Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/1496538
A simple act of kindness always sparks another. It sounds naive—maybe even elementary—but when one family's donation to furnish and repaint a resource room transformed a well-used classroom into a vibrant community center, the Valley Cities Kent Clinic got an idea. "What if every space in our offices were as welcoming as this one?" Jessica Forshee, Kent Clinic Manager, explained as she described the stark contrast between the renovated and unaltered parts of their facility. But this journey would be a challenging one. While BY CHANCELLOR WALLIN MARKETING COORDINATOR MBAKS Change Begins With a Spark How Painting a Better Tomorrow Helped Valley Cities Help Their Community important, paint and cosmetic repairs often take a back seat to Valley Cities' main goal of providing care for those who need it most. And Valley Cities knows what it takes to provide care. With over a dozen clinics scattered throughout both King and Snohomish Counties, they've seen an exponential rise in demand for their services—behavioral healthcare addressing mental illness, substance abuse, and displaced members of our community— over the past three years. As a key component in the King County mental health care system, it's never been more important that Valley City's doors to remain open and people to feel welcome and safe enough to access care. That's why on November 5, a new partnership was forged with MBAKS' Painting a Better Tomorrow (PBT). Started in 2003, PBT brings paint professionals and volunteers to take to the walls of a local nonprofit organization to provide a much-needed service: a makeover. Since its inception, the program has painted and decorated thousands of square feet to create spaces of belonging for deserving organizations, their staff, and the communities they serve. 36 master BUILDER | SPRING 2023 COMMUNITY