Thank you to all who attended our November Membership meeting. We look forward to seeing you and sharing space at our December 16th Membership meeting which includes our 2022 Legislative Preview! This meeting will be two hours from 9am-11am
The Coalition on Homelessness is hiring!
This is the CORE position of OFFICE MANAGER at the Coalition. Thanks for getting this out to your networks. A full position description, salary range, and how to apply are on our website and here: http://bit.ly/CoalitionJob2021 Help us find a person who likes to set up systems and keep them in good working order, who relishes solving problems, and who sees the beauty in being the behind-the-scenes backbone of our small & mighty team and our broad & diverse community.*Priority application deadline: December 8, 2021.*
COVID Vaccine Updates
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster doses: Pfizer, Moderna, and the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines offer great protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death. However, studies have shown that over time protection against mild and moderate disease can decrease. Booster doses are recommended for anyone 18 years of age and older who are at least 2 months past their single dose of Johnson & Johnson and for some groups of people who received either Moderna or Pfizer and are at least 6 months past their second dose. Learn more at Seattle King County Public Health.
Check out the Seattle King County Public Health Blog: Public Health Insider for tips on COVID and the holiday season. Read past blog posts for lots of great information on COVID and how to stay safe.
Advocacy Priorities
- Inflation Adjustment:
- If you live or work in Seattle: City of Seattle budget will be finalized on Monday, 11/22. We have a foundational ask which is the 2.8% inflation adjustment. Email your Councilmembers today to say THANK YOU and keep the inflation adjustment at 5.8% total.
- DSHS Sign-On Letter:
- Current DSHS plans for reopening Client Services Offices are causing a great deal of concern. Community-based providers have seen how offices being closed have led to unhoused clients and clients with disabilities losing benefits and/or not being able to apply for benefits. Since May, we have been advocating with allies to inform and strengthen the proposed plans, without progress. We need your help to explain why limiting in-person services to appointment-only and relying primarily on phone and internet-based services, will not adequately serve people living without shelter, people with disabilities, and many others. Please sign-on to our letter to bring this issue to the attention of the Governor’s Office, the Secretary of DSHS, Assistant Attorney General for DSHS, and the Office of Equity.
- Health Through Housing:
- The Regional Policy Committee voted last week on the implementation plan, and the KCC voted yesterday morning, final vote will be Tuesday, November 30
King County Regional Homelessness Authority Request for Proposals
We were joined by staff from KCRHA to discuss an upcoming Request For Proposal (RFP) funding process for Non-Congregate Shelter Alternatives. Our colleagues at KCRHA are interested in hearing from you and learning about your experiences with non-congregate sheltering options. Share your expertise on what’s working well and help inform this process. Please join their listening session on November 30th, at 12pm.
Washington Voting Rights Restoration Coalition
Call For Art Deadline: 11/30/2021
SUBMIT an image or a short poem by November 30 (work by people directly affected by the criminal legal system will be prioritized for distribution as posters). This past spring, advocates and organizers tasted victory as the Washington State Legislature passed a bill to automatically restore voting rights to people with felony convictions immediately after they finish their prison terms. Starting January 1, 2022, every Washington resident who is not in prison (and is a U.S. citizen 18 years or older) will be allowed to vote, even while on community supervision. We need your help to celebrate and get the word out to the 26,000 of our WA neighbors who are about to be welcomed back as active participants in our democracy.
Please submit a piece of artwork or a poem to be featured in public education efforts for the Washington Voting Rights Restoration Coalition. Rules https://freethevotewa.org/art
Rules: To submit artwork, you must be a resident of Washington state. We will be prioritizing directly-impacted artists for our poster selections, but all are welcome to participate. Submit a .png of your artwork or a .pdf of your poem to info@freethevotewa.org before November 30, 2021.
Tell us what this piece means to you! Submit a title, your name and city of residence, and a 2-3 sentence statement to be featured alongside your artwork, where applicable.
PROMPT
Please use one of the following prompts to inspire your artwork.
For submissions from people directly-impacted by the criminal legal system:
- “My Voice” – how will your voice in our democracy change our world?
- “Restored” – what did it feel like to have your voting right restored / what will it feel like when you vote for the first time when your right is restored?
For submissions from family, friends, and allies:
- “Our Democracy” – what does our community look like when our democracy includes everyone?
For both visual art and short poem submissions, please include a 2-3 sentence statement to be featured alongside your artwork. Please include your name and hometown so we can credit you!
Member Updates
We invite you to share timely program news – please contact jody@homelessinfo.org to get a few minutes on this part of the agenda, or feel free to share details with your colleagues in the chat during the meeting. We can share resources on our Meeting Resources Blog.
Upcoming Coalition Events
- RSVP for our December 16th General Members Meeting & 2022 Legislative Preview – this meeting will be two hours from 9am-11am