Last week, I wrote about the budget cuts facing YouthCare's James W. Ray Orion Center, which were threatening to gut a ton of amazing resources for homeless youth and young adults—including an overnight shelter to keep homeless youth warm, safe, and off the streets. In response, here's an email I received from a former homeless youth:

My name is Jake. I am a former client of YouthCare and would have had a very different life if I did not find the James W. Ray Orion Center. This why: I was suicidal in a park without a pot to piss in or, likewise, any way to find food without stealing. Being opposed to theft I, after going more than a week without a meal, went to the Seattle Central Library, approached a teenager who looked homeless and asked where I could go for a meal. She directed me to the Orion Center.

I ate a hamburger, fries and a chocolate chip cookie. Food had never been sweeter.

That was about two and a half years ago. Today, I have a job in IT operations at a local software company.

At the Orion Center I was able to eat, shower, do laundry and access case management to help get my life together. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. That is a fact.

We’re still several days away from seeing a final King County budget, and a couple weeks away from a final city budget, but both councils seem willing to step up and help save the services YouthCare offers.

Specifically, city council president Sally Clark has proposed a $130,000 addition to the cit budget to keep the young adult shelter operational. The city council is also considering $250,000 for youth employment training programs like YouthCare’s YouthBuild. "That funding will help fill in gaps caused by the loss of our federal Department of Labor grant for YouthBuild earlier this year," explains YouthCare spokeswoman Elizabeth Trautman.

Meanwhile, the King County Council’s budget team recently released a striker that includes $120,000 for YouthCare’s overnight shelter. Trautman says, "We are heartened to see both bodies considering funding for YouthCare’s shelter, and hope that they will include it in the final budget."

Those funds would make a significant dent in the $1.2 million in cuts YouthCare sustained this year, budget gaps remain. If you want to help out YouthCare, Slog tipper Chris directs you to YouthCare's Amazon wishlist, which includes everything like basic socks and underwear to backpacks and sleeping bags.