Cares of Washington
Who We Are
Our mission is to support people with disabilities and low incomes to realize their purpose, potential, and strength.
OUR ORGANIZATIONAL VISION: An equitable, inclusive community committed to stability and fulfillment.
Cares of Washington has been providing services for people with low incomes and disabilities for over 40 years. The organization was first established in 1980 in Seattle as the International Assoc. of Machinists Center for Administrating Rehabilitation and Employment Services or “IAM CARES”. The original charter was to return injured Boeing Machinists to work. When the national IAM CARES organization closed in 2003, the Puget Sound office of IAM CARES reorganized with the new name ‘Cares of Washington’ and officially became an independent 501c3 WA State nonprofit with a broader mission, a far more diverse funding platform and with a stronger base of employers and job placement resources. We are still headquartered in Seattle, with services provided in Snohomish, King, Pierce and Kitsap Counties. Today Cares operates a variety of job placement, career readiness, homeless employment/housing and pre-employment programs serving over 600 people annually.
What We Do
Cares serves: • Low-income persons (youth, adults and senior citizens) with or without disabilities; • Unemployed or underemployed low-income adults; and • Employees facing barriers to continued employment and career advancement. Our clients reflect the racial and cultural diversity of our four county service area: 55% White, 23% Black, 10% Hispanic/Latino, 8% Asian, 2% American Indian/Alaskan Native and 2% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. 53% of our clients have one or more disabilities. Our programs and services include: 1) Supported employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, job development, job readiness training, job placement and job retention services. Community Inclusion Services - Assessment, planning, coordinating, advocacy and referral: Cares works one on one with clients to identify their interests, enhance their skills, and clear hurdles that have previously prevented independence. Advancement Services-career, life and financial coaching services for people going through pre-apprenticeship programs, apprenticeship programs, 2 and 4 year college programs and certificate training programs. 2) Referral Services - Benefits, Housing, Child Care, Transportation and access to Social Services: Government assistance is not a substitute for economic self-sufficiency, but access to support can create the foundation necessary for long term independence.
