(light music) - Welcome to the newsfeed.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Housing affordability and high food prices have some families struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

Where here in Linwood, at YWCA's Pathways for Women, a temporary emergency shelter that single women and mothers with children can find refuge during crisis.

Pathway's leadership says they're the only temporary shelter in South Snohomish County with just 13 units.

YWCA Regional Director of Housing Services, Kresha Green shares more on how rising costs are affecting our neighbors.

For about 20 years, Pathways for Women has been a safety net for single women and mothers with children.

How great is the need today?

- I'll start off by saying that the fair market rate for a one bedroom apartment in this area is $2,269.

A person would have to make around $43 an hour to afford a two bedroom apartment with a rent vacancy of 4.5%.

That alone, that statistic alone, is enough to be a burden for a lot of families.

So the need is high.

There's a greater divide between those that have and have not.

- You've also mentioned that you've seen an uptick in clients that are refugee or immigrant women needing help.

What barriers do they face?

- Most of the refugee and immigrant women that come seeking shelter are on their own, or they have their children with them.

They are trying to get familiar with the area.

This is unknown land to them.

English is usually a barrier, and so we try to connect them with culturally appropriate community networks for them, as well as helping them with ESL classes and make sure they're signed up and registered and ready to go so they can start their journey, their path to self-sufficiency.

- You have 13 units here and sometimes that waiting list can be three to six months.

- It can be, if not longer.

I've seen it at other times, but we have, when they come here, we offer different housing opportunities.

So we have rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and housing vouchers.

We try to provide as much service as we can for our participants that are in our programs.

We need to do a lot more as a state, as a country, because we all deserve housing.

It's not a privilege, it's a right.

- How can the community best support pathways?

- You know, a childhood lesson I learned a long time ago that is still true today, is that it takes a village.

We have wonderful community members that give to us every day.

We have a group of senior women that will knit these blankets for us.

- Oh, wow.

- And so they donate that.

And then, like I said, for all the families that come here, they leave here with all the stuff that they get.

People donate pillows and sheets, you know all the linen that they would need.

As well as, you know, the basic needs.

We have our volunteers that give their time and energy with our program, our program participants, we have those that give a financial gift.

We have those that you know, the donors come here and give household items to the families that are here at the shelter, amongst all of our other programs.

It is very much needed and very, very much appreciative for all of those services that they provide.

- If you're interested in learning more about Pathways, go to ywcaworks.org.

I'm Paris Jackson, thank you for watching the newsfeed.

Your destination for nonprofit Northwest News, go to cascadepbs.org for more great local coverage.

(upbeat music)