Wellspring Family Services

Everyone deserves access to the resources they need to thrive.

That's why Wellspring hosts Family Resource Fairs, bringing together essential supplies, community resources, and caring volunteers to support families in one welcoming place.

We're looking for 30 volunteers to help make our next Family Resource Fair a success on Saturday, August 15 at 1900 Rainier Ave. S.

Shifts available:
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m
11:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m

Whether you're welcoming families, distributing supplies, helping with children's activities, or assisting with setup and cleanup, your time helps create a warm, supportive experience for our community.

Sign up to volunteer: https://ow.ly/mVUx50Zuq3o

💛 Volunteer Spotlight: Ali Zuberi 💛

Since January 2023, Ali has been a dedicated volunteer at Wellspring’s Family Store, helping fulfill orders for families across our community.

Ali shares, “I think of service as a moral obligation - it's important when it comes to society's most vulnerable, especially children. I believe in Wellspring's approach of preventing homelessness and early intervention, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

He also reflects on what keeps him coming back: “I can help make a material difference to each family when I pack up an order. With so much out of our control, it feels really grounding to use my hands to put in some work for somebody.”

Through his time at Wellspring, Ali has supported families by helping fulfill Family Store orders with care and intention, ensuring households receive the essentials they need with dignity.

One of Ali’s favorite memories is the holiday gift drive. He shares, “Being able to give kids new unwrapped presents is so much fun. Especially if they ask for a toy I've never heard of, and then I can find it to give to them!”

Fun fact: Ali has lived all over the world, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, multiple U.S. states, and now Seattle, where he’s lived the longest he ever has in one city! Outside of volunteering, he enjoys spending time with family, listening to music, playing guitar, chess, traveling, and trying his best at golf. 💛

He also leaves us with a quote he lives by: “Do all you can, with what you have, in the time you have, in the place where you are.” — Nkosi Johnson

We’re so grateful for you, Ali. Thank you for strengthening our community through your service and heart.

As Seattle's (and the world’s) historic summer of international soccer comes to a close, we're reflecting on what an unforgettable experience it was for the children and families we serve.

Through Seattle's landmark youth access initiative with support from the City of Seattle Government, local sports teams, businesses, and community leaders—more than 1,400 young people and their caregivers had the opportunity to attend matches in Seattle. We’re so grateful that young people in Wellspring’s programs were among them.

These experiences are about more than soccer. They create lasting memories, remove barriers to participation, and remind young people that they belong at the heart of our community's biggest moments.

⚽ What a tournament. What a summer. What a gift for our community!

💙 June Volunteer Impact at Wellspring Family Services

In June, we were grateful to welcome incredible volunteer groups who gave their time to support families navigating housing instability and financial challenges. From preparing for our Juneteenth celebration and Family Resource Fair to fulfilling Family Store orders and organizing essential supplies, every project helped strengthen the support available to families in our community.

Thanks to their dedication, here is the impact we saw in June:

• 53 volunteers
• 119 hours of service
• 48 family orders completed
• 97 children supported through Family Store orders
• 4 bicycles assembled for our Family Resource Fair
• 45+ boxes of hygiene kits sorted for distribution

Volunteers packed family orders, assembled bicycles, organized clothing and books, quality-checked donations, sorted and rebuilt hygiene kits, and helped create welcoming spaces for community events. Their work ensured families could access clothing, hygiene items, and other essentials with dignity, care, and efficiency while helping our team focus on direct support.

To Windermere Mount Baker Real Estate, Parametric Portfolio, Seattle International Christian Church, and BDO USA: thank you for investing your time to help families build brighter futures. We are so grateful for your partnership. 💙

Interested in making an impact? Learn more about volunteering with Wellspring: https://wellspringfs.org/get-involved/volunteerism/

Help students start the school year ready to learn 💙

Our Back-to-School Drive is officially underway! Every child deserves to start the school year feeling confident, prepared, and ready to succeed.

By donating backpacks, school supplies, and other classroom essentials, you can help ease the burden on local families and ensure students have the tools they need to thrive in the classroom.

📅 Drive runs: July 6 – September 21
📍 Drop-off: Wellspring Family Services, 1900 Rainier Ave S (Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.)
🛒 Or shop directly from our Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3JME9QEPQ9CYG/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

Thank you for helping students start the school year with confidence, dignity, and opportunity.

💛 Volunteer Spotlight: Marisol Basurto 💛

Since the end of 2025, Marisol has been a dedicated volunteer supporting Wellspring through donation sorting, organizing items for families, and helping prepare Christmas orders during the holiday season.

Marisol shares, “The mission of Wellspring to help people in need aligns with mine; helping the community and offering my time in any way I can.” She also says that instilling these values in her son is important to her, “by showing him how we can help out those in need in many ways, like offering our time at the food bank, community farm, and Wellspring services.”

She also shares what keeps her coming back: “The volunteer coordinators are very kind, friendly, and welcoming; they motivate me to come back, and I enjoy coming back because of them.”
Through her time volunteering, Marisol has supported families in our community by:

✨ Sorting and organizing donations for families in need
✨ Helping prepare Christmas orders during the holiday season
✨ Giving her time and care to support Wellspring families with compassion

One of Marisol’s favorite memories was helping bag Christmas orders. She shares, “I liked seeing all the cool things all the kids were getting, knowing they would have nice gifts to open for the holidays.”

Fun fact: Marisol was born in Mexico and is currently a full-time college student earning her psychology degree! Outside of volunteering, she enjoys planning her son’s homeschool curriculum, hiking, and thrifting. 💛

We’re so grateful for you, Marisol. Thank you for helping strengthen our community through your kindness and generosity.

Last week was a powerful reminder of what community looks like at Wellspring.

Our incredible Program Team hosted two meaningful events just days apart. First, staff came together to celebrate Juneteenth with a shared feast, reflection, and powerful reminders of both the history and present-day significance of this important day.

Then, just two days later, we welcomed hundreds of community members to our Family Resource Fair. Families connected with essential resources, enjoyed activities for children, and strengthened the relationships that help our community thrive.

From honoring freedom and resilience to supporting families with practical resources and connection, these moments reflect the heart of Wellspring's mission: building stronger communities where every family has the opportunity to thrive.

Thank you to our staff, volunteers, partners, and community members who made both events so special.

💙 May Volunteer Impact at Wellspring Family Services

In May, we were so grateful to welcome incredible volunteer groups to Wellspring Family Services, including Providence Swedish Enterprise Mobility, JPMorganChase, and Thurgood Marshall Elementary School Student Council 💙

Each group brought energy, care, and commitment to supporting families experiencing housing instability in our community.

Thanks to their time, here is the impact we saw in May:

47 volunteers
50 hours of service
70 children supported through Family Store orders
38 Family Store orders completed
Hundreds of donated items sorted, organized, and prepared for families

From sorting donations and organizing clothing by size to completing Family Store orders and preparing essential items for distribution, their work helped ensure families received what they needed with dignity, care, and efficiency.

Every hour volunteered helps strengthen our Family Store and directly supports families working toward stability.

To Providence, Enterprise Mobility, JPMorgan Chase, and Thurgood Marshall Elementary Student Council. Thank you for showing up with generosity, teamwork, and heart. We are so grateful for your partnership 💙

If you are interested in donating your time to support our mission, you can learn more here! https://wellspringfs.org/get-involved/volunteerism/ #

This Juneteenth, we honor freedom, resilience, culture, and the ongoing pursuit of equity and justice.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Today, it serves as both a celebration and a reminder of the continued work of advancing opportunity and belonging for all.

At Wellspring, this year marks our 10th year of recognizing and celebrating Juneteenth. What began in 2016 as a small gathering organized by our BIPOC Employee Resource Group has grown into a meaningful annual tradition of reflection, learning, community, and celebration.

As part of this year's observance, Bevette Irvis, Wellspring's Senior Director of Programs, shared reflections on why Juneteenth matters deeply to Wellspring's mission and how the values of resilience, equity, and opportunity show up in our work every day.

We invite you to read Bevette's reflections and join us in honoring the significance of Juneteenth.