In the News
SKCCH Wins State-wide Advocacy Award
SKCCH was honored for “visionary support of affordable housing in Washington
State” with the 2010 Leadership in Advocacy Award from the Washington
Low Income Housing Alliance. We are proud to have received this public
acknowledgment of our members’ readiness to speak up, write, call, and
e-mail elected officials at every level about homelessness and affordable housing!
SKCCH and Community Partners Host County-Wide Summit: “Supporting
Students who are Homeless in King County: McKinney-Vento 201”
In October 2010, SKCCH and community partners planned and hosted a lively county-wide
summit on McKinney-Vento educational rights for homeless students. 175 people
from the ten largest school districts in King County (including public school
officials and personnel as well as local social service agency staff) were
in attendance. Check out the “King County Collaborates” listserv,
formed to keep participants connected after the summit, here.
SKCCH Engages in Successful Campaign to Open the Red Doors for Winter
Shelter at Seattle City Hall
In the fall of 2010, SKCCH re-activated its “Open the Red Doors” campaign
to convince the Seattle City Council to open Seattle City Hall’s basement
as winter shelter for all six months of winter. Prior to this, Seattle
had operated the shelter on a ‘severe weather only” basis on especially
cold and wet nights, opening only at 9.00 p.m. Thanks to strong public presence
at budget hearings, many supportive calls and e-mails from SKCCH members, friends,
and allies, and the leadership of several city council members, the campaign
succeeded. Beginning in January 2011 there will be nightly access to
shelter with better hours, services, and consistency for 75 women and men during
six winter months (January – March and October – December 2011).
The Seattle Human Services Department is currently searching for a location
which will offer better space than City Hall. Stay tuned.