October Newsletter

Seattle Residents Can Now Apply for Our Energy and Water Assistance Programs

Learn if you are eligible for financial assistance with your utility bills.

Our energy assistance programs are now open to support households with low incomes pay energy bills, refill oil tanks, and repair or replace furnaces to keep warm throughout the winter. We administer both the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Puget Sound Energy Home Energy Lifeline Program (PSE HELP). Households can qualify for one or both programs.

Households that qualify for LIHEAP may also get support to pay a past-due balance on your energy or water utility bill; purchase an air conditioner for staying cool in summer months; or receive financial aid to cover past-due rent if facing eviction.

Applications are open through August 31, 2023.

Learn More & Apply

Master Your Money with Our Experts!

Last month we hosted a panel discussion with experienced money managers about personal finance best practices. They shared strategies and tips for creating a budget, understanding and improving your credit score, reducing your debt, and saving for the future. Watch our conversation with these money masters on YouTube.

For more resources to help master your money, visit our website for our Personal Finance Series developed in partnership with College Money Habits.

Hear from the Panel Experts

Welcome, Tafari Maynard!

“I have always been of a mind that real change can only come about through grassroots, community-based work.”

Tafari Maynard recently joined as our new director of operations, and is responsible for leading programs and staff, while making sure hospitality, dignity and equity are at the core of Byrd Barr Place’s services and advocacy.

In this Q&A, Tafari shares about his upbringing and what drew him to service work, as well as what he likes to do outside of work.

Get to Know Tafari

Universal Basic Income: The Future of Social Assistance

There are holes in the social safety net and families are falling through the cracks.

Wealth and income inequality have exploded over the last 50 years. The costs of living, housing and childcare are increasing rapidly, while wages remain relatively stagnant. As a result, more Washingtonian families are finding it harder than ever to make ends meet and to plan for the future.

Learn how a universal basic income could fulfill unmet foundational needs and strengthen the economic floor so no Washingtonian falls through the cracks.