At Building Changes, we recognize the urgent need for community organizations, school districts, and local tribes to receive as much relief as possible during these unprecedented times. In partnership with the Raikes Foundation, we created the Washington State Student and Youth Homelessness COVID-19 Response Fund to augment existing public dollars that will be used to support students and youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Building Changes will distribute funds to help organizations, schools, and local tribes meet needs that may otherwise be difficult to fulfill or sustain without additional assistance.
| Funds Raised To Date: $3,380,943 | Funds Awarded To Date: $3,115,780 |
To make a contribution, please visit our Donate to the Fund page. If you are an organization, school district, or local tribe and work with students and youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in the state of Washington, please visit our Apply to the Fund page to request funding. To learn more about the awards we have made, including a full list of grantees, please visit our Awards page.
Working with the state’s Office of Homeless Youth, youth and young adults with experience in homelessness, and our own network of school staff and housing providers, we were able to assess the possible needs of students and young people, especially during this time. To respond to these needs, we have made our funds flexible; they can be used in any way organizations, school districts, and local tribes see fit in supporting students and youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Prioritization of funding is guided by two key principles: equity and geographic diversity. To learn more about the Fund and how it works, please visit our FAQ page.
We, as a community, must work together to ensure that students and young people across Washington State have access to much-needed support during this crisis. We believe that schools and youth-focused community organizations are uniquely suited to reach these young people, making them a critical resource to the state’s response.
