This year, communities across our state celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Washington Youth & Families Fund (WYFF). Established in 2004, this unique public-private fund is solely dedicated to helping providers lift-up families and young people out of homelessness. With homelessness at unsustainable levels, Washington’s youth and families need WYFF more than ever. To meet the unprecedented needs of Washington’s unhoused youth and families, we must strengthen the Fund.
As the Executive Director of Building Changes, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing some of WYFF’s transformative work firsthand for much of the past decade. Through WYFF, Building Changes has awarded $67 million in grants to 130 direct service providers across 26 counties. From employment assistance to childcare and behavioral health services, WYFF has been a lifeline for providers and the families they serve.
Before WYFF, our state did not have dedicated funding for families experiencing homelessness. Because of the Fund, in fiscal year 2023, 67% of families and youth in WYFF-funded programs successfully found permanent housing. This was nearly double the 38% success rate of other housing programs across the state, which included a broader range of housing support models. These successes are not just numbers; they represent real lives transformed through trauma-informed, culturally responsive services.
While we celebrate the strides made, we must acknowledge the limitations of timelines we’ve seen rolled out—whether they’re 10-year or 20-year plans—in confronting the complexity of homelessness. The work is never done, and the progress is often slow, revealing that homelessness is deeply tied to larger societal issues like poverty, systemic racism, and lack of access to essential services.
WYFF represents a long-term commitment to change, much like a drop of dye in water, gradually spreading until its impact is fully visible. The Fund is a unique and rare public-private partnership, combining state and private dollars in a way that has sustained efforts across Washington for two decades. The continuity WYFF provides has allowed communities, from Asotin to Whatcom counties, to engage in coordinated efforts to address youth and family homelessness.
What sets WYFF apart is its unwavering focus on equity. Our programs have increasingly focused on addressing the needs of communities—Black, brown, Indigenous, queer, and other underserved groups—who are disproportionately impacted by homelessness. By tailoring services and providing culturally responsive support, WYFF is actively addressing the systemic inequities that have historically marginalized these communities.
Even with the considerable progress WYFF has made, it is not enough. Gaps in funding limit our ability to expand targeted, long-term housing service models to more communities, and homelessness remains a persistent issue. Recent events might cause us to throw up our hands and give up. These and the slow pace of change can be frustrating, but it underscores how deeply connected homelessness is to broader societal challenges. Solving it requires addressing issues like education, affordable housing, workforce development, and child welfare.
The next era of WYFF must focus on deepening connections between program cohorts and establishing longer-term partnerships. Current three-year grant cycles provide crucial, immediate relief, but the impact won’t be seen for 5-10 years. That’s why we are asking the state legislature to sustain support long-term by renewing the additional $1 million investment they made in 2023. Thirteen counties have yet to benefit from WYFF’s resources, a gap that must be closed if we are to have a statewide impact.
As we celebrate 20 years of WYFF, I call on our partners, policymakers, funders, and communities to recommit to this work. The fight to end homelessness is far from over, but with continued collaboration, innovation, and dedication, I am confident that WYFF’s legacy will not only endure but will strengthen the communities it serves.
Let’s turn this anniversary into a catalyst for change—a bold step toward a future where every young person and family in Washington has a safe, stable place to call home.
