webinar

With Funders Together: Washington State Reduced Youth Homelessness 40% and You Can, Too

A Funders Together to End Homelessness Webinar

Washington State reduced homelessness among unaccompanied youth and young adults by 40% after launching a concerted campaign to do so in 2016. While we will not rest on our laurels, we celebrate this life-saving success, especially in the context of the regression represented by the Supreme Court’s ruling on Johnson v. Grants Pass.

Past Event

DATE

September 4, 2024

TIME

2-3p ET / 11a-noon PT

LOCATION

Virtual

Join this discussion to hear the funder perspective on Yes to Yes, a lauded public-private partnership. After an overview of what the project accomplished, we will focus on how funders worked in collaboration and adapted to feedback in real time, highlighting the cross-system (education, criminal-legal, foster care, etc.) work that proved essential. The conversation will highlight transferable lessons that funders in other states can embrace, including strategies applicable across all age groups of people living with housing instability.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe three accomplishments of Yes to Yes in Washington State
  • Name an example of how Yes to Yes’ funders adapted their approach based on feedback from partners in real time
  • Understand how other states can replicate Washington’s success

PLEASE NOTE: This is a Funders Together to End Homelessness webinar, co-sponsored by GTY. Participation in Funders Together programming is limited to foundations, United Ways, corporate giving programs, philanthropy-serving organizations, and members of Funders Together. Government funders, government employees, and staff at organizations where grantmaking is not the primary function are not eligible to participate. If you have any questions about your eligibility to participate, please contact Carey Cabrera, Membership and Knowledge Coordinator at Funders Together.

Speakers

Sheila Babb Anderson

President, Housing & Homelessness, Campion Advocacy Fund

Sheila brings a background in government and public policy to lead our efforts to end homelessness in Washington state. As President of the Housing and Homelessness Program, Sheila is responsible for overseeing all advocacy and philanthropy efforts in pursuit of that mission. She brings deep experience in developing partnerships at the federal, state and local level, and valuable insights into how advocates and decision makers together shape public policy. Previously, she served on U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s staff, in both Washingtons, most recently serving as her Deputy State Director. She worked on numerous issues in the Senator’s office over the years, from wilderness to women’s health to transit infrastructure and economic development.

She holds a B.A. in political science from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and a Certificate in Public Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She serves on the board of the Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund and was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Washington State Advisory Committee on Homelessness.

Along with her husband, Timothy, two children, and dog, Toulouse, Sheila can often be found exploring new places, enjoying Seattle’s fantastic park and library systems, and whipping up great Italian food.

Paula Carvalho

Program Officer, Youth Homelessness, Raikes Foundation

Paula Carvalho, MIT, is the program officer of the Raikes Foundation’s youth homelessness strategy, where she leads initiatives to ensure that young people experiencing homelessness secure safe and stable housing quickly. Paula also focuses on supporting field building and advocacy that is built on empowering young people with lived experience, supporting BIPOC leaders, and aligning with multi-sector movements that seek to equitably end youth homelessness across the country.

Prior to joining the Foundation in 2019, Paula served as the director of youth programs at the Mockingbird Society. Having both lived experience in foster care and youth homelessness, she brings a crucial perspective to the work. Paula joined Mockingbird in 2014 as their youth network coordinator before being promoted to youth programs director in 2016. Paula oversaw Mockingbird’s statewide Youth Programs, which has a dual focus on youth development and systems reform. She also initiated and chaired the agency’s Race Equity Committee. Before joining Mockingbird, Paula worked at the YMCA of Greater Seattle as an independent living resource specialist focusing on youth transitioning out of foster care.

With over a decade working in this field, Paula continues to elevate the voices of young people at decision making tables. Paula earned a master’s degree in teaching from Seattle University, where she was also the first graduate of its Fostering Scholars program.

Marie Groark

Managing Director, Schultz Family Foundation

Marie Groark leads grantmaking at the Foundation, including the most ambitious and complex projects that aim to create pathways of opportunity for populations facing barriers to success, focusing on youth transitioning to adulthood. As a Foundation leader, she ensures the Foundation prioritizes learning in its grantmaking, identifying what works and being transparent about what doesn’t, and using data and insights to build upon existing programs.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Marie was at Paramount for nearly a decade, where she founded and led Get Schooled, a nonprofit organization that supports young people as they navigate education, the job market, or both. Guided by Marie’s leadership, in 2017 Get Schooled was named a Most Innovative Company by Fast Company for its use of gamification to drive youth engagement and improve student outcomes. Marie was previously a Senior Program Officer with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and also advised public, non-profit, and private sector clients as a management consultant with PwC Consulting. She began her career as a social studies teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx.

Marie holds a BA from New York University, an MA from Teacher’s College at Columbia University, and an MPP from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She lives in Seattle with her husband, three children, and Australian Shepherd, Teddy. Marie is actively involved in her children’s schools and her neighborhood Scout committee, and volunteers as a VITA tax preparer with United Way King County during tax season.

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