DSA, U.S. Marshals Service Team Up to Help the Homeless in Downtown Seattle

SEATTLE – U.S. Marshals Service Supervisory Deputy Kayla Celaya received the memo just like all Department of Justice personnel – a call to action for community outreach efforts. Outreach for the Marshals Service typically involved visiting schools and talking to children, Deputy Celaya had another idea.

“I thought there’s a segment of the population that we weren’t reaching with our typical community outreach efforts – the homeless,” said Celaya. “We have emergency meals that will expire at the end of the year and these people need a hot meal.”

Deputy Celaya reached out to Seattle Police, who then referred her to the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) Outreach Team Manager Jackie St. Louis. This team connects homeless people to case management, treatment and housing in an effort to get this vulnerable population on a path to stability.

On Thursday, Oct. 6 DSA Outreach and teams from the U.S. Marshals Service will walk through downtown Seattle and parts of Capitol Hill – the two geographic areas of focus for DSA Outreach – to deliver these emergency meals. The goal is to distribute all 192 meals.

“We’re grateful that Deputy Celaya decided to focus her team’s outreach efforts on the homeless community in downtown. For some, this might be the first hot meal they’ve had in days or weeks” said St. Louis. “Partnerships are vital to achieving any measure of success in this crisis.”

These groups will meet at the DSA Outreach Team office (418 2^nd Ave Extension South) at 9 a.m., with distribution beginning shortly thereafter.

About Downtown Seattle Association

Established in 1958, the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) is a member-based non-profit organization whose mission is to create a healthy, vibrant downtown. By advocating on issues including transportation, economic development and the urban experience, DSA works to ensure that Downtown remains a great place to live, work, shop and play.

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