Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    Mission: We mobilize our community to challenge systemic causes of homelessness and advocate for housing justice. Vision: A region that acts on a shared sense of responsibility to ensure that everyone has a home. Values: Equity, Justice, Collective Action. Community Education and public policy advocacy: In parallel with Seattle and King County budget cycles, Coalition staff and volunteers helped develop recommendations for City and County Councilmembers to consider in planning and adopting biennial or supplemental budgets. Our focus is to highlight the unmet needs and gaps in systems and services in the community, and to advance and secure funding for quality services and affordable housing of the nature and scope that will meet the needs of local residents who are homeless. We engage people with direct experience of homelessness, service providers, and others to participate in the budget process by writing or calling their elected representatives, attending and speaking at public hearings and committee meetings, and sharing their insight and knowledge. We prepare informational materials and provide sample messages and postcards to ensure that people who are unable to attend in person can participate in this important aspect of Civic life. Coalition staff, members, and Board members encourage others to participate in public events; speak with elected officials and with media; and share information about how various efforts would benefit, assist, shelter, and house people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, and the general population. Coalition staff participate regularly in meetings as part of the Seattle Human Services Coalition Advisory Council, the North Urban Human Services Alliance, and the South King County Forum on Homelessness. During 2020 Coalition staff engaged in public education, advocacy, and lobbying to increase the amount of funding for homes that are affordable to people whose incomes are at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI), and for effective and needed service and programs to assist people who are homeless or to prevent homelessness. At the local level, in Seattle, our work focused on community education and engagement, grassroots and direct lobbying related to developing deeply affordable housing and supportive services, adequate shelter, and effective responses to the health, housing, and safety needs of people without housing or shelter. During COVID-19, Coalition staff organized and hosted a new Speak Up Pop Up series of on-line educational workshops. These free sessions covered basic civics, such as information about the state legislative process, how a bill becomes a law, and how to communicate effectively with elected officials. We tailored our presentations to take into account COVID19 and new ways for members of the public to learn about and take action on key budget and policy priorities related to homelessness and affordable housing. A part of our commitment to support people who know about homelessness first hand, Coalition staff organized three Financial Empowerment workshops in July, September and October 2020. These free workshops were virtual due to COVID-19. These workshops were presented in partnership with Hopelink, and used the Your Money/Your Goals toolkit and how to apply its principles to homeless service work.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $90K

  • Program 2 [2020]

    Support for Children, youth, and families who are homeless: In every school district in King County, students try to learn while living through the upheaval and uncertainty of homelessness. More than 9,854 students experienced homelessness in local schools at some point during the 2019-2020 school year (the most recent year for which data are available). The Coalition supports students who are homeless and their families through educational resources, training, advocacy, and direct service to students in the form of a community-driven practical support drive known as Project Cool for Back-to-School. Our annual Helping Homeless Students: McKinney-Vento 101 workshop for staff who work directly with students who are homeless and their families took place on September 3, 2020. Over 100 participants included social service providers, legal assistance providers, educators, and staff from local public schools. Through Project Cool we support volunteers, community groups, and staff at our member organizations to collect supplies and fill and distribute new backpacks. In summer 2020 backpacks were distributed to 1,394 school-aged children and youth who were homeless in King County in time for the beginning of the 2020 school year. Backpacks contained new, age-appropriate school supplies, hygiene items, age-appropriate books, and resources. These are distributed free to children and youth through staff at Coalition member organizations at the beginning of the new school year.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $90K

  • Program 3 [2020]

    2020 Membership Meeting topics included: Systems and Services Updates: severe weather shelter; regular updates on COVID-19 for homeless service providers; food assistance and food distribution updates; public health resources; face covering directives and mask resources; Sound Transit and fare collection during COVID-19; COVID-19 toolkit for homeless service providers; helping homeless students; Metro subsidized annual pass. We tracked and engaged our members in advocacy related to state legislation on good cause evictions; right to counsel; public benefits; housing for people at 30% AMI; Working Connections Child Care; and Washington Dental Access Campaign. We invited our members to participate in advocacy on City of Seattle and King County Legislation related to landlord tenent laws; policies related to people living outside; passing a progressive corporate payroll tax (JumpStart Seattle); and budget advocacy. Our federal policy tracking and advocacy related to the HUD emergency shelter rule; policies affecting public housing residents and public benefits programs. Policy and Program updates: regular updates on the Washington State eviction moratorium; changes to SNAP for Able Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWD); regular updates on and opportunities to ensure that people without homes are enumerated in the 2020 Census; TANF updates; changes to state public benefits; voter registration; financial empowerment workshop; Pandemic EBT; King County Health Through Housing initiative. We provide unique opportunities for education, skill development and trainings for direct service providers. Our staff organizes and hosts free case manager workshops on topics related to providing housing, shelter, health and social services. These informative sessions and dialogue at membership meetings are intended to help staff learn about and discuss promising and best practices; ask hard questions; have honest conversations about implementation challenges; and address common community issues and problems. We co-host learning opportunities and trainings with partners including the King County Behavioral Health Division, the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence, and the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, among others.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $90K