The Community Center building at the Emergency Family Shelter operated by the Multi-Service Center just off Military Road and the Kent-Des Moines Highway, was showing its age. Then three area corporations recognized the need, stepped forward, and have created a local version of "Extreme Makeover."

Once base housing for the Navy's Nike Missile Base in the '60s and '70s, the four-block area was deeded to King County several years ago by the federal government. The King County Housing Authority then sublet the single family homes to three non-profit organizations, including MSC, to be used for housing programs. Although the site has been well-maintained since then, the homes are definitely '50s vintage architecture, and the majority of the maintenance funds have been spent for basic, functional needs...plumbing, wiring, paint and cleanup.

The Community Center, once one of the base homes, serves as a meeting ground, intake office and counseling office for the three current housing providers sharing the units: Highline Mental Health, St. Stephens Housing Association and the Multi-Service Center's Emergency Homeless Shelter for Families.

"Like most shelters, there is a lot more need than there are resources," says Manuela Ginnett, Housing Program Supervisor for the Multi-Service Center. "We have 15 homes we can allocate to homeless families if they have children under 18, and we turn away 14 families for each one we can accommodate."

The need for housing solutions is a whole separate issue which housing rights activists are constantly wrestling with.

But for the volunteers who are trying to provide a safe, happy and caring environment for the families and a positive learning experience for the children at the Multi-Service Center's 'HEART' Program, the issue is "drab!" says Susan Weeks, a grant writer for the agency and a volunteer for the HEART program's Thursday events.

HEART, which is a program of MSC's Education department, stands for Homeless Education to Achieve Readiness for Tomorrow. It operates to serve for the children of the Emergency Shelter and neighboring transitional housing families, whose lives are only just becoming stable and hopeful. It is a refuge from stress and a place where the children can enjoy a toy, or a game, or just talk to friends. But, as Weeks noted, it was a pretty depressing place. Walls were dark with age. Tables, chairs, desks and bookcases were 2nd or 3rd hand, mismatched and well used. Games and puzzles were old, missing critical pieces, directions and often held together with duct tape and glue. Books were available for the taking, but many of them were well-used too.

"We wanted a place that the children would feel welcome and enthusiastic about coming," says Weeks. It was just about that time when Nels Dickman and his crew from the Hardwoods Division of Weyerhaeuser called the agency offering to work on a project for the agency. Weyerhaeuser has been a long-time supporter of MSC's work in the south county region, and Dickman has been continuously involved. He and some of his workmates made a tour of the Shelter facility and agreed that some colorful paint and wallpaper would definitely make it a happier place. A full day of work followed, along with brighter light fixtures to increase the light for reading. Step One was complete, and it was beautiful!

By the time the paint was dry, Step 2 was already in progress, as Weeks and the Development Department for MSC approached the Windermere Foundation with a request for funds to replace the mismatched furniture with sturdy, light and bright tables and chairs...some sized for adults and others for children. Windermere was happy to donate $1,000 to the cause, and the volunteers went shopping.

Step 3, to replace the old puzzles and games with new ones containing all of their pieces and parts, is now complete. Starbucks stores in the Federal Way Region, stepped forward to conduct a Book and Game Drive with their customers. Posters went up in all ten stores and the result was over 100 new games and books. They were delivered to the HEART program on Thursday and greeted by a noisy and excited throng of children and their parents. The occasion was a large party, complete with treats and drinks for all. The children each picked out one game to take home for their very own, and the rest remain at the Center, ready to help new families find a place to relax, learn and feel safe.

What's next? There are still some ideas that staff have suggested to add to the mix at the Center. Some involve additional furnishings. Others would involve some reconstruction of walls to open the kitchen up for more light and room.

But for now, the children of MSC's Emergency Homeless Shelter are delighted with their new digs, and they would like to say "Thank You" to all their Weyerhaeuser, Starbucks and Windermere friends for helping create a new meeting place for their HEART program.