Ferenc Marsalik proudly displays his green card. The document verifies that he is a legal permanent resident of the US.

It’s not uncommon for us to collaborate across services to help our clients stabilize their lives and find hope.

Meet Ferenc Marsalik. He arrived in the US 30 years ago as a political refugee from Hungary. He worked for many years in the Seattle area until an injury sidelined him. He eventually landed in a remote area of Snohomish County near Granite Falls.

Our Community Resource Center staff became acquainted with Ferenc two years ago when he needed food assistance. He was living in a shack with no electricity or running water.

Ferenc had no vehicle and walked eight miles to visit our center, explained Support Specialist Caroline Neal. He was reluctant to seek assistance and we eventually learned that, through a misunderstanding, he had never obtained a Green Card and the permanent resident status it bestows. He lived in fear of deportation.

Our mighty North Puget Sound staff did what they do best. They collaborated to help Ferenc eliminate barriers in his life and regain hope. Caroline assisted him with his application for Social Security Disability so he could have income. Housing Navigator Lori Morgan worked with him to find a safe place to live in Arlington. Now he had access to public transportation.

Support Specialist Tammy Thornton connected Ferenc with Nandini Rao, LCS Northwest Staff Attorney and Immigration Counseling Program Manager. They worked together to help him get his Green Card.

Today Ferenc is a permanent resident, lives independently and receives the medical care he needs. He no longer lives in fear but lives with hope for what tomorrow will bring.

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