Seattle-King County Coalition On Homelessness

WE MOBILIZE OUR COMMUNITY TO CHALLENGE SYSTEMIC CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS AND ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING JUSTICE.

MEMBER SERVICES: 2021 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING TOPICS INCLUDED: COVID-19 VACCINES FOR HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS; HOMESS COVID-19 RESPONSE, BLACK BRILLIANCE RESEACH PROJECT; CIVIL SERVIVAL REENTRY LEGAL AID PROJECT; PANDEMIC EBT; HOW TO HELP UNHOUSED CLAIM STIMULUS CHECKS; WASHINGTON VOTER RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT; LEGISLATIVE SESSION DEBRIEF; CHANGES TO PUBLIC BENEFITS; CHILD TAX CREDIT; HOMELESS CHILDCARE RESOURCES; WASHINGTON FOSTER CARE; PANDEMIC AID; COVID-19 VACCINE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 12; AND LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW. 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 SEVERAL PARTNERS. IN 2021, WE PARTNERED WITH BUILDING CHANGES, KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, HOPELINK, AND THE UNITED WAY OF KING COUNTY.

SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES WHO ARE SHELTERED: IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN KING COUNTY, STUDENTS TRY TO LEARN WHILE LIVING THROUGH THE UPHEAVAL AND UNCERTAINTY OF HOMELESSNESS. MORE THAN 9,000 STUDENTS EXPERIENCED HOMELESSENESS IN LOCAL SCHOOLS AT SOME POINT DURING THE 2021-2022 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 OCTOBER 21, 2021. 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 2021 BACKPACKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 1,472 SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO WERE HOMELESS IN KING COUNTY IN TIME FOR BEGINNING OF THE 2021 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.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ADVOCACY: WE TRACKED AND ENGAGED OUR MEMBERS IN ADVOCACY RELATED TO STATE LEGISLATION ON GOOD CAUSE FOR TENANTS; SUPPORT FOR EMERGENCY SHELTERS; AND HOUSING PROTECTIONS DURING COVID-19. IN PARALLEL WITH SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY BUDGET CYCLES, COALITION STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HELPED DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY AND COUNTY CONCILMEMBERS 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 THE 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 AND THE KING COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN SERVICES, THE EASTSIDE HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE NORTH URBAN HUMAN SERVICES ALLIANCE, AND THE SOUTH KING COUNTY FORUM ON HOMELESSNESS. DURING 2021 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 SERVICES 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, ADQUATE SHELTER, AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSES TO 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 INO ACCOUNT COVID-19 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.

VOTER REGISTRATION, EDUCATION AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION: WE ORGANIZED VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTING RIGHTS, EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS, AND GET-OUT-THE-VOTE EFFORTS, BEFORE EACH PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION. THIS WORK IS NON-PARTISAN AND FOCUSES ON ENSURING THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE VOTER HAS THE CHANCE TO REGISTER AND VOTE, AND THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC DIALOGUES ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THEM. THE COALITIONS WORK IN THIS AREA CENTERS ON ENSURING THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR UNSTABLY HOUSED, THOSE WITH PREVIOUS CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE OTHERWISE MARGINALIZED, UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. IN 2021, COALITION STAFF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS, HELPED MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE WHO WERE HOMELESS, FORMERLY HOMELESS, OR UNSTABLY HOUSED REGISTER TO VOTE OR UPDATE THEIR ADDRESSES WITH LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS. ADDITIONALLY, COALITION STAFF EDUCATED NEARLY 500 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ABOUT THEIR VOTING RIGHTS.