Prevent homelessness for Native Americans
Chris and I will match all donations up to $7500. Help unlock our matching so we can get to $15,000!
American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are disproportionately affected by homelessness. However, you can help: eviction prevention is the MOST cost-effective way to reduce homelessness in Puget Sound. Every year the Chief Seattle Club helps our AI/AN neighbors at risk of eviction, with a 92% success rate. So far they've raised $20K of their $50K eviction prevention budget for 2020.
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THE PROBLEM: In King County, American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) are 10 times more likely to be homeless than the average person. Over many years, indigenous people have been unfairly removed from their lands across the nation, or subject to oppressive and unjust treatment from government policies and individuals. From my perspective this is a primary cause for income inequality, displacement and homelessness experienced by these communities.
This shows up in many ways - one is evictions. For some AI/AN neighbors, with one unexpected large bill they are suddenly at risk of being homeless. Also, at this time of year utilities get expensive, and some families may have to choose between heat and Christmas gifts. Many may face utilities shutoffs.
A SUCCESS STORY: We have a chance to right the wrongs by supporting organizations that are already making a difference. Organizations like the Chief Seattle Club, a Native-run nonprofit, are working hard to level the playing field for Native communities in our very own Puget Sound.
I volunteered in the Chief Seattle Club kitchen every week for a year. It was moving and inspiring to see the courage, spirit, voice, and resilience of Club members and staff, despite incredible odds faced for centuries. Their stories helped me see first-hand the unfair trap that many of our AI/AN neighbors are pushed into.
Chief Seattle Club is a highly effective organization. In 2018 they served 1455 AI/AN members representing 203 tribes in the U.S. and Canada. Among many other services, the Club supports members at risk of eviction, and have a 92% success rate in eviction prevention (i.e. the member maintains stable housing for 12+ months).
In one case, a single mother with 2 children was in the process of getting evicted. She stopped working due to a car accident and had no back-up income. Landlords frequently won’t return Case Manager’s phone calls or emails, so the Club’s staff went directly to the landlord’s office to advocate for their member and explain the situation. The landlord agreed not to proceed with the eviction, the mother began working subsequently, and the family remains stably housed today.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: The Chief Seattle Club has a $50,000 goal for Eviction Prevention financial assistance and has raised $20,000 so far. Your donation will be used to help people stay in housing by paying for overdue rent and utility shutoff notices. Just $691 on average can prevent homelessness for households with an eviction notice. $313 helps prevent utilities shutoffs.
But this money is more impactful than the dollars show. Eviction prevention is the most cost-effective way to address homelessness. Once a family is evicted, it becomes extremely costly to find and pay for housing again.
Please join us this holiday season in supporting the indigenous people of the Americas that are living right here in our community. All your donations are tax-deductible and will go straight to the Chief Seattle Club. Learn more about the club at https://www.chiefseattleclub.org/
Thank you so much!
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