Press Releases
January 4, 2012 - BUILDING CHANGES ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO LEAD STATEWIDE EFFORT TO END HOMELESSNESS. Founding Executive Director Betsy Lieberman concludes 24 years of visionary leadership and paves the way for her successor. Today, Building Changes’ Board of Directors announced that Deputy Director Alice Shobe will become the agency’s new executive director as of April 2, 2012.
Related Press Coverage:
New leadership at Seattle nonprofit working to end homelessness
Valerie Bauman, Puget Sound Business Journal, 1/4/12
May 3, 2011 - NEW BILL CREATES A DOORWAY TO SERVICES FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. Over-the-phone access to resources allows counties flexibility to help those in need. Today, Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law a bill that will help families and individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness quickly connect to the support they need. Building Changes and the Washington Families Fund led the effort in partnership with the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Washington State Coalition for the Homeless, Committee to End Homelessness in King County, and Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.
Related Press Coverage:
Gregoire signs a bill of major benefit to homeless families
Judy Lightfoot, Crosscut, 5/8/11
March 22, 2011 - BUILDING CHANGES ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST RURL HOMELESSNESS. New Washington Families Fund grants go to rural communities serving families struggling with homelessness. Kitsap, Benton/Franklin, and Yakima counties will be using grant dollars from the Washington Families Fund to help an underserved population of families in their communities—those struggling with repeated bouts of homelessness. Working with their community partners, grantee providers will be boosting programs that offer families and their children safe stable housing with an array of services, including case management, mental health counseling, and services for children.
January 28, 2011 - PAVING THE WAY TO EMPLOYMENT FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES IN PIERCE COUNTY. New partnership to provide Housing and Employment Navigator to families in need. Today, Building Changes and the Washington Families Fund announced a new partnership with WorkForce Central, Pierce County’s workforce development board, to provide employment services for families who have recently experienced homelessness.
Related Press Coverage:
Partnership provides housing, employment resources for Pierce County homeless
Tacoma Daily Index, 2/4/11
June 22, 2010 - LOCAL FAMILY'S STORY ILLUSTRATES PARTNERSHIP AND PROGRESS THAT IS THE CORNERSTONE TO WHITE HOUSE'S FIRST-EVER FEDERAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS. Today, the Washington Families Fund, an innovative public-private partnership led by Building Changes, is gaining national attention for its bold approach to reducing family homelessness throughout Washington State.
April 7, 2010 - INNOVATIVE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCES FIFTH ROUND OF GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE FAMILY HOMELESSNESS STATEWIDE. Today, the Washington Families Fund, a public-private partnership led by Building Changes, announced its fifth round of grant awards to agencies across the state. Grants totaling more than $3 million will go to eight organizations working to move struggling families out of homelessness into housing, school, and economic stability in Clallam, Clark, King, Pacific, Snohomish, Thurston, and Walla Walla counties. These new awards come on the heels of the Fund’s most recent report on five years of demonstrated success for homeless families served by Washington Families Fund programs.
February 4, 2010 - SEATTLE TIMES PRAISES FAMILIES FUND. Editorial encourages lawmakers to support the work of the Washington Families Fund, reminding them that this dynamic public-private partnership uses state money to leverage philanthropic dollars to successfully address homelessness in Washington state.
A smart investment to end homelessness
Lance Dickie, The Seattle Times, 2/4/10
October 1, 2009 - BUILDING CHANGES RECEIVES $1 MILLION IN FEDERAL RECOVERY ACT FUNDS. Building Changes today announced it has been selected for a $1 million Federal grant to provide capacity-building technical assistance and grants to small community- and faith-based nonprofits serving the homeless and at-risk or very low-income households. Building Changes is one of 35 organizations selected for a Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) Grant Nonprofit Capacity Building Program, whose purpose it is to improve the ability of nonprofit organizations to promote the economic recovery of people with low incomes. The focus of the grant will be on the 31 most economically distressed counties in the state. The award is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes $46 million in grants nationwide.
Download Press Release: Building Changes Receives $1 Million in Federal Recovery Act Funds (10/1/09)
Download FAQ About Building Changes' $1 Million Grant
Related Press Coverage:
Federal money boosts local health and social services non-profits
The Business of Giving Blog, The Seattle Times, 10/1/09
September 25, 2009 - WASHINGTON FAMILIES FUND HIGHLIGHTED IN RAIKES SPEECH TO SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. In a speech to the Seattle Chamber of Commerce on September 24th, Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, spoke of the foundation's most important local project -- ending family homelessness. Raikes spoke of the work of the Washington Families Fund led by Building Changes.
Related Press Coverage:
Gates Foundation CEO wants biz to house homeless
Associated Press, 9/25/09
Gates Foundation invests $3B in WA state
Puget Sound Business Journal, 9/25/09
Homeless are economic assets, says Gates Foundation CEO
The Business of Giving Blog, The Seattle Times, 9/25/09
April 7, 2009 - WASHINGTON FAMILIES FUND ANNOUNCES NEARLY $1 MILLION IN NEW GRANTS FOR COWLITZ COUNTY. In December 2008, Building Changes approved eight grants totaling $3,531,595 to service-enriched housing providers throughout the State of Washington, including nearly $1 million in first-time grants in Cowlitz County, where about 10 percent of families and 14 percent of the population live below the poverty line, including 20 percent of those under age 18 and 7 percent of those age 65 or over. On April 7th, the two new grants for the Drug Abuse Prevent Center and Emergency Support Shelter were formally announced at an event in Longview, Washington.
Related Press Coverage:
Building Changes' bold endeavor hits home
The Daily News, 4/19/09
$1 million in grants to boost Phoenix House, Emergency Support Shelter
The Daily News, 4/7/09
Housing for low-income mothers to open soon
The Daily News, 3/21/09
March 19, 2009 - WASHINGTON FAMILIES FUND LAUNCHES NEW STRATEGY TO PREVENT AND END FAMILY HOMELESSNESS. Innovative public-private partnership deepens commitments from Gov. Gregoire, leaders from King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other funders. The Washington Families Fund, an unprecedented public-private partnership led by Building Changes today announced it is embarking upon a bold, new approach to end homelessness among families with children throughout the state, with the goal of reducing the problem by 50 percent in the next decade.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Press Release (3/19/09)
Watch video clips from the event
Related Press Coverage:
Tacoma, Pierce housing agencies sharpen shovels
The News Tribune, 4/18/09
Editorial: Homeless kids, families deserve improved help
The News Tribune, 3/30/09
Editorial: Homeless Families - Taking a smarter approach
Everett Herald, 3/20/09
City, county align to end homelessness
Tacoma Weekly, 4/2/09
Pierce County signs on to end homelessness
Tacoma Daily Index, 3/30/09
Gates Foundation joins others in goal to cut homelessness
The Seattle Times, 3/19/09
Gates Foundation targets Washington state homelessness
Puget Sound Business Journal, 3/19/09
TV
Gates Foundation puts focus on homeless kids
KING 5 News, 3/19/09
Washington Families Fund: New Strategy to End Family Homelessness
(46-minute clip of entire event)
Washington State Public Affairs TV Network, 3/19/09
RADIO
Gates Foundation to Fund Homelessness Plan
KPLU, 3/19/09
$60 Million for Housing (Note: Interview with Alice Shobe, Building Changes Deputy Director, begins at 3:50 in the program)
KUOW, 3/19/09
NEW MEDIA
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation curbing Seattle family homelessness
Examiner, 4/1/09
Homeless families at the Gates
The Weekly Volcano, 3/30/09
Public-Private Family Homelessness Partnership Redoubles Investment for Washington State
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness e-newsletter, 3/20/09
Gates Foundation Commits Up to $60 Million to Address Homelessness in Washington State
Philanthropy News Digest, 3/23/09
Washington State in the News: Gates Foundation Commits Up to $60 Million to Address Homelessness in Washington State
Serve Our Vallejo Homeless, 3/23/09
Bill and Melinda Tackle Homelessness
Change.og, 3/19/09
Gates Foundation Pledges $60 Million to Help End Family Homelessness
First Place blog, 3/19/09
Gates to Give Up to $60-Million to Help the Homeless
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 3/20/09
Building Changes 2010-2011 Community Report
