Dear Neighbors,
Imagine a world where we prioritize the health of our entire community rather than the wealth of individuals – where no family is left to slip through the cracks and fall into poverty. Because the reality is, when our community safety net is strong and working, we all benefit.
In our society, we’re often told to “pick ourselves up by our bootstraps” – to live up to the American myth that if you keep working harder on your own, you can overcome all barriers and achieve anything. But what most people don’t know is that this false belief originated in the 19th century as a joke, meant to ridicule tasks seen as absurd and impossible.
The reality is that none of us do this alone.
Read the rest of this letter from Solid Ground CEO Shalimar Gonzales and Board Chair Hannah Won in our 2025 Community Report: Reflections on a year of community, connection, and care.
Highlights of our community’s impact in 2025
- Nearly 4,500 individuals and families who called or walked into our offices were connected to resources and services at Solid Ground or with our community partners.
- 180,225 door-to-door rides helped get seniors and others with mobility needs to key services and stay connected with their support networks.
- 748 Seattle students learned about healthy food and gained hands-on cooking skills in the classroom.
- 342 youth in our housing programs had access to individualized attention and onsite age-appropriate programming to support growth and healing from homelessness and other traumatic experiences.
- 150+ community partners – including nonprofits, behavioral health agencies, legal aid and government organizations, schools, and many more – strengthened our ability to meet our participants’ needs.
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