Homeless Response System Online Learning Clinic 2018 – Part IV: Building Dallas’ Homeless Response System – 2015-2017 – All Roads Lead to Housing

The entire system is oriented towards housing as the solution for homelessness, and this approach permeates every component of the system. There is a sense of urgency in getting everyone, and first and foremost those who are high on the Housing Priority List, into housing, as soon as possible, with as few barriers as possible. In the meantime, individuals, who need it, are offered temporary shelter, with the constant ever-present expectation that they be moved into housing as soon as possible.

Dr. Iain De Jong

(Courtesy of the Salt Lake Tribune)

Since 2015, MDHA has held regular policy discussions, trainings, lunch and learns, boot camps, and roundtables for case managers, program managers, agency leaders, and the public, to reorient every part of the Dallas homeless services ecosystem towards this thinking. Notably, in March 2017, MDHA asked pioneering world expert, Dr. Iain De Jong, of OrgCode, to conduct one of his international learning clinics on Being an Awesome Shelter, in Dallas. MDHA sponsored ten spots for Dallas shelters, to further facilitate a transformation in how Dallas shelters operate, as housing-oriented programs.
 
To further assist case managers in housing their clients, in 2015, in conjunction with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, MDHA founded the MDHA Flex Fund[i]. This fund gives case managers an important tool to pay for hundreds of minor but impactful expenses, every year, that can help individuals resolve their homelessness, quickly and permanently. 

 

 

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[i] http://www.mdhadallas.org/the-mdha-flex-fund/

CoC Strategic Work Plan Online Learning Clinic - Increase Access to Affordable Housing - The MDHA Flex Fund

Read the first blog post in our CoC Strategic Work Plan Online Learning Clinic series, Rapidly House Youth, here. Each post drills down into another aspect of the plan, to encourage you to get involved, and help us make measurable progress in ending homelessness. To maximize your learning and your ability to make an impact, we recommend you carefully read the entire first page now. Then review the entire page or pages that the individual blog post pertains to, as you read each post.

This time we focus on Goal I on page 2: Increase Access to Affordable Housing. The only thing that truly ends homelessness is housing. However, like any other scarce resource, you need a delivery system to ensure that this resource is deployed in the most efficient manner. This delivery system is made up of all of the different entities who are working together in our community to end homelessness. Our role is to serve as the backbone organization that brings these partners together, and turns them into a unified homeless response system. This is systems thinking at its best.

Now, proper systems thinking entails, at its very basic level, figuring out what input is needed to arrive at the optimal output. Our homeless response system is a leader in recognizing that one of the most important inputs in such a system, is a flexible assistance fund, like the MDHA Flex Fund. This is why one of the action items under this goal is to raise money for this fund. Since its founding by MDHA and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas in late August 2015, it has proven to be one of the most powerful weapons we wield in the fight to end homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties.

The idea behind the MDHA Flex Fund is simple: A minor but impactful expenditure inhibits a person from ending his or her homelessness. The MDHA Flex Fund pays that expenditure, and the person can make progress in ending his or her homelessness, if not end it altogether, in short order.

Much of what we do is, well, complicated. I usually say that if you need our elevator speech, we better be going up to the top floor of a very tall building! This why we have a Strategic Work Plan and a Playbook. In that context, one of the most beautiful things about the MDHA Flex Fund is its simplicity. In fact, we can even tell stories about it backwards, starting from the end, and as long as we include a link, you not only understand what it’s all about, but probably need a tissue to dab your eyes:

• $103.53. $103.53 allowed Jonathan to reconnect his electricity, and avoid a return to homelessness (and a miserable Christmas).
• $120.75. $120.75 allowed Daniel and Karla to remain housed, Abraham to pursue a job, and Richard to become eligible for a housing voucher. No, not $120.75 each; $120.75 total.
• $95, $149, $200. $95, $149, $200, respectively, allowed Kisha, Sarah and Laura to move from shelter into housing.

Recently, as a requirement of our United Way funding, we were asked to submit a detailed report on the MDHA Flex Fund’s impact for July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017. A few months ago, I wrote about how I love site visits, and I equally love having to report on our performance. A report, when done well, forces you to take a step back, reflect on how you are doing, learn what is working well and what is not, and move forward with renewed vigor and purpose. This is why we actually chose, in the site visit and in our reporting, to go a few steps farther than what United Way requires, and report on the MDHA Flex Fund in a more granular manner. We broke down the solutions provided by the MDHA Flex Fund into 17 categories:

Even a cursory observation of these numbers tells you a number of interesting things. Most of us don’t realize how important critical documents are in escaping homelessness, yet this category is the top category in sheer numbers, while not being that high in cost.  If you took the statement we opened with, “The only thing that truly ends homelessness is housing,” too simplistically, you might not realize the importance of basic furniture in ending homelessness. This is the fifth highest category in sheer numbers and the fourth highest in cost. And, not surprisingly, almost $30,000 was spent on categories that have the word “rent” in them.

These numbers remind us, when we dig a little deeper, that this program is fully dependent on the folks we call our “unsung heroes,” case managers, whom we celebrate in just a few days. The MDHA Flex Fund is an important tool in their hands, and any tool is only as good as the person wielding it. They also remind us that our system is most powerful when partners join hands to work together, be it these case managers, utilizing the MDHA Flex Fund, be it the MDHA Flex Fund and the Dallas Furniture Bank, be it MDHA and DART.

Based on the numbers we reported, here is our current estimate for MDHA Flex Fund expenditures for July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018:

 

This is why it remains vital, as this action item states, to continue to raise funds for this important and vital tool: the MDHA Flex Fund. Through adept use of this tool, we can and will increase access to affordable housing for our homeless friends.

Jonathan Reconnects, with a Little Help from the MDHA Flex Fund

Jonathan* has not had what most would consider an easy life. His disability does not allow him to work. He had even experienced homelessness. That said, with the help of a City of Dallas program, Jonathan had made significant progress. He had gotten into an apartment with a rental subsidy, and had a steady though fixed income from SSI (Supplemental Security Income). He no longer needed to worry about experiencing homelessness. Or, so he thought…

The problem is that $733 a month, which is what SSI paid in 2016, does not always go far enough. Late last year, Jonathan fell behind on his electric bill, and on December 15th, his electricity was shut off. That night the temperature dropped to 36, and a few nights later it was down to 17 degrees!  

Jonathan’s case manager, Mirka, was able to help him make an appointment with Dallas County to apply for utility assistance, but they could not see him before the 27th. On top of that, his electric provider was not registered with Dallas County, so it would take another seven days following that appointment, before his electricity could be turned back on.

Jonathan was at wit’s end. He could not refrigerate his food, he could not cook, and he could not heat his apartment. What really worried him, though, was that his lease required that his apartment be connected to utilities, so he was now in violation of his lease. He was liable to find himself, not only without electricity, but without a place to live altogether.

Put yourself in Jonathan’s shoes at that moment. Imagine what that feels like, to be without electricity, mere days before Christmas, worried that you might be evicted. Now imagine that all of this is happening to you because of $53.53, which is approximately what many of us middle class folk might spend on a casual dinner with drinks, for two.

Fortunately, Mirka knew where to turn for help, the MDHA Flex Fund. The Flex Fund was designed by MDHA, with the help of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, to pay for minor but impactful expenditures that impede clients from (making progress in) ending their homelessness. In this case, it would work in a similar, if not identical, fashion. The Flex Fund could pay the electric bill, and not only make Jonathan’s home habitable again, but also shield him from being evicted and returning to homelessness, due to the violation of his lease.

Mirka completed the one page Flex Fund request form. It asks for the client’s information, the solution needed, including cost and vendor, articulation of how this solution will help the client end his or her homelessness, and an explanation of why other resources cannot provide it. (This prevents service duplication, and waste of funds.) She then emailed the form, with documentation from the electric provider, to MDHA.

Shavon Moore, MDHA’s Continuum of Care Resource Manager, received the request and quickly approved it. She suggested to Mirka, however, that they “top off” Jonathan’s account with another $50, so he would not be disconnected again before his utility assistance could be approved by Dallas County. She then went online to the electric provider’s website, and paid $103.53.

Within two hours, Jonathan’s electricity was reconnected, the lights were on, his refrigerator was humming again, and the apartment was feeling nice and toasty. Jonathan was finally able to rest easy, and not worry about becoming homeless again. This Christmas would be full of light and warmth, after all…

* Client’s name has been changed to protect his privacy. 

A New Beginning, Full of Hope

Homelessness comes in many “shapes and sizes.” It can happen to people for varied reasons. I am often reminded of a quip from our good friend, Dr. Iain De Jong, that drives this point home, “If you have seen one person experiencing homelessness… you have seen one person experiencing homelessness!”

Dr. Iain De Jong (Courtesy of the Press Democrat)

One of the reasons people experience homelessness is domestic violence. Though this is not what people usually think of when they hear the word “homelessness”, it should immediately make sense. What else would you call your situation, if you left your home, to escape your abuser? Therefore, the Federal Continuum of Care grants facilitated through the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA), have long included grants for housing programs for domestic violence survivors.

One thing that survivors do share with others who experience homelessness, is that they need more than just housing. Often, they can find themselves with nothing more than the clothes on their back and what they could carry in their hands.

Regina*, a domestic violence survivor, had found refuge with our grantee, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center. She was working hard on rebuilding her life, was admitted into their housing program, and was able to save up enough money to pay her required portion of the rent on her apartment. She was still missing two things, so basic to rebuilding her life and remaining housed, that most of us take them for granted, furniture and transportation.

Regina learned about the Dallas Furniture Bank, whose mission is to provide “furniture to families transitioning from homelessness.” She also learned about the DART Reduced ID card program, a DART-MDHA partnership, which allows those experiencing homelessness to ride on DART using 50% discounted passes. However, she did not have the money to utilize these services.

Aliah Henry, CEO, Dallas Furniture Bank

Now, you might ask why Hope’s Door New Beginning Center could not help her with these needs. It is not that they did not want to help her. As is often the case, the Federal grant that paid for her housing and services, could not be used to pay for furniture and transportation. What was Regina to do?

Luckily, her case manager, Jackie, knew who could help: The MDHA Flex Fund. The Flex Fund was designed by MDHA and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, with people just like Jackie in mind. The idea of the Flex Fund is simple. A person experiencing homelessness faces a minor but impactful expenditure that impedes the person from (making progress in) ending his or her homelessness. The Flex Fund pays for it. That’s all there is to it.

Jackie told Regina about the Flex Fund. She shared with her that early on MDHA had formed a partnership with the Dallas Furniture Bank to allow clients to obtain basic furniture, with the MDHA Flex Fund footing the bill. Jackie and Regina discussed what furniture would be most helpful to her. Regina chose a sofa, a chair and an end table for her living room, a table and chair set for her dining room, and a full-size bed, dresser and night stand for her bedroom. Jackie also shared with Regina that the Flex Fund could pay for her DART Reduced ID card and the remaining 50% cost of a monthly pass, as well.

A Hope’s Door New Beginning Center staff “Purple Thursday” photo

Jackie filled out MDHA’s simple Flex Fund forms, and submitted them to Shavon Moore, MDHA’s Continuum of Care Resource Manager. Shavon notified the Dallas Furniture Bank, and they called Regina in for her private appointment. It felt great to shop in style at their facility, and choose her very own furniture. Shavon also provided Jackie with a letter Regina could take to DART, certifying her homelessness, as well as a check made out to DART to cover the ID and the remaining 50% cost of a monthly pass.

Hope’s Door New Beginning Center is a true lifeline for domestic violence survivors like Regina, in bringing normalcy back into their lives. With the help of community partners like MDHA, the Dallas Furniture Bank and DART working together with them, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center can better help the “Reginas” of our community in achieving a sense of stability in a new beginning, full of hope.

* Client name has been changed to protect her privacy.

They Couldn’t End Their Homelessness without It

British actor, Roger Daltrey, in one of the iconic American Express card commercials from 1985

How often do you find yourself without identification? The answer is, probably not that often. Most of us, in the words of the old American Express commercial, don’t leave home without it. This is why many find it surprising that over 10% of us do not have a government-issued photo ID. Not surprisingly, those without an ID tend to be poor, minorities, and/or elderly.  

Many of these same people manage to navigate life without an ID. However, ending a person’s homelessness can be challenging, if that person does not have some type of government issued identification, and cannot afford to get one. It seems that to paraphrase the same commercial, you can’t end your homelessness without it.

About six weeks ago, Daniel and Karla*, two neighbors who had experienced homelessness in the past, found themselves in a pickle. They were both living in permanent supportive housing, funded by a Federal grant. The agency which had received the grant ceased to operate, but our grantee, CitySquare, was prepared to keep the residents in housing. Daniel and Karla each had to present a government issued ID (at least a birth certificate), but neither of them had one. What were they to do?

About four weeks ago, Abraham was experiencing homelessness. He was determined to find a job, so he could become housed. He knew that he would need a government issued photo ID to get a job, and that to get the photo ID, he needed a birth certificate. He had obtained a birth certificate with the help of our partner, The Stewpot, but alas he could not find it. (It is difficult to keep all your documents and valuables in place, when you don’t have a home!) He would have to wait an entire year to be eligible for this help again. What was he to do?

Just three weeks ago, Richard was experiencing homelessness. CitySquare was helping him get everything in order, so he could apply for a Dallas Housing Authority voucher. He had a driver’s license, but it had expired. Without renewing his license, he would not be able to apply for a voucher. What was he to do?

Fortunately, about two years ago, through surveys of clients and service providers, MDHA had identified a variety of needs (beyond housing and supportive services), that Dallas’ homeless population faced, in their struggle to end their homelessness. One of these needs was critical documents, such as government issued identification. These needs may not be covered through existing federal, state and local government grants, that fund programs for the homeless.

Thus, with the help of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the MDHA Flex Fund was born. The idea was simple. A minor but impactful need, such as the lack of a birth certificate or photo ID, impedes a client from (making progress in) ending his or her homelessness. The Flex Fund pays for it. That’s all there is to it.

That is how we helped Daniel, Karla, Abraham and Richard. Their case managers submitted a simple one page form. The form asks for the client’s information, what the client needs (including cost and vendor), articulation of how this will help the client end his or her homelessness, and an explanation of why other resources (including the client’s) cannot provide (for) it.

A classic Shavon Moore selfie

Shavon Moore, MDHA’s Continuum of Care Resource Manager, reviewed each request, approved it, and provided payment directly to the vendor. In fact, as is often the case with critical documents, in Daniel, Karla and Abraham’s cases, Shavon could quickly order the documents and pay for them online. Once they arrived, the case managers picked them up from the MDHA Offices.

Research shows that ending a person’s homelessness, quickly and permanently, is not just the right thing to do; it is the most cost effective thing to do. How cost effective is it to end a person’s homelessness with the help of the Flex Fund, specifically? The numbers speak for themselves. The cost of helping Daniel and Karla remain housed, Abraham pursue a job, and Richard become eligible for a housing voucher was… $120.75. No, not $120.75 each; $120.75 total. Now, that is not a bad return on investment!

* All client names have been changed, to protect their privacy.

Who am I? Why am I here?

One of the most misunderstood moments of political history is the moment that Admiral James Stockdale opened his remarks at the 1992 vice presidential debate with these words. Arguably, of the three men on the stage, he had the most impressive resume, most of it in service and unimaginable sacrifice for his country. However, he had struggled to define himself, or at least make well known his definition of himself as a political actor.

This is why Stockdale opened with these words. He wanted to address just that issue. Unfortunately, all most people remember is the soundbite, which combined with our obsession with youth and looks, caused most people to only remember the question, and totally misunderstand the context of it.

If you think about the question itself, it is one that each individual and each organization must answer. It is a question that seems to fit this time of year, too. Spring (in the Northern Hemisphere) is all about rebirth and renewal, as the world awakes from the slumber of winter. Fittingly, the two Abrahamic traditions that use a solar or partially solar calendar, observe holidays that celebrate their origin stories, as these faiths answer Stockdale’s question.

This is why I love site visits. Now, if you work for a non-profit, you may have just fallen off your chair, and if you don’t, you could be forgiven for not knowing what on earth I am talking about. When a non-profit asks for funding, often funders will ask to come in for a site visit, to see what that non-profit does, rather than just reading a written grant request. It can be stressful, and in some cases, that might be an understatement.

So, why do I love site visits? Even the best organization, working in the service of the most important cause, can fall into the monotony of the day to day work. A site visit causes an organization, and individuals within that organization, to stop and reflect on why they do what they do. Ideally, we should always be ready to answer Stockdale’s question, but to borrow Dr. Samuel Johnson’s phrase, a site visit can concentrate the mind wonderfully.

Ian Redford (playing Dr. Samuel Johnson) in A Dish of Tea with Dr. Johnson

(Courtesy of Bob Workman)

Now, some funders are clearer and some funders are less clear, regarding what they are looking for on their site visit. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas stands out for their clarity in that sense, and serves as a model for others. Here is how a United Way volunteer cut to the chase, on what they are looking to learn when they pay you a visit, “Be on point about why you are requesting the funds, what you will do with the funds, and why you will be successful with those funds.” In other words, what is the need, what is the solution, and what evidence do you have that the solution will successfully address that need?

On Monday, we have the privilege of sitting down with our friends from United Way, and answering these questions regarding the MDHA Flex Fund. I have to admit, I think this is easier with the Flex Fund than with other programs, because of its beautiful simplicity.

Dallas’ homeless population faces a variety of minor but impactful needs, beyond housing and supportive services, that impede them from (making progress in) ending their homelessness. The Flex Fund pays for (solutions to) these needs. We have research and practice from other communities, not to mention the last 20 months in our community that shows the concrete impact of such a program, in the lives of hundreds of people.  

Marsha, Family Gateway

Sarah’s story, which we have told in this blog before, is a typical example. Sarah and her daughter Carol were homeless. With the help of their Family Gateway case manager, Marsha, they obtained a housing voucher, and found an apartment. The landlord required payment of an administrative fee of $149, prior to move in. Their only income being inconsistent child support and SSI, they couldn’t afford it. They were stuck.

Fortunately, their story has a happy ending. Marsha, put in a request to the Flex Fund, it paid the landlord the required administrative fee of $149, and Sarah and Carol moved in to their new apartment. Sarah loves having a place to call home, and it is much easier to care for Carol, who has a disability, in an apartment of their own. Their homelessness ended.

One component United Way added this grant cycle, which I was particularly excited about, was what they call a “visual client flow”. This useful exercise helps the service provider, get out of their organizational comfort zone and vantage point, and look at the program through the eyes of the client. (Click through to see what that looks like.) This is tremendously important, because at the end of the day, it reminds us of our ultimate answer to Stockdale’s question, “Who am I? Why am I here?” We are the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, and we are here to end homelessness for real people, just like we did for Sarah.

MDHA’s Homeless Response System - Helping Real People

We never forget that homelessness is about real people. Here are just a few glimpses of how we help real people whom we encounter through our work:

A photo of one of our homeless friends,

taken by award winning, Fort Worth based photographer, B.J. Lacasse,

shared with our friend’s permission

• Dallas Morning News - Robert Wilonsky: Once a year, Dallas' homeless count reminds us this is bigger than any of us can fathom - or bear - http://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2017/01/27/year-dallas-homeless-count-reminds-us-bigger-us-can-fathom-bear
• KERA – Stephanie Kuo: How Dallas' History Paved The Way For A Disproportionately Black Homeless Population - http://keranews.org/post/how-dallas-history-paved-way-disproportionately-black-homeless-population
• Dallas Morning News - Robert Wilonsky: One of Dallas' best homelessness solutions is staring the city in the face, begging for help - http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/01/12/one-dallas-best-homelessness-solutions-staring-city-face-begging-help
• Dallas Morning News – Cindy J. Crain: So much from 1843's 'A Christmas Carol' rings true about poverty and greed in Dallas today - http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/12/21/much-1843s-christmas-carol-rings-true-poverty-greed-2016-dallas
• MDHA Blog – David S. Gruber: The MDHA Flex Fund - A Powerful Tool for Unsung Heroes Ending Homelessness - http://endinghomelessnessmdha.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-mdha-flex-fund-powerful-tool-for.html
• KERA – Stephanie Kuo: Tent City Closes, But Homeless Outreach Workers Say Their Work Is Not Done - http://keranews.org/post/tent-city-closes-homeless-outreach-workers-say-their-work-not-done
• Dallas Morning News – Tasha Tsiaperas: Dallas' Tent City homeless camp finally folds - http://www.dallasnews.com/news/news/2016/05/03/final-eviction-day-arrives-for-handful-of-homeless-still-at-tent-city
• KERA – Courtney Collins: Losing An Apartment Because You Can’t Pay The $45 Application Fee - http://keranews.org/post/losing-apartment-because-you-cant-pay-45-application-fee 

Interested in helping us help real people? Go to: What Can You Do to Help? - http://www.mdhadallas.org/what-can-you-do-to-help-2/

Our Homeless Friends’ Self-Advocacy Bears Fruit

Courtesy of DART

One of the forums that MDHA facilitates is the Alliance Homeless Forum. This is a monthly forum run by and for our friends, who are experiencing homelessness, or are formerly homeless. Shavon Moore, our Continuum of Care Resource Manager helps facilitate these meetings. Already back in 2014, our friends highlighted an acute need – public transportation. In their experience, having access to public transportation to utilize medical and social services, search for employment, and navigate housing solutions was a critical need. This access was impeded by the issue of cost. Though $5 a day might not seem like much for the average reader, this is not a cost most of our friends can afford.

They researched the issue, and discovered that Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) already had well publicized programs in place, that allowed for 50% reduced fares for certain classes of people, e.g. persons with disabilities, seniors and students. They researched the issue further and found that a little-known program existed, where those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) were eligible for such a 50% reduced fare too. Perhaps since qualifying for TANF in Texas is extremely difficult, this program was not being utilized.

Shavon and our friends approached DART, and suggested that it would make more sense to convert this existing unutilized program into a program that would address their needs. DART agreed to run a pilot program, in collaboration with MDHA for the months of March-August 2016, that would enable our friends to pay a 50% reduced fare. Following this successful pilot, DART agreed to renew the program for all of 2017!

To be eligible for this program, a person must be literally homeless or actively enrolled in a program through safe haven, permanent housing, transitional housing or emergency shelter for at least ten days, and he or she must be have an active record in the MDHA’s Homeless Management Information System.

If such a person and his or her case manager identify transportation as a need, the case manager submits a request to MDHA. MDHA then verifies the person’s housing status and provides a letter of certification to the case manager. The person then submits the letter to the DART Store, and purchases a DART Reduced ID card.

The DART Reduced ID card allows persons to purchase 50% discounted passes at the DART Store, ticket vending machines and on buses. They must show the ID when presenting a DART pass to a bus operator or a train fare enforcement officer. 2-hour passes, day passes and 31 day passes are available. The MDHA Flex Fund can further pay for the ID and/or the remaining 50% of a monthly pass, if needed.

One of the most important lessons of this story is one that should be obvious, but is all too often forgotten. When it comes to discovering the needs of those experiencing homelessness, one of the most important things to do is… ask those experiencing homelessness! There is simply no substitute for true lived experience.

Pointers and Reminders, with the 2017 Homeless Count upon Us

With the Homeless Count tomorrow night, we thought several general pointers and reminders might be appropriate.

First and foremost, what is the mission of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA)? We lead the development of a homeless response system that will make homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties rare, brief and nonrecurring.
 

Second, under that mission, what is our role or roles in the community? We really have five different roles, shared by our equivalent organizations in every American community:

•         Facilitate federal funding for homeless services programs totaling about $16.5 million annually

•         Administer the Homeless Management Information System that drives improvement in federally funded homeless services programs, serving about 10,000 persons annually

•         Maintain count of persons experiencing homelessness

–        Sheltered

–        Unsheltered – That is what our volunteers will help us with Thursday night!
 

•         Maintain inventory of housing and shelter beds for the homeless and formerly homeless

•         Develop and quarterback an effective unified homeless response system, where all homeless services programs work together to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring
 

Third, what are some dos and don’ts for social media Thursday night?

•         Please post on Facebook referencing @MDHADallas and Tweet at @MDHA2 – the more the merrier!

•         Please use hashtag #dallascounts2017

•         Please use pictures of you and your team. They are each worth 1,000 words, after all!

•         Please do NOT use pictures, names or any other identifiers of our friends who are experiencing homelessness.
 

Fourth, what can YOU do to help us end homelessness?

•         Donate to MDHA

•         Donate to the MDHA Flex Fund

•         Volunteer for the Homeless Count every year

•         Host Room in the Inn – Allows houses of worship to not just help the homeless, but help end homelessness 

•         Advocate for what works – low/no barrier shelters, permanent supportive housing, affordable housing and more