Dear Dear Friend, May you have the opportunity to celebrate, pause for reflection, and plan for the future at this turning of the year. I find myself torn between hope and frustration. You and I can see stark evidence on every block and street that the gulf of inequality is wide and growing deeper. Rent for a studio apartment in King County has gone up by $645 a month since 2014, while disability benefits have increased by $50 (for those who can get through the lengthy application process). People fill shelters from Redmond to White Center, Kent to Seattle. After those shelters are full, thousands of people are left to fend for themselves, and punished when they do. Over 11,000 of our neighbors are without homes tonight.
It seems obvious: People without housing need homes. Every sober analysis and well-informed expert describes the same core facts: this dramatic increase in how many people experience the trauma of homelessness is because high and rising housing costs are more than what folks can afford. This Coalition is rooted in reality - we are practical optimists. Shelter is the answer when so many people don’t have a place to lay their heads tonight – and housing is the solution to homelessness. We are proud to fight for both.
I invite you to join us. You can make a difference. Your gift of $100 or more will: - Train advocates to speak up powerfully for affordable homes
- Fill hundreds of homeless students’ backpacks with school supplies
- Equip front line workers who offer shelter, housing, and services with essential skills and information
- Register and educate voters without homes so everyone can have a say in our democracy
You are in good company: More than 1,000 people took action with the Coalition to create smart policies, good laws, and more homes in 2019. You and other Coalition supporters just helped create Home for Good – a rent subsidy for people who are disabled, who live on extremely low incomes, and are homeless or at high risk of homelessness. We are excited to see this new program launch in the new year. You helped us train volunteers and members who assisted 282 people without homes to know their voting rights, register, and vote! Your gift will make even more good work possible in 2020. | |
