By Molly Bryant, Puyallup Tribal News
The Wrap Around Program assists the Puyallup Tribal community in a multitude of ways. The mission is “to empower individuals to become healthy and stable through culturally sensitive collaboration with family and community members.”
Wrap Around provides assistance with housing, employment, education, transportation, child care, home management and accessing food. The program also assists with child welfare case plans, quashing warrants and other legal issues. The department collaborates with multiple social services programs within and outside of the Tribe. It also provides resources for Tribal members who wish to connect more with culture.
Wrap Around Navigator Nicolette Viken said she has always thought of the program as a “blanket.” Staff members partner with multiple programs and services within the Tribe to help support people navigating difficult systems.
Program Manager Ashley Howard points to housing as one of the most difficult of those systems. The Wrap Around staff assists with filling out housing applications and overcoming barriers to finding housing, for example, having a criminal background, credit issues and more.
Unlike many social service systems that require participation from clients, Wrap Around is completely voluntary, meaning participants can reach out on their own for assistance. Wrap Around Navigator Alisha Poitra said, “The most rewarding thing is seeing somebody at their lowest of low and then watching them grow and prosper.”
To qualify for the Wrap Around benefits, you must be an enrolled member of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, a parent or guardian of an enrolled child of the Puyallup Tribe or an individual married to an enrolled member of the Puyallup Tribe. You must also actively participate in the program and live in Pierce, Thurston or King County.
The Wrap Around Program is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Its office is located at 1423 E. 29th St., Suite 331 and 332, Tacoma, WA 98404. To learn more, email WrapAroundProgram@PuyallupTribe-nsn.gov, call 253-382-6219 or fax 253-680-5660. Program participants are required to fill out an intake form, which can be found on its website, puyallup-tribe.com/services/p/wraparound.html.
