2019 Membership Meeting

We are grateful for the providers from across the state who came together for our Annual Member Appreciation Lunch and Meeting this past December. A lot of incredible ideas were generated on discussion topics ranging from stabilization to family led peer-to-peer engagement, and landlords to domestic violence.

We also honored an inspiring leader: Sarah Bayer, a long time member of the HFF community and provider in the field who has lead in countless ways over the years and who continues to inspire, ground, and support us.

We collect data on what policies to focus on through direct feedback from providers and families. At Visioning Day in August we gather information on focus areas, and at the annual member meeting we have the opportunity to look more specifically at policies. A fun activity we do virtually every year at the annual meeting is to ask providers to vote on policy proposals. We will take what came out of visioning day, the annual member meeting, and ongoing family and provider input to drive our areas of collective advocacy. Here you can see the results of providers’ votes on policy proposals.

We also created opportunities to network, have open dialogue, and ground ourselves in the work from a trauma informed and anti-racist lens. We always aim to leave providers feeling a little more appreciated and inspired in the incredible work they do every day. One table activity generated a “collective poem” written by multiple providers speaking to why they entered this line of work. Here are a couple of the collective poems from the day:

“I entered this line of work because I care about children and families, because what I do matters to the families I am connected to, because I believe that housing is a human right.

I wake up every day to do this work because…

I believe policy change leads to real change in people’s lives

Policy change must be led by the people directly impacted by the issue

Policy change is an action”

 

“I entered this line of work because I care about children and families, because what I do matters to the families I am connected to, because I believe that housing is a human right.

I wake up every day to do this work because…

I imagine how it might be if I were in that situation and I didn’t know if anyone cared

A caring community nurtures and heals

and always looks out for those in need

Because love. Because dignity

Builds community

With Gratitude,

Liz and Team HFF

HFF Annual Member Meeting and Appreciation Lunch

We held our annual member meeting and appreciation lunch on December 4th at Clark University, bringing together family shelter providers to show appreciation for their incredible work, celebrate success, and build agreement around policy advocacy priorities and questions for the year head.

Providers offered insight and reactions around areas of policy advocacy successes we collectively achieved in 2018 and voted on priority policy advocacy proposals for 2019. We honored both an agency and an individual with inspiring leadership awards: Community Teamwork Inc. and Shani DeSchamps from Citizens Inn.

Agencies had the opportunity to learn about each others’ work in an activity centered around these 5 questions that came from Visioning Day and other data Homes for Families has gathered over the past year:

Today is about appreciating you, our members! To do that, we want to give you an opportunity to brag to each other and share with each other.  Please share a success or your proudest accomplishment in the past year.

With the implementation of diversion, many families with more short-term economic barriers no longer enter shelter, leaving a higher concentration of families with significant barriers and more history of trauma in your shelter programs. What steps has your program taken to adapt your practices as a result of the changing needs and dynamics within your programs?

Children make up around 2/3rds of the people in the EA program.  What specific supports, practices, and/or initiatives do you have for children in your program, who range in age from newborns to teens?

We know family homelessness is a direct result of racist housing policies and that the nature of shelters – as rule enforcers and gate keepers – can perpetuate racism and systems of oppression.  What have you, or your program, done or could you do to be more actively anti-racist and address organizational diversity and issues of race?

We all know that this work is hard and has been getting harder. Share how a family – be it a child or parent – has inspired you, made you laugh, or really validated your work.

We presented this video (we welcome you to watch the video, but note some of the content may be triggering and there is profane language). This spoken word drills down to the intersectional nature and reality that families (and some staff) within shelters are facing, taking the veil off of why families may behave the way they do sometimes: angry, frustrated, impassioned. It exposes the underlying systems of oppression and injustice driving these behaviors and emotions.

The afternoon included discussion around the EA system re-procurement. Participants worked at tables to answer the following questions:

1. What are the top 3 issues that you hope the re-procurement will address?
2. What “vision” do you have for a new system?
3. DHCD has talked about “multi disciplinary” teams as part of their vision for stabilization. What are your top questions, ideas, excitements, and concerns about this approach.

The day ended with a sharing of affirmations, including: “Thank you for your work and commitment” and “You are keeping children safe and alive”.

There is much more to come: we will be continuing to call upon member agencies to engage in an organized, collective response to the re-procurement, and providing opportunities for staff and families to advocate collectively on priority policy proposals through MRVP Cookie Day, advocacy trainings, legislative breakfasts, ongoing work at the Policy Action Team table, Directors/CEOs meetings, and more to amplify provider and family voice.

We reiterate our appreciation for the work of our member agencies and the collective efforts to address family homelessness in the Commonwealth.

Nilaya Montalvo, HFF Deputy Director, honored with the 2018 Community Engagement Award from CHAPA.

On December 4th 2018, Nilaya stood before approximately 1,200 leaders in the housing industry to accept  the 2018 Community Engagement Award from the Citizen’s Housing and Planning Association (aka CHAPA). The award was presented by Sr. Margaret Leonard, the legendary former director of Project Hope and one of the founders of Homes for Families, and by Libby Hayes, who has worked in partnership with Nilaya at HFF for over a decade. Upon accepting the award, Nilaya shared brief remarks:

I cannot thank you enough, especially since so many of you have worked alongside me on so much of the work that I am being recognized for! Mami, Cari, Jessy – thank you

What I have done is not extraordinary,

I know this because every time I meet a family who is struggling to beat back oppression…struggling to shelter their children from the elements…… from systems, from injustice….. I am reminded exactly what extraordinary is.

I want to wholeheartedly appreciate the recognition for my work, while at the same time I want to share this recognition with all of the, moms, dads , grandmothers custodial guardians that swim against the tide in an effort to protect and stabilize their families

I want to share this recognition all of the children who are faced with constant change and uncertainty that is brought on by simply being poor or housing unstable.  I wake up with them in my heart, the astronomical cost of housing is not their cross to bear and yet here we are.

In my tradition, to show support or solidarity with anyone who is oppressed, marginalized or in need, is not extraordinary but necessary for society as a whole. We understand that an injury to one is an injury to all.

Thank you and lets continue to take care of each other.

In the words of a member of the HFF Consumer Advocacy Team,

“Nilaya – Thank you for being the light and force we need in this world to be reminded of our own power and voices.  Your love for the truth is the epitome of a revolutionary!”

The Future of Affordable Housing

On May 22^nd, CHAPA held a Breakfast Forum: Doing Business in Times of Uncertainty at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston where presenters shined a light on what is to come for affordable housing in Massachusetts. Speakers included Chrystal Kornegay, Undersecretary of the Department of Housing and Community Development and Tim Sullivan, Executive Director of MassHousing. Panelists representing WinnDevelopment, Preservation of Affordable Housing, MA Housing Investment Corp., Citizens Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, and DHCD emphasized that the nature of the affordable housing business is always uncertain and that there have been many times of uncertainty over the past several decades. The panel acknowledged the high degree of political uncertainty of these times and the challenging road ahead. They also offered many examples of how partners in the industry can be creative in order to continue to develop affordable housing that is accessible to families of low and middle incomes. Proposed and actualized federal policy changes are threatening families of very low income and those in the business of affordable housing, one panelist remarked, must be thoughtful in how they respond to the increased challenges for families.

David Gasson, Vice President and Director of Communications at Boston Capital gave a really intriguing presentation on policy changes to expect from DC in the coming months. David spoke to the concerns the President has raised by threatening to reduce the low income housing tax credit to 15%. (The low income housing tax credit promotes the preservation and development of affordable housing.) David reported that this tax credit has very good standing on Capitol Hill, and strong bi-partisan support. He said that affordable housing programs, generally speaking, enjoy bi-partisan support and that congress would not get behind this kind of cut. If there is broad tax reform, which the President’s administration has been talking about doing, it will likely take 5 years to transition to any new laws that are passed.

Still, proposals coming from the President and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson, raise significant concerns about the future of affordable housing policy and the well-being of all families living in poverty. So we need you to take action!

Ways to Take Action at the Federal Level on CHAPA’s and Homes for Families’ priority areas:

1. Call/Email your members of congress to tell them you would like them to prioritize affordable housing, programs that support families experiencing homelessness, and critical support programs like SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Include something about your personal experience or story to illustrate why these issues matter to you. You can look up your members of congress here.
2. Sign up for CHAPA’s email list and join a CHAPA committee.
3. Join CHAPA’s young professional’s network.

Homes for Families supports CHAPA’s agenda and will continue to keep the fight for the housing, shelter and critical support service needs of families in Massachusetts a priority!

Liz Peck

Director of Operations and Member Engagement

The People United Event

On Tuesday May 9^th 2017, Homes for Families and Project Hope hosted their first annual, People United event. We shared space, diverse perspectives, and common ground.

The Dudley – Project Hope community came together to share some of the advocacy and organizing, as well as some of  the possibilities for new action to address social justice issues being faced by local residents.

The event was designed with the focus on action and with acknowledgement of how important it would be to tap into the community’s wealth of experience, given their long history of successfully organizing and mobilizing.

Some of the hot topics were gentrification/displacement, hunger and food justice, immigration, homelessness prevention, the cliff effect, and fair housing/discrimination.

Participants and partners included members of the Project Hope community, Representative Capuano’s office, Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz’s office, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, Irish International Immigration Center , The Food Project, The Consumer Advocacy Team (Homes for Families) and Boston Tenant Coalition.

As an immediate action residents filled out the Fair Housing Assessment Survey in order to inform the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing process.

Looking to the group’s abundant and diverse skills and abilities as a major resource was a key theme. Other themes included:

• Asking local spaces (e.g. Salvation Army, Schools, Churches) to invite community members in to organize
• Turning to bilingual members of the community to translate (informally), and
• Reviewing and expanding how the community is made aware of the existing community resources as well as opportunities to join in local advocacy and organizing efforts.

We thank Project Hope for their work on the event! We are grateful to have been a part of a meeting focused on drawing upon the strengths of the community to generate collective change.

(Picture above from left to right: Christine Dixon, Project Hope; Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George; Sister Margaret A. Leonard, Project Hope; and Linda Wood-Boyle, Project Hope)

Team HFF

A Member Update

HFF is a membership organization of family shelter providers; as such we send regular updates out to our membership list.  I tried to send the following update out last night, but our email system is not letting it send, so I am putting it here.  If your program is not a member, please consider joining.  Contact our Director of Operations and Member Engagement, Liz Peck (epeck@homesforfamilies.org) for more information.

Membership Update

10/17/2016

242 families in motels

 

On Beacon Hill

According to the Secretary of Administration and Finance, Massachusetts is facing a $294M deficit.  Per Chapter 9C of Chapter29 of Massachusetts General Law, the Governor is required to make a cuts when there is a gap between revenue and spending.   Agencies are now determining what and where they make cuts.  My best guess is that EA will be held harmless.  I also worry that some of the MRVP funding that was just restored may be at risk.  There simply is not a lot for DHCD to cut – the entire secretariat (EOHED) accounts for 0.73% of the state budget.  Another round of early retirement packages may be offered which could impact the local offices.  I assume the cuts will be announced before the end of the month.

Meanwhile, planning for the FY18 Budget is underway.  From conversations with DHCD, they are most likely not hosting budget hearings, but we will put together and submit recommendations informally.

Homes for Families has often included a statement supporting revenue increases as a means to justify our budget asks.  In a time of economic growth, our spending should not be outpacing our revenues.  As always, we want to make sure that this is something that our membership supports.  Discussions on revenue are heating up – expect debate on taxing AirBNB and related short term rentals; the Millionaire’s Tax is creeping through the political process; Mass Budget and Policy Center is highlighting business loopholes, and many communities have a question on the Community Preservation Act on ballots this November.  The AirBNB/Short Term Rentals something that I personally feel could generate revenues directly for housing programs, but it has also been linked already to justify the increase to EITC – here is more on that from Mass Budget.  More convo’s to follow.  But please let me know if you object to us supporting revenue increases (i.e. tax increases, closing loopholes and/or fees) so we can avoid further cuts and invest in solutions!

The Inter-agency Council on Housing and Homelessness: Family Subcommittee:

The family subcommittee of the ICHH is chaired by Rose and Linn.  The group met for a second time last week.  The meeting primarily included updates on FY16 initiatives – ongoing motel reduction; expansion of HomeBASE to domestic violence and substance abuse programs; RAFT expansion to individuals; and prevention and consortium updates.  Tim Yaecker (formerly of DHCD) presented on the findings and recommendations presented in their report, which EOHHS funded, to analyze the shelter system.

Other important things:

• Shelter Eligibility Organizing: Mass Coalition for the Homeless, along with other groups, is organizing an advocacy event and efforts regarding shelter eligibility policies requiring certain families to stay in places not meant for human habitation
• McKinney Vento Updates: On October 17, 2016, the new regulations of the reauthorized McKinney Vento Law went into effect.  Here is a brief explanation from the MA Dept of Education and more information from the National Association of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.  A blog post on the topic is on my to do list, but in the meantime, here is their FAQ document.
• Housing Report: The National Low Income Housing Coalition has put together a report on the closed lists, the long lists, and wait times for public and subsidized housing. The Long Wait for a Home.
• Names and Faces – Speaking of the NLIHC, their director is the keynote speaker at the upcoming CHAPA dinner. Diane Yentel worked at Mass Coalition for the Homeless back in the day. And also speaking of CHAPA – did you all see the memo that Rachel Heller – formerly of Homes for Families – is their new Executive Director.
• Books: Just released is a new book on family homelessness in the US.  Included is a chapter on Boston and Massachusetts.  Not sure all that it says, but HFF is mentioned, so that is cool (well I hope it is cool, I have not read it yet). It is called Invisible Nation: Homeless Families in America.
• Congratulations and Thank You to EmPath for a great Conference and for sharing all the slides and info on disrupting poverty.

Your Question of the Month:

Last Question Report Back: First, thank you to those of you who provided thoughtful feedback on the income cap of 115% for families in shelter.  We met with DHCD, with the On Solid Ground Coalition, to discuss this issue. The problems the cap creates for families in shelter are threefold – 1) families find temporary work or are unable to maintain employment but face the 6 month clock despite no longer having the income 2) families exceed the 115% but their jobs are in high rental markets and they are still unable to find an apartment they can afford and 3) It discourages families from seeking employment.  We are in ongoing discussions about implementing a 90 day period of sustained income before the clock is triggered to address and/or waivers.  We also proposed increasing supports to families on the 6 month clock regarding housing search, escrowing, waiving child care co-pays, and other incentives.  DHCD is doing some data analysis of how many families may be impacted.

October’s Question (sorry for the delay in getting this out, as I know you have been waiting at the edges of your seat for a new question!)

We are switching the topic to Stabilization/HomeBASE.  Many of you saw a lot of data today at the DHCD meeting, but we are always looking for more data and more stories.  Thank you to the Policy Action Team members for your help in designing this question:

How are you successful and what are the challenges you face in engaging families in HomeBASE?

• Do you have data you can share on outcomes at the end of the stabilization period (how many families secured other housing, remained housed, re-applied for shelter, needed RAFT, lost contact, etc)
• Any data on the numbers of families in your program that returned to shelter after taking HomeBASE?
• Ways you have kept families engaged
• Data, anecdotes, cries for help and/or rejoicing in success are all welcome and encouraged!

 Thanks for staying engaged.  We cannot make progress without you!

Until the next one,

Libby and Team HFF

Press Release! #OnSolidGround

Homes for Families has been working with a cross-sector of advocacy organizations to develop a white paper aimed at building opportunities and preventing homelessness for families in the Commonwealth.  The report has been released and we are excited to expand the conversation, grow the coalition, and work together for positive systems change.

Here is the press release about the report.  There are links to additional information at the end.  We also invite you to comment on this post or join the twitter conversation.  We want to hear from those of you facing housing instability and homelessness – what do you need to be #OnSolidGround? And to those of you that are stable – what helps you to stay #OnSolidGround?

On Solid Ground Coalition Report Outlines Critical Components to Preventing Family Homelessness in Massachusetts

 Boston, MA – The On Solid Ground coalition today released its first report on family homelessness. The report, On Solid Ground: Building Opportunity, Preventing Homelessness, documents the impact of the Commonwealth’s housing shortage on families with extremely low incomes, and outlines the critical components of a preventative approach to family homelessness.

The report makes the following recommendations to increase stability and reduce family homelessness:

•  Systems Change: Appoint a Special Secretary to build a coordinated service delivery system across governmental departments. The coordinated system will support homelessness prevention, minimize cliff effects, and provide integrated case management services.
• Housing: Expand the affordable housing stock and rental assistance vouchers for extremely low-income households; preserve existing privately and publicly subsidized homes; and improve public housing.
• Supportive Services: Invest in services that provide a path to increased incomes and economic mobility for extremely low-income families.
• Tracking Progress: Collect and analyze data, and track progress – at state agencies and their nonprofit partners – toward an agreed upon set of goals related to housing stability and economic mobility.

On Solid Ground is a cross-sector group of more than 30 partners committed to a research-based approach to increasing housing stability and economic mobility. In preparing this report, On Solid Ground partners looked at factors that contribute to family instability, the gaps in programs meant to serve families with low incomes, the role of federal and state rental subsidy programs, and the interconnectedness of rental assistance, childcare, and employment assistance in increasing family incomes. The paper also looks at how stagnant wages, rising numbers of low wage jobs, and declining supports leave more than 60,000 families living in unstable housing situations and at risk of homelessness. The report demonstrates ways in which the Commonwealth’s service delivery system unintentionally limits the ability of families to increase their incomes and economic mobility, keeping people in poverty.

“If we continue to focus only on reducing shelter numbers, family homelessness will continue to rise,” said Rachel Heller, director of public policy at Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association. “Shifting our focus to housing stability and economic mobility will result in better outcomes for children, families, and communities,”

“All I needed to save my family from the trauma of homelessness was enough financial help for a deposit on an apartment and to retain my CNA license,” said Christina [last name withheld], a homeless mother and survivor of domestic violence.  “With a housing subsidy to offset some of the high cost of rent I could have transitioned into an apartment. What I needed was nowhere near as costly as the alternative; just a little bit to keep me from falling off the cliff. Instead we lost it all.”

“Housing insecurity has a detrimental impact on the health and educational prospects for young children,” said Marie St. Fleur, president and CEO, Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children. “Low wages are one indicator of the structural trends that perpetuate these inequities. We need greater systemically aligned solutions to tackle the root of the problem and On Solid Ground begins to do just that.”

“Together, we can do more to reduce and prevent homelessness than any one person or organization can do alone,” said Michael K. Durkin, president and chief executive officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.  “Too many families are one financial disaster away from homelessness. Ensuring they have access to services that can help them increase their savings, build net worth and get better jobs will not only increase their household’s financial stability, but will strengthen the economic stability of communities across our Commonwealth.”

 Visit www.chapa.org/OnSolidGround for the full report.

To view research that informed the paper, visit: http://www.umb.edu/csp/publications/reports.

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Call to Action: Call on Congress to Fully Fund Housing Programs Now

Call on Congress to Fully Fund
Housing Programs Now

Tell Congress Housing Programs Need Adequate Full-Year Funding

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is hosting a National Call In Week to encourage Congress to fund McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) at $2.406 billion, which is the funding level requested by the Obama Administration. This $301 million increase would help us to meet the Administration’s goal of ending chronic homelessness by the end of 2016 and make significant reductions among other populations.

Please join us in calling your Members of Congress to ask them to contact the Chair or Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee and tell them that providing adequate funding for the McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs, the housing choice voucher program, the public housing operating and capital programs, the HOME program, and HUD programs are top priorities.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

The House and Senate are back from their August recess for just a couple of weeks.  During this time, Congress must pass some mechanism to fund programs after the start of the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1. Housing programs will be better off if Congress adequately funds them in FY15 rather than continuing FY14 funding levels.

HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION

• Pick up the phone! Call your Senators and Representative this week and ask to speak to the staff person who works on housing issues. To find your US Sentators and Reps, click here. 
• Make the ask! Urge them to support sufficient funding for McKinney-Vento homeless assistance grants, tenant-based rental assistance, public housing, HOME, and other important programs.
• Report back. It’s important to share the response you got with the community so we can keep up the momentum.  Reach out to NLIHC at outreach@nlihc.org or share your response with us on Facebook or Twitter.
• Spread the word. Forward this action alert to your networks with the phone numbers of your Senate and House offices.

TELL YOUR STORY

Everyone has facts, but people with first hand experience have the stories to back it up and bring those facts to life. We get phone calls everyday and hear the trials of families who cannot afford to live.  These stories motivate and inspire us to keep fighting to increase funding for programs that work. These stories also help to guide and influence our priorities, and they can do the same for legislators. We encourage you to share your experiences when you call; your Representatives and Senators are best able to represent you when they know what they need to represent!

Thanks for all you do to keep the community, state and nation safe, stable and housed! 

Vote The Vision: Creating a Shared Vision to End Family Homelessness

On August 14, 2014, families, providers, advocates and employees from various state agencies convened for the 18th annual Visioning Day. This day covered a range of topics – from child well being, to shelter, to maximizing resources, to housing, to advocacy- attendees were able to dig in to the heart of the matter, identifying real problems, and recommending real solutions.

On top of these discussions, we held a Lieutenant Governor Candidate Forum.  In attendance was Leland Cheung, Angus Jennings, Steve Kerrigan, Michael Lake, and Tracy Post. Because this day is all about sharing info, and not just giving it, members of our Consumer Advocacy Team shared a little bit about themselves, a little bit about each break out group, and asked a question relative to housing, shelter, children and engaging consumers in the policy process.  Each candidate had two minutes to answer (thank you!) and one minute for a closing statement to ensure that all participants could leave with information that will help to inform their votes this election year. We asked attendees if they were registered to vote- and out of 80 respondents, 69 were in fact registered voters.

But between these two portions- the morning discussions and the afternoon LG panel- is where our visions began to take root.  We asked attendees to work in small groups to create a collective vision for our collective mission to end family homelessness in Massachusetts, and the results were empowering, witty, hopeful and downright awesome.

To build on this awesome, we are asking YOU to help develop this vision.  On our Facebook page, we have shared the top 20 visions that were created at Visioning Day.  PLEASE visit our page and cast your vote for the VISION that supports and amplifies our mission to end family homelessness. Like each vision that speaks to you, and don’t forget to share it with your people when you are done!

Again, thank you to those who attended Visioning Day.  Your words, your experiences and your solutions are truly what makes HFF so effective (and possible)- because of you, we have a vision, and are on a mission to see it through!

From Representative to Senator: Meeting with Senator Jason Lewis

The progressive State Representative Jason Lewis just recently won the special election for Katherine Clark’s state senate seat. Homes for Families staff, Jamie Minton, and intern, Becca Gilbert, were fortunate to meet with Senator Lewis to discuss a wide range of topics from his needs as a new senator, his thoughts and vision regarding family homelessness, and his personal experience throughout his journey from the private sector to the public sector.  His senate district will include Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and parts of Winchester. Now, representing more constituents and districts, it is vital for all of us to reach out to Senator Lewis to educate him on the homelessness crisis impacting the communities he represents. Senator Lewis voiced his interest and commitment to learning how to address these new challenges in his new role.

Senator Lewis made an important comment during our conversation saying that “people should consider housing as a fundamental human right, along with education, food and health care.” The country has accepted education for our children and food as fundamental rights, however there is still a way to go before our state accepts housing and health care as equally essential. Senator Lewis also emphasized the importance of the minimum wage: “Many people who find themselves homeless are employed, productive citizens who are contributing to our society and just because they don’t get paid a living wage, cannot afford housing. He proposed solutions to this issue including providing more affordable housing or raising the minimum wage. With a minimum wage bill currently in debate, Becca asked the Senator what we should expect the outcome to be. He was very optimistic, reporting that he expects the house and the senate to reach a compromise.

Our last question was what he suggests constituents and advocates can do to ensure a better relationship with the legislature. The Senator referenced the success of Raise Up, the organization that fought and succeeded on getting the minimum wage on the ballot in 2014. He said “the key thing is that most legislators don’t assume they’re experts on everything”, so providing information to them in your area of expertise is helpful and necessary. Advocates and the greater community are the ones who can provide the basic information, what it is important and what the legislators can and need to do about it. Senator Lewis said that by regularly interacting with the legislature and continuing to reach out will ensure that legislators will listen and take action. It was nice to hear that Senator Lewis relies on his constituents and advocacy groups a great deal to inform and educate him on pressing issues.

We were very lucky to meet with Jason Lewis as he transitions from representative to senator and look forward to his actions on family homelessness and its surrounding issues. We encourage you to connect with your own representative and/or senator and have the same conversation- how they got to the state house, why they continue to do the work that they do, and how we as a community can help to make it stronger.
-Becca Gilbert