One year ago, Gardner House and Allen Family Center went from a dream to a reality with the official opening of their doors to the community and a three-day virtual celebration.

Together, the two buildings offer permanent supportive housing and a one-stop service hub for King County families, particularly those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. 

To meet the needs of families, intensified and complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, service providers got creative and pivoted their approach in order to continue providing housing and services for families . They’ve also held special events, like hosting vaccine clinics for both residents and the wider community.  

This project highlights the power of partnerships. Through the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the late Paul G. Allen made a $30-million donation to create Gardner House and the Allen Family Center. Strong public-private partnerships with the City of Seattle, Bank of America, and U.S. Bank also made this possible.  

Together with these partnerships and local service partners that include Mercy Housing, Mary’s Place, Child Care Resources, and Refugee Women’s Alliance, the team at AFC is working with families most in need in our community. 

Read more about this important anniversary and efforts from our partners at Mercy Housing.