Board Update | June 2026

Dear Harbor Hope Center Board Members,

I want to share a few important staffing and funding updates. We also have two exciting events on the horizon and want you to know you’re invited.

Ribbon Cutting | Tuesday, September 8
If you’re in town, please mark your calendars for a ribbon cutting at our two new transitional housing facilities at 712 and 716 MLK Jr. Avenue in Tacoma. This is a milestone moment for our organization and a chance to celebrate what we have built together. We are inviting representatives from the city, county and Housing and Urban Development. It’s a way to mark the new ownership of the property and introduce our programs for young adults.

Hands of Hope Gala | Friday, October 9 | Ocean5, Gig Harbor
Our annual fundraising gala is shaping up to be our best yet, and board participation is essential to its success. Here are five ways you can help:

• Become a Sponsor or connect us with a business or individual who might
• Purchase a Table or Ticket and bring guests who care about our mission
• Donate an Auction Item from your network or business
• Volunteer the night of the event
• Spread the Word through your personal and professional networks

Every board member’s engagement, at whatever level, sends a powerful signal to our community. If you have questions or are ready to commit to one of these opportunities, please give me a call.

Staff Transitions
Erin Shive, our grant writer of three years, has resigned, and our volunteer coordinator has also announced her retirement. Both are significant roles, and we moved quickly on both fronts. We already have strong candidates in the pipeline for each position and expect to have both filled within the next two weeks.

In the meantime, operations remain on track. Our county partners have been excellent to work with, ensuring our invoicing continues without interruption, and our internal team has the grant compliance and invoicing process well covered while we complete the search.

YHDP Contract Signed
I am pleased to share that we officially signed our YHDP contract today. This has been a long time coming. The contract allows us to bill retroactively to April 1 for utilities and other eligible expenses, and we expect to begin receiving full funding by mid-July. Once those funds are available, we will move forward with hiring a transitional housing director and two nighttime staff. We are being fiscally disciplined and will not make those hires until the funding is in hand.

Development Staffing
Summer is historically a challenging season for nonprofits, and our budget has grown significantly with the Tacoma expansion. To meet that moment, we are actively exploring the role a development professional could play, someone who will work alongside our grant writer to strengthen our overall fundraising capacity. Please let me know if you have someone in mind who can work with us as we continue to serve more young adults throughout Pierce County.

Thank you for everything you do for Harbor Hope Center. I am always available for a call or coffee.

Daniel Johnson
Executive Director, Harbor Hope Center

Last modified: June 24, 2026