A Conversation with Executive Director Asunción “Chon” Marquez

Q: How long have you been Executive Director at Rod’s House, and what brought you here?
Chon Marquez: “I’m coming up on my two-year mark in April. Before joining Rod’s House, I spent about eight years at a Seattle nonprofit focusing on unaccompanied refugee minors—children who had been separated from their families at the border. We acted as foster care, teaching them life skills like cooking and navigating a new culture. That experience really prepared me for my role here, especially in Sunnyside, where I helped open the Young Adult Emergency Home. For us, it’s crucial to recognize young people can’t just ‘know everything’ right away. We want to meet them where they’re at, acknowledge their unique needs, and guide them toward the future they want for themselves.”

Q: Looking back on 2024, what accomplishments stand out to you most?
Chon: “We supported over 500 new young people (ages 13 to 24), which is slightly fewer than before—possibly a sign we’re making real progress, as more youth transition to stability. But the biggest milestone has to be opening our new Hope Center. It has two shelters—one for young people and one for young adults—and follows a housing-first model. Young people can stay up to 120 days while learning essential life skills. The ribbon-cutting was such a proud moment; the community truly rallied around us to make it happen.”

Q: You often talk about community support being critical. Can you expand on that?
Chon: “I like to say, ‘We’re stewards of donations.’ Community members entrust us with their resources—money, time, goods—and it’s our job to use them effectively to help homeless and at-risk youth. Volunteer hours, hot meals, clothing drives—they all make a tangible difference. People sometimes think they have to donate large sums of money, but even a small act—like dropping off winter socks—can change a young person’s day.”

Q: Rod’s House offers more than just housing. Could you talk about your other services?
Chon: “Absolutely. While shelter is critical, homelessness is about more than needing a bed. At our Resource Center, youth can shower, do laundry, and enjoy hot meals. Our case managers also help them secure birth certificates, Social Security cards, and IDs—documents that open the door to employment and education. We have a Behavioral Health Department for emotional support, and we encourage youth to consider GED programs or college if that’s what they want. Everything is about helping them gain the skills and stability to succeed long-term.”

Q: What sets Rod’s House apart from other organizations helping homeless youth?
Chon: “We’re very intentional about our age range—13 to 24—and we take a trauma-informed approach, always centering youth voices. We also value lived experience—we hire young people who’ve navigated similar challenges. They bring insight that training alone can’t provide. If you haven’t walked that road, you can still help—but when you’ve lived it, your perspective is invaluable.”

Q: Finally, what are your hopes for the young people you serve in 2025?
Chon: “My biggest hope is that they hold onto hope—that they realize they’re capable of achieving more than they sometimes believe. We plan to keep improving our processes, maybe open a resource center in Sunnyside, and one day run 24-hour outreach, so if someone needs help at 1 a.m. in White Swan, we’ll be ready. But no matter what we accomplish, the real success comes from seeing a young person believe in themselves and keep going. We’re not here to tell them how to live; we’re here to help them see possibilities and walk alongside them, step by step.”