This week we speak with Tracey Sorenson, the Community Engagement Manager with Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat For Humanity.

With the price of housing continuing to escalate, not to mention its availability, many people are finding out that Habitat For Humanity has a real path toward home ownership.

Tracey talks about not only the nuts and bolts of getting Pierce County residents into home ownership, but the rewards that come with the ‘Sweat Equity’ involved.

Tracey also talks about the need for money to continue to expand and the need for not only volunteers, but financial donations in the name of affordable housing and in support of Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity.

Learn more online at www.tpc-habitat.org

Our guests this week are American Heart Association Go Red for Women Ambassadors. Dr. Marina Jansen is a Cardiologist at CHI Franciscan and Miriam Barnett is a heart attack survivor with quite a story to tell.

It's often thought that Heart Disease is a man's problem, but it is also a problem for women. Miriam ignored the symptoms that Dr. Jansen tells us are common among women with heart disease. Due to lack of awareness, too many women don't recognize what their body is telling them. The annual Go Red for Women campaign is the American Heart Association's way to spread the word.

National Wear Red Day is Friday February 1st.

Learn more online at www.heart.org/pugetsound

This week we have an interview with Executive Director Melissa King and Program Manager Marni Kurtz from a terrific mentor program called Athletes For Kids.

Athletes For Kids is unique in that it pairs up high school athletes with younger kids with special needs or disabilities. Growing throughout some of the high schools on the eastside now for 16 years, Athletes For Kids not only enhances the lives of the young “buddies”, but the high school mentors as well.

Always looking to expand, you can volunteer, donate, or just learn more about Athletes For Kids online at www.athletesforkids.org

This week our guests are Ned Delmore, the Executive Director, and Jim McFarland, the Director of Marketing & Communications at St. Vincent de Paul Seattle/King County.

With a mission to prevent homelessness and help neighbors achieve self-sufficiency, St. Vincent de Paul puts their experience to work. St. Vincent de Paul has been in Seattle for 99 years, and with deep roots like that they have learned that by going to the source of a neighbor’s life and visiting them in their homes, they are able to see, hear, and understand the severity of the need and find a way to intervene to prevent an eviction.

Last year St. Vincent de Paul volunteers went on over 15,000 home visits, assisting over 40,000 men, women, and children living in poverty.

Learn more online at www.sdvpseattle.org

Our guests this week represent the Muslim Community Resource Center in Redmond. Khizer Sheriff is the Executive Director, his wife Nikhath Sheriff is the Founder & CEO, and their daughter Nehath Sheriff is the Director of the Medical Clinic that MCRC operates.

The Muslim Community Resource Center (MCRC) is led by a group of community volunteers passionate about helping the less fortunate in our community. Their focus is to connect those in need with relevant resources and service providers in our community. Among their many comprehensive services, once a month they operate a free medical clinic to provide culturally competent healthcare for individuals and families who lack access to basic health services. Through volunteer doctors and nurses they offer general health care, physical exams, screenings, heart health and referrals. They hope to expand in 2019.

Learn more online at www.mcrcseattle.org or call 1-888-404-6272.

This week we’ll speak with Emily Meltzer, the Director of Development & Communications for Accelerator Y, the social services arm of the YMCA of Greater Seattle.

Emily tells us of the 1500 young people who find themselves homeless on any given night in the Seattle area. The YMCA is the largest provider of housing for homeless young adults in King County, offering a variety of programs including rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and permanent housing—especially for those who are exiting foster care and/or who are experiencing homelessness.

One unique way this story is being told is through a new program called Unheard Seattle. The Y has introduced different local artists to tell the stories of youth experiencing homelessness in their words put to music.

You can listen to these songs and support these efforts at www.unheardseattle.org

This week on Spotlight with Gary Shipe, Sunday at 5a:

This week we hear from CEO Barry Gourley and Director of Communications Claire Acey at Children’s Therapy Center.

Children’s Therapy Center is a pediatric therapy organization that strives to maximize the potential of children with special needs from birth to 18.

Barry and Claire demonstrate that the benefits of speech, occupational, physical, and social therapy can be life changing, not only for the children, but their families as well.

Learn more online at www.ctckids.org

This week on Spotlight with Gary Shipe, Sunday at 5a:

This week we meet Ronald Lim from Bloodworks Northwest and Bill Harper with Degree 37.

Degree 37 is a software developer that works with non-profits like Bloodworks NW to engage millennials and young people and to make it easy to donate blood.

Bill tells us that his own need of 33 surgeries and use of 267 units of blood made it personal for him as he worked on the Bloodworks App.

He tells us that donating blood is the best and easiest as well as most effective way to save a life in an afternoon.

You can download the App at Google Play or the Apple App store or by texting blood to 91985

Learn more online at www.bloodworksnw.org

This week on Spotlight with Gary Shipe, Sunday at 5a:

This week we speak with the Executive Director at Mary’s Place, Marty Hartman.

Mary’s Place operates shelters and programs in Seattle to provide love, hope and a new future to homeless women and their children. There are a number of ways the public can support Mary’s Place: their annual No Child Sleeps Outside campaign through the end of the year ($17 a night will bring a child inside), Giving Tree Tags, Brooks Holiday Fun Run.

Learn more online at www.marysplaceseattle.org and www.nochildsleepsoutside.org