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Letter to Seattle highlights the good deeds and positive experiences in our region. This is a letter from Devin Pullium to Uplift Northwest, a Seattle nonprofit that provides job opportunities and job-preparation services to people experiencing poverty and homelessness.

I’ve been with Uplift Northwest since 2016 as a day laborer. I love working with Uplift Northwest and recently had a memorable experience with the staff that deeply impacted me.

In November, I was displaced from my apartment and needed a secure space where I could store personal documents and items that I couldn’t afford to lose while figuring out my housing situation. These were personal items like my Social Security card, tax documents, work logs, and more. All these items are important to me in securing employment and housing in the future, so I needed them to be in a safe place.

Uplift Northwest provides lockers for us, and while it may seem like a small thing, items are often stolen or just misplaced when you’re experiencing homelessness, so this is an important service.

Upon my arrival to get secure documents from my locker one day, I was met by a tenant in the building who wasn’t familiar with me and was skeptical to allow me access. The Uplift Northwest team was made aware of the challenges I was having, and I could not believe how the team went above and beyond to help me that day. The entire team came to my aid and personally assisted me with getting everything taken care of so I could access what I needed without interference.

It meant so much to me because, in that moment, I needed those documents to remain employed. The team could have brushed me off and not made it a problem of their concern. It wasn’t just one person — the entire team came in and made sure I was taken care of. Without all the care and concern for what I was dealing with I would have found myself unemployed that day because I needed to provide those documents to my employer.

Uplift does more than just provide lockers. Everyone there really cares about what we experience. They make sure people have positive interactions every day. It’s not just about the services provided — those people truly care about our real lives and the different issues we face when trying to get back on our feet.

I’m so grateful.

Devin Pullium