Supporting people and communities affected by Türkiye and Syria earthquakes

On Feb. 6, a massive earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria, flattening entire cities and communities. Tens of thousands of people lost their lives and many more were injured. Hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless in freezing temperatures, without access to basic needs such as shelter, health care, sanitation, food, and water.

Now through March 15, King County employees can give support through a special Employee Giving Program by making donations to organizations that are providing humanitarian aid and support for the people impacted by the earthquake. Read more.

Wastewater becomes a resource for growing food with help from a treatment plant

Cross-posted from Clean Water Stories

CitySoil Farm was started in 2008 as a demonstration site to show the benefits of turning wastewater into valuable resources such as recycled water and biosolids that can be used as fertilizer.

After 12 years, it has become a 1.5-acre city farm that not only produces food for the community, but also has outdoor classrooms, an orchard, and multiple learning spaces. Read more.

Black film series: Do the Right Thing

In celebration of Black History Month, the Department of Executive Services (DES) is presenting a three-part film education series from the golden era of Black cinema. 

The second film in the series is Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee. The film was a critical and commercial success and received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In 1999, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

The presentation will feature commentary with Marcus Stubblefield, the Criminal Justice Strategy and Policy Section Manager for the King County Executive Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget.

• Friday, Feb. 24 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. Passcode required.

To obtain the passcode for this event, or for more information, contact Cecelia Hayes.

Coming soon: Soul Food

The final film in the series is Soul Food, playing Friday March 3. Watch for details in the  next Employee Newsletter.

The Black Film Series is sponsored by DES. Employees should check with their supervisor for approval before attending this virtual gathering.

The next Anti-Racist White Action Group meeting is Feb. 28

The next monthly Anti-Racist White Action Group (ARWAG) program will recognize Black History Month, and attendees will learn how structural racism shapes events from history, as well as today.

Participants will also spend time in the new ARWAG Workgroups (Education and Training, Partnerships and Community, and Human Resources and Data), working on goals for 2023.

• Tuesday, Feb. 28 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Join via Zoom.

One of the county’s Affinity Groups (also called Employee Resource Groups), ARWAG addresses racism and other forms of oppression to advance the county’s equity and social justice goals. Email arwag@kingcounty.gov to join this group, get the meeting notices, or for any questions.

Administrative Professional Partners kicks off 2023 with project management presentation

The Administrative Professional Partners (APP) is preparing new and dynamic training and development through the series "APP Presents." With subject matter experts facilitating each session, administrative professionals will be fortified with the information and knowledge for a successful career path.

The next event topic is Project Management, with presentations by project managers from Metro Transit and the Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget.

• Tuesday, Feb. 28 from noon to 1 p.m. 

Join the KC-Admin Professionals Network Teams site for information or join with the Teams access code: d69figi to stay connected for updates.

APP Presents will host a catalog of professional and career enhancement sessions, benefiting the admin experience. To register for this event or for more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/administrativeprofessionals.

Get Movin' with Balanced You

Join Balanced You and a certified trainer every other Wednesday for a 30-minute virtual move break. Session topics rotate weekly including stretching, cardio, yoga, and strength training. View the full schedule on the Balanced You blog. Classes are for all levels, beginner to advanced.

• Stretching, Wednesday, March 1 from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Register here.
• Cardio, Wednesday, March 15 from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Register here.

Attend a Mindfulness Class

Balanced You partners with Mindfulness Northwest to offer free mindfulness classes and workshops to King County employees. Register for an upcoming class below or view the full schedule here.

Mindful Communication 2: Underlying Issues

When communicating mindfully, every interaction is fresh with opportunity and open to discovery. Mindful Communication helps break down the complex process of communication, increase awareness of what's really going on, and bring greater clarity and kindness to our interactions. Underlying Issues: Investigate underlying challenges and issues that hinder good communication with the tools of mindfulness. Can be taken on its own or as a follow-up to Mindful Communication 1: Recognizing the Inner Life.

• Thursday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. Register here.

Mindful Gratitude

Learn how mindfulness can help become a more compassionate and grateful person.

• Friday, March 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. Register here.

Mindful Movement

An hour of gentle, guided movement appropriate for all bodies. This workshop is an experiential deep dive into the practice of moving mindfully and learning to relate to our bodies with awareness, intentionality, and gentleness–through practices such as walking meditation and mindful movement with gentle yoga postures. Comfortable clothing may be helpful as participants are typically offered standing, sitting, and on-the-floor practices. All bodies and abilities are welcome and modifications will be offered.

• Monday, March 6 from 10 to 11 a.m. Register here.

MSA Live! Webinars for financial security

My Secure Advantage (MSA) is a financial wellness program that provides King County employees with tools and coaching to help you reach their financial goals. King County employees get 90 days of money coaching every year.

Women and Money: As the wealth gap narrows between women and men, there are still certain financial challenges that are unique to women. This session will empower you with action steps to create financial wellness and help you assess your history with money. It will also discuss the importance of incorporating emotional intelligence as well as technical aspects of money management to help direct your finances to their highest potential.

• Tuesday, March 14, register here for 9 a.m. and register here for noon.

Getting and Keeping Good Credit: Credit scores influence personal finances in more ways than most people realize. Whether it is your auto insurance premium or the interest rate on your mortgage, you want your credit score to be “excellent.” The session will discuss the criteria that determine a credit score, as well as how to establish new credit, how to recover from credit challenges, and best practices for maintaining an excellent credit score.

• Thursday, March 23, register here for 9 a.m.  and register here for noon.

Register even if you cannot attend to receive a recording of the webinar. Want to learn more about these topics? Connect with MSA at kingcounty.mysecureadvantage.com or call 888-874-7290.

Pet of the Week: Jacob

Hi, I'm Jacob, a two-year-old German Shepherd mix who is ready for adoption. I'm a fun-loving dog and would love a family who is willing to work with me to become the best dog I can be!

You can find out more about me and my friends on our website at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) has moved back to walk-in services. Find out more information about our adoption process on our website. If you have more questions, contact RASKC via phone at 206-296-7387 (PETS) or email pets@kingcounty.gov. 

Featured Job: Project/Program Manager III – CNL

Salary: $96,699.20 - $122,574.40 Annually

Location: Seattle, WA

Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hours per week

Department: DLS - Local Services

Job Number: 2023VS18017

Division: Director’s Office

Closes: March 5 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time

King County's Department of Local Services (DLS) Director's Office is seeking a Project/Program Manager III to independently manage complex projects from start to finish. The individual in this role will start by developing and monitoring the Community Needs Lists (CNLs) program. In this newly created position, this individual will be focused on implementing this multi-year, interagency, community-focused program. The ideal candidate for this role will be a quick thinker who is self-motivated, comfortable developing repeatable program methodology and processes, good at motivating and organizing others to support a program, and at ease with navigating uncertainty and ambiguous situations. The candidate will excel if they have excellent project management skills, excellent interpersonal skills, a keen attention to detail, interest in technology for organizing and managing data, the ability to stay focused in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities, and a passion for equity and social justice.

Learn more about this position or view all available positions.