Building Changes

📢 Coming Monday, Nov. 3: Building Changes releases the 2026 Washington Youth & Families Fund (WYFF) – Family Cohort RFP! This cycle expands inclusive definitions of family & funds community-led, culturally grounded housing + healing strategies. 🔗 ow.ly/YJvh50Xjn7l

Prevention in action! Rainier Beach High School’s Upstream Project is identifying housing instability early and connecting families to support before crisis hits—helping students stay in school and on track. 🔗 ow.ly/Bxer50Xh74M #YouthHomelessness #EducationEquity

Students like Lily show what’s possible when we invest in stability. With federal protections at risk, WA must strengthen programs like HSSP so every student can learn, thrive, and dream. 💙 Read Lily’s story: ow.ly/Xkge50XfSpG

📢 Sept. 30 | Town Hall Seattle Join us + our partners @WashingtonStand for Changing Our Future — a free event on youth justice & belonging. Featuring journalist Claudia Rowe + panelists Kaaren Andrews, Dr. Ben Danielson & Henterson Carlisle. 🔗 Register: stand.org/washington/cha…

Stable, affordable housing doesn’t just provide shelter — it shapes children’s ability to succeed in school. Shelterforce’s new series explores the connection between housing + education, lifting up stories that show why cross-sector solutions matter: ow.ly/hUwq50WUKmm

New data underscores the urgent need for stronger, more coordinated systems that prevent homelessness and create better outcomes for families, youth, and adults across the state. washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/homeles…

"The solution isn't to punish unsheltered people by putting them in jail. The solution should be to provide them access to safe and affordable housing and the services they need to maintain that housing." — @NAEHomelessness CEO Ann Oliva ow.ly/nbbc50WGbPn

Pierce County is exploring a new unified regional approach to address homelessness, aiming for a coordinated entry system that reduces duplication, streamlines access to shelter, and better connects people to resources. ow.ly/L5F150WFEkj

Washington’s food banks are in crisis. Demand is soaring, federal support is vanishing, and thousands are at risk of losing food assistance. As hunger deepens statewide, community response and state leadership will be critical. washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/07/31/was…

Criminalizing homelessness is NOT a solution. Trump’s latest order punishes people for being unhoused, guts proven programs, and threatens WA communities already stretched thin. We need housing + care—not forced treatment + arrests. ow.ly/fGTW50Wx3xG #HousingNotHandcuffs

Federal protections for homeless students are at risk—and most states aren’t ready to fill the gap. Analysis shows that without McKinney-Vento, millions of kids could lose access to an education. Congress must preserve and strengthen the EHCY program: ow.ly/CYvp50WsZlT

A major win for rural housing in WA: In Stevens County, a new 72-unit development opened early, providing stable homes for dozens—including families w/ children—on the brink of homelessness. The message is simple: the solution to homelessness is housing. ow.ly/RwZM50WqRfm

42,000+ WA students rely on McKinney-Vento to stay in school while experiencing homelessness. A new federal budget could cut this life-changing support. Without it: more barriers and wider equity gaps. Raise your voice to protect our students. ow.ly/fLtb50Wpkr8

We’re saddened to see one less safe place for undocumented, unaccompanied youth in Seattle. These young people deserve safety, stability, and care—not fewer options. With federal funding uncertain, community-led, flexible support is more vital than ever. ow.ly/RFZP50WmwY9

💡 When it comes to funding our schools, it’s not just how much we spend, but how we spend it. Smart, targeted investments = better outcomes. Learn more from our partners @LPI_Learning: learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/how-mo…

Nearly 1/3 of LGBTQ+ young adults have experienced homelessness. In WA, lifelines like the Washington Youth & Families Fund support affirming, community-based programs that provide safe housing and flexible resources to help youth find stability & hope. ow.ly/sqse50WjRmm

A new report finds that over half of Spokane’s homeless population moved there after already losing housing—highlighting how displacement, not just local conditions, shapes homelessness. ow.ly/JTp450WjRcO

LGBTQ+ youth deserve safety, stability, and support—especially when families turn them away. Safe housing and affirming care can make all the difference, offering the stability every young person needs to move forward. ow.ly/Yzec50WhcXW

New research confirms what we’ve long known: the longer youth stay unsheltered, the greater the risks to their health. Early intervention, flexible funding & housing-first strategies aren’t optional—they’re lifesaving. #YouthHomelessness 🔗 ow.ly/34BU50WeYAT

As Pierce County expands efforts to address homelessness, proven solutions can make all the difference. Affordable housing. Flexible funding. Diversion implementation. We hope local investments continue to center what works—and what communities need most. ow.ly/VjHk50Wefar