On Monday, August 9, the Alliance launched its first photo contest! The theme of the contest is "What does ending homelessness look like to you?" Contest terms and conditions can be found on our website, and a blog post about the contest is also available here. The winner of the contest will receive free registration to the Alliance's next National Conference on Ending Homelessness in July 2011. The winning photo will be the basis of the design for the conference materials. Submissions can be made through our online form. The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 17. The winner will be announced on Friday, September 24.
A new paper issued by the Coordinating Center of the Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children Initiative provides an overview of new funding available to support vulnerable young children and families. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will provide $1.5 billion for Early Childhood Home Visiting (ECHV) Programs over the next five years. The funds will primarily be used to support evidence-based home visiting programs that demonstrate improvements in the health and development of very young children and a reduction in child maltreatment.
States are now in the process of compiling data about at-risk children for a needs assessment due to the Department of Health and Human Services on September 1, 2010. The data for the needs assessment will inform the development of a state plan for the use of ECHV program funds within each state. It is important, therefore, that the needs assessment incorporates data about children experiencing homelessness to ensure they benefit from this valuable new resource. Without the action of homeless advocates, information about children experiencing homelessness may be overlooked.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, non profit organization dedicated to solving the problem of homelessness and preventing its continued growth. www.endhomelessness.org
EXPERT Q & A
Take a five minute break from whatever you are doing to read our interview with this month's featured expert, Adolfo Carrion, outgoing Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs.
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NEED HELP?
Visit the Center for Capacity Building to learn more about the ways the Center can help your community end homelessness.
