Minnesota Coalition For The Homeless Inc

TO ENSURE EVERY MINNESOTAN HAS A SAFE, DECENT, AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO CALL HOME.

DEEPEN ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT MN, FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS AND MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS:-ADVANCED A LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK IN HOMES FOR ALL THAT INCLUDES LEADERSHIP FOR PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXP. AND STATEWIDE PARTICIPATION. MCH TRANSITIONED SOMEONE INTO A LEADERSHIP POSITION THAT HAS LIVED EXP. AND THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.-IN AN EFFORT TO CARRY OUT PART OF THE REGIONAL EXPERT NETWORK'S VISION, THE MINNESOTA COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS LAUNCHED A PILOT ADVOCACY FELLOWSHIP IN AUGUST 2023. THIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED AFTER SIX YEARS OF DEEPLY COLLABORATING AND LEARNING FROM REGIONAL EXPERT NETWORK MEMBERS WHOSE INSIGHT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CREATION OF THE ADVOCACY FELLOWSHIP. THE GOAL OF THE ADVOCACY FELLOWSHIP IS TO PROVIDE CAREER PATHWAYS FOR LEADERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE BY PROVIDING THEM WITH HANDS-ON TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, AND VALUABLE CONNECTIONS WHILE ALSO ENHANCING MCH'S ADVOCACY. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE FOUR ADVOCACY FELLOWS. -ENGAGED MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MEANINGFUL ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE POLICY MAKERS THROUGH EVENTS, CAMPAIGNS, ACTION ALERTS, AND TESTIMONIALS; 250 CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE INCLUDING LE GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS, AND PARTNERS TO DEEPEN ENGAGEMENT AND INFORM OUR POLICY AGENDA; 1,220 ADVOCATES SENT 6,340 EMAILS TO POLICYMAKERS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES AND URGE SUPPORT TO SUPPORT INVESTMENTS IN SHELTERS, SERVICES, AND HOMES DURING THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.DEVELOP AND ADVANCE MEANINGFUL POLICY SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS: -CONDUCT LISTENING SESSIONS ACROSS THE STATE WITH PEOPLE EXP. HOMELESSNESS AND ORGS WHO SERVE PEOPLE EXP. HOMELESSNESS/HOUSING INSTABILITY; HELD 20+ LISTENING SESSIONS THAT RANGED FROM TRAVELING ACROSS THE STATE, 7 COUNTY METRO SPECIFIC AND AT A CONFERENCE.-PRIORITIZE PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS IDENTIFIED BY PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN FORMING OUR POLICY AGENDA; ITEMS ON OUR 2023 POLICY AGENDA WERE VOICED BY PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXP. THE FELLOWSHIP DETERMINED WHAT WE ASKED DURING THE LISTENING SESSIONS, INPUT ON LOCATIONS TO HOLD THEM, AND THEY PROVIDED A VITAL ROLE IN SELECTING OUR FINAL POLICY AGENDA. -PARTICIPATE AS KEY LEADERS IN THE HOMES FOR ALL COALITION TO ADVANCE OUR SHARED AGENDA ACROSS THE HOUSING CONTINUUM FOR SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT/END HOMELESSNESS, PROMOTE HOUSING STABILITY, CREATE/PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOMES, AND ADVANCE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES; MCH PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN ENSURING H4A IS A COALITION THAT WORKS IN COALITION. WHILE COALITION WORK IS DIFFICULT, MCH IS THE FINAL ORGANIZATION FROM ITS ORIGINAL FOUNDERS THAT CONTINUES TO STAY DEEPLY ENGAGED AT A LEADERSHIP LEVEL.ADVANCED A 2023 POLICY AGENDA FOR:-$100M TO PRESERVE/EXPAND HOMELESS SHELTERS ACROSS THE STATE-INCREASED ONGOING FUNDING FOR THE EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM FROM $14.68M TO $73.68M- $95M IN ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR THE FAMILY HOMELESS PREVENTION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM-$9M FUNDING INCREASE FOR THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM-$200M WAS APPROPRIATED FOR HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND $85M WAS INVESTED IN PUBLIC HOUSING REHABILITATIONAMPLIFY OUR MISSION/MESSAGE THROUGH EFFECTIVE, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS WORK:-DEVELOPED AND ADVANCED MESSAGING THAT IS DATA-DRIVEN, INCLUSIVE, EFFECTIVE, AND ALIGNED WITH KEY PARTNERS-CONTINUED TO SHIFT THE NARRATIVE AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND THE SOLUTIONS NEEDED-IDENTIFIED NEW COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SUPPORTED THEM IN SHARING THEIR STORIES WITH LAWMAKERS/MEDIA-ENGAGED BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN EVENTS AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING DURING HOMELESS DAY ON THE HILL AND THE CONFERENCE-SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT; INCREASED FOLLOWERS BY 1,000-EARNED MEDIA COVERAGE INCLUDED 8 ARTICLESEXECUTE IMPACTFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS INCLUDING HOMELESS DAY ON THE HILL AND OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE, ELEVATING THE NEEDS/SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS; 2023 HOMELESS DAY ON THE HILL HAD APPROXIMATELY 800 PARTICIPANTS AND 145 MEETINGS WITH POLICYMAKERS TO ELEVATE SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING INSTABILITY AND ADVOCATE FOR SAFE & DIGNIFIED HOMES; 2023 ANNUAL CONFERENCE HAD 42 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, A POWERFUL KEYNOTE BY HEATHER KEELER; 700+ PARTICIPANTS, ENGAGING AWARDS CEREMONY HONORING FOUR INDIVIDUALS AND TWO ORGANIZATIONS.