Welcome
- James Pogue – Introductions, talk about what your goals are and what inspires you. But first, a story: I met a young man at the rotary club – he wanted to fix the world. He went to college, met the world, realized he was sheltered. Realized the world was a terrible place and a great place. But he lost his drive to fix the world. James wondered how he could help this person become the optimistic person who wants to make the world a better place. How do we take the bad things we see and go forward. The bad things are real, but that can’t stop us from making the world a better place.
- So for the introduction, tell us about your goals and what inspires you. (I wrote down what everyone said in the “attendee” section below. –ed.)
- I know these introductions tool a little longer than usual, but I feel like we’ve been carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders – at least I have. This helps us to breath some new life in us. The problem is massive, but just take little bites at a time and we will make progress. This group can respond when a social problems arise – so thank you all for that.
Presentation
HomeFULLness
- Cynthia Stewart – League of Women Voters
- Debrief on the homeFULLness conference
- Thanks you – many of you were there- you had tables, were speakers or moderators- it was a success
- Evaluations –
- All said they learned something – some said they learned a lot
- All but one said homelessness is an emergency
- We asked what should people do?
- Make policy changes
- Funding for housing
- Community involvement to make it happen
- Strategy – Need one single strategy deployed across the County
- Confirm Shared goals – no clear statement from elected around the county
- Declare county-wide emergency
- Defining prevention and adding it to the strategies
- Need someone in charge - this group is good, ,Continuum of Care is good, but no one really coordinates on a policy level county-wide – for policy or budget.
- Public education campaign
- Database – accessible to many people – in real time – like HMIS
- Engage the community with problems and solutions
- Need a volunteer program – brought up by electeds and folks there
- Big campaign to get more money – for prevention and for housing stock. And transitional housing.
- Feedback on the questions Larry asked
- Best panel was led by two 6 year olds – that kicked off and closed the coordination session.
- One of the common themes we heard was the desire to move upstream – to reduce homelessness.
- Michael Mirra – said you have to understand that homelessness is downstream from everything else in our society – from challenges with health and food and economy – everything leads to homelessness. That leads us to moving upstream.
- We’ll have some ideas on how to act on that in the next couple week.
- A big thanks to Cynthia and her colleagues (I don’t know who made up the word “colleague”, but they were just throwing vowels in left and right – ed.) – these folks raised over $15,000 and put in an enormous amount of work.
- I am sending out thank you notes. Julio Quan was on the planning committee -35 volunteers – 40+ speakers and moderators.
- We all know there is a crisis and an emergency. 2 things on the radio as I came in. The unemployment numbers came down by adding 120k jobs, but 300k folks also went off the unemployment rolls because they were unemployed for too long.
- James – event was very cool – lots of great speakers.
- It was great to have the housing authority and the providers both present. Would have been great to have private sector there as well.
Presentation
Tenant Rights Group?
- Maureen Howard, Howard Consulting, maureenhowardconsulting@gmail.com
- I come out of a liberation theology (https://www.britannica.com/topic/liberation-theology -ed.) The people with the knowledge and experience and passion need to be used to keep folks from being homeless tonight.
- The Old Crones Club – a number of us want to share our experience and knowledge with those of you coming in or coming up to make change on the issues we care about.
- It feels like the right time for affordable housing – this City Council feels like the right Council.
- With the Tiki apartments, issues is getting visibility.
- Washington Tenants Union – tenant organizer came to help. That is OK, but not perfect.
- Community members talked about a tenants rights organization –longshoreman union was part of the conversation.
- Had a conversation with Theresa Power-Drutis and Troy Christensen (with Korean Women’s Association) – if we get a tenants rights group, is there an organization home to be the fiscal agent, provide back office support, etc.
- I would like your thoughts – e-mail me if you are interested in helping of if you agency can provide some support.
- Should we have an identifiable tenants organization in Pierce County – what would it look like?
- Options:
- Tenants union are organized by tenant residents – sometimes building by building – could give them money to put an organizer in pierce county to facilitate this. This is a virtual presence
- Tiki Tenants – want a physical place to go. Do we want a physical location or virtual?
- How do we fund it – In King County they get a mix of public and private funding, as well as dues from the members ($1 per $1000 of income)
- Physical Location needs to be on a bus line, open late hours, whatever it takes to be accessible to the folks who need it.
- Could it’s work dovetail with the work of your organization.
- Does your organization do direct organization of people
- We might need to call it the “Rental Housing Association” because of our more conservative political landscape in Pierce County.
- Contact me (maureenhowardconsulting@gmail.com) if you want to stay in the loop
- What policies should be added to the Tacoma Tenants Rights Code – now under development
- How do we ensure diversity among all the different groups around Tacoma.
- The group so far looks mostly like white females. Need to have everyone stepping forward to help.
- God love you for everything you are doing
- James – do we add another subcommittee about this? We can lead this work here or just have a connection to this group. Whatever makes sense.
Presentation
Hepatitis C Incident at Good Samaritan Hospital
- Kayla Scribner – Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department - KScrivner@tpchd.org
- Investigating hepatitis C reported to the health department ( more about hepatitis C at https://medlineplus.gov/hepatitisc.html -ed).
- Only risk factor was from the health system when they were in an Emergency Room
- It is called a category A breach – the Center for Disease Control recommends anyone that was seen by the nurse gets tested for blood-borne pathogens (Bourne Pathogens, a new film starring Matt Damon? OK, probably not, although I’ve lost track of the franchise since they killed off the female lead at the start of the second movie – why do they do stuff like that. I’m watching a movie to escape from sad things. If I want sad, the human condition is always there for me…-ed). Happened at Good Samaritan Hospital – nurse had possible contact with 3,000 patients.
- There are notifying anyone seen in the Good Sam Emergency Room from March 2017 to August 2017 – they all need to get testing. Many of those in the system are listed as homeless. Want folks to come in for testing. Kayla has a list with names and birthdates – some have phone numbers. Trying to do some word of mouth and outreach. If you have a client you can e-mail Kayla ( KScrivner@tpchd.org ) to get a lab slip so the client can go in and get testing for free. Hepatitis C is treatable – and we want them to get that treatment (I had a mystery liver disease when I was 12 and spent 4 weeks honing my dry-heaving skills – not recommended –ed). Want to get treatment to everyone who was exposed.
- If you have clients who were seen at Good Sam – please get in touch with Kayla so they can get the lab slip and check the clients name against their list.
Reports
- Evictions – Greta Brackman - gbrackman@cmhshare.org
- Focusing on Tiki Apartments update
- United Way – Lindsey – is running point on this project
- Want to provide assistance in an efficient, and respectful way – not chaotic and promising what can’t be done
- Committee Meeting Report Out
- Different group today – spoke specifically about Tiki tenants (I know the Tiki Apartments situation is dire, but I can’t get that stupid Disney Tiki room song out of my head every time someone says Tiki - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trtJMX90Etw –ed.)
- 28 units are still occupied
- CLR – 3 folks providing case management to get them rehoused
- Looking at strengths the residents bring.
- Have some grant funding to help rehouse folks
- Talked about next steps to support these folks
- Meeting Next Wednesday – for all folks interested in providing support
- Another apartment complex – Terry Apartment (also called Howard apartments - located in Spanaway/Parkland) – has similar situation as Tiki.
- If you want to be part of this group – connect with Greta - gbrackman@cmhshare.org or Audrey
- James – We can do lots to support folks – City of Tacoma allowed us to reorient this grant- not new funding – redirected. Can only do this for Tacoma – Comprehensive Life Resources can’t support outside of Tacoma, but other agencies can. Also tenant rights changes in Tacoma won’t help Spanaway or Parkland.
- Social Supports and Daily Meaningful Activity – Carrie Ching - Ching@MolinaHealthCare.com
- Help clients exiting homelessness to build new, supportive social
- Report Out
- Daily activities and social connection (after listening to the full Disney Tiki song, youtube just decided I would want to listen to “It’s a small world”. I don’t. –ed).
- Don’t want to tell folks what to do – but engage folks so they have stake and say in what they do
- Talked about gardening – very therapeutic for all – teaching gardening when in shelter and program so they have that skill when they exit to permanent housing.
- Salvation Army – rents garden plots for $25 per year – managing that plot teaches skills in addition to gardening
- Need to be aware of backgrounds of folks
- Opening at Mother Earth – they hire people all the time and teach gardening.
- Mike Yoder gets a welcome home packet for everyone when they enter their home – a nice program.
- Looking for folks with disabilities and behavioral health needs so we can work with them one-on-one.
- Workforce Development – Sherri Jensen ( sherri@valeovocation.org )and Kelly Blucher (KellyB@goodwillwa.org )
- Help folks get gainful and meaningful employment
- Report Out
- Kelley – Variety of individuals are experiencing homeless. It is good that we are a housing first culture. But, we probably can’t create enough housing.
- But, can help folks get jobs –
- Trying to grow Valeo – nonprofit staffing agency
- Hire253 – on June 5th- ending homelessness 1 job at a time
- Sherri – what are future action items
- Hire253 is a great event that Goodwill has taken on
- Valeo is a product of the workforce development committee.
- Need in the community is work for folks with disabilities –
- The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation has been a good resource, but their funding has been cut – only serving the hardest to serve population.
- Who is working to move folks into employment
- Gerrit – The Center for Independence (http://www.cfisouth.org/ ) and TACID (http://www.tacid.org ) are great organizations working with folks with disabilities.
- Sherri – we are reaching out to them
- James – RISE grants are sunsetting – 5 groups have them – would be nice to know what the future is. At least one agency will close project when RISE ends. Should reach out to the other RISE programs to see what they are going to do.
- James - Project Homeless Connect is on the leaving Sound Outreach. Gerrit – the RFP (or NOFA or whatever) should be posted in the next week or so.
- Macro Housing – Theresa Power-Drutis - tpdrutis@nctacoma.org
- Get low income and brick and mortar housing
- Agencies are building tiny houses but have no place to put them
- Report Out
- Discussed which people with land are offering location for people with tiny houses – happening outside of this meeting
- Worked on more macro-level stuff – looking at poverty as the iceberg, can also be seen as the over-arching problem that must be addressed.
- If we focus on Permanent Housing – how does that help the chronically homeless folks we are working with. Need to not focus on not just one thing.
- Kenny – looking at educating the community – so folks are on board with a project.
- Everyone in group has the assignment to bring some answers back on how serious different groups are on what they are doing
- Messaging Subcommittee – Chris Boitano -
Good of the Order
- 330 people on the listserv right now – if you need to get that info – contact James at jpogue@cmhshare.org
- No update for Phase I, and Byron Corzo will be back on Monday.
Coming Attractions
- May 11th – Nothing scheduled – it could be you
- May 18th
- Feedback opportunity for Statewide Affordable Housing and Homeless Policies
- Committee Work
- Moment of silence for Harry R. Truman
- May 25th
- Social Security Insurance Application – Tips for Success from an Retired Social Security Judge
- July 12th - Malala Yousafzai’s Birthday
Attendees
- James Pogue, Comprehensive Life Resources
- Nathan Wright, Comprehensive Life Resources – Inspire an individual I work with to go to that next level
- Tammy Riles, Comprehensive Life Resources – Motivate people and help supporteveryone here in this room and others in the community to make a bigger impact in their and others lives.
- Lawrence Kinneman, Tacoma Rescue Mission –Inspire clients that no matter where they’ve been, or where they are coming from there is always hope and a possibility of change.
- Calvin Kennon, Comprehensive Life Resources – Inspiration is to learn as much as I can on a day to day basis to better serve and help folks on a day-to-day basis as well as long term.
- Faatima Lawrence, Catholic Community Services – Inspire my staff and others I work with to see the good in everybody.
- Joseph Kesimbo, Catholic Community Services – I am coming from a position of empathy to learn what folks challenges are and learning how we can serve them.
- Dawna Bryant, Comprehensive Life Resources – Listen and understand the people I serve.
- Sherri Jensen, Sound Outreach - Goal to see the good in everybody and for folks to see their intrinsic worth.
- Brenda O’Brien, Department of Social and Health Services - Goal is to stay caffeinated
- Ernest Aguilar, Department of Social and Health Services – strive to build understanding, empathy and respect with those around me.
- Greg Walker, Valeo - My goal is to help everyone achieve their purpose.
- Kelly Blucher, Goodwill - Goal – world domination (You might consider attending the World Domination Summit in Portland this summer - https://worlddominationsummit.com/ -ed.) – My goal would be to teach my three children that everything you do in life can make a difference. And then take over the world).
- Shane Wise, Washington Work Source – goal I guess is to do my job, kind of wishy-washy. Yesterday a client came up to me and said that I helped her develop job skills and get her resume put together – I helped someone years ago become successful today – That’s what I want to do.
- Effran Davis, Pierce County Veteran’s Court – help people help themselves and to drink more coffee.
- Coley Wiley, Community Youth Services - Goal to help as many people every day as I can.
- Martha Sheppard, Salvation Army – Purpose for the last 5 years is to help people become better people – This year I want folks to become a healthier version of who they are –starting with me.
- Dru Gonia, Salvation Army – I learn new things every day. I don’t know it all – I learn something from my clients every day, and I love helping them out, especially when they are in shelter. It is just super encouraging and really cool to help folks and that they acknowledge it.
- Richard Berghammer, Fellowship Bible church – goal - in this context – is to daily reach multiple faith group members – pastors, outreach coordinators – help them put into action what their desires are – they have desires to do something, but don’t know how to do it.
- Benjamin Feldbush, Comprehensive Life Resources – Goal is build community through diversity and inclusion
- Kenny Moulty, Recovery Foundation – Goal is self care – need to wrap around care for everyone. Our goal is to create housing working with staff and clients.
- Sarah Appling, Pierce County – Goal to just be a decent human being.
- Kay Jones, Saint Mark’s Lutheran – Here to help find ways to connect to kids experiencing homelessness, and at St. Marks we have an active Peace and Justice Community - looking for solution to homelessness.
- Alice Sofia-diakonos – Industrial workers of the world Union – I’m a renter clinging to current living situation by fingernails – everything going on here is pertinent to me – Tacoma seems very siloed – with poor communication. We have a long way to go – I’m here to learn and make noise. Also, as a person disabled and queer, I’m going to pay a lot of attention on how this impacts those populations.
- Pam Silver, Molina Health care – Carrie and I at Molina believe in collaboration to a positive outcome.
- Al Ratcliffe, Retired community psychologist – Help strengthen collaboration among community services and improve results for people. My strategy is to deliver psychology by walking around. My goal – as an 80 year ols – is to do so as long as possible (Applause).
- Carolyn Weisz, University of Puget Sound – goal is to directly invest in contributors to the future – especially those who struggle to afford college and are underrepresented on our campus.
- Patricia Menzies, Tent City Tacoma – I’m not sure I set goals – trying to stay in the here and now – took me a long time to get there. Be here now kind of thing. Not every thing is a problem with a solution – some problems we just have to adjust to. But we must do so from a place of caring.
- Maureen Howard, long time housing advocate – long time goal is the right to housing at every level. My immediate goal today is to have a conversation with you all shortly.
- Kayla Scrivner, Tacoma Pierce County Health Department – I have really been inspired to help people see from new perspectives and see things in a different way.
- Paul Lakosky, Tacoma Needle Exchange – raise healthy well-adjusted children – make sure staff have resources they need to serve our clients.
- Candace Madlena, Career Path Services – Goal is to show people that their goals are more realistic than they think they are. I Love story that James shared of the rotary member with a mid-life crisis so young, because that is me. Always told my dream was not realistic. But here I am, fulfilling my dream, being a part of the change in some small way. Everyone who comes into my office with big dreams, my goal is to help them start somewhere.
- Stephanie Wright, Adonai counselling And Employment – goal to remind client that where they are is not where they have to be, that this is just a moment in time – a horrible, terrible moment, but just a moment in time.
- Valeneinya Germer, Community Youth Services – Goal is to be kind to others and remind folks to be kind to themselves.
- Charleen Fitzgerald – Coordinated Care – be hopeful – never give up – - have that positivity, if something doesn’t work, be creative – and have a plan
- Lynn Jones, Catholic Community Services – want to encourage communication – listening as opposed to hearing. Believe in yes I can. Hear I can‘t all the time – don’t want to hear it.
- Meridee Heimlich – Step by step – Empower and encourage clients – they are low income parenting or pregnant women who feel victimized – want to be a part of their support structure.
- Nate Blackmer, Comprehensive Life Resources – Talk to client to remind them of their essential humanity – that they always have value.
- Liz Murphy, Comprehensive Life Resources – Goal is to network and learn about all these resources.
- LaPage Bethey, Comprehensive Life Resources – Goal is to continue to inspire the folks I work with – to inspire hope –remind folks how resilient they are.
- Sarah Bellamy, Comprehensive Life Resources – purpose to be agent of reconnection – as a society we don’t smile at each other – I’m an agent of reconnection with everybody – spreading love. Want to bring about holistic health and self-care. If we are going to be the caring and compassionate people that we are – we need lots of internal love and care for ourselves.
- Linsey Morgan Tracy, United Way Pierce County – Goal to be a continual learner – how to improve the system. How to have a learning mindset, so we have a justice and equity mindset.
- Greta Brackman, Comprehensive Life Resources – goal today is to have a collaborative conversation about how to help Tiki Apartments
- Audrey Oliver, Comprehensive Life Resources - fully understand the eviction process and long term advocate for social justice
- Theresa Power-Drutis, New Connections – My goal here today is to discuss what we do relative to folks coming out of incarceration. Larger goal is to make new mistake.
- Larry Seaquist, League of Women Voters – see if we can take the kind of wonderful humanity and intelligence in this room, and restore it to our entire democracy
- Cynitha Stewart, League of Women Voters – Seems like my goal in life is to make system changes wherever I go – and do it for as long as I can do it.
- Matthew Feldbush, Comprehensive Life Resources – continue educating and motivating at risk gang involved youth to see their strengths and use it for a positive change. Integrity above all else
- Shelby Drey, Comprehensive Life Resources – Goal is to instill hope in the hopeless.
- Glenn Kelley, Mutlicare – Short term goal is to get you people on the right track.
- Gerrit Nyland – help folks be more efficient so you can do more of all the cool stuff you just said.
- Julio Quan, Social Activist – retired Executive Director of Centro Latino – I have lots of experience – the fruit of our experience in mistakes – we learn, then nothing is wrong with it. I like working with kids like Al – he’s 80 and I’m 83. We need a lot so patience because the job is gigantic. I remind you ants eat elephants in little bites at a time. Let’s keep biting constantly and effectively.
- Deb Lacley – all the piece of my life have led me to today. My goal is to irradiate trauma – the root of all evils (and here I thought the love of money was the root of all evil – I’m going to have a chat with my Sunday School teacher about this. –ed.)
- Nicole Grace, Community Member – I want to get on the ground and build affordable housing for low income people – affordable housing and home ownership helps builds lives.