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Let me count the ways:
Ten methods for ending homelessness
Each day
in King County more than 8,300 people are without a stable place to
live – including
3,700 (nearly half) who must live on the street because of a lack of
shelter. There are plenty of opportunities for you to join in the
efforts to end homelessness. By performing one of the following
tasks, you can do your part to help break the cycle of homelessness in
our community.
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1.
Contribute generously 
If you believe
homelessness can and should be eliminated, help provide
the financial resources to make this possible. There are many ways to make a
tax deductible financial contribution.
2.
Become a volunteer
Giving your time can be
rewarding on
many levels and at DESC we rely on
volunteers year round. Please review our current list of volunteer opportunities, if you are then interested in becoming a
volunteer, please contact our Volunteer
Coordinator
at 206-515-1517.
3.
Get your group
involved
Religious, civic,
business, and professional groups regularly help with
seasonal cleaning, maintenance and other special projects. To
learn
how your group can make a lasting impact in our community please call
our Volunteer
Coordinator at
(206) 515-1517.
4.
Understand the
issues and stay politically active
Educate yourself
about homelessness. Find out how your local,
state, and federal representatives stand on the issues surrounding
homelessness. Write or call those representatives and let them
know how you feel. Below are some advocacy organizations that
track housing,
homelessness, and mental health issues:
Seattle/King
County Coalition for the Homeless
NAMI Greater
Seattle
Washington State
Coalition for the Homeless
Washington Low
Income Housing Alliance
National Alliance
to End Homelessness
Corporation for
Supportive Housing
5. Advocate to end homelessness
Speak up and
speak out! Support affordable housing initiatives.
Each person has a right to affordable and secure housing, as well as
access to any service that can improve his or her quality of
life. Support – don't block – agencies attempting to provide
services and shelter in your area.
6. Treat
homeless
people that you encounter with respect
Do not promote negative stereotypes about homelessness. It is
these smaller, daily changes in behavior that lead to larger changes in
the way homeless people are perceived and treated in our
community.
7. Spare yourself
and others from useless trinkets or impersonal gifts
Celebrate a special occasion by making a donation in honor of a
relative, friend or co-worker's birthday or anniversary. Instead
of exchanging holiday gifts, pool your resources and make a
contribution to a worthwhile organization working to end
homelessness
in your community (like DESC).
8.
Make an in-kind
contribution
You can make an in-kind
contribution to DESC at 515 Third Ave, Monday-Friday between
9am and 5pm. To see what items we are currently in need of,
please visit our Wish List.
**As you do this, keep the
following
points in mind: Make sure your items are seasonally appropriate, as we
lack long-term storage capabilities. Also, remember that heavily
soiled or damaged items are not appropriate to donate and do not add to
the recipient's sense of self-worth.
9. Sponsor a
collection drive at your workplace or congregation
We are always in need of new socks, underwear and hygiene items.
To learn about other items that we are currently in need of please
visit our Wish
List.
10.
Fight proposed
budget cuts to Medicaid funding
Newly proposed federal budget cuts will have a devastating effect at
the local level, cutting off thousands of people living with mental
illness from much needed clinical health services. These proposed
budget cuts will punish our community's poorest and most vulnerable
individuals. Don't stand by and allow this to happen, speak out
against cuts to Medicaid!
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