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Recap: Coalition’s General Meeting – December 19, 2013

January 10, 2014 by Alison Eisinger

As we were bidding farewell to 2013, Alison and I discussed what we’d like 2014 to look like for the Coalition’s Everyone Counts blog. One idea that we’re running with is to post a recap after every General Member Meeting. 2013 was a great year for our Coalition, and one we want to build off of in 2014. So, here to ring in this New Year with our new tradition is a Recap of December’s General Member meeting. As a reminder, the General Member Meeting takes place every third Thursday of the month from 9.00 – 11.00 a.m. at the East Cherry YWCA (2820 E. Cherry Street in Seattle). For more information, check our website’s Members’ tab for a link to the ‘Committees & Meetings’ page, or simply follow this link to take you there directly. Our next General Member Meeting is Thursday, January 16, 2014. __________________ Seattle Final Budget News & Thank You to Mayor Mike McGinn Our friends at the Seattle Human Services Coalition’s handout highlights our HUGE win with the City of Seattle Budget process: an additional investment of $6,891,219! Out-going Mayor Mike McGinn and Jerry DeGrieck, Senior Policy Advisor to Mayor McGinn, came to receive the Coalition’s sincerest Thank You for their leadership and commitment to Seattle residents over the past four years, and also for his strong support of the Coalition’s budget recommendations this past year. Mayor McGinn shared his heartfelt thanks to the Coalition and its members for all of our advocacy, and encouraged us to keep it up. 2014 Legislative Session Preview Robin Zukoski of Columbia Legal Services (CLS) provided background and an overview about the upcoming Legislative Session. Ben Miksch of Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA) shared with us WLIHA’s 2014 State Legislative Agenda. Carrie Dolwick of Transportation Choices Coalition shared the status of Transportation policy at the …

Nancy Amidei’s Food Stamp Diary: Week Three (Including a Holiday Message to Congress, urging them to restore cuts made to SNAP)

December 17, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

WEEK THREE Day One Went to a friend’s birthday celebration – which means I ate well that night, AND I can stretch last week’s meat purchase a bit longer. I mentioned feeling guilty that I’d eaten so well, and was told: think of it as a visit to a soup kitchen – rare, but wonderful. Day Two One thing I hear a lot: “What about beans? They’re good for you, and low-cost.” Answer: I’m not too fond of beans, especially not as a big part of my diet. However I AM getting lots of money-saving tips – many of which involve cooking that takes a long time. It’s a trade-off that can work for someone like me, but not for anyone with a low-paying job, long commutes, and/or no kitchen (e.g., if I were living in my car, or at a shelter). Day Three A friend gave me three oranges ~ what a treat! Later, at a meeting, someone put out a bowl of red grapes. Fruit TWICE in the same day! In the past, that would not feel like a big deal; on $4.20/day – it’s a VERY big deal. And since I’m fighting a cold, that fruit feels downright therapeutic. Plus, I spotted some leftover Halloween candy in a kitchen drawer… good news for my sugar-craving (tho’ admittedly not in my budget). Day Four Finishing off my potatoes and carrots. Running out of bread; tired of cheap cheese. If this continues, I’ll try to make some different choices, based on what I’ve learned… if I can. However I realized today that I’m going through a lot of cough drops (which I didn’t count in my food budget). While it’s true that I have a cold and cough, I suspect this is really about keeping a taste in my mouth …

Diary of an outraged advocate: Nancy Amidei sets herself (and Congresswoman DelBene) a challenge

November 27, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

Nancy Amidei has been an anti-hunger and homelessness advocate, a teacher, and a champion of people participating in democracy for more than forty years. She is director of the Civic Engagement Project, and retired a few years ago from the University of Washington’s School of Social Work, where I met her in 1993. I use the word retired with bemusement: Nancy’s schedule of workshops, guest lectures, meetings, and community events has slowed, but only in comparison to what it was a few years ago. I am not sure she has ever declined to meet with an interested student, or told a small group of concerned or caring people that she wouldn’t come speak for free. Nancy and I often meet for a walk on the weekends, catching up on work and politics and sometimes tackling the Sunday crossword puzzle. We spent the Sunday before the election talking about the $5 billion in cuts to food benefits that took effect on November 1st, and the terrible political state that leaves the Democrats proposing additional deep cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), just not as deep as the Republicans are proposing. Starting this month, 47 million people in the United States will have less help to shop at local grocery stores and put food on their families’ tables. The cuts being debated now as part of the Farm Bill will be even more harsh, and last for ten years. Typically, as Nancy turned this situation over in her head, she thought about what the advocacy opportunity might be. She suggested to national anti-hunger organizations that they call on all members of Congress who are making decisions about the SNAP program to eat on the same budget they were recommending for hungry Americans. By the next time Nancy and I talked, she …

Officials in City Hall and Olympia need to hear our clients’ voices and stories.

November 14, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

This Guest Post was written by Katie Bilek, who serves as co-chair of the Coalition’s Single Adults Advocacy Committee. Katie works for Catholic Community Services as a Case Manager and Outreach Specialist. I spend a good deal of time thinking, and talking, about advocacy. Always eager to learn more technical skills and gain insider tips, I jumped at the opportunity the Coalition offered me to attend the Children’s Alliance’s Leadership in Advocacy Training. Over the course of a jam-packed day, we covered strategic-thinking sessions; message framing; coalition-building; many useful technical skills; practice refining and delivering arguments ~ and even a visit from a Washington State legislator! It took me some time to reflect on the experience and let everything to sink in. As an advocate, I have learned a lot while lobbying in D.C. (the “other” Washington) and in various State houses. Learning more information and skills was certainly helpful, but it was not what truly blew me away at the Children’s Alliance’s training. I left the room fixated on something else entirely: the advocate colleagues with me that day! The passion contained in those rooms was outrageous, and moved many to tears on multiple occasions. I interact with passionate people regularly, at work and at the SKCCH Single Adults Advocacy Committee meetings. It is one of the things I love about my profession. Though it does take a special kind of person to devote one’s career to work for justice and equality, the genuine brand of fire I saw in many of my fellow trainees was much more unique. These folks were eager to participate and advocate for reasons that transcend the professional. They were driven not by intangible ideals, but by real things that hit much close to home; they were fighting for their life and the lives of …

What will Effective Advocacy Look Like this Session down in Olympia?

October 16, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

You may look at the title of this post and think to yourself, “Wait a minute, we aren’t even through city budget season yet, so why are we already thinking about the legislative session down in Olympia?” Even though fall is very much still in the air, January is actually just around the corner. With a 60 day session this year, we will have to be prepared, and ready to advocate quickly and effectively as soon as the legislative session begins. This morning, I attended the Children’s Alliance’s Annual Meeting, along with Amy Donnelly (Child Care Resources) and Cindy Irwin (Compass Housing Alliance), who co-chair the Coalition’s Families with Children Committee. One of the purposes of the event was to ask the legislators tough questions about their views on issues relating to the needs of Washington’s kids. One woman asked the legislators about whether they were willing to reform our tax system so that the state could have more revenue to support more vital programs. The legislators all responded with very classic, evasive answers, but one legislator, Representative Cindy Ryu, from the 32nd District, gave a helpful piece of advice. She said, “Every time you walk into your legislator’s office or communicate with your legislator, talk to them about your issue, but also talk to them about the broader systemic issue of tax reform.” This issue must be pushed by the people, and come from the bottom up. So remember: with every e-mail you send this session, and with every meeting you go into, say at least one sentence about how you support a fairer tax system in our state, and ask your legislator to stand with you. Without a more progressive tax system, we will never have the kind of state that we all want to live in – …

End of Regular Session down in Olympia – Two Weeks until the Beginning of Special Session!

May 1, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

Sunday marked the end of the 105 day regular session down in Olympia with no budget agreement in sight. Governor Inslee has called all the legislators back down to Olympia for a special session to work out the budget beginning on May 13. While it may seem frustrating that the legislators couldn’t work out a budget in 105 days, it’s actually really great for housing and homelessness advocates to have an extended session. A special session means that we are more likely to end up with a final budget that reflects what we want: adequate investment in affordable housing (at least $65 million for the Housing Trust Fund + $28.5 million allotted to affordable housing projects by the House) and investment in the services that the people we serve need most, including Disability Lifeline (Housing and Essential Needs and Aged, Blind and Disabled) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). Your legislators will be back home in their district for the next two weeks, so now it is MORE important than ever before to stay in touch with your legislators. Email them or better yet invite them to your programs and show them how your programs – especially programs that are funded by the Housing Trust Fund or Housing and Essential Needs programs – work! If we don’t keep in touch with our elected officials, we will not end up with the budget that we want in the end – one that protects affordable housing and services for our homeless and low-income neighbors. The end of regular session also marks a time to celebrate our advocacy as a community this session and what it helped us to win. Our collective advocacy helped us pass part 2 of the Fair Tenant Screening Act, Foster Care to 21, and 72-hour notification for …

Some Good News From Olympia last week as the budget process continues

April 15, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

Last week was a busy week for housing and homelessness advocates. First, the House passed its proposed budget, a huge improvement over the Senate’s version. On Wednesday at noon, the House Appropriations Committee released their proposed budget and then passed it through the House of Representatives late Friday night. The House’s proposed budget protects important parts of our state’s safety net and includes revenue. It preserves funding for: Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) Working Connections Child Care Consolidated Homeless Grants (CHG) which funds homeless housing programs across the state, including domestic violence shelters, transitional housing for families, and short-term rent assistance. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families The House also allocated $71 million for the Housing Trust Fund, more than double what the Senate allocated. This is very important, however, it is still well below the $175 million that we need in our state to create housing that is affordable to low income and working families. On April 10, the same day that the House released their budget, our friends at Poverty Action issued a call to action to “Save our Safety Net.” We joined them in urging our members to call Olympia to tell their legislators to protect Washington’s safety net. We had some surprising evidence (in addition to people e-mailing us and posting on our facebook page) that lots of people took action: last Wednesday evening, members of the Coalition’s Board of Directors made their calls to the free Legislative Hotline. Board president Emily Meyer called, and began to deliver our short message. After her first few words, “Please vote for full funding for vital programs,” the hotline operator recited the rest of our message back to her, “that really help families and people with disabilities in our community: HEN, ABD, TANF. Please include new revenue …

Senate Releases Proposed Budget that Slashes Funding for Housing and Human Services

April 4, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

The Washington State Senate released their proposed budget yesterday which, if enacted, would be devastating for housing and human services. Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) was cut by 50% and the Aged, Blind & Disabled (ABD) program, with the tiny cash benefit of $197 a month for people waiting for federal Social Security benefits, was completely eliminated. Working Connections Child Care – a program that helps low-income parents pay for child care – was cut by $180 million. In addition, advocates are concerned that there is a chance that neither the Senate nor the House will allocate funds for the Housing Trust Fund, our most powerful tool for creating affordable housing and good jobs across Washington. The Senate’s proposed budget is unacceptable. We need to let our senators know how we feel about this budget, which places heavy burdens on low income people. Yesterday, the Coalition’s Alison Eisinger was among several housing and homelessness advocates who went down to Olympia to deliver testimony on the importance of the programs that were cut in the Senate’s proposed budgets. Here are two strong testimonies from Greg Winter, Director of Whatcom Homeless Service Center in Bellingham, and from Ania Beszterda-Alyson, Community Engagement and Advocacy Manager with the Low Income Housing Institute. Greg Winter, Whatcom Homeless Service Center I’m here to ask you to support the Disability Lifeline programs – Housing & Essential Needs and Aged, Blind & Disabled. I’ve witnessed first hand how these programs have transformed the lives of Whatcom County residents who were extremely vulnerable. I understand that your budget released today eliminates ABD – this is a very bad idea. This program provides modest support for people who are disabled and applying for SSI. The state receives approximately $50 million in reimbursements from the Federal Government for the modest cash grant and …

Bill Affecting Youth who are Displaced or Homeless Becomes Law

March 6, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

Update to previous post on February 20, 2013: Huge Success for Youth! But there’s still work to be done! Governor Inslee signed SB 5147, a bill concerning a 72 hour notification period for agencies to inform parents of a juvenile seeking crisis services, into law on February 27. This allows young people who leave their homes in crisis, and the shelter staff who want to help them, more time to connect and work out safe resolutions. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to correct this flaw in the law: Columbia Legal Services, The Mockingbird Society, Youthcare, Friends of Youth and youth shelter providers across the state, as well as parents, law enforcement, and legislators who realize that it’s far better to make sure youth can turn to shelter workers than to discourage them from seeking help. We also have our eye on the Youth Opportunities Act, HB1651, as it moves through the legislature. By sealing juvenile court records to the public, except in the case of serious violent offenses or sex crimes, this bill would remove barriers for young people seeking opportunities, and keep them from paying for childhood mistakes in their adult lives. We don’t need more barriers for folks trying to get housing, please encourage your legislators to support the Youth Opportunities Act by contacting them today at 1-800-562-6000!

Huge Success for Youth! But there’s still work to be done.

February 20, 2013 by Alison Eisinger

It is true, bipartisanship really does still exist! The 72-hour notification bill (SB 5147/HB 1250), one of the Coalition’s legislative priorities, passed the Senate unanimously and easily passed in the House this past week with only seven voting against it. This bill sought to reinstate an important part of the Becca Bill which gave youth shelters up to 72 hours to notify a youth’s guardian after she or he checked into a youth shelter. Because the law “sunset,” the number of hours before a shelter staff person had to contact authorities suddenly decreased from three days to only eight hours. Eight hours is not enough time for the adult staff working at a shelter to engage with youth and be able to develop rapport. Many youth come to shelters after they have run away from disturbed or dangerous family situations, and they need time to feel secure, calm down, and assess their options in a safe place. Thanks to the legislators of our State, youth will now be less likely to avoid shelters for fear that their families, police, or child protective services will be alerted right away. Advocates are now asking Governor Jay Inslee to sign the bill into law on Youth Advocacy Day this Friday, February 22, to show the youth of Washington State that their governor and legislators are behind them. Even though we have a very exciting win, our advocacy does not stop here. As Youth Advocacy Day approaches, one of the Coalition’s priorities, the Youth Opportunities Act (HB 1651 / SB 5689 ), is still under consideration. Currently Washington is one of only eight states that makes juvenile records open to the public and available to be published online. This means that people with criminal records from their youth, before the age of 18, are subject to additional barriers accessing …