The Heart of Hilltop: Tacoma Community House and The REACH Center
Chad Tibayan, Communications Associate for the Tacoma Community House (TCH) knows the impact of the work he supports because he grew up hearing first hand stories about immigrating to the United States.
His parents are from the Phillipines and he’s watched how shared culture and language provide a sense of safety and community amid the foreign and unknown.
“My mom speaks Tagalog and she instantly feels comfortable with anyone who speaks the language,” Chad said. “One time I left her at the T-Mobile store to get her phone fixed and came back to find out she had bought a new phone. The sales associate spoke Tagalog and I think she felt safe and trusted him so she bought a new phone.”
TCH is a community-based service center for immigrants, refugees, and long-time South Sound residents. It provides programs and services to help individuals on their path to self-sufficiency. That includes citizenship and language classes, GED preparedness, work readiness training and legal advocacy.
The TCH team has seen firsthand how perseverance is the only choice for many of the people who arrive at their location on L Street in the heart of Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood.
“You never know what people are going through or where they’re living,” Chad said, “So we do as much as possible to help them.”
Part of Chad’s role is to share stories of the impact at TCH programs to help grow awareness, support and engagement. His primary audience is people who, similar to his parents, are seeking foundational skills and knowledge to find success in our community.
He believes in the power of storytelling to help TCH achieve its mission.
“If you see someone who looks like you, you might be more inclined to get those services. And when you see the successes, you are more likely to get the services,” Chad said.
From Ukraine to Tacoma Community House
While many of us were reading headlines about the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, TCH was experiencing a dramatic influx of Ukrainian refugees.
“They were coming from hard situations with their families and we wanted them to feel safe when they came here,” Chad said. “It’s a hopeless feeling to be in a new place, fleeing from home, not knowing a language.”
The Ukrainian refugees were among the 1,258 people who received education, employment and employment services last year. Necessary services, according to Chad.
“You can tell how scary it is for people to be dropped off somewhere not knowing English or having any resources, it’s a huge help for them especially if they are fleeing their country. They need a safe place and that’s what we provide.”
Support for At-Risk Youth
The REACH Center is a partnership project with TCH. According to its recently launched website, The Reach Center at TCH calls itself “a one-stop youth service center for young people 16-24 seeking to advance their educational, career, and life goals.” It serves youth experiencing homelessness between the ages of 16 and 24. While programs and services are similar to that of TCH, much of the work happens offsite.
“Staff are in the field,” Chad said. “They meet clients wherever they are.”
REACH works with more than 900 at-risk youth every year. Chad credits the center’s staff with shared lived experiences as part of the success of the program.
“Shared experience with the youth helps the staff be the best advocates for their clients,” he said.
The Future of Tacoma Community House and REACH Center
Our team designed and developed new websites for TCH and REACH. The new websites, launched April 2023, are optimized for mobile, easy to navigate and more clearly showcase the partnership between both organizations.
All of the updates are important to help connect people with the services they need, Chad says.
“Clients can find what they are looking for. If it’s not super easy, they won’t use it. I love the accordion design because it’s easy to add information so it’s simple for people to understand what we can do for them.”
Looking ahead, Chad and the team at TCH and REACH are optimistic about the opportunity to continue to empower people.
“We work with people from all different backgrounds so it’s an opportunity to recognize and welcome everyone to the neighborhood. We want all people to be recognized — from the LGBTQ+ community, the immigrant refugee community and youth. We want this to be a welcoming place so people can come here and feel safe.”
Learn more about Tacoma Community House and the REACH Center.
