The Anchor Communities Initiative is A Way Home Washington’s flagship program.

Participating communities receive intensive support to inform, grow, and sustain efforts to prevent and end homelessness among youth and young adults.

Recognizing that the circumstances that lead young people to experience homelessness can vary greatly, Anchor Communities work to develop solutions that are tailored both to their community and to the circumstances of each young person without a safe, stable place to call home.

Read our FAQs to learn more.

Foster Collaboration

In each Anchor Community, a diverse coalition works across systems and silos until they have functionally ended homelessness for all young people.

Activate Innovation

We provide coaching and tailored assistance to communities, encouraging creative approaches to reach their collective goals.

Prevent & Divert

The Centralized Diversion Fund is an important tool to remove small barriers and end a young person’s housing crisis.

Data & Equity

By-Name Lists identify each unaccompanied young person, making it possible to connect young people with the resources that are right for them.

Represent & Advocate

We advocate statewide, provide a platform for young people’s voices and work side-by-side to prevent and end youth homelessness.

Getting to Functional Zero

When a community can house any young person experiencing housing instability or homelessness at any given time. See our FAQs for more definitions and information.

The Anchor Communities of Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, Pierce, Skagit, Spokane, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Yakima counties are working intensively to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness in Washington.

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