Hope on the Harbor: Compassion During Crisis

At United Way Grays Harbor’s Community Program Presentation Day, two familiar voices—board treasurer Jan Dahl and longtime volunteer Judy Eckman—shared why the Cancer Alliance of Grays Harbor and its Harbor Hope Assistance Program matter so much.

In their words, Harbor Hope isn’t about charity. It is about stepping in when everything feels like it is falling apart and doing it without delay, without red tape, and without judgment.

“We are a community of caring people, supporting the county, networking to help neighbors financially devastated by cancer.”— Cancer Alliance of Grays Harbor

Turning Compassion Into Immediate Action

When cancer changes everything, Harbor Hope steps in quickly to meet urgent needs before small struggles become overwhelming crises. Help here is not handed out lightly. Patients are referred by trusted nurses, doctors, and care teams who see the need firsthand and know when to act.

Every dollar given goes directly to helping patients. No administrative costs. No hidden fees. Board members personally cover all overhead, so every donation goes where it is needed most. Payments are made directly to businesses or service providers, ensuring assistance goes straight to the needs of the patient.

“We are a low-barrier organization. If someone’s electricity is being shut off tomorrow, we can step in immediately.”—Jan Dahl

This is real compassion: fast, personal, and full of heart.

No One Should Have to Choose Between Essentials and Survival

Cancer does not just attack the body. It shakes every part of life: emotionally, physically, and financially. Families should not have to choose between staying fed, staying housed, or staying alive. They should not worry about essentials when they are already fighting for their lives.

“I was lucky. I did not have to choose between gas money and medicine. But too many others do.”—Judy Eckman

The Harbor Hope Assistance Program steps in before families are forced to make impossible choices. Through the Cancer Alliance of Grays Harbor, Harbor Hope meets urgent, often hidden needs:

• Gas cards so patients can reach lifesaving treatments

• Groceries to keep families nourished

• Help with rent, power, and water bills to keep homes stable

• Funeral assistance when loss leaves families overwhelmed

Restoring Dignity, One Neighbor at a Time

Cancer does not just take a toll on the body. It takes a toll on dignity, too.

That is why Harbor Hope steps in where it matters most.

“A young father with cancer had no home.We helped secure the deposit, and with the help of a church and a kind landlord, he and his children moved in just in time.”—Jan Dahl

A hospice worker told us about an 80-year-old woman with terminal cancer who was living without running water.It was not practical to repair her home in time.With one phone call, we arranged free water delivery through Water to Go, allowing her to spend her final days at home with dignity.

Sometimes, dignity is restored through a simple act of kindness. Other times, it is about helping someone hold onto hope when everything feels uncertain. And sometimes, it is about fulfilling a dream.

One young girl’s dream was to see the ocean. At just 16 years old, battling terminal cancer and unable to walk, her wish was simple but powerful. After a call to Quinault Beach Resort, a two-night stay was donated to make it possible.Local firefighters carried her wheelchair across the sand so she could experience the waves herself.

“That is the heart of what we do: neighbors helping neighbors.”—Judy Eckman

It was not complicated. It was love in action.

Why United Way Stands Beside the Cancer Alliance of Grays Harbor

At United Way Grays Harbor, we are proud to stand beside the Cancer Alliance of Grays Harbor and support their Harbor Hope Assistance Program. Here, support is not delayed. It is not buried in paperwork.

It is neighbors stepping up for neighbors with urgency, compassion, and care.

Because of Harbor Hope:

• Immediate needs are met.

• Families stay together.

• Dignity is restored.

• Hope is never far away.
  

We are stronger when we lift each other up. We are better when we stand together. United is the Way.