Dear Friend,

As another year characterized by change and challenges draws to a close, I am more grateful than ever for the support of all who join the Alliance in its commitment to ending homelessness.

The first year of the pandemic reinforced the critical importance of having a place to call home. What we at the Alliance have long known became even more urgent: home is the basic foundation we all need to keep us safe, stable, and healthy.

Now, as we near the end of a second year marked by the pandemic, effects of the recession, and social upheaval, it is increasingly clear that the way to end homelessness is to make sure people have access to a secure, decent, affordable home and are connected to any services they may need.

Ensuring this for everyone who is experiencing homelessness is, of course, the challenge. New federal resources are on the table, but rising housing costs and over-burdened services systems are also in play.

The Alliance is up to that challenge, however, and we are ready to seize the opportunities. We pledge to continue working to make certain that the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors remain at the forefront.

With your backing, we are working hard to make progress on our goal of ending homelessness.

This year the Alliance’s policy team worked together with partners in Washington, D.C. and across the nation to help secure critical federal resources so that people experiencing homelessness would be protected during the pandemic. As a result, tens of thousands of at-risk and homeless families and individuals are living in homes, not shelters or encampments, and receiving the services they need.

To get those federal resources on the ground quickly and effectively, our Capacity Building team helped communities identify the values that could guide their use, and the strategies proven to reduce homelessness. A primary value has been that communities center racial equity in their approaches to ending homelessness – using the resources in ways that address systemic racism and on-going racial disparities. A key strategy has been to target the highest need people, including those living on the streets and in encampments. The result has improved the targeting and utilization of resources, resulting in housing and services distributed in effective and equitable ways.

The Alliance’s research arm surveyed the field to collect data and track progress to understand the pandemic’s impact on homelessness. Their findings were shared with communities to help them understand and respond to developments and trends, and to monitor progress toward reducing homelessness and eliminating racial and other disparities in the assistance provided.

While much has been accomplished, the work is far from done.

Now, as the holiday season again approaches and many of us begin to return to normalcy, it remains as important as ever to remember the challenges faced by those without stable, secure, affordable homes.

Through this holiday season and beyond, we will do what it takes to solve the crisis of homelessness.

Will you support us in our work?
 

Sincerely,

Nan Roman
Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance to End Homelessness