Blog Entries

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 [...]

Keeping the Focus: Building Changes Puts Expertise to Work at Statewide Conference

Erin.Chambers@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

In the middle of May, just as the weather in Washington State finally began warming up, homelessness providers and advocates from all over the state descended on the Vancouver Hilton for three days of networking and learning organized by the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless (WSCH). We heard moving keynote speeches from Eric Tars of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Pove [...]

Architects of Our Own Rescue: Reflections on Building Changes' Benefit Luncheon - May 5, 2009

James.Thompson@BuildingChanges.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Seattle must be the auction and benefit luncheon capital of the world. It seems to me that there is one almost every week, someplace, somewhere, casting out the net for support of a good cause. Building Changes joined this Seattle tradition some five years ago - and this year hit its stride as a gracious and polished host. The keynote speaker was actor and humanitarian Danny Glover. He was held up in Hollywood on production, so Glover arrived on the day of the event in typical Seattle rain, h [...]

Seattle Taxpayers Want to Renew Seattle’s Housing Levy

Donald.Chamberlain@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:00:00 +0100

On Tuesday, May 12th, I was one of a number of community members who participated in a public hearing on the Housing Levy before the Seattle City Council. The Council is in the process of finalizing the details -- particularly the dollar amount -- that will go into a citizen ballot in November 2009. Seattle voters have approved comparable levies continuously since 1981. The levy adds permanent affordable housing t [...]

Fighting Street Homelessness and the Mixed Blessing of Media

Katherine.Cortes@BuildingChanges.org — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Recently, NPR ran a three-part series on L.A.'s Skid Row, ending with a look at the current circumstance of Nathaniel Ayers, subject of a major motion picture "The Soloist." Starring Jamie Foxx, the movie opened as the fourth most popular movie in America, grossing nearly $10 million in its opening weekend a few weeks ago. That makes this particular (now formerly) homeless man, and his particular circumstances, pretty high-profile. Such attention is critical to rallying s [...]

Applause for Senators Murray and Cantwell

Donald.Chamberlain@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Building Changes applauds Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell for their vocal support of S. 896, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which the Senate unanimously passed yesterday. The approved legislation included two amendments that will greatly benefit low-income and homeless Washingtonians.

The first put forth by Senator Kerry (D-MA) will require 90 days' notice prior to eviction for rent [...]

Building Changes' Statewide Impact: Spring Snapshot

Mark.Putnam@BuildingChanges.org — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:00:00 +0100

As I was driving through Skagit County the other day, taking in the tulips on the way back from meetings in Bellingham, I began thinking about the incredible range of work Building Changes is leading in many corners of the state. We are a Seattle-based agency, but we are working hard to make an impact beyond our headquarters. Consider:

Diving Deep: Talking Benefits in Spokane

Sarah.Rajski@BuildingChanges.org — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:00:00 +0100

I spent the beginning of this week in Spokane, WA where I experienced hail, snow, sun, and an informative training facilitated by Jonathan Beard. Building Changes sponsored the training for homeless families providers. The training sought to clarify the not always obvious differences between SSI and SSDI. While their acronyms are only one letter off, they are very different programs.

Mark Putnam and I hosted our first P2P call and I am excited to report that we had 17 participants, from 9 different agencies < [...]

First-Time Funding For Families in Cowlitz

Emily.Nolan@BuildingChanges.org — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:00:00 +0100

We are here with local nonprofit and government leaders and community members in Longview, WA today to announce nearly $1 million in support service funding to two nonprofit agencies serving homeless families in Cowlitz County -- Drug Abuse Prevention Center and Emergency Support Shelter. To date, the Washington Families Fund has awarded nearly $13 million to 36 programs across Washington state, but this is the [...]