Connect

VOLUNTEER

• Volunteer and support our vendors, help plan exciting events
• Become an intern
• Volunteer your time with another service provider – like Miriam’s Kitchen or Sasha Bruce Youthwork
• Add the Hypothermia Shelter Hotline (202-399-7093) to your phone and call when you see a person who may need transportation to a shelter during Hypothermia Season (Nov. 1-Mar. 31)

ADVOCATE

• Endorse the Housing Not Handcuffs campaign to end the criminalization of homelessness and assure holistic housing for all.
• Volunteer with The Way Home Campaign and sign their pledge to end chronic homelessness in D.C.
• Join the Housing for All Campaign run by the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development
• Stay informed about policy initiatives that might need your support, and write to your local officials.

EDUCATE

• Learn more about how you can be part of the solution:
  •  National Coalition for the Homeless
  •  Housing First
  •  100k Homes
  •  National Alliance to End Homelessness
  •  Washington Legal Clinic Fact Sheet
  •  DC Fiscal Policy Institute
• Engage friends and family in discussions about homelessness to confront negative stereotypes with compassion and encourage positive language and respect
  • e.g. use language such as “people experiencing homelessness” or “homeless individuals” rather than “bum,” “transient,” “panhandler,” or “the homeless”
  • Why might someone be “smelly, lazy, uneducated, rude, addicted, etc.”? If they had access to resources and support to change this situation, we bet they would.