Seeing the Light

Vitoria.Lin@BuildingChanges.org — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0100

“America is such a wealthy country—no one back in the old country would believe that there is homelessness here.”

Those were my father’s first words when he surveyed the beautiful and sometimes haunting photographs of the National Center on Family Homelessness’ “Looking into Light” exhibit, which the Seattle University Project on Family Homelessness is hosting at City Hall.

Board Advocacy: All Hands on Deck

Vitoria.Lin@BuildingChanges.org — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0100

What role does advocacy play in a housing-and-services provider's work to end homelessness? “Plenty,” they would say. Many of Building Changes’ grantee providers already have executive directors and staff who actively engage their elected officials for funding and support. But often, they’ve excluded some of their best assets: their board members.

This year, several of our staff, including Executive Director Betsy Lieberman, Deputy Director Alice Shobe, and Public Policy Specialists [...]

Building a Community of Opportunity

Kari.Murphy@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:00:00 +0100

As a member of the Building Changes team that recently completed planning work for the Seattle Housing Authority's Yesler Terrace project, I got an inside look at an exciting new community. For the Seattle Housing Authority, the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace -- the second oldest publicly subsidized community in the U.S. and the oldest in Seattle -- is about more than just replacing aging structures and creating stable housing. It's about creating a "Community of Opportunity" for the [...]

Street Compassion

Alice.Shobe@BuildingChanges.org — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Friends and family often ask me "should I give money to a homeless person on the street?" I typically suggest giving respect and courtesy. I offer that money will do more if donated to an organization serving the homeless. Seattle writer Judy Lightfoot takes respect and courtesy one step further in her blog post, Begging: To give or not to give. She suggests you give one of your most c [...]

On the Road with HB 1811

Seth.Howard@BuildingChanges.org — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0100

In a budget cutting session--like what we're all sweating in Olympia right now--good news can be hard to come by. But good news is what came out of the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee yesterday with the passing of HB 1811 on a voice vote. And we're celebrating! HB 1811 has already p [...]

New Data: Bad News and Good News

Alice.Shobe@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0100

New national data shows more children and their families are experiencing homelessness in our country and state. Our state's dilemma is that we have proven programs that end homelessness, but their continued longevity is threatened by ongoing State deficits. Programs like the Washington Families Fund, Home Security Fund, and Housing Trust Fund are good for families a [...]

Work That Matters: A Reflection on My VISTA Year at Building Changes

Eric.Glover@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:00:00 +0100

As we stood in a circle at Building Changes' staff retreat, reading aloud each other's responses to the prompt of "Why our work matters," I couldn't help but marvel both the hopeful tone that unified them all and the idiosyncratic styles that set them apart. Some statements were lyrical in their simplicity, but once allowed to simmer in the subsequent silence, had an effect more complex. Others leaned toward the ornate, recounting stories or laying out logic that landed last-second wal [...]

More Than Just Lunch

Christena.Coutsoubos@BuildingChanges.org — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 08:00:00 +0100

The stakes are high with a big event - and with 470 guests at Benaroya Hall on September 23rd for Building Changes' Honoring Our Partners luncheon, it was definitely a big event, as well as our signature fundraiser. All the preparation - the energy and passion of our Board members, assembling the perfect program, phone calls to support Table Host [...]

For Bear-child, Lena, and Edith

aanalauckhart@gmail.com — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Board member, Aana Lauckhart, reflects on the places and people that made up her childhood living on the fringe, and how Building Changes' work to end homelessness inspires her role with the Board of Directors.

There are thousands of families in our state who live on the fringes. Some doubled-up at a family member's house. Others are sleeping in their car. They are the people you and I rarely see. People who rarely have a voice in conversations about the issues that affect them mos [...]

Not Just Numbers, But Lives

Kelly.Smith@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Getting sick isn't fun and it usually sets you behind on work, which is never good. So when I landed in bed last week with a head cold, I decided to catch up on some work-related reading. You know -- all those riveting statistical reports that get shoved to the bottom of the work pile for when you have "time to spare."

On the docket for this sick-induced, day-in-bed was the A Landscape Assessment and Strategic Plan for Increasing Economic Opportunities for People Experiencing Homelessness in Whatcom County. The goal of the plan is pretty straightforward: expand the opportunities of people who have [...]

Can You Hear Me Now?

AnneMarie.Champoux@BuildingChanges.org — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

As I stood outside in the frigid Olympia morning, I glanced up at the gray sky. No rain yet, but later we might not be so lucky. I took a deep breath and exhaled, forcing myself to relax. I gathered what intellectual courage I could muster and fell in-step with more than 450 others who, like me, had gathered in our state capital and donned red garb to show our support for Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day -- to be a voice for continued government funding for the homeless.

Truthfully [...]

One Perspective on the One Night Count

Eric.Glover@BuildingChanges.org — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

By the time Inglourious Basterds and Harry Potter had slipped into our discussion, the One Night Count felt more like a fraternizing affair than a civic one. So far, our flashlit trek through Woodland Park had shed more light on the film tastes of my fellow employees than on any hidden homeless population in the woods-and although I was happy to gab Golden Globes, the topic of conversation was clear evidence that we could afford to be distracted. If the homeless were out, they [...]

Momentum Builds for Extending Economic Opportunities to Homeless Job Seekers

Mark.Putnam@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Talk to your friends, family, or even people who provide services to people experiencing homelessness, and when the topic of employment comes up, many will say to you "those people can't work. They don't have the skills, they don't have the education, they don't have the desire." Sound familiar?

Well, I believe that those assertions are flat out untrue. Programs in our state, like the Seattle Conservation Corps, Washington Women's Employment and Education, and Pioneer Human Services [...]

Still Striving to Meet the Need: 2009 Supportive Housing Institute

Erin.Chambers@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100

American scholar William Arthur Ward said: "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." Despite financially challenging times, committed realists from across the state are diligently adjusting the sails to try and keep pace with the growing need for service-enriched housing. Since January of this year, eight development teams from diverse regions of Washington have been attending two-day sessions of the Supportive Housin [...]

Change Agents Work to Increase Economic Opportunities for Homeless Families

Sarah.Rajski@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Recently, Washington Families Fund and Sound Families grantees gathered to attend our recent training, "Increasing Earned Income for Homeless Families: Strategies for Being a Change Agent at Your Agency." The Tacoma Housing Authority graciously hosted. I had the privilege of facilitating, along with Mark Putnam from [...]

Paving the Way for Greater Cooperation in Snohomish County

Charlie.Corrigan@BuildingChanges.org — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

For the past year, Building Changes has worked closely with local governments in Snohomish County to develop recommendations for supporting affordable housing. We are very pleased that on June 17th, Snohomish County Tomorrow unanimously approved our final report and passed a resolution to co-convene a task force to implement our recommendations. The complete report can be access [...]

Building Changes Applauds Inter-Governmental Coordination in Ending Homelessness

Donald.Chamberlain@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

June 18th is an historic day with two significant announcements that demonstrate the holistic approaches and foresighted leadership of the Obama administration and Washington's Congressional delegation:

New Leadership in Ending Homelessness - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis were elected today as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The mission of the Counci [...]

2010 Housing Levy Renewal Up To Seattle Voters This November

Lisa.Govro@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Seattle has a long history of creating and sustaining innovative affordable housing solutions for those who need it most. What began as a small housing bond in 1981 for low-income seniors and disabled citizens has evolved into a levy supporting affordable housing development and restoration, down payment assistance to first time homebuyers and emergency rental assistance for families on the verge of homelessness. On Monday, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to renew the housing levy [...]

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