AGING AND INDEPENDENT LIVING

Helping seniors and people with disabilities attain and sustain
maximum independence, well-being and health.

Aging-client-photo Trina Regaza & Abdi Hussein (staff members).JPG

LCSNW’s Trina Ragaza and
her colleague Abdi Hussein

Client and Caregivers Story

Amani finds food, housing, work, and stability. Whole-person care is what our Case Managers do best.

When Case Manager Trina Ragaza first met 52-year-old Amani*, he was facing serious challenges after losing his job. With no income, he feared eviction.

Recognizing the urgency, Trina and her team in LCSNW’s Greater Puget Sound (GPS) District quickly stepped in.

Amani, originally from Central Africa, spoke Swahili. To ensure language wasn’t a barrier to accessing services, Trina partnered with her Swahili-speaking colleague, Abdi Hussein. Together, they helped Amani apply for and receive unemployment benefits.

Over the course of just a few months, Trina and her team worked closely with Amani to help him regain stability. That’s what our Aging and Independent Living Case Management program is all about. They provide whole-person services to residents of King County, Washington — helping them address health-related social needs, access local services, and improve overall well-being through coordinated care.

When Amani’s unemployment benefits ended, Trina and her team connected him to LCSNW Employment Services. He soon received a job offer, pending a background check — a key milestone in his journey forward.

To address food insecurity, they also linked Amani to the LCSNW Angle Lake Community Resource Center for regular access to nutritious meals. Additionally, they guided him through the Seattle Housing Authority’s online application process to support his long-term housing needs.

Shortly after, Amani passed his background check and started his new job at a local warehouse.

Through our Case Management programs, we walk alongside clients like Amani—celebrating every step forward. His story reflects not only personal resilience but also the power of collaboration and community connection in overcoming life’s challenges.

*Amani is not his real name

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Volunteer Profile

Michele Hander

When Santa for Seniors launched in Whatcom and Skagit Counties in fall 2024, Michele quickly became our go-to volunteer in Northwest Washington. A close family connection drew her to the gift-giving program: She was recruited by her son, Marc Hander, LCSNW’s Community Engagement Manager in Bellingham.

A lifelong Texan, Michele moved to Washington in 2019, leaving behind close friends and family. Living in a senior community, she soon experienced the isolation that many older adults face. But she didn’t let it last. Michele connected with neighbors and, through conversations with Marc, discovered new ways to live out her lifelong values of helping others through volunteering.

Alongside her grandchildren, Michele began decorating ornaments, signing cards, cutting ribbon, and assembling gift bags — bringing joy to hundreds of seniors.

Santa for Seniors-Bellingham began with 250 Fall Emergency Kits and expanded to 450 recipients during winter and spring. In fall 2025, the program plans to reach 1,500 seniors across Whatcom, Skagit, and Island Counties.

As Santa for Seniors grows, Marc has been instrumental in expanding LCSNW-Bellingham’s impact — building partnerships across housing, behavioral health, and shelter services. He played a key role in coordinating Whatcom County’s Severe Weather Shelter, which served over 300 guests in 26 nights last winter. Our Bellingham facility occupies the property of the former Central Lutheran Church, which LCSNW purchased in early 2024.

Thanks to Marc’s leadership — and dedicated volunteers like Michele — joy is spreading, and community is growing.

SANTA FOR SENIORS

RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP)

SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM

SENIOR FRIENDS PROGRAM