives are family members, friends, artists, knowledge keepers, helpers, jokesters, survivors, and deeply loved members of our community.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱.

📷 Photography by Hillary Cagey / Sheoletze Media for Chief Seattle Club
Sheoletze Media

Every Relative is worthy of 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚, of 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬, and of 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘.🫂💙

Housing changes everything… and it 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭. We’ve seen it happen before.

A Relative did the hard work, they found a place to live, and they’re ready to move forward.

Then a security deposit, application fee, moving costs, or missing document gets in the way.

𝗡𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲.

Chief Seattle Club may be able to help eligible Members overcome those barriers and move into housing.

If you’re experiencing homelessness and have a housing opportunity in front of you, reach out! If you’re supporting a family member, friend, or Relative who might qualify, please share this information with them!

Sometimes the difference between homelessness and moving into housing is 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

Chief Seattle Club
Housing Team
📞 (206) 677-0912
Monday - Friday, 9AM - 1PM PDT

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 so it reaches Relatives who may need support!

𝟲,𝟯𝟴𝟭 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁.

That's thousands of moments of care, connection, and nourishment for our Relatives!

August marked one of the highest meal counts our Day Center Kitchen has served this year, and it's a testament to the incredible people behind every meal. 💙

Our Kitchen Staff show up each day with compassion, skill, and determination. They adapt when challenges arise, troubleshoot when equipment fails, and find creative solutions to make sure our Relatives always have access to nutritious food. They don't just prepare meals, they create a welcoming space where people are treated with dignity and care.

We're also grateful to the partners whose donations helped our Kitchen Team turn quality ingredients into thousands of nourishing meals.

🤎 Thank you to the Meals Partnership Coalition (MPC) for donating 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗹𝗸.

🐟 Thank you to Food Lifeline for donating 𝟭𝟱 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵.

These contributions helped our kitchen team prepare healthy, nutritious meals using high-quality ingredients because our Relatives deserve access to good food, including locally sourced meats, produce, and culturally meaningful foods.

Please help us CELEBRATE our Kitchen Staff and thank our partners in the comments! ❤️

@ Meals Partnership Coalition (MPC) & Food Lifeline

Finding a place to live is hard enough.

Sometimes one security deposit, application fee, moving expense, or transportation cost can stand in the way of getting housed.

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 our Members who are experiencing homelessness move into stable housing through our 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺, which provides one-time housing assistance and support! Services can include 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲-𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, and 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

If this sounds like your situation, or a Relative you know, call our Housing Team!

Chief Seattle Club
𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺
📞 (𝟮𝟬𝟲) 𝟲𝟳𝟳-𝟬𝟵𝟭𝟮
Monday - Friday, 9AM - 1PM PDT

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 so it reaches Relatives who may need support!

When our Relatives voice their need for support, 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽.

Through our partnership with Evergreen Treatment Services (ETS), our Relatives can talk with a substance use counselor 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯’𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗲. This is not a journey our Relatives have to navigate alone.

Our staff and the ETS counselor help each member look at their options and find care that fits their needs. We can also help with identification, transportation, and follow-up support.

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 have taken place since this work began in 2025. Every conversation starts with trust. Every person chooses what comes next. 💙🪶

Learn more & read more about this work here: https://publichealthinsider.com/2026/08/24/opening-doors-when-people-are-ready/

Opening doors when people are ready – PUBLIC HEALTH INSIDER A partnership between Chief Seattle Club and Evergreen Treatment Services offers immediate support to people who ask for help with substance use. Funded by the King County Opioid Settlement, the pilot program has provided 500 over client engagements and referrals.

🎬 In May, we welcomed community members, staff, and partners to Chief Seattle Club for a screening of 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

The documentary tells the story of Chief Marchand Rice and shows how Native 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, & 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 helped change the course of his life.

The story touched us because we see this kind of healing every day. Our Native people deserve the chance to reconnect with culture, find support, and build a better future.

We're grateful to the filmmakers and everyone from Chief Seattle Club who shared their experiences to bring this story to life.

📖 Read the articles: https://southseattleemerald.org/arts-culture/2026/05/15/qa-how-reservation-redemption-connects-incarceration-and-indigenous-healing

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/press-release/story/114685/from-murderer-to-mentor-reservation-redemption-docu-film-chronicles-native-teens-transformative-journey-behind-bars/

Q&A: How 'Reservation Redemption' Connects Incarceration and Indigenous Healing Yakama filmmaker Brenda Fisher discusses how "Reservation Redemption" traces one man’s path from incarceration to cultural healing — and why the story resonates across Native communities in Seattle.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲.

A new ICT and Underscore Native News article features concerns raised by Chief Seattle Club, Seattle Indian Health Board, and the Urban Indian Health Institute about King County's latest homelessness count. The report found that 4.2% of unsheltered individuals identified as Native, but we believe that figure significantly undercounts Native relatives experiencing homelessness in our region.

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁.

We urge the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 that this data does not accurately reflect the number of Native people experiencing homelessness and 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

We encourage our partners, supporters, and community members to 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 in urging KCRHA to issue that acknowledgement.

📖 Read the story: https://ictnews.org/news/northwest-bureau/undercount-of-native-homeless-population-in-seattle-highlights-bigger-data-collection-concerns

Undercount of Native homeless population in Seattle highlights bigger data collection concerns - ICT Following the King County Regional Homelessness Authority Point-In-Time Count that showed 4.2 percent of unsheltered individuals identified as American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous, Native-led organizations in Seattle point to larger concerns with data collection and called for the King Count...

At Chief Seattle Club, we run housing and safe spaces across King County, including five permanent supportive housing sites, two tiny house villages, and our Day Center in Pioneer Square. Every day, we offer meals, support, and community for our relatives.

But his work depends on accurate data.

The 2026 PIT Count says that Native people are just 4.2% of those experiencing homelessness. We know that's not true.

When the numbers are wrong, it puts our work, and our community, at risk.

Hear more from our CEO, Derrick Belgarde (Siletz & Chippewa-Cree), in this story:

Questions mount over KCRHA’s Native homelessness count as advocates warn of flawed data Even as homelessness continues to climb across King County, local Native American leaders are warning that the region's latest homeless count paints a dangerous