A Way Home WA

A Way Home Washington (AWHWA) will be sunsetting in December 2024, though our mission will live on through dedicated, mission-aligned organizations and partners who will absorb and build upon our work. This transition ensures that the programs we’ve developed will continue to grow and expand, helping to further the goal of ending youth homelessness across Washington state.   We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition of our programs to these partners, allowing for the scaling and expansion of the vital work we’ve started. Our goal remains the same: to support young people and communities in ending youth homelessness.   Thank you for supporting our work over the years.

🌟 A Milestone in Youth Homelessness Prevention! 🌟 Since the launch of A Way Home Washington's Anchor Community Initiative (ACI), 7 communities — Yakima, Pierce, Spokane, Walla Walla, Thurston, Skagit, and Clark — have achieved quality, reliable, real-time system-level data for youth and young adults. 📊✨ This is a tremendous step forward in building the infrastructure needed to measure progress in reducing unaccompanied youth and young adult homelessness, and one example of how A Way Home Washington is helping communities build resilience. 🎯 But this is just the beginning! At A Way Home Washington, we’re proud to be conveners of knowledge, empowering communities through cross-community learning, technical assistance, and regular coaching to foster long-term change. As an intermediary organization, we’re strengthening the resilience of communities to develop sustainable solutions to end youth homelessness, ensuring that no young person is left without a safe place to call home. 💪🏽🏘️ Together, we are building a future where every young person can thrive. #EndYouthHomelessness #CommunityResilience #RealTimeData #CrossCommunityLearning #AWayHomeWA #AnchorCommunityInitiative

📢 Reminder to register! Gather for Change 2024 hosted by Council for the Homeless is happening on October 16, 2024, in Clark County. This powerful event will focus on raising awareness and mobilizing community support to tackle homelessness in the region. By attending, you'll be supporting meaningful solutions for those experiencing homelessness. 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gpKhS57A Let’s rally together for change in our communities! #GatherForChange #EndHomelessness #ClarkCounty #CommunitySupport #HousingSolutions

📰 Homelessness on The Ave: Insights and Solutions 📰 A recent article in The Seattle Times takes a deep dive into the ever-evolving challenge of youth homelessness on The Ave in Seattle. Amid the shifting landscape, there’s some promising news. The article features key findings from a report co-authored by A Way Home Washington and the Office of Homeless Youth housed in the Washington State Department of Commerce, showing a 40% reduction in youth homelessness statewide between 2016 and 2022 and that 75% of youth housed in 2020 have retained that housing for two years. This progress, highlighted in the article, demonstrates the impact of data-driven systems, resource stability, and community collaboration in addressing youth and young adult homelessness. Read the full article to explore the challenges and solutions being implemented in Seattle: https://lnkd.in/eqkyZDBq #YouthHomelessness #AWHWA #SeattleTimes #DataDrivenImpact #TheAve #HousingFirst #CommunityCollaboration #WashingtonState

Since 2016, we’ve seen a 40% reduction in youth and young adult homelessness across the state. However, our most up-to-date data shows that of the 15,338 young people who access the homelessness system, 50% of touchpoints are disproportionately BIPOC youth. This critical information prompts us to ask: Can we truly end youth homelessness without addressing disproportionality? A Way Home Washington is committed to being a convener of knowledge, a facilitator for cross-community learning, and an intermediary that strengthens community resilience through real-time data systems, coaching, and technical assistance. That's why we are working with communities through our Anchor Community Initiative to empower them to make system level changes that drive reductions in unaccompanied youth and young adult homelessness while centering disproportionality. Learn more by reading the Washington State Landscape Report on Unaccompanied Youth and Young Adult Homelessness: https://lnkd.in/gh7Ffh2k #EndYouthHomelessness #DataInformedAction #RealTimeData #CommunityResilience #AWayHomeWA #DisproportionalityMatters

Reflecting on the learning session we hosted one month ago, we’re filled with happiness and excitement at the progress we’ve seen and the possibilities that lie ahead. Over 90 individuals from 9 Anchor Communities joined us for 3 days of knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and hope. Day 1 was powered by the voices of young people involved in the Youth Action Boards (YABs), while Day 2 & 3 were focused on workshops designed to drive further reductions in youth and young adult homelessness, improve data quality, and strengthen cross-community learning. At A Way Home Washington, we’re thrilled by the progress made so far and even more excited about the potential for future reductions in homelessness. Through our support—real-time data systems, technical assistance, and coaching—we’re helping communities stay resilient and move towards lasting solutions. #YouthHomelessness #CommunityResilience #AnchorCommunityInitiative #AWayHomeWA #EmpoweringCommunities

Last Wednesday, on September 11, 2024, federal officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) visited Washington to learn about our "one of a kind" approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness. Deonate Cruz, our Interim Director of Strategic Communications, and Elisha Pritchett, our Director of Data & Evaluation, proudly represented A Way Home Washington during the visit. Since 2016, the number of homeless or unstably-housed youth across Washington has dropped by 40%! This progress is thanks to efforts like improved collaboration with school districts, a statewide prevention strategy, and the tireless work of the Office of Homeless Youth housed in the Washington State Department of Commerce. But we know there’s still work to be done for pregnant or parenting young adults, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, and those facing mental health challenges. We’re proud of this journey and ready to keep pushing forward. Special thank you to the Raikes Foundation for inviting us to share about the impact of our work across Washington. #ACI #HPDF #YDIP #realtimedata #homeless #prevention

📢 Gather for Change 2024! Our community partner, Council for the Homeless, is hosting Gather for Change on September 28, 2024 in Clark County. This inspiring event focuses on raising awareness and mobilizing support for those experiencing homelessness in the area. By attending, you’ll be supporting Council for the Homeless as they work toward solutions to homelessness in Clark County. Let’s rally behind their impactful work and drive change in our communities! 🔗 Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gpKhS57A

🏠 Building Pathways to Stability: YDIP’s First-Year Impact 🏠 Too many young people in Washington face challenges finding stable housing after exiting state systems of care. That’s where the Youth Diversion Infrastructure Project (YDIP) steps in. YDIP, a collaboration between Building Changes and A Way Home WA, ensures there's "no wrong door" for youth in crisis, providing vital support through trusted community organizations. Learn how we're making a difference in five counties with flexible funding and youth-centered care. Our latest report dives into YDIP’s first year and offers insights into how we can continue improving this critical work. bit.ly/3z7UUfC

Executive Leadership Opportunity! Join A Way Home Washington's mission to prevent and end youth homelessness as the new Executive Director! Lead strategic planning, manage staff & budget, and inspire change in how communities across WA state address and prevent youth and young adult homelessness. Learn more and apply at tinyurl.com/AWHOMEWA. #YouthHomelessness #ExecutiveDirectorOpening #NonprofitJobs #SocialChange #WashingtonState