May 17, 2022, (Bellevue, Wash.) Three Puget Sound nonprofits have come together to create CIRC, a new brand that provides affordable housing and services to seniors and families.
Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations (SHAG), the Community Life Foundation (CLF) and Downtown Action to Save Housing (DASH) have joined forces to create CIRC. All three organizations are longtime leaders in affordable housing and resident services in the Puget Sound area.
Each component brings different expertise to the new brand, making CIRC uniquely positioned to provide both housing and services to a wide range of residents. “CIRC has the best of both worlds right now,” explained Karen Lucas, executive director of CIRC. “We’ve got the energy and excitement of a startup, combined with the experience that SHAG, CLF and DASH bring to the table.”
Going forward, CIRC will continue to develop, own and operate affordable housing communities and provide resident services and programs to communities owned by external partners, much as CLF did. Over time, all existing communities will be re-branded as CIRC communities.
CIRC (as CLF) pioneered the “Neighborhood Network” approach that creates a comprehensive resident support network within 1-2 miles of each community. Providing access to essential services, resources and programs, the Network can be tailored to the specific needs of communities and residents.
“While the word ‘CIRC’ doesn’t have a specific meaning, it suggests our Neighborhood Network and the circle of resources and connections that are created inside and outside each community,” said Lucas. “After SHAG, CLF, DASH and all the others we’ve had to deal with over the years, we’re excited to be moving away from acronyms.”
Although the CIRC name is new, the philosophy and mission behind the brand is unaltered. “While our name is changing, our services and programs will remain the same,” said Lucas. “We’ll continue to work closely with our ownership partners and provide life-changing support for more than 6,000 residents in 39 communities throughout Puget Sound.”
CIRC will serve as the affordable housing arm of Transforming Age. Headquartered in Bellevue, Transforming Age is a leading nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of older adults by integrating housing, community services, technology, philanthropy, and partnerships.
“CIRC is vital to the Transforming Age mission,” says Torsten Hirche, president and CEO of Transforming Age, “Together we’re building a customer-focused network by integrating housing and services to holistically address the needs of older adults, across the economic spectrum.”
CIRC will play an important role in Transforming Age’s push to expand further into middle-market senior housing and develop solutions to serve the vast number of seniors needing sustainable and affordable housing solutions.
“There are a lot of aging baby boomers that don’t qualify for subsidized housing and can’t afford private-pay senior living options,” explained Hirche. “We think there’s an opportunity to leverage our combined resources and take models that we’ve developed and deploy them into the areas of greatest need. We’re confident we can deliver innovation to a market and industry that needs some new ideas.”
The creation of the CIRC brand reinforces the vision established by the highly praised affiliation between Transforming Age and SHAG and paves the way for Transforming Age to become one of the nation’s leading affordable housing providers.
“We’re taking the successful integrated housing and services approach pioneered by SHAG and expanding it,” said Hirche. “We’ll be able to provide affordable housing, management services and resident support to other affordable housing providers as well as to our own communities. We’re taking the best practices of all our affiliates and bringing them together.”
CIRC provides affordable housing and essential services to seniors and families. Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations (SHAG), the Community Life Foundation (CLF) and Downtown Action to Save Housing (DASH) joined together to create CIRC. All three organizations have been longtime leaders in affordable housing and resident services in the Puget Sound area. CIRC delivers life-changing support for more than 6,000 residents in 39 communities throughout Puget Sound.
Transforming Age is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization offering holistic and integrated solutions that enable people to age successfully. Dedicated to creating unlimited possibilities to enhance the lives of older adults, Transforming Age offers an integrated network of housing, community services, technology, philanthropy and partnerships. With over 2,000 team members, Transforming Age serves over 14,000 people across the economic spectrum in 54 affordable and market rate communities, in addition to providing home and community based services to low-income seniors. Transforming Age and its affiliated foundations provide philanthropic programs aimed at supporting those in need of financial assistance, the creation or enhancement of programs and services. Transforming Age also provides business service solutions to industry partners including management, development, and consulting services. The organization’s technology initiatives aim to improve the lives of older adults and those who serve them at scale.