Join Share, Sawant in Effort to Solve and Survive Homelessness

[Share Shelters]

Dear Friends:

We at SHARE first off would like to thank you for your interest and concern in our surviving and solving homelessness here in Seattle.  SHARE is dedicated to ending homelessness and preventing death on the streets of Seattle and at is only direct action – be it providing shelter or helping an encampment get public land – that will ensure more homeless men and women have a safe warm place to sleep at night, as well as providing a network to voice concerns and promote activism to end homelessness in King County.

We at SHARE write to you today to ask for support for a rally and march at Steinbrueck Park that we are holding on July 22^nd and the 23^rd to demand that The Committee to end Homelessness in King County focus more on providing shelter for the unsheltered now.  This Rally will feature the participation of City Councilperson Kshama Sawant and is being put on by the Occupy CEHKC Coalition that we have been part of for several years.

9 years ago CEHKC made a ten year plan to end homelessness in King county and the Seattle Metro Area by providing housing and shelter for all unsheltered homeless. The ten year plan has been stifled by the great Recession, housing foreclosures and growing joblessness and poverty as well as a lack action by much of the community. CEHKC has failed to meet its targets and has focused more on building housing and not on sheltering those waiting for housing to be made available.

Without shelter tonight, however, people die from violence exposure cold wet weather, sickness and other ways. This year alone over 18 people we know of so far have died outside as a result of violence, illness made worse by exposure to cold and by other things preventable by homeless shelters and encampments by providing warmth, a place of safety, food and other things that can relieve burdens and make it easier for homeless to transition to employment and independent living. CEHKC However has been slow to address the need for survival shelters for the needy. The rally we hope will get CEHKC’s Governing Board’s attention.

We ask that join us in this effort.  Please come yourself, and spread the word of this far and wide.  Ask your friends to also support us at the July 22^nd rally and help us demand action be taken to end homelessness now. We do not want to allow CEHKC to make us choose between housing in the future and Emergency survival shelter now. Participation and encouragement of others to participate will get necessary attention at CEHKC that there is a need for survival shelter now while we wait for housing in the future.

You are welcome at any time at this event, and the flier has a schedule on it.  The key time is 7:15 AM Wednesday morning at Steinbrueck Park.  That is when we will gather together, March down to City Hall, and observe the CEHKC Governing Board Meeting.  There is no better way to show them we know there’s a crisis, and we want to all work together to fix it!

Thank You!