With a Little Help from Our Friends

Opening Scene of Top Gun

Recently, we blogged about Becoming a Top Gun Homeless Response System. The mental image you get from watching film of a dogfight can be deceiving. You might think this is the ultimate combat scenario that involves two people alone squaring off against each other. Not so; just ask any pilot. He or she is just the tip of the spear; the spear itself being the ground crew, who can be quite numerous. Without everyone working together, and each person doing their part properly, even the Top Gun is rendered useless.

 

An effective homeless response system also depends on many different people, working together, each carrying out their functions properly. Indeed, two of the most important underlying themes of Opening Doors, the national strategic plan to end homelessness, are that we must do our work properly, i.e. follow evidence-based practices, and work together, i.e. not as disparate organizations in an uncoordinated environment, but as one unified homeless response system.

Getting involved in our local Continuum of Care (CoC) is a great way you can help our homeless response system become a Top Gun. A CoC is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services (funding) for homeless families and individuals. MDHA is the designated lead agency for our CoC organization.

Our CoC General Assembly meets once a month, and anyone can attend, learn about the work, and pitch in to help. The Assembly usually meets at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 9.00am. Check our website calendar for exact details. Once you get your feet wet, you can join one of our CoC committees, where much of the hard work of systems change takes place. We look forward to seeing you there!