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Founders of Sequim nonprofit awarded $6,000 WorkSource grant

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 8, 2026

By Sequim Gazette staff

Photo by Monica Berkseth Alicia Liggins, right, holds the award that she and her husband Darrin Liggins, center, received from David Herrick, left, of WorkSource Clallam County. The couple own Liggins Landscaping in Sequim and are the founders of the nonprofit Having Understanding Means Acting Now (H.U.M.A.N.), which provides workforce assistance to individuals.

Photo by Monica Berkseth

Alicia Liggins, right, holds the award that she and her husband Darrin Liggins, center, received from David Herrick, left, of WorkSource Clallam County. The couple own Liggins Landscaping in Sequim and are the founders of the nonprofit Having Understanding Means Acting Now (H.U.M.A.N.), which provides workforce assistance to individuals.

Darrin and Alicia Liggins, owners of Liggins Landscaping in Sequim and founders of the nonprofit H.U.M.A.N. (Having Understanding Means Acting Now), are the recipients of a $6,000 grant through WorkSource Clallam County, made possible by the Olympic Workforce Development Council (OWDC) and the Commerce Reinvestment Program (CRP). The initiative supports underrepresented businesses and organizations across Clallam, Kitsap, and Jefferson counties, with a focus on strengthening workforce development and economic opportunity.

“As a first-year nonprofit board, this grant is a huge milestone for us,” Alicia Liggins wrote in an email to the Gazette.

“The funding will be used to build a mobile outreach and workforce development program, allowing us to bring services directly into the community rather than requiring individuals to travel or have access to technology. This includes portable branded booths, iPads, Wi-Fi, and presentation tools to support hands-on engagement.”

Through this program, H.U.M.A.N. will provide resume development assistance, job application support, interview preparation, digital literacy training, and mentorship workshops.

The services will be delivered at trusted partner locations such as schools and community organizations, helping remove barriers for individuals who may not have reliable access to devices, internet, or career resources.

“H.U.M.A.N. is building strong partnerships with the Boys & Girls Club, the Sequim School District, the YMCA, and the Sequim Food Bank, allowing immediate program implementation within trusted community environments,” Alicia Liggins’ email stated. “Through outreach events and after-school programming, and community incentives such as the Shoes with Souls campaign, H.U.M.A.N. serves as a positive community connector, helping youth and families build confidence and engagement that supports long-term workforce preparation. The proposed assets expand the organization’s ability to deliver consistent programming across established partnerships, resulting in strengthening sustainability and the growth of regional workforce pipelines.”

Alicia Liggins said that by combining workforce training with mentorship, wellness, and community engagement, the nonprofit will create “a supportive pathway that helps individuals develop the mindset, skills, and stability necessary for sustainable economic mobility.”

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