A Way Home Washington’s (AWHWA’s) Centralized Diversion Fund (CDF) is a cost-effective, young person-centered solution to homelessness and housing instability that is already transforming the four Anchor Communities. Since its launch last August at the height of the pandemic, Yakima, Pierce, Spokane and Walla Walla counties have collectively housed more than 220 youth and young […]
Posted on May 6, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, Behind the Scenes, legislative advocacy, Legislative Advocacy, Lived Experience, Reducing Homelessness, Youth and Young Adult Engagement, Youth Leadership
According to Matt Davis, one of the ACI leads in Spokane, in the short time that the Anchor Community Initiative (ACI) has been active, it has made a noticeable impact on the homeless youth and young adult system. One example of this is the formation of the “Yes to Yes” Committee, which has a focus […]
Posted on May 6, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, Julie's Vision, legislative advocacy, Uncategorized, Youth Homelessness
The 2021 legislative session recently ended, and we are thankful that funding for the Anchor Community Initiative (ACI) is in the final budget! This funding total is $8 million– $4 million for pre-existing communities and $4 million for ACI expansion. The funding is ongoing and not one time, which is a remarkable endorsement from the […]
Posted on April 6, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, Behind the Scenes, Julie's Vision, Reducing Homelessness, Uncategorized, Youth Homelessness
The last 12 months have been extremely challenging. So many individuals have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. At the center of A Way Home Washington’s work – preventing and ending youth and young adult homelessness – we have seen increased barriers for young people navigating an already complex system. In our four Anchor Communities – Spokane, Yakima, […]
Posted on April 1, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, Behind the Scenes, Equity, Lived Experience, Pride, Youth and Young Adult Engagement, Youth Homelessness, Youth Leadership
Hello, my name is Elsa St Clair and I am 24 years old. My journey of homelessness began in 2017 and has been an ongoing battle since I came to Spokane in January 2020 and landed at Hope House Women’s Shelter, where I stayed there for 5 months. Afterwards, I was able to move into […]
Posted on April 1, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, Centralized Diversion Fund, Reducing Homelessness
Centralized Diversion Fund (CDF) program houses nearly 170 young people since launch! There is an underlying misconception in a lot of youth work: People need a whole myriad of services before they can be housed. But in its first 7 months of being launched, the Centralized Diversion Fund (CDF) program is already proving that to […]
Posted on March 22, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, legislative advocacy, Uncategorized
We recently received great news for the future of the Anchor Community Initiative – and it’s all because of you. For the past two months, you’ve been organizing, contacting your legislators, and making your voices heard. And our champions in the legislature were listening. Both the Senate and House have joined Governor Inslee and included […]
Posted on February 26, 2021 in Anchor Community Initiative, Student Stability Innovation Grants
We are so excited to let you know that we recently launched our newest project to end unaccompanied student homelessness – Student Stability Innovation Grants. YAKIMA is the FIRST community to submit a grant request and it has been APPROVED!!!! Yakima Neighborhood Health Services will test the use of peer social media influencers to outreach […]
Posted on November 30, 2020 in Anchor Community Initiative, Centralized Diversion Fund, Reducing Homelessness
Congratulations to Pierce County on achieving the of their first reducing process measure—increasing housing placement rates by 30% by the end of September 2020. With assistance from the ACI Coaching team, Pierce County set this goal and began working on it in mid-June. A big factor in choosing this goal was the level of success […]
Posted on November 4, 2020 in Anchor Community Initiative, Equity
Anchor Communities are entering the second stage in the work to end youth and young adult homelessness: Reducing homelessness. Two communities, Pierce and Walla Walla, have achieved quality, real-time data, and Yakima and Spokane aren’t far behind. This incredible milestone also contributes to the advancement of our racial and LGBTQ+ equity plan. With quality data, […]