The inaugural SOUND of Hope Gala is almost here, and I’m thrilled to share that it’s nearly sold out! We’re looking forward to an inspiring evening of connection, community-building, and impactful fundraising in support of SOUND’s mission. My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone whose hard work has made this event possible. For those still hoping to join us, we do have a limited number of waitlist seats available. If you’d like to be added, please reach out directly to Sydney Sewell at Sydney.Sewell@Sound.Health.
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending another local nonprofit’s annual gala—that ofFareStart. FareStart is a valued partner, and an organization close to my heart because, like SOUND, it’s dedicated to helping people build brighter futures. Through culinary education, FareStart offers individuals navigating significant life transitions, such as reentry post-incarceration or early sobriety, a pathway to meaningful new opportunities. FareStart understands that, alongside culinary skills, these individuals also need emotional resilience to sustain their progress.
This is where SOUND’s behavioral health expertise becomes an essential asset to their program. Each week, SOUND’s licensed mental health counselor and substance use disorder professional, Karin Gordon, is on-site at FareStart’s flagship restaurant, providing immediate care and support to clients when they need it most. Whether someone is struggling with sobriety, legal challenges, or symptoms of serious mental illness, Karin isthere to offer guidance, reminders of coping skills, and access to additional behavioral health services and case management. Her goal is to help these students build emotional fortitude for the road ahead.
Many students arrive at FareStart with challenges and negative perceptions of themselves and the world. But as they progress through the program, they form friendships, develop new skills, and find renewed optimism. Upon graduation, those who wish to continue with behavioral health support can transition into SOUND’s care, beginning with an intake and assessment for ongoing services.
SOUND’s partnership with FareStart also extends to empowering their staff with skills to create a positive, resilient kitchen environment. Next week, we will host a boundary-setting workshop tailored to help staff address common behavioral challenges, and this winter, by request, we’ll also be offering de-escalation training to further support their work.
I’m excited to share more about this community partnership and many others at the upcoming Gala. For those unable to attend, please consider supporting SOUND in your year-end giving. There is no greater gift than that of hope, healing, and recovery.
Sincerely,
Katrina Egner
SOUND President & CEO
At SOUND Behavioral Health, we are inspired when young people step up to make a difference in our community. A group of students from Mercer Island High School —Levi Jones, Ronan Buckley, and Connor Flume — have done just that with their initiative, 988 Find Your Peace.Through T-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 988, these students are helping normalize conversations about mental health and letting their peers know that support is always available. All profits from their apparel go directly to SOUND, helping us provide critical counseling, crisis intervention, housing support, and recovery services throughout King County.
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When SOUND clinician Marlene Andrews began volunteering at the Sammamish Animal Sanctuary, she noticed something unexpected. The animals, many of them rescued or recovering from neglect, required patience and consistency to build trust – much like the people she supported in her work at SOUND Behavioral Health. That realization planted the seed for what would become SOUND’s Animal Sanctuary program. In partnership with the Sammamish Animal Sanctuary, SOUND’s program is now a thriving part of the organization’s Child and Family Services offerings.
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Just a few short weeks ago, SOUND Behavioral Health welcomed more than 400 community members, partners, and supporters to Fremont Studios for the annual SOUND of Hope Gala — an evening dedicated to expanding access to mental health and substance use services across King County.
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