The Elizabeth Gregory Home is one of the many places that offers support to homeless in the U-District. However, unlike many of the shelters or food banks, the home caters directly to women who are looking to transition out of their lives on the streets.

On Dec. 21, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteers from the UW Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) have the opportunity to serve the women living there by cleaning the house and having lunch with them.

“The volunteers that we will have come on MLK Jr. Day will help us tremendously in saving time and energy,” said Jamie Lee, program coordinator for the event. “We are a small staff with limited resources; having these volunteers will free up our staff to work on other items.”

The Elizabeth Gregory Home was created by the University Lutheran Church in response to what was indicated by community leaders as one of the greatest needs in the University District area.

According to the home’s Web site, about 1,800 women are homeless in Seattle on any given night and there are few places where women can stay or feel safe staying.

In 2006, the doors of the home opened.

Up to 11 women can live in the transitional housing and many more women are served in the drop-in center that operates daily. The women who live in the transitional housing center not only have a place to stay but are offered meals, healthcare, therapeutic counseling, job training and more.

In 2002, eight local governments and organizations formed the Committee to End Homelessness in King County. Places like the Elizabeth Gregory Home are examples of what they deem to be long-term solutions, rather than an attempt to “simply manage episodes of homelessness as they occur,” according to their 10-year plan.

Early this year, the program faced closure.

“As is the case with many nonprofits, especially start-ups, we found ourselves in financial trouble just a few months ago,” Lee said. “Through some press and hard work by our staff, we have been able to raise money to try to lessen our deficit; however, financial instability is something that we will continue to face.”

The volunteer day will greatly help the home, Lee said.

GPSS Secretary Yutaka Jono said that the home was chosen for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service because of its proximity to campus and the opportunity to serve the local community.

Lee hopes that this will benefit the home.

“We are fortunate to be neighbors to the UW, which I know is a community that

has a lot to offer,” she said. “If anyone has any donations or can help out in anyway, I encourage them to contact me and we can discuss how to work together.”

[Reach reporter Erika Cederlind at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]