On Point - Changing Attitudes. Rebuilding Lives.

Put Godzilla Back In His Cage

2011-05-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

Over the past five months since 2011 began, the impacts of homelessness have kicked down another 128,462 bedroom doors of America's children, claiming more causalities in a battle that we as American's can win and absolutely should win. Astonishingly, in cities across America we act as if the best we can do is open a winter homeless family shelter for four months. Then when the shelters close, like those in San Diego did this past few weeks we go back to reacting, managing the impacts with symptom relief programs, and trying to contain the impacts with services. Do the impacts of homelessness just slow down for the spring and summer months while we plan on opening the doors for next year's winter shelters? Of course not. This battle plan is obvioulsy so deeply flawed that it would be laughed out of any war room. And yet we just keep showing up to the fight, year after year, with a pitchfork.

It's like we have accepted defeat and have already submitted to the ruin of hundreds of thousands of our children’s futures. And boy we can sure blog about it. Everyone who has anything to say about homelessness has a blog nowadays.

We do a great job about blogging about what works and what doesn't work, all the while writing more stories, attending more meetings and launching more "comprehensive strategies". I wish I was a cartoonist for the Union Tribune. Picture Godzilla with a yellow wristband that says "Impacts of Homelessness" thrashing undeterred through our suburbs. Now glance down....that's all of us with pitch forks and axes chopping at his toes.

A big part of what needs to happen, what MUST happen, is that we must allow ourselves to see the impacts of homelessness on our children as dangerous to them as if a band of terrorist enemies were ravaging our neighborhoods. Until we start treating this as a real threat, with a real battle plan to push Godzilla back into his cage where he belongs, more innocent lives and more precious futures will be damaged.

Chris Megison
Solutions for Change

President and Executive Director
www.solutionsforchange.org

What Homelessness and Linus Have In Common

2011-03-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

Many who are mad about the homeless problem in San Diego and around the nation are mad because we keep throwing billions of dollars at it yet the problem gets worse. I can't blame them. If you read articles about homelessness in almost any online newspaper today you'll see many bloggers who people refer to as the "haters". The haters don’t know why the homeless problem gets worse so they blame the homeless themselves calling them lazy and other names. But these judgments against the homeless are ill placed. The reason why we are failing is not because the homeless are addicted, mentally ill, or just plain lazy. It is because of how we as a collective community of non profits, churches, governments and people respond to addiction, mental illness or laziness among those that are homeless. Our attitudes and actions are largely those of containment...treating homelessness like a disease that has to be contained...managing the symptoms instead of dealing with the root causes. This battle plan of containment has failed. It has failed the homeless and it has failed all of us. Yet we cling to it like Linus clung to his blankey.

Because slinging shelter beds, soup bowls, motel vouchers, water bottles and safe parking lot zones is simple...and it makes a lot of people FEEL like they are doing something. But what they don’t understand is that the something that they are doing is really making the problem much WORSE. They feel like they are helping but in reality they are enabling the problem to grow into gigantic uncontrollable form...which then creates more of a need...which then creates more containment opportunities. It creates a bigger blanket to be dependent on. If we change our attitudes and actions, if we can abandon the old battle plan of managing the symptoms of homelessness and redesign around a new plan based on the core values of solving this problem for BOTH the homeless person AND the community, homelessness is beatable. We can defeat it but it will require leadership that is willing to abandon the old battle plan and redesign around access to permanent solutions. Or, to use the angle of this story...it will require us to give up the familiar, well worn and now very big, gnarly, smelly blanket.

Police Intervention and the Homeless Issue

2011-01-26T17:31:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked to share my views for an out of town newspaper article about the value of social service engagement in contrast to police intervention tactics. This made me really think from the police officer's view about how he or she must feel when dealing with the impacts of homelessness in their city. So I offer my thoughts...perhaps not what you would expect from someone running a "social service" type agency. I'd be interested in your thoughts on the matter.

It’s a trust thing.

How many times have we collectively, as a nation of homeless service providers, made promises that we are going to end homelessness? We are great at issuing intentions but when it comes to delivery on those intentions we haven’t done a very good job, have we? As a collective body, we can come up with a million excuses, some of them very legit that help to explain why, but what I am simply saying is that we’ve issued promise after promise to end homelessness and time after time we’ve failed to deliver on that promise. And we rarely admit it. We just go on to the next plan and the next one and the next… That is a really bad business model. The result is that we as a nation of homeless service providers have conditioned the public to believe that despite what we say, that homelessness can’t really be solved, that it will never really end.

The good news is that every day I see more evidence that shows me that there are some leaders out there in the fight to defeat homelessness who are abandoning the old battle plans that have failed us as a people, failed our communities and failed our neighbor - the neighbor that we call “the homeless”. These failed battle plans; the “containment system” of managing the impacts of homelessness through shelters, soup kitchens, and servicing the homeless are being shredded and replaced with bold new thinking and audacious new strategies primarily fixed around the supportive housing model. It’s not happening fast enough, but it is happening and its mainly occurring through these almost rogue like social entrepreneurial insurgency operators who are daring to move people around outrageous visions and models (oh my) of solving homelessness.

Recovering from decades of executing a failed battle plan is going to take time. As it is now when I say that we are solving homelessness to the cop, the elected official or the churchgoer, among many others, it’s like I can hear them say to themselves, “yeah right, here we go again, I’ve heard this one before”. As someone on the front lines battling the impacts of homelessness I know that it’s up to me to deliver on promise. Do I like it when the police officer intervenes into a homeless situation using code enforcement and law enforcement as their primary option? No I don’t because I know that there are so many other effective ways to deal with the greater underlying causative factors of the problem. But I can understand it. I understand it because for decades we’ve said to the cop wait a sec, I’ve got this one. Only to watch the impacts of homelessness on communities explode in the cops face.

It’s going to take time to gain the trust of the police officer, the elected official, the faith community and with the public in general. If our national leaders insist on making promises like “ending homelessness” then I’d recommend that they find a way to deliver on that promise pronto because their words mean very little to the cop, the elected official or the churchgoers at this point in time. Make promises that we can keep, and watch our relationship with law enforcement and other community partners take a huge turn for the better.

Mercy vs. Compassion Transactions

2010-12-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed the increase in compassion transactions for the homeless lately? It's everywhere you look in the media now. Is this really mercy? I don't think that mercy for the homeless should be defined by how many soup bowls or shelter beds or care packages are given out. Of course every homeless person out there needs and appreciates those things. They will smile and you will smile and you will both feel good for awhile. You'll go home and they'll go back to trying to survive. It's not mercy. Call it a transaction of compassion. Because that is what it is. You give. The homeless person takes. You fill an immediate and urgent need. They are grateful. You feel good. And that is it.

Giving of yourself by doing these things is a wonderful thing...and it's immediate. By all means, you should keep doing it because in the absence of access to permanent solutions, temporary fixes and services are better than nothing. But no matter how you rationalize it, it's still a compassion transaction. You do it with one or with one hundred homeless people and that's it. Done. Easy. And that is why we do it...why the thousands of people in churches and groups all over the country do it. Because solving the real causative factors of why the person is homeless to begin with is just too darn hard. But what if...

What if your community had more (better and faster) access to permanent solutions such as permanent supportive housing. What if the "homeless" person could wake up from a nap on a blustery winter afternoon in their OWN little studio, cook a nice hearty bowl of soup for themselves (you can bet if they can survive on the street, they can cook for themselves) and be out of the churning cycle of shelters and services that were endlessly managing the symptoms of their homeless condition. Would that be true mercy?

I think that it would. And I invite you to believe in this way as well.
What if instead of slinging soup bowls, shelter beds and care packages you decided to be part of a long term plan, a real vision with real legs that got shoulder to shoulder with people to SOLVE their problem? What the homeless and the people in your community really need is a shoulder to shoulder partnership that gets out of the rut of the endless churning cycle of managing the symptoms and into real long term solutions such as permanent supportive housing. This, in my opinion, would define your actions as hugely different, very potent and truly merciful.

- Chris Megison

Much More To Be Thankful For On This Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

On this Thanksgiving Day 2010 I find that there is so much more to be thankful for than past November 25ths. It’s a strange revelation actually because a quick inventory of “stuff” reveals much less. A housing market crash that makes my house worth half of what I bought it for. A flood that caused black mold (which my insurance didn’t cover) causing us to live out of a hotel for the past couple weeks. A car that we just paid off that broke down in the middle of the desert that put a big dent into our family reserves.

On the top of my list always is God’s Grace. For without His Grace, I would be an aimless wreck. It has led this sinner to a life divinely navigated through calm waters or hurricane winds, I right myself true north in His hands.

My health, my wife and best friend and my children who favor me always despite my imperfections. My job and the people who I share my passion with at work. The people that I get to know and build relationships with though my work gives me blessings so immense that at times I am brought to my knees with overwhelming gratitude. The love that is exchanged through the interactions of compassion and kindness overfills my cup. Indeed my cup runneth over.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Chris Megison

The ONEKind Foundation Walks to Solve Family Homelessness!

2010-11-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

Imagine an organization started by kids who raise awareness and get others involved and motivated to help other kids recover from homelessness. Imagine that these kids move hundreds into action to walk for a cause and a solution to defeat family homelessness in your community. That organization is called ONEKind and this year they have chosen to support North County Solutions for Change. WOW!

I’ve seen a lot of very inspiring things over the course of my work at Solutions for Change but this is at the top of that list. RBV High School students Lauren and Jacqueline got up in front of all of the Solutions for Change parents tonight at and announced that this year for their 3rd Annual Walkathon on Saturday December 4th at the track at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista that they were walking for the families and kids of Solutions for Change. If you were in that room tonight you would have been really inspired. It was a special thing to be a part of!

There are a few different ways that you can join in and help:

1. Sponsor me for $7, $14, $21 or $70 bucks. Every $7 increment you give will pay for one LOCAL San Diego homeless child for one day off the street and in a home. It’s super easy…JUST CLICK TO DONATE SECURELY.

2. Join my team called Just Solve It Baby and Be a Walker Solver with me - Just click here, fill out the form and you are in! Come out and be part of the fun and we will walk together!

3. If you dont like me (there are a couple of you out there still :) or you want to start your own team so that you can lap my sorry ass (will be easy to do) then you can START YOUR OWN TEAM.

4. Ask others to help by FORWARDING THIS PAGE and asking your friends and family to join in by either donating, joining the team or both!

You can contact the ONEKind organizer Lauren King directly at lauren.king808@gmail.com in case you have any questions directly of her. These students are really excited about this. Let’s show them that their efforts are not landing on deaf ears. This only takes 3 MINUTES YET YOUR INVOLVEMENT WILL INSPIRE THEM TO BE THE CHANGE MAKERS OF TOMORROW.

Thank you!

TaylorMade Golf and 16" Guns

2010-11-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Was having lunch with Mark King, the CEO of TaylorMade-adidas Golf yesterday, when it hit me. I think it was right about the halfway point of munching down the yummy turkey sandwich that Britt had kindly brought up from the Taylor Made cafeteria.

The feeling reminded me of a moment in time while serving as a Marine, assigned to Battalion Landing Team 3/3 aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Fredrick. We were there to protect U.S. interests as part of a bloody civil war raging on in Beirut, Lebanon. On October 23, 1983 the sudden bombing of our U.S. barracks killed 241 Marine and Sailors had jarred us all into a surreal reality - we were fighting something much more devious and dangerous than we had thought. We were committed, and motivated and passionate to stand up to this threat. But despite all of the ability and talent and the resources we had, the burning desire and passion we all had could only do so much. We wanted so badly to do something. Some of us got to go ashore and fight back with our Marine counterparts but most of us were stuck floating off shore, watching all the action and feeling insignificant.

Then one day the Battleship USS New Jersey, sitting close to our starboard side, unleashed a massive projectile from her 16 inch guns. This was, we later learned, the first time that a 16 inch gun was fired anywhere in the world since 1969. We stood there in awe of her power. It felt like the whole sea jumped back 50 feet. One by one she fired off 11 of those projectiles and every time she fired one off I felt this incredible relief, this deep knowing that someone, that something on our side was delivering the message that I wanted to deliver, that all of my fellow Marines standing there with me needed to deliver, but couldn't.

That is the same feeling I got yesterday as I listened to Mark King, the CEO of a global company, talk to me about how he and the employee's of TaylorMade Golf are going to help equip us with the "big guns" so that we will be able to turn up the heat even more and stand up in a bigger and bolder way to this threat on our children and our families.

I thought 2010 was a banner year for us in terms of our impact around changing attitudes and rebuilding lives....but it isn’t anything compared to what 2011 will bring. The partnership with TaylorMade-adidas Golf fires off a redemptive and a glorious warning shot across the battlefield of homelessness here in San Diego and beyond. Indeed this is a very good thing.

I also heard Mark acknowledge yesterday that the threats on our children and on our communities are too big for one battleship, even with those massive 16 inch guns. We need more big guns. More boots on the ground. More investors willing to equip solutions driven organizations like ours with the resources needed to defeat family homelessness. Mark said in the documentary taping yesterday that Solutions for Change has the vision, the model and the plan that people in every community in America want and need. Mark concluded with these words: “This is what people have been searching for, to be part of a purpose driven movement that solves the problem. I hear people around me expressing a sense of relief that this is finally the right battle plan with the right attitudes and the right generals. All that is needed now are more people to get involved who want to solve this thing."

San Diego's Winter Shelter Merry-Go-Round

2010-11-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Will San Diego ever get unstuck from the containment trap that it has crafted around itself? Containing the impacts of homelessness and managing its symptoms using shelters and other temporary services hasn't worked, can't work...will never work. Spin it, shake it, bake it any way you want but until you abandon the old battle plan all you'll have is a spiffy system of controlling and managing the impacts of homelessness. You'll never break free. Hint #1: Government can't fix hurting people or rebuild broken lives. Hint #2: Move your community capital around a vision of defeating the impacts of homelessness...stop being wimpy. Stop meeting and planning and meeting and planning and meeting and....Just solve it baby.

Hey dude, are you Tri-Morbid?

2010-10-02T00:20:00.000-07:00

Tri-Morbid. How aweful sounding. That's the new description for a homeless person who has a lot of issues. If you've been reading the Union Tribune lately you've seen the controversy. Here are some random thoughts in response to a recent story about the survey that was conducted which classified 118 homeless people tri-morbid.

The impacts of homelessness on the community of San Diego and its people can be defeated, but these impacts are gaining momentum and are stronger now than ever. Not because of a shortage of money, or people that care, or because you don’t have enough shelter beds or feeding programs. And certainly not because you’ve performed or not performed the best surveys ever….The impacts of homelessness on the great city of San Diego are crushing you all because you continue to use a battle plan that simply CAN NOT win. It’s a battle plan designed at its core to FAIL. It’s a battle plan based on serving instead of solving, on managing impacts instead of addressing the causes of those impacts.

In a simple nutshell (very simple) you are getting your collective asses handed to you because you are deploying massive amounts of community capital using the WRONG intervention and engagement strategy directed at the WRONG subgroup of homeless. The intervention and engagement strategy for a homeless mentally ill person is entirely different than the intervention and engagement strategy for an active addict which is completely different than the plan for someone who lost their home and job due to the recession.

There are communities across the nation that are aligning their resources, money, people and leadership around winnable battle plans. Before San Diego can solve its homeless problem you will have to change attitudes. There are two camps: the help the homeless camp and the don’t help the homeless camp. I would recommend that you start working on developing a third camp. It’s the camp where the other two camps can join in and work together towards one unified goal: defeat the impacts of homelessness. Solve it for the homeless AND solve it for the community. Stop doing one at the expense of the other.

Concert with star power plan to assist local families in need - SignOnSanDiego.com

2010-09-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Concert with star power plan to assist local families in need - SignOnSanDiego.com

Stand Up!

2010-09-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's coming and its coming big! 21 days from today hundreds of people from all over Southern California come together to stand up to the impacts of homelessness on America's children. Countdown to the Finding Our Way Home Benefit Concert with Christopher Cross starts right now. Are you in? Buy now!

BandAids Come in Many Different Sizes, Shapes and Colors...Be Wary Of The One That Looks Like a House.

2010-07-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

So...after a short break, I reopen with a shameless excuse as to why you should take 5 minutes once a week or so to read this thing. You won't find many people with this perspective - so deeply imbedded in the war on poverty and family homelessness in middle America - saying the kind of crazy stuff that I say.

Things like:

1. ABANDON. Not tweak, modify, realign or retool (the new word our federal government is using). Knock, knock. You know that battle plan that we've used to fight homelessness for the past 50 years? Yeah that one, the one that has been managing symptoms and containing impacts with dependency and entitlement programs which has resulted in more homeless people today than ever before....IT HAS NOT WORKED!

2. REDESIGN. So after we throw out the old battle plan. The one that is spending billions of dollars on managing the symptoms of homelessness and creating more homeless people, we need to replace it with a different battle plan. One that has the capacity to crush homelessness. I like to use the word "crush" because when I served as U .S. Marine Corp Sergeant we would say real bad sounding ego driven 25 year old stupid stuff like "we crushed the enemy". I guess it made us feel like a team of super heroes but what I think it really meant was that the enemy would not be returning....anytime soon. Likewise, we need to make this so that the impacts of homelessness on our families, our neighbors and our communities never come back. Stop messing around. Bring out the big guns that are capable of moving people into permanent solutions. You know my preference is the Solutions University model because it provides all the access to permanent solutions that a person needs to acquire the skills, knowledge and resources needed to solve homelessness, permanently. But every community is different. Unfetter the change makers, bring on the social entrepreneur, fire up the beyond the soup bowl activator. Just do it and watch what happens.

NOTE: A quick note on the redesign thing. BandAids come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. Be wary of the one that looks like a house.

3. REIMAGINE. Hundreds of thousands of Americans not homeless anymore and OUT of the system. Hundreds of millions of dollars freed up to use on other more pressing issues that our government can....hopefully put to good use. Billions of dollars into the economy because thousands of people are off the dole and on the tax rolls. Good neighbors. Healthy families. Healthy communities.

Lets stay in touch...

Chris

Finding Our Way Home

2010-04-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the launch of a 1000 day communitywide initiative to solve family homelessness for kids and communities. Elected officials, CEO's, Pastors and civic leaders from all over nothern San Diego County came together to kick off the Finding our Way Home campaign.

Here is the written version of Chris Megison's presentation:

My Fellow Believers of Change – To each of you that have come today because you believe that solving family homelessness for kids and communities is real…I say to you that the impacts of homelessness on our children have finally met its match. I know this to be true, because today is the first day that the impacts of homelessness on our kids have met YOU!

Today marks day one of FINDING OUR WAY HOME, a 1000 day commitment by people in one community in America who have said: Enough is enough – we will not stand for the children in this community, in my community, to be without a place to call home any longer.

Finding Our Way Home is a grassroots initiative about all of us, working together around a winnable plan, finding our way back to the place that we need to be as a community.

People helping people BY moving families in crisis, our neighbors and ourselves around a vision, a model and a plan to solve this thing called family homelessness. We will do this together, one family, one community at a time.

You are part of this important effort because you realize that, yes indeed, we have lost our way.

In 2010 the impacts of homelessness will now impinge on 1.5 million American children. This means that 1 in 50 kids will lose their home. For most of these kids, homelessness will be a short episode, but for hundreds of thousands of children the impacts of homelessness will be harsh. They will bounce around from sleeping in a car, to getting a motel voucher, to bedding down at an emergency shelter. All the while their moms will desperately try to keep their kids safe.

How many children, you ask…will homelessness seek out and find from our North County community? Based on the reports of 1 in 50, there will be over 12,000 of our kids who will experience losing their home. Most will be episodic or temporary homelessness, recovering within a short time, but for about 1600 children, yes…for one thousand, six hundred of our innocent children…homelessness will be severe. These are the kids that the Finding Our Way Home initiative will reach out and save.

Meantime the impacts of family homelessness bear down hard on communities across the country…as we know; right here in San Diego is no exception. It is expensive to manage the symptoms of homelessness through a “containment” approach. Emergency rooms, crisis intervention, CPS intercession’s, the excessive burdens placed on our law enforcement and justice system and the plethora of entitlement programs reacting to the emergency needs are very costly and largely ineffective towards activating long term permanent solutions. We need a solution.

Hundreds of thousands of families and over one million kids have lost their way.

Hundreds of communities have lost their way as they struggle to deal with this crisis.

But here in the community known as North San Diego County today, for hundreds of families and for our community we are saying that it is time. IT IS TIME TO FIND OUR WAY HOME. Now. It’s time right now to square off against the impacts of homelessness on our kids and communities. And, as you can see in this room those impacts have met some very serious people from all over the North County and from all the different sectors of this community.

Because solving something as tough as family homelessness should not be the job of just the government, the church, or the nonprofits. It takes all sectors of the community: business, civic, church and faith, government, education and individuals working together around a winnable plan to SOLVE family homelessness. People helping people. Not any one sector being expected to solve this thing, but people working together with other people around a plan. Not the government. Not the church. Not the nonprofit. But people in all those sectors, using whatever resources are available, to help solve this thing. Not control it. Not manage the symptoms of it. Not ignore it.

For the purposes of this initiative, the word solve will mean: developing access to permanent solutions. It doesn’t mean giving away free housing. It doesn’t mean cheap housing in and of itself. It doesn’t mean throwing shelter beds and soup bowls at the problem. It means equipping the family with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to defeat this thing called homelessness. Not for a week or a few months, but permanently. Yeah that is a BHAG…a Big. Hairy, Audacious, Goal.

But for us, for the people in this room right now, for the hundreds more who have accepted the call to action, for the dozens of parents working hard every day getting up, suiting up and showing up for their kids, for the 128 of children here now…and for those not here who are waiting for us to help them Find Their Way Home, we simply cannot and will not fail. The term “failure is not an option” was termed by a Marine. I learned that as a Marine and I live by that today. And I am proud to be in this room right now with other men and woman who feel the same way, who live by that same creed.

Folks, we are here to lock arms and hearts around a simple yet powerful call to action to help hundreds of children find their way back home and in doing so, we will all find our way as well.

I think that we have it in us; I believe that you have it in you, to be an American community to say that the impacts of homelessness on our children have been defeated. Maybe we will be the trail blazers for the rest of the country and we will be the first.

But what I do know for sure is that we are going to rebuild hundreds of futures for families and save a lot of little lives. I am so proud of each one of you for stepping up today for our kids and our community. Thank you for standing up to the impacts of homelessness on our children.

Seven Families Defeat Homelessness - at Packed Graduation Ceremony

2010-04-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

On April 1st of this year I attended an exceptional evening of joy and encouragement, the memory of which will be with me for many days to come.

Hosted by North County Solutions for Change, the event was held at the Lifeway Church in Vista and was the celebration of the graduation of 7 homeless families and their 13 children who had successfully completed their commitment to be self supporting and had just moved on to a home or apartment of their own. The meeting area was packed with people who have played a part in the success of those who would testify. As part of the agenda, each head of the 7 households told their stories, recalling their difficulties before being accepted into the Solutions family, their determination, hard work (sometimes 2 or 3 jobs by the adult) and their appreciation of the support by staff, volunteers and other Solutions residents. Between tears, pride and caring for others were expressed with regularity and many who witnessed this outpouring were in awe of those who spoke. Most of the graduates had come from the depths of despair to a new day of independence and self-confidence. The conclusion of this ceremony was marked by most of the attendees forming a series of circles within other circles becoming a “group hug” and reciting the Lords Prayer.

But I could not help reflecting that the day before many of the temporary winter shelters for the homeless in North County were closed until the next “winter” cycle begins the following November. Where would the homeless go – how would they survive? How would the children enroll in school without having a real address when living in a park or a van and would they be counted in the census? The support by the cities, businesses, caring individuals and faith based organizations has been remarkable and all those who gave funding and volunteer care for the homeless are to be commended. However I have an awareness that this national problem may only continue to grow, particularly if there is not a significant upturn in the economy.

Solutions for Change was founded on the premise that providing shelter was only the first step and that children should have first call on the security of a place to call home. Our mission has not changed and over the 10 years of its existence over 1700 souls have worked their way out of homelessness to being in a place of their own.

Perhaps the model of Solutions for Change could be made available to those who will not settle for half the answer. As Chris Megison is fond of saying – “Give a man a fish and he will eat today. Give a man a fishing pole, teach him how to use it, throw in a tackle box...and he will eat forever”

Gene Ford
Chairman
Solutions for Change
Vista

2010-04-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Finding Our Way Home, an initiative to solve family homelessness will be launched on April 22nd! April 22nd will mark day 1 of this 1,000 Day Initiative led by Solutions for Change. Leaders from all sectors of the community here in San Diego have joined together in order to put forth this initiative which will change our communities and futures for our children. The 1,000 day goal will be to equip 200 homeless families with the skills, knowledge and resources they need to fight their way back… to a home, to a community and to dignity.

We invite you to come a long with us on this 1,000 day initiative in order to witness the incredible transformations which will change futures for our children - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Watch for this Commercial!

2010-03-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

For all you Channel 6 viewers out there - watch for this commercial and make sure to go to HomeReach.com and click on the banner to register for the tournament! We'll see you at Maderas!

Golfers, you Ready?

2010-03-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

Housing California Conference!

2010-03-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

On April 28th our Executive Director, Chris Megison will have the opportunity to host a workshop on our revolutionary model to solve family homelessness; the Solutions University. This workshop is part of the Housing California Conference which takes place in Sacramento from April 26th - April 28th and is an exciting opportunity to share and spread awareness about the Solutions University. To see the full details about the conference, please click on the link below. The Solutions University is highlighted on page 14.

Click Here for Full Details on the Conference

Our Marathon Blogger: Slow & Steady…With Walk Breaks

2010-03-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend called for a 21-mile run on the first day of Spring. Taking advantage of the beautiful weather, I headed out with my friend Gail to start my run at Torrey Pines. The day was picturesque, and I soaked in every minute of a 4 hour and 20 minute run. The people who know me now are not surprised that I spent a good portion of my Sunday running outside, but I’ll let you in on a little secret…several years ago I couldn’t run for 5 minutes, let alone 260 minutes. So how did I do it?

It started with running just a single mile. I told myself that I didn’t have to run the entire time, I only had to make it a mile. So I jogged (very) slowly and took walk breaks every 2 minutes until I reached my goal. I’m not sure how long it took me, but that’s not important because distance, not time, was my goal. I wanted to cover one mile, and that’s what I did.

Many people think they won’t like running because they have a preconceived notion that it’s all about going fast and running the entire time with no breaks. I once felt the same way. I hated running because I had flat feet that slowed me down, and I hated the burn in my throat and throbbing in my head when I ran too fast. As with anything in life, you have to figure out what works for you. Running fast didn’t work for me. Turns out I’m really good at running slowly and taking short walk breaks along the way. After I knew I could do a mile, I added half of a mile to my distance every week, still running slowly and taking those walk breaks. Once I reached 6 miles, my next goal was to run a half-marathon.

When that day came, I stood at the starting line and looked around. It was one of the most motivating sights I have ever taken in. I saw old runners, young runners, overweight runners. I saw runners with just one leg, runners with no legs—only prosthetics, and I saw blind runners. We were all in it together, and our common goal of finishing this race had connected us all.

I’m not going to lie: That half marathon was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. But I did it, and believe it or not, the very next day I registered for a full marathon.

I treated it the same way I had treated that first mile and every mile since. I added mileage each week, still taking walk breaks. On May 25, 2009, I ran all 26.2 miles of the San Diego Rock N’ Roll Marathon, and I loved every minute of it. I knew then that I was hooked on marathons, but I needed a new goal, a new challenge.

Two months later, I found it. Deeply inspired after meeting Chris Megison and visiting Solutions for Change, I returned to my old list of goals and dreams. I realized that I could combine my love of running and my desire to help others by dedicating my next marathon to raising money in support of Solutions for Change.

When I run the Big Sur Marathon next month, each mile will mean more to me than any mile I have run before. The generosity that my friends, family, and the Solutions staff have put towards my fundraising efforts has been exceptional. If you’re interested, there’s still time left to donate. Check out my fundraising page here http://www.firstgiving.com/samanthasarles.

Until next time,

Sam

Solutions Residents are Graduating!

2010-03-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

Over the past 10 years over 542 Families have graduated from the Solutions University program. Our revolutionary model empowers the effects to be permanently instilled into these families and most importantly it changes the futures for the children. We would like to share an opportunity for you to come and be part of the change by attending our upcoming graduation ceremony:

You are cordially invited to the Solutions for Change Commencement and Graduation Ceremony recognizing the achievement of seven families who have completed a major milestone in their commitment to permanently solving homelessness. The parents of these families have completed the requirements for successful completion of the Solutions Family Center - the first 500 days in the Solutions University program. Through their dedication and hard work, these six mothers and one father have equipped themselves with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to defeat homelessness. They have been employed, paying rent, learning and applying new skills and providing for the well being of their children. They are now re-housed and re-staked back into our community as healthy, happy and productive members of our North County community.

Please come celebrate their amazing accomplishment, their journey out of homelessness. Hear their comeback trail stories and experience the incredible feeling of being part of the change that saves lives.

Special: Meet the alumni of the Solutions University as they welcome them back into our San Diego community.

If you are a community partner, an investor or volunteer with Solutions for Change, this is an event that you do not want to miss. If the Solutions for Change cause and our vision to solve family homelessness for kids and communities hasn’t already impacted you in a meaningful way, this evening will change everything you know and think about homelessness. You will be Solutionized.

Please CLICK HERE to see all the event details through our Facebook Event Page.

Our Marathon Blogger: One Step Forward

2010-03-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

My training plan for the week called for some heavy duty hills. The picture is from the top of the hill I ran last Saturday, 1,200-foot ascent that I climbed twice. Not too long ago even the thought of running up a hill would overwhelm me, but I’ve learned to take them one small step at a time. Instead of focusing on how many miles or minutes I have until I reach the top, I now concentrate on each step I’m taking at the present moment.

Life works the same way. Sometimes it’s hard for us to reach our goals because we are too focused on the final outcome, how big it is or how far away it is from where we now stand. With all the attention put on the end goal, we are often left feeling overwhelmed and frozen with fear – fear of failure, the unknown, or the uncontrollable. But all we need to do is to just start and take one step in the direction of the final goal. When we break down our goals into manageable pieces, into small steps, it’s much easier to move forward.

What are your dreams? What goals have you always wanted to achieve? Have you written a list of the things you want to accomplish in your lifetime, in the next five years, in the next year, or in the next month? Two years ago I made a list of my goals. Although a few items dropped off the list because they lost importance to me, there were two key goals that remained. One was to run a marathon and the other was to do something to help others. At the time I had no idea how I was going to accomplish either goal, or that one day the two goals would intersect, but by putting them in writing I had taken the first step toward achieving them.

Next week I’ll write about the steps I took to transform myself from someone who couldn’t run a single mile without stopping into to someone who’s now running 26.2 miles in support of Solutions for Change. Until then, take your first step forward in achieving your goals and start making your list.

Until Next Time,

Sam

Mr. President, we HAVE the Solution!

2010-03-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce that Solutions for Change is now listed on the United States Interagency on the Homeless website as one of the “solutions to family homelessness”. This agency will report to Congress and President Obama on various approaches, models and community strategies regarding all homeless, but is particularly interested on programs that work to solve family homelessness. We are currently ranked 25^th in the nation as far as “ideas” on solving family homelessness.

Here is another opportunity for you to be Part of the Change! It is as simple as casting 1 vote to help us move up the ranks! :)

Here is what we are asking you to do:

1) Click on the following link: Provide Access to Permanent Solutions by Funding the Solutions University

2) Sign Up

3) VOTE

BONUS: Leave a comment if you wish!

Thank you for your continued support!

Change can be made, not only here in North County, San Diego, but across our beautiful country!

-The Solutions University

Our Marathon Blogger: 18 Miles and 7 Ways to Help

2010-03-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

As part of my training to run 26.2 miles at the Big Sur Marathon in support of Solutions for Change, I completed an 18-mile practice run on the coast this past weekend. With my (slow) pace, I was on the road running for over 3.5 hours – that meant I had a lot of time to think and reflect. I was thankful to have my friend Kacy for support along the way and keep me company for the first 11 miles, but after that I was on my own.

As I ran the remaining 7 miles, I started to think about all the ways one could get involved with helping organizations like Solutions for Change. It can be hard to find time or think of ways to help, so I hope the list below will give you some ideas.

1. Do what you love. For me I love running so I’ve found a way to combine my passion for running with fundraising.

2. Spread the word. Become a fan of your cause on Facebook and encourage your friends to become fans. If you haven’t already, become a fan of Solutions for Change.

3. Start Spring cleaning. What may seem old to you is brand new to someone else. If you haven’t used it or worn it in over a year, you probably won’t use it or wear it again so donate it. Do you have used books, CDs, and DVDs? Find out how Solutions for Change can turn those donations into real change$.

4. Volunteer your strengths. What you do in your day-to-day job could be helpful for a non-profit. If you’re in marketing, volunteer to help with outreach efforts. If you’re in construction, volunteer to do repairs. If you’re a chef, volunteer to make a meal. You get the idea.

5. Engage the community. We all have a favorite restaurant or store that we often frequent. Ask owners if they do anything to support local non-profits or charities, and tell them about the cause you support. You never know, they might be able to help.

6. Get your company involved. Ask if your company would be willing to sponsor a donation or clothing/food/goods drive and promote it to employees.

7. Learn more. Sometimes we don’t know how to help, because we just haven’t asked. Reach out to a non-profit that you’re interested in and ask what you can do.

- Sam

The Need for Change is Calling Our Name

2010-03-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

By special invitation of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), I had the privilege of participating in last Tuesday’s Community Stakeholder Meeting in San Francisco on the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. I was one of a handful present from Southern California and according to one of the organizer’s the only one from San Diego County. The purpose was to collect input from us stakeholders which would then be used to assist the USICH in preparing a report that will be submitted to Congress and the President on May 20, 2010. I was very pleased to see a strong emphasis placed on addressing family homelessness.

The forum itself was okay. Lots of energy and good ideas. But what struck me the most was the gut wrenching contrast 500 feet to my right. Despite the optimism, it didn’t take long for me to remember that right outside the doors from where I sat were the glaring outcomes of similar meetings in March 2004, held in this same building. In those meetings a group of very capable and dedicated people began crafting a plan to abolish chronic homelessness. Months later they submitted the plan entitled San Francisco’s Ten Year Plan to end chronic homelessness to the Mayor. They met 85 times in four months and engaged more than 785 individuals representing 400 organizations.

The plan, like its counterpart “Ten Year Plans” in other cities across the country, was activated with much passion and commitment around a very serious goal of ending chronic homelessness. Now six years into this ten year plan you don’t need me to analyze the results. If you were here with me you would have met three of the roughly 40 souls I encountered during my ten minute walk from the hotel to City Hall. Martha, Thomas and Oscar all of whom did their best to aggressively panhandle me (Oscar was quite persuasive) represent three of the more than 2500 chronic homeless still churning around on the streets of San Francisco. I know there has been progress and I commend the effort made but all of you reading this must know in your gut that the ROE, the Return on Energy, with all the concerted effort, from such dedicated people, executed over so many years, is way way off the mark. Why?

So once again I offer the opening conversation points for any group concerned about homelessness in their communities:

ABANDON the old failed battle plan of managing the symptoms of homelessness. Stop treating homelessness like a disease that has to be contained and start looking at the impacts of homelessness on human beings and communities as a solvable condition. REDESIGN using a new vision and a winnable battle plan. Start with throwing out the phrase “end homelessness”. It has lost all credibility. Cast your vision around “solving homelessness”. Define “solve” as this: access to permanent solutions. There are three types of homeless (not a judgment, just a clear way to talk about a complicated issue) – The Have Not, the Can Not and the Will Not. Each one needs a very different engagement and intervention strategy. Hint: Treating a Will Not like a Can Not is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. This is the one huge mistake that many communities continue to make and it is costing them dearly. Once you start having this conversation at 30,000 ft. you will begin the strategic process of defeating the impacts of homelessness on human beings AND community and you will REIMAGINE your community homeless free.

- Chris Megison

An inspired 52 Day Countdown...

2010-03-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here at Solutions University we are making a change in the way people think about the homeless, how we solve, not contain homelessness and how we provide people with access to permanent solutions rather than containment solutions. The change is made by our incredible staff, community partners, corporate partners and individuals and most importantly the change is made by the people themselves who are enrolled in our university.

One of our valued supporters is doing her part to be part of the change; running 26.2 miles for our families. Why? Because she is changing futures, not only for the kids and families, but for our communities. For the next few weeks leading up to her marathon in Big Sur, we will follow how one individual commits herself to being part of the change. Enjoy :)

TRAINING AND FUNDRAISING UPDATE:

I wanted to thank you all for all the wonderful support you have sent my way and the many donations you have made to North County Solutions for Change. I’ve reached 75% of my fundraising goal so far…but there’s still more to go.

While my training has not gone completely as planned, with a minor back injury setting me back a bit, I am more determined than ever to reach my marathon and fundraising goal. Even if I have to walk half of the marathon, even if I don’t finish within their time limit, you can bet that I will do all that I can to support this important cause.

DID YOU KNOW?

Solutions for Change has been helping homeless families in North County San Diego for over ten years. The average age of a resident at Solutions for Change is 8 years old. Can you imagine being an 8 year old living in a car, or in a tent with no roof over your head, no warm shower and no way out? Well, this is what Solutions for Change has been working to end.

Solutions for Change doesn’t just service people, they create partnerships between the families and the community. They’re solving family homelessness for kids and communities, permanently. It’s all about breaking the cycle of homelessness.

THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY YOU CAN HELP:

1. Donate on my fundraising page – all donations go directly to Solutions for Change http://www.firstgiving.com/samanthasarles

2. Become a fan on the Solutions for Change Facebook page and help spread the word http://www.facebook.com/solutionsforchange. They are trying to reach 600 fans this week. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could help them reach this goal!

3. Donate your used books, CDs or DVDs. With the help from many of the moms in the Solutions program, they take your books, CDs, and DVDs and post them on Amazon.com. The money brought in with each item sold on Amazon.com goes directly back into the Solutions program. Not only do they raise money, but by engaging the moms in a meaningful, structured work environment, they learn basic job skills and gain confidence while building a foundation for their new life. If you’re interested let me know and we’ll figure out a way to get your donations to Solutions for Change.

One Book, CD or DVD = One Homeless Child’s Life Changed for One Day!

Thank you again to everyone who has supported me and Solutions for Change.

- Sam

Supporter. Runner. Blogger.

Mark your Calendars for March 21st!

2010-03-02T14:07:00.001-08:00

"Young Artists in Recital"

When: March 21st @ 3:00pm
Where: Meadowlark Church in San Marcos
1918 Redwing St. San Marcos
Cost: $10.00 Suggested Donation at the door.

Be Part of the Change and join us at this fantastic event!

Rubios Event Re-Cap...

2010-02-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month, we were selected as the beneficiary by Rubios for one of their new location grand openings. Rubios is amazing - for every new location they open, they select a charity in that specific area to highlight and help raise money for.

Since Rubios is headquartered right here in San Diego, their new store in Vista is literally in their backyard! It proved to be a successful opening with over 300 people in attendance. Each attendee was asked to make a donation to our university and in-turn they were able to eat and drink as much as their hearts desired for 2 hours. We greatly appreciate all of you who attended the event and cannot thank Rubios enough for their desire to help our organization and for 100% of the proceeds. Rubios, you are now Part of the Change!

Above is a picture of the fantastic Rubios Team with one of our staff members.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Solutions University Staff

Thinking Outside the (Cardboard) Box

2010-02-23T06:00:00.002-08:00

Straight from our Executive Director of the Solutions University:

Two decades of being on the front lines as an advocate for the homeless and for programs that solve homelessness have taught me a couple of things about the reactions of people when it comes to this issue. In the spirit of trying to keep things simple here in this blog, the following are some basic thoughts regarding this complex problem.

Most people when they think of homelessness fall into one of two camps: Help them, or don’t help them. Let’s see how this simple concept (of help, don’t help) plays out here and in communities across the country.

The people that help are moved to help for different reasons, sometimes religious, sometimes just personal. But the way that most choose to help (because it seems to be such a big problem) is usually around what I call symptom relief. Example: you see a guy panhandling and give a buck, you volunteer at a soup kitchen to feed the hungry, or you give $100 to the local emergency shelter to help provide a warm bed. These are the usual ways to help the homeless, and these are all temporary solutions. The help isn’t meant to solve the person’s homelessness; it’s an act of compassion that relieves the person’s burden for a moment or a day. The giver feels good. The receiver of the compassion feels a little better. But when tomorrow comes, or next month, the person will almost always have the same symptoms, they will be hungry, cold and lonely – they will still be homeless. And there will always be people who want to help to relieve those burdens. New programs spring up to “help” the homeless using the same compassion principles. In response to the needs of the homeless, they acquire and deploy lots of resources.

Now let’s do a little experiment. Let’s say that in 1980 there were 1000 of these homeless people in a city of one million people. Using this approach of symptom relief, two hundred homeless people (20%) get out of homelessness (I think it’s much lower but we will go with 20%). The other 800 are still homeless, but now it’s a new year and there are 1000 more new homeless people. So now there are 1800 homeless in our city. Three hundred and sixty or 20% of those get out and now the remaining 1440 join the new 1000 and now there are 2440 homeless in our city. Flash forward to 2010. A recession or two, skyrocketing housing costs and cost of living increases produce more than 1000 new homeless during many of those past years and at the end of this thirty year experiment there are now thousands upon thousands of homeless people. The impact on human life is pretty bad because many of these folks are churning around in a system that specializes in managing their symptoms instead of solving the underlying causative factors. But here is the other thing that we overlook - by using this approach (I call it the containment approach) the impacts on our community are also really bad.

When you hear me talk about the negative impacts of homelessness on human beings and communities using a failed battle plan, this is what I am talking about. This is the old way, the old battle plan and it has failed us miserably. I have no doubt that my peers out there fighting this battle want to defeat the impacts of homelessness on people as bad as I do. The point that I am making is this: it’s not good enough that we fight for the homeless person; we have to fight with them on one shoulder and with people in our community on the other shoulder around a common mission, a joint venture, a unified vision to defeat this thing. Not for a month, or for six months, but permanently. That level of thinking leads to a much different kind of strategy, to a much different design and to a much different type of battle plan.

We cannot win as long as we continue to acquire, manage and deploy resources around the failed battle plan to contain homelessness. It might feel like we are doing some great and wonderful things, but we will not win.

Now here is where you are going to want to smack me in the kneecaps or say Halleluiah and give me a hug. Remember the people that I referred to in that other camp as not wanting to help the homeless? They, in many cases, are the folks that are shell shocked with the failed battle plan described above. It’s not that they don’t care; it’s that most of them hear the word homeless and associate that word with very negative impacts on and in their communities. I learned a long time ago that by being so focused and committed to alleviating the impacts of homelessness on the homeless person, that I might do so at the expense of the community, instead of for the community. I want you to really think about that for a minute. Opening a shelter in the middle of the city may “help” a ton of homeless people, but what if we are doing so at the expense of the community? Yeah, we might be able to mitigate some of those impacts with work crews and “partnerships” but if at the end of the day there are many people in that community that are being negatively impacted, we as the tacticians (as the General’s and Colonels) that are moving resources around on that battle field are failing. We are failing our community.

Hard to think about that scenario? I hope you can look at it honestly because you and I and all of us have a responsibility to stop the containment merry-go-round and start solving this for both the homeless person AND the community. Both can win. Be sick and tired, get fired up, do what our kids sometimes do and say “I’m pissed off”, whatever it takes, just respond to this in a way that says STOP the madness. Please. Get off the merry-go-round. Or better yet, stop spinning it.

There is a third way between the “help” and “don’t help” camps that is rooted in the core values of solving this thing that can engage and move folks (who are sick and tired of the impacts on human beings and community) in both of those camps around a new way to solve homelessness for both the person in crisis and for the community seeking real change.

Reimagine your community with no homeless people in it. Believe that it can happen. Now ask questions on how to get there. Call me 760-497-0041 or email me at chris@solutionsforchange.org and be ready to throw the (cardboard) box out. Thinking outside the box didn't work, so we threw it out.

Truly Yours,

Chris Megison
President and Executive Director
Solutions for Change

Calling All Golfers - April 28th!

2010-02-23T06:00:00.001-08:00

Another message from the Executive Director of the Solutions University:

Attention Golfers and Supporters!

We are very excited to announce that North County Solutions for Change has been selected as beneficiary for the 1st Annual HomeReach.com “One Round. One Cause” Golf Tournament to be held at MADERAS, San Diego County’s number ONE rated Golf Course.

We would love to see you out on the course playing the game you love and helping to solve homelessness for kids and communities at the same time. Please sign up today!

DATE: April 28, 2010
LOCATION: Maderas Golf Club
CHECK IN TIME: 11:30am
TEE OFF TIME: 1:00pm
COST: $195.00 per player
OR $720 per foursome.

Includes: Green Fees, Golf Cart, Boxed Lunch, Dinner Buffet, Prizes, Player Gift Bag + Wine Tasting!

You may register online at http://www.themeyrowfoundation.org/oneroundonecause/register.php or to learn more about the terrific work that The MEYROW Foundation does in our community.

ABOUT:
The "One Round. One Cause." Golf Tournament is a collaboration between The MEYROW Foundation and HomeReach.com, a San Diego based Real Estate Company. The purpose of this tournament is to play the game we love while bringing awareness to one of the most pressing social issues facing San Diego and our nation today: kids with no homes.

The "One Round. One Cause." Golf Tournament allows you to know that there is a permanent solution to solving this problem. By playing one round of golf in this spectacular event, you are part of the change that is defeating homelessness for kids, one family and one community at a time.

Special thanks to The MEYROW Foundation and HomeReach.com for their support of North County Solutions for Change!

The MEYROW Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to support causes that increase knowledge and gain awareness on a particular social aspect. Their mission is to, “Ignite a passion for the excitement of knowledge in order for our experiences in life to be one of greater fulfillment and appreciation.”

Solutions for Change is a social entrepreneur driven community organization dedicated to activating permanent solutions and solving family homelessness for kids and communities through our award winning best practices Solutions University model.

Yours Truly,

Chris Megison
Executive Director
Solutions for Change

The Solutions University has transformed 542 Families in 10 Years

2010-02-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

If you have yet to be introduced to the Solutions University, here is your chance to see real stories from graduates and current residents of our revolutionary model that provides families access to permanent solutions to solve their homelessness. By watching this video, you will become Part of the Change!

From everyone at the Solutions University, thank you for taking the time to watch! :)

Mark your Calendars!

2010-01-27T15:11:00.000-08:00

Rubios is Part of the Change! Click on the picture to see the flyer zoomed in. Hope to see you all there!

Thank You for Being Part of the Change~!

2010-01-13T13:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Solutions for Change,

In the hustle and bustle of our lives sometimes pausing long enough to feel what our giving means to others can brighten an otherwise hectic day. That is why I am sending this note out right now. I want all those that helped this past holiday season to know how special you are and how much your kindness has lightened the burden carried by a child who has lost something very dear...to a child who has lost their home. You see the gift you just gave this past holiday (whether that be a doll, a blanket, a gift card to one of our teenagers or a monetary contribution) were gifts to a child who is very grateful for another very special gift…the gift of a home.

Your giving is being used in the context of a life-changing experience for a child in our Solutions University. We aren’t changing things for one day, a week or a month…but for a length of time that will make a lifelong impact. You are therefore part of the change that is giving a home not as a temporary fix for a few winter months, but as an investment into permanent change…a game changer…a life changer.

As the name suggests, Solutions for Change is all about solving family homelessness for kids and communities by engaging homeless families in the Solutions University around accessing permanent solutions. By building purposeful and meaningful partnerships around long term permanent solutions with families in crisis on one hand and with discerning community partners like you on the other, together we defeat homelessness. Not for a few winter months, but forever.

We do this by equipping parents and kids with the skills, knowledge and resources using a strategic partnership around a blending of affordable housing, work training, educational opportunities and health related solutions. Solving homelessness versus simply managing the symptoms of it requires a lot of hard work and resources. Your support equips Solutions for Change with the resources needed to battle and defeat the impacts of homelessness.

You are not only part of a life changing investment for one of our homeless kids but your involvement sends a huge message to all 63 of our families that victory over homelessness is possible. Knowing that you are coming alongside of them in this big vision will make our parents fight even harder to rebuild a future for their kids. With your involvement you are sending the message that says: “we believe in you, keep up the hard work, you can beat this thing called homelessness”.

By supporting Solutions for Change, you are solving family homelessness for kids and communities, one family and one community at a time.

Thank You for Being Part of the Change – for Today, Tomorrow and Forever!

Chris and Tammy Megison
Founders

A Look at the Past 10 Years of Solving Family Homelessness

2010-01-06T10:03:00.000-08:00

We are currently celebrating our 10th Year of Solving Family Homelessness in North County, San Diego. It is because of everyone who is Part of the Change that we are able to continue and we are in need of your help more than ever. The obstacles we have to face every day to continue to fight this issue are enormous, but this is what we do; take on huge challenges and conquer them because we believe in our model to solve this problem permanently.

We are going to give you all a look into the past 10 years of this journey by re-publishing some inspirational stories and well appreciated news articles. We hope you enjoy!

____

Here is an article published back in March of 2006 in the North County Times.

VISTA ---- The smell of household cleaners stung the air this week in a ragged building on East Vista Way as volunteers worked to resurrect a homeless shelter that has been shuttered for more than a year.

Navigating through an obstacle course of sponges and paint-spattered buckets, volunteers from civic groups and local businesses set up bunk beds, polished windows and mopped the partially tiled floors.

"We're starting fresh," said volunteer Pat Reith, 75, as she carried mattresses inside from a nearby storage bin Thursday.

Bit by bit, the 40-bed facility is coming back together, and shelter officials said they hope to open the doors on or around March 21.

"We're making good progress," said Chris Megison, executive director of the nonprofit North County Solutions for Change. "I think we're going to be OK."

Megison said his organization is reopening the facility --- after months of talking and working with the city ---- to provide beds and case management for homeless families waiting to move into Solutions' 120-bed family center on West California Avenue.

That program, which works to help families find permanent affordable housing within a year, has a waiting list of 10 to 15 families, Megison said.

Across town, a 50-bed emergency winter shelter for families called Operation Hope ---- not a part of Solutions --- is operating at capacity, but is slated to close its doors in mid-April. Megison said he hopes his new facility will be a timely lifeline for those who have not yet found alternative housing.

But first things first, he said. Transforming the graffiti-stained building at 809 E. Vista Way into a working "intake and access center" is going to require at least 150 more hours of volunteer work.

"It probably needs about $70,000 worth of material and labor, but we're going to do it for about $10,000," Megison said.

A controversial history

Over the years, the East Vista Way shelter --- located along a commercial corridor a few blocks east of downtown ---- has been the subject of some community acrimony and several City Council debates.

When a permit for the project was first approved in 2000, opponents voiced concerns about safety, noise and negative impacts on their quality of life. Some held rallies, others threatened lawsuits.

But in the years that followed, neighborhood support grew, Megison said.

Jim Adams, the 33-year-old manager of the adjacent Vista Way Cafe, said Thursday that he'd rather see a shelter next door than a vacant building that invites questionable characters into the area.

"We're totally in favor of it," he said. "We've never had a problem."

Under the terms of its contract with the city, Solutions agreed to abandon that Intake and Access family shelter within 30 days of opening its West California Avenue center in November 2004. But without missing a beat, Megison was back before the council, asking for permission to reopen the temporary shelter to skim the top off the waiting list at the new site.

The request angered some city officials, who said Megison was going back on his word.

Councilman Steve Gronke ---- who has repeatedly said the city does more than its fair share to combat homelessness in North County ---- fought the reopening of the shelter through much of 2005. After the city's Planning Commission narrowly approved a permit for the project in September, Gronke appealed it, arguing that the shelter was an inappropriate use for a commercial corridor.

But in the end, only Councilman Frank Lopez sided with Gronke in opposing the plan and the council approved the permit 3-2.

Shelter operations

Inside the Intake and Access Family shelter Thursday, volunteers arranged the bunk beds nearly end to end. Megison's wife, Tammy, a co-founder of Solutions for Change, said fathers and teenage boys will sleep at one end of the barracks, while other family members will sleep at the other.

"It just keeps things simpler," she said.

In some aspects, the lack of privacy works to the new shelter's advantage. "It's pretty hard to be an active drug addict or an alcoholic in a place like this," Chris Megison said.

About 40 percent of those who come to Solutions for help suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, Megison said. The remainder have either been economically displaced or are victims of domestic violence.

Unlike the organization's California Avenue center, which requires families to prove they have been clean and sober for 90 days before they can stay there, the intake center will only have a 30-day sobriety threshold for new admissions.

With a first-year operating budget of $130,000, the East Vista Way facility will have three paid employees, including an on-site manager, who will be supported by 50 to 70 volunteers per week, Megison said.

He anticipates an annual budget increase of 5 percent to 10 percent, depending on the material donations the shelter receives.

"It gets real costly if all of a sudden we have to buy toilet paper," Megison said. "Stuff like milk and meat can run thousands of dollars a year."

Last year, Solutions for Change was awarded a $925,000 grant from the state's Emergency Housing and Assistance program. While the funds have yet to clear escrow, the bulk of it will be used to purchase the East Vista Way building, Megison said.

Under its agreement with the city, Solutions can use the building as a shelter until 2016.

To fund future operations, Megison said the organization will seek out grants and private donations, especially from the faith community, which has supported its efforts in the past.

Your Year End Gift Will Solve Homelessness for [insert #] of Children

2009-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

“Hey mommy, we found our way home!” That simple statement from Jessica, age 6, sums up why we are asking you to consider giving the gift of a home to a child who has lost theirs. Your $7 will provide a life changing experience for one child for one day in the Solutions University program. Ask yourself -- how many children’s lives do I want to solve homelessness for? Then do the math and please give. You can sponsor the cost of solving homelessness for one kid for one day ($7), one week ($49) or a month ($210). Or you can do it for a length of time that will make a lifelong impact…a game changer…a life changer by sponsoring a child for an entire year for $2,500. Whatever your gift is, you will be giving that child a home not as a temporary fix for a few months, but as an investment into permanent change.

As the name suggests, Solutions for Change is all about solving family homelessness for kids and communities by engaging homeless families in the Solutions University around accessing permanent solutions. By building purposeful and meaningful partnerships around long term permanent solutions with families in crisis on one hand and with discerning community partners like you on the other, together we defeat homelessness. Not for a few winter months, but forever.

We do this by equipping parents and kids with the skills, knowledge and resources using a strategic partnership around a blending of affordable housing, work training, educational opportunities and health related solutions. Solving homelessness versus simply managing the symptoms of it requires a lot of hard work and resources. Your support equips Solutions for Change with the resources needed to battle and defeat the impacts of homelessness.

By supporting Solutions for Change YOU solve family homelessness for kids and communities, one family and one community at a time.

Be Part of the Change – for Today, Tomorrow and forever and join the cause that is solving family homelessness.

Blessing for a a healthy and prosperous 2010,

Chris and Tammy Megison
Founders

GIVE HERE

Real Change for Hundreds of North County Homeless Kids at Christmas and Year Round

2009-12-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

Around the Solutions University, the weeks leading up to Christmas are some of the most exciting and magical times that people in and around the Solutions for Change organization will ever experience. For just one child and her mother who were just months before homeless and destitute, just hearing mom’s words as she describes what it is like being here makes it hard to fight back the tears. And then as you walk the hallways of the Solutions University and see their smiles and hear the words “Thank You” over and over you get this overwhelming feeling, a jolt of deep gratitude from those you meet. Then you realize that all around you there are over a hundred of those kids in dozens of families who were also homeless. And then it hits you.

I am part of something hugely purposeful and meaningful. My being here and being involved in a cause that is solving family homelessness for kids and communities is different than anything I have ever experienced. This is really special. The people here are really special.

This place is solving family homelessness for these kids and my community and I am part of it.

Pause right now wherever you are and think back to when you were eight years old. What if you lost your home? Where would you go? What would you do? You are eight. The average age of the 190 “homeless people” helped within the Solutions University right now today is eight years old. The program is year round and comprehensive and is designed to defeat homelessness by equipping families with the skills, knowledge and resources required to address and solve the causative factors, not merely contain the symptoms for the winter months.

For each and every person out there who has given something of themselves this holiday season to solve homelessness for a kid at Solutions for Change: their time, a gift, inviting their FaceBook friends with a message that says “wow! check this place out”, their integrity to stand up and be accountable for changing how we deal with this problem, their leadership or their treasures here is a message from the Solutions for Change family:

“We want you to know how special each of you are and how much your kindness has lightened the burden carried by a child who has lost something very dear...to a child who has lost their home. You see by supporting the Solutions University, the gift you give this holiday season, this Christmas, is the gift of a home. And because of that, because you believe in us, we pledge to fight everyday for our kids, to work harder than we ever have to get back on our feet and to defeat this thing called homelessness. Thank You for joining us and coming alongside in this big vision to solve family homelessness for kids and communities".

Today's letter from Sarah and Toma...

2009-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

As we get closer to year end it is stories like this that keep our passion ignited.

"Hello. I'm Toma. "Meaningless, empty and cold.'" That’s how Sarah and I describe our lives before Solutions for Change. We were living on the streets, literally. Sarah was pregnant. But as soon as Sarah found Solutions for Change, she started to take control of her life. I followed her lead and, together, we re-established our lives through the Solutions University.

Now Sarah and I are married. We live in our own apartment. Sarah saved a couple of thousands dollars while at the Solutions University. We are parents to a two-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son. Sarah describes her life now as "fulfilling, exciting and fun." I say Solutions for Change was a Godsend. So thanks for the promise you have made to us and everyone else who is in need! There are lots of people like Sarah and me who still need your help."

Thank You for all your support!

- The Solutions University Team

Today's letter from Kortni and Jesus...

2009-12-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here is a letter we received from Kortni and Jesus:

To all the Leaders of Change at the Solutions University –

I feel compelled to write a letter showing my appreciation for your understanding and hard work.

Prior to my family entering the Solutions University, I had called over 30 residential programs from San Diego to Bakersfield. My husband had an outstanding probation issue that required him to be in a structured residential program until Dec. Two months went by and we struggled very hard, barely making it day-to-day

Every program we called, either didn’t have room for our family of 6, or couldn’t help us..

On May 26, I had given up. I stopped calling programs and gave our entire situation to God.

That day, a family member gave me a list of resource numbers, all of which I had already called. The last number on the list said “Solutions”.

I called the number expecting the same response, “No two parent families”, or the famous, “No room.”

I was greeted on the phone by a woman named Laurie. I explained to her my situation and to my surprise, her words were “We’re not like the typical so- called shelter, we can help.” I immediately started to cry. She explained to me a little about the program, and asked me some questions. She gave me an appointment, and before I hung up, she told me, “I’ll see you on Wednesday, everything’s going to be okay.”

I showed up on Wednesday, May 3, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. The same woman, Laurie, gave both me and my husband an application. When we got to the criminal and drug history section, we looked at each other with the same look – “Should I be honest?”

For the first time in a long time, we were 100% honest. At this point now, I’m really expecting the worst because my honesty on paper doesn’t exactly make us look like upstanding people. We reluctantly turned them back into Laurie and waited.

A few minutes later, we met with a woman named Christine. Her first question was, “Why are you here?” I immediately began crying. I broke down and was completely honest with a total stranger. This went on for about an hour. Christine called a woman named Barbara, and asked if there was room for a family of 6. When she hung up, she said it’s pretty full, but Barbara will call you later and let you know when you can move over there.

Three long hours later, Barbara called and said we can move in that same night. I felt so relieved; all I could do was cry.

My family and I arrived at the intake and access center that night and were greeted by Ann and Laurie, who made us feel right at home.

I’ve been at the intake and access center now for almost a month and a half. I feel safe and comfortable now, a feeling I haven’t had in a while. I don’t always like it here, but Barbara tells me that’s a good thing because if I like it, I may never leave. I think she’s right.

In the small amount of time we’ve been there, I’ve seen a lot of changes in my family, good ones. We work as a team now, something that we haven’t always done. We have 350 days clean and feel better than I’ve ever felt. Thank you for your kindness.

Today's letter from Leannna...

2009-12-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

"My three children and I started our journey out of homelessness here in Vista a few years ago. Although we still live in Vista today, we are a world apart from how we used to live. Growing up in an abusive family and later in an abusive marriage I learned at a very young age that you absolutely did not talk about family situations and because of this, I became very introverted. When I came into Solutions for Change, they recognized this right away and started to provide me with the tools that I needed to overcome the “don’t tell” syndrome. While working the part of the program called Framework for Recovery, something clicked for me and I realized that recovery from all the loss and pain was an inside job. When I cared enough about myself to open up, to get rid of the negative self-talk, I started taking responsibility for my choices and began holding myself accountable for my own happiness. My whole life changed. I’ve been working for the same Vista business for a couple of years. Solutions University helped me get into an affordable apartment. The difference in my kids lives today still makes me cry sometimes…I love them so much. When we got here they were hungry and scared and now they are safe, happy and healthy. THANK YOU to the Solutions University for giving us a chance."

Vista Christmas Parade

2009-12-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, the Solutions University participated in the Vista Christmas Parade. It was a great parade, showcasing the community leaders and patrons of Vista. It was a fun day for our residents and many of the children got the opportunity to ride in the fire truck! A great way to begin the Holiday Season with our beloved community!

Please help us spread the word of our university model, but joining our Facebook Fan page, here. All you have to do is join and share it with your friends and you will be on your way to being part of the change!

Thanks for your continued support.

Solutions University on KUSI Morning News here in San Diego!

2009-12-07T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you are unable to view the video below, please click here.

Homelessness Solutions Reform in San Diego?

2009-12-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

In downtown San Diego, the conversation around solutions to homelessness is picking up steam. Last week there was a forum on "Homelessness Solutions" which I attended. I was excited to be going to such a forum that seemed to have no reservations around using the "R" word. Reform.

One thing was made very clear...the concern around the impacts of homelessness are reaching critical mass. People are tired of the same old, same old. But I must say that the same attitudes and beliefs that crafted the policies and practices which got us into this huge mess are still alive and well. And I see these attitudes prevalent amongst those we count on the most to execute our programs. It's an attitude based on reacting to the unmet needs of the homeless and containing homelessness versus solving it.

There is also finger pointing at how badly people in San Diego treat the homeless. Like this editorial written by a social worker published in the Union Tribune today. She points a finger at the people of San Diego who are treating the homeless badly. But are they really the people who created the problem?

From my front line perspective, the reactions from our community and the "despise" this writer and others speak of are the natural consequences resulting from two decades of using the wrong battle plan. The plan San Diego uses is largely one based on a “containment" plan, whereas the impacts of homelessness are essentially controlled and contained. Homelessness is a solvable condition, yet we continue to treat it as a disease by managing the symptoms of homelessness instead of treating the underlying causes.

There is talk of a reform effort in San Diego...but there can be no real reform until we know what went wrong and why it went wrong.

Reform means that we do not push the rug over the big crack in the foundation thinking we'll just modify practices around failed policies and build new walls around the crack. Reform means not getting on the same ship, setting a new "course" while we have the crews bailing water on the decks below. Reform means abandoning the failed battle plan totally and redesigning using the best social purpose entrepreneurial thinking this community has to offer. Or we can just keep using the same old "political" excuses, the same old general’s controlling the same old containment battle plan. That is how we got here and that is how we will stay locked into mediocrity as many more human beings suffer and die on our streets. Like in any battle, when it comes to the battle to defeat homelessness, using the wrong battle plan only increases the impacts of homelessness on human beings and on our community. Please look at the negative impacts! That is all the evidence you need. It’s worse now than ever before.

We must abandon this old failed battle plan, redesign around a new battle plan. And reimagine San Diego with no homeless on our streets.

It's not the business community’s job, the church's job, or the government’s job to solve homelessness. This is a social problem that deserves the involvement of every sector, both private and public, engaged in a winnable battle plan. Stop messing around. It’s time we deploy our community capital and resources in a way that will defeat homelessness.

Editorial Hits Google's Top 10 Nationwide on "Solving Homelessness"

2009-12-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

Solving homelessness better than a bandage

Today, the North County Times Newspaper published a shorter version of Tuesday's blog post about solving homelessness. You can access it online here.

As an indication to how little we talk about solving homelessness, GOOGLE lists this in their Top 10 hits nationwide when searching "solving homelessness". My purpose for this editorial is an attempt to elevate the conversation around solving (versus managing the symptoms of) homelessness.

Does the Regional Shelter System Solve Homelessness?

2009-11-30T23:12:00.000-08:00

As a long time advocate for the homeless and for programs that solve homelessness I have to speak up when I see things that I feel treat homelessness like a disease that has to be contained. It's not easy because I like many of the folks that run and serve in these programs and many of the entities that provide funding to them also provide funding to Solutions for Change. Obviously the views expressed here have been the subject of countless conversations with people in and around this field for years. But like any conversation around issues of critical importance, if you are on the minority side (which I am within my peers here) you run the risk of being labeled a whack job. All I can say is that I have had literally tens of thousands of interactions with homeless people over almost two decades. They need shelter but they don’t really want to be contained in winter shelters. They need food but they don’t want to be standing in a feeding line. They need compassion but they don’t need it as a transaction for 4 months in the winter. The homeless need access to permanent solutions, not more access to temporary solutions that keep them churning in a system which specializes in managing the symptoms of their homelessness.

The Regional Shelter System opens today for the winter months. You can read about it here.

There has been a new push in some communities across the country to move away from the traditional emergency shelter systems and into hybrid programs capable of addressing and solving the causative factors of homelessness. If we invested more of our brains, brawn, money and political capital into developing more access to permanent solutions, we wouldn’t need to fund a half million dollars in emergency shelters every winter. Yet we continue to feel good about throwing Band-Aids out there (temporary solutions) thinking this is the best we can do. That thinking is the wrong thinking and it is what keeps us locked into and stuck in mediocrity.

The evidence has consistently shown that shelters, feeding programs and these "case management" services (for the vast majority of the homeless) do nothing more than MANAGE the symptoms of homelessness by containing it. It cost a lot of money to continually manage the homeless problem year after year, versus the cost of investing in strategic approaches to solve it.
This is a noble thing...to help the homeless... but it would be a far nobler and more humane thing to stop this containment “merry go round” and activate the access to permanent solutions required to defeat homelessness, not for 4 winter months, but for good. With the right battle plan, homelessness is a solvable condition, yet the emergency winter shelter approach continues to treat the homeless like they are something that has to be controlled and contained...like a disease. It’s the equivalent of Tri City Hospital putting patients on beds with morphine drips making the patient comfortable instead of delivering a comprehensive treatment plan to address and solve the underlying condition. People die or churn around in the system forever. This is how we treat the homeless by continually placing them in emergency shelters year after year. Emergency shelters by their very nature are designed to contain, not solve problems. We call it compassion, but is this approach really compassionate?

It’s far time that this and other communities get behind local initiatives designed to solve homelessness using the innovative and proven alternative solution driven models that are springing up. They are bold, exciting, entrepreneurial driven solutions focused on outcomes instead of inputs, on number of people who get and stay off the streets, versus the number of bed nights provided or number of meals given out.

Many will read this article and feel good but the ugly truth of it is these programs keep people locked into a state of homelessness and perpetutate the churning effect that has led to homelessness becoming an epic social problem. We can’t solve the lowest rung of poverty (homelessness) with emergency winter shelter beds. We can only contain it for a few winter months, buy ourselves some guilt free nights...only to repeat it next winter. The people that run these things know this…they know that they are only containing it. And the last point is this…if the traditional shelter systems worked to end homelessness, why is there more homeless today than ever before? Pre recession, post recession, doesn’t matter…the impacts of homelessness have been and are greater than ever. It’s because these emergency shelters and most of the traditional homeless programs use old strategies that simply are designed to contain it, not solve it.

Food Drive on December 2nd!

2009-11-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

HERE IS A GREAT EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING ON DECEMBER 2nd from 5:00 - 7:00pm - Bring any non-perishable food items for Solutions for Change!:

Payless Shoesource is Part of the Change!

2009-11-27T12:05:00.000-08:00

We hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Everyone at the Solutions University feels blessed for all those that continue to lend a hand and who are being part of the change! This week we received another partner in our journey to solve family homelessness... Payless Shoesource! You see them on corners of major shopping malls and now the Solutions University residents will be able to go do some Holiday shopping thanks to them!

We were one of the 700 organizations that were selected for this gift out of 2,800 organizations who applied! This means that 125 pairs of brand new shoes will be coming our way in the next month.

This goes to show what a large corporation such as Payless Shoesource can do in order to Be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

10 Year Anniversary...

2009-11-20T15:48:00.000-08:00

This past week was something special for everyone at Solutions. November 15th marked 10 years of solving family homelessness here in North County San Diego!

Please read this fantastic article that we received today!

We'll keep this post nice and sweet... the article says it all!

Thank you to everyone for your continued support, dedication and inspiration.

Be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Happy Holidays Folks...

Some Serious Facts on Homelessness

2009-11-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

We all know homelessness is a massive problem that our country is facing and due to the economy this is an issue that is constantly increasing. How big is this problem? Here are a few facts on homelessness... pretty scary.

Families with children are by most accounts among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. In the United States an estimated 1.35 million from 600 thousand families will experience homelessness today, while 3.8 million more will live in “precarious housing situations.” Put it in another way, of every 200 children in America, 3 will be homeless today and more than double that number will be at risk for homelessness.

Help our Solutions University continue to solve this huge issue! Be Part of the Change!

To see more facts on homelessness, click here.

Toy Drive this Saturday!

2009-11-19T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a reminder for the Toy Drive this Saturday! Thank you for all your support!

Walking Raised Over $1,200.00

2009-11-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

Per our last blog post, we participated in an amazing event this past Saturday at Rancho Buena Vista High School. Our teams' raised over $1,200.00 for the impoverished children of Chennai, India. It was incredible to participate in this event with everyone who was walking... nothing less than inspirational! Thank you to everyone!

Here is a mention we also received in the North County Times:

"Yet the giving continues. Nearly every day another story crosses my desk about people helping people. When the North County Philanthropy Council gathered Thursday to honor volunteers from 43 agencies, it became clear that when the going gets tough, the kindhearted keep going, and giving.

Even some in great need themselves are helping out. About 40 members of homeless families being helped by Solutions for Change in Vista were expected to be among those participating in a walkathon Saturday at Rancho Buena Vista High School to raise money for a school in India.

"It just always amazes me to witness their heart and just the goodness for others that despite their own woes, these kids raise their hands and really want to get out there and walk," said Chris Megison, executive director of Solutions for Change. "They're fired up to be part of something that will have impact on kids half a world away."

To ready the full article, click here.

BIG EVENT THIS SATURDAY!

2009-11-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

“North County Homeless Kids Walk for the ‘Slum Dogs’ of India”

SAN DIEGO, November 12, 2009 - One would think an organization who is solving family homelessness for North County, San Diego would have enough to worry about; daily to-do lists, organization meetings, community outreach and of course solving family homelessness for 60 families in their Solutions University. However, when it comes to North County Solutions for Change, it is the exact opposite. With their 10-year slogan, “Not just a name, but a promise” Solutions for Change will be keeping this promise by participating in an extra-ordinary event held at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, California.

The ONEKind Foundation will be holding a walkathon at Rancho Buena Vista High School on November 14^th at 9:30am. Funds raised through this event will support Zamar Academy in Chennai, India. The Zamar Academy’s purpose is “to offer quality education free of cost to children from below poverty line families, who do not have the means, morale and methods and to integrate them into the main stream of the nation, as responsible citizens.”

What makes this event so special is because of who is participating in this event; the families of the Solutions University. Parents and their children from Solutions for Change will be forming two teams to compete against each other in order see who can raise the most amount of money for this great cause. Furthermore, Solutions for Change Founders, Chris and Tammy Megison will be forming their own team and funds they raise will be evenly distributed to the two teams from the Solutions University, “Whether they are standing in front of supermarkets to raise funds for Katrina victims or flipping burgers for deploying Marines at a Family Day picnic aboard Camp Pendleton, our families and kids continually amaze me with their heart and drive to be a force for goodness,” explains Mr. Megison. The winning team from Solutions University will be treated to a day at Legoland sponsored by the Solutions University.

By involving the families of the Solutions University in an event like this is the staple of what North County Solutions for Change has created. One of their core values is to equip the families they are helping to become givers themselves. By empowering these families who once were homeless, instills the values and philosophy that North County Solutions for Change has been building for the past ten years.

Not only does Solutions for Change ask you To Be Part of the Change – for today, tomorrow and forever, but they engage those that you are changing to be a change for others who are in the same or if not worse, position than they are.

To join the Solutions for Change team and be a walker for change, please click here.

____

For More Information:

North County Solutions for Change: solutionsforchange.org

ONEKind Foundation: onekindfoundation.org

Zamar Academy: zamarhelpeducation.org

Another Toy Drive for our Children!

2009-11-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Trackyourdeeds.com continues to Be Part of The Change! They are holding another fantastic toy drive for the children of the Solutions University. This time it will be held at the PCH Bar and Grill. Make sure to get there early so you can enjoy everything that PCH Bar and Grill has to offer and of course to socialize with other people just like yourself who are part of the change!

Your generous donations are greatly appreciated and we cannot begin to explain as to the impact they make during this time of year!

Volunteer to change the lives our Children!

2009-11-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

The Solutions University presents our local San Diego community with a great opportunity to join our cause to solve family homelessness... permanently. One of the many programs held daily here at the Solutions Center in Vista, CA is our Homework Club. This gives the children in the Solutions University a chance to gain advice, direction and be tutored in their various school subjects. Many of the children's parents are working in the afternoon, so we hold this Homework Club, Monday - Thursday from 4:00 -5:00pm. As long as you have the skills to help a k - 5th grader with their homework, you will be a perfect fit. This is just another great way that the Solutions University enables you to Be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Put your mark on the future of our San Diego community and sign up today by clicking here.

Thank you for your time and efforts!

A Great Event Raises Funds for Solutions!

2009-11-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

'The Gondoliers', a lively Gilbert and Sullivan favorite "easy listening" operetta, was presented Sunday, October 18th at 4 p.m. in San Marcos. Students of Oceanside dance instructor Krista Hale performed along side North County Sunday Soiree opera and musical theater singers Debbie Nicastro, Max Chodos, Kim Neblett, Tracey Pear, Therese Holladay, John-Scot Moir, Brian Gemmell, international opera singer Cynthia Leigh, sang the principal roles accompanied by chamber orchestra and chorus conducted by Jeff Lehman at Meadowlark Church, 1918 Redwing St., San Marcos. A special thank you to Therese Hollady and John Danke of North County Sunday Soiree for putting this event together, raising over $1,200.00 for the families of North County Solutions for Change.

Thank you for Being Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

A Toy Drive for our Children

2009-10-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

TrackYourDeeds.com is being Part of the Change by holding a Toy Drive for our children at the Solutions University. We greatly appreciate your efforts to help one organization help another. For our children and families to get to celebrate the Holidays with each other is a gift in itself. For our children to be able to unwrap a present during the Holidays is a moment that will last forever and will brighten their lives in a way that is not comprehensible to those of us who have not been in their shoes.

Bring a new or used toy and Be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Salon Forte is Part of the Change!

2009-10-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 17, 2009, Salon Forte came in force to cut and style hair for our Solutions kids and parents. Their salon is located at 722 Genevieve St. suite J, Solana Beach, and our families thank them for making the trip. We had some very stylish parents, some getting ready for job searching, and way cool, looking kids.

Denny Vagner, the owner, came and cut hair as well and brought with him some great people from Salon Forte and hair products donated from Colure for our families. Thank you Salon Forte owner Denney Vagner and Debbie DePamphilis for putting this together and for bringing your crew of amazing people; Jordan Barett, Chelsea Durma, Kristi Fernandez, Brooke Calders, and Juliana DePamphilil.

This is another great example of a local company being Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Sincerely,

Your Solutions for Change Community Outreach Coordinator

Your Chance to Raise Money!

2009-10-21T08:21:00.001-07:00

We are glad to announce that we are now able to have people manage their own fundraising programs in order to help us solve family homelessness! Many people have had some great ideas as to how they would like to fundraise for us, for example; running a marathon! In order to set-up your free, personal fundraising page please click on the following link in order to see how you can get started today. We made it secure, easy and simple in order to give you another opportunity to be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Click HERE to start fundraising!

Thank you for all your amazing efforts and PLEASE contact us if you have any fundraising ideas or questions.

- The Solutions University Team

Genentech, Inc. Supports the Solutions University!

2009-10-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Oceanside based company, Genentech, Inc. are Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever. A big thank you goes out to their company as they helped paint four of our Solutions University Campus Apartments last week. They are a prime example of how we all have the ability to lend a hand to solving family homelessness and allowing the Solutions University to continue to provide the solution for families to end their homelessness.... permanently!

They took the time out of their day, during the middle of the week and volunteered in order to Be Part of the Change. It really is an honor and we are so appreciative of companies and organizations such like Genentech, Inc. who are willing to give up valuable hours of their work-day to help our community.

To view more pictures from the day's event, please visit our Facebook Fan Page, by clicking here.

To learn more about Genentech, Inc., please visit them by clicking here.

We cannot thank Genentech enough!

Sincerely,

Your Solutions University Team

Containment, Compassion and the Church

2009-10-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

As many of you have probably heard we are working double-time visiting with faith leaders, engaging folks in the aisles and working to forge purposeful and meaningful partnerships with North County churches around a new communitywide plan to solve family homelessness. We are reaching out to every sector of the community (civic, business, church, education and government) and including everyone who wants to solve family homelessness for kids and communities. The church is uniquely positioned to take a lead role in the efforts around solving family homelessness. It’s been much tougher than I imagined, but we are making headway.

It seems that our society has largely conditioned itself around a “containment” approach, reacting to the urgent surface needs of our homeless neighbors by managing the symptoms of homelessness. Slinging soup bowls, shelter beds, case managers and hugs at an opponent as tricky and difficult as this enemy is, is in my opinion, a sad recipe for massive failure not to mention showing an unintended disservice to the homeless person themselves. Demonstrating mercy requires that we deliver the attitude, the action and the accountability of compassion. Yet how often do we leave out that essential and very necessary third critical piece...the accountability of compassion? Without all three it seems that compassion is nothing more than a transaction for the benefit of the giver. The Good Samaritan did all three; the attitude, the action and the accountability of compassion. And as we can see in the parable, it wasn’t easy for him to do yet he did it anyway because he wanted his involvement to be significant. After he picked the hurt man up on the side of the road, cleaned his wounds and rode him to town he gave two silver pieces to the inn keeper and said that he would return. This would indicate his intention to follow-through.

It’s easy to give someone a bowl of soup or 5 bucks on a freeway off ramp. Giving a bowl of soup is 100x easier than getting shoulder to shoulder with a person, opening a conversation around change, building trust and engaging the person to see that change is necessary, developing a partnership with clear goals and objectives, executing the change, making adjustments along the way and then solving the underlying issues that caused the person to be hungry, cold, lonely and lost to begin with. This is what Solutions for Change stands for. Working with families in crisis on a gut level and solving homelessness in a partnership with them is what we strive to accomplish with each of the 60 homeless families in our Solutions University. And this is why I am passionate about engaging the church because the church can be involved in something much deeper and more significant when it comes to its impact in the community. And they don’t have to start from scratch because we’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting already by building and acquiring the homes for 60 homeless families to live, learn and grow within the Solutions University programs.

Solutions for Change is looking to forge strategic community partnerships with churches (and with other sectors…which we will share about in a future blog) who want to move from success to significance when it comes to their involvement in community issues like family homelessness. So far we’ve found some big visionaries in the church sector like New Life Pres in Escondido, Calvary Chapel Oceanside, and Vista Hope Church to join the initiative. Many more are seeing the difference between the containment system and the compassion model and looking to join the North County Community Initiative to Solve Family Homelessness.

Whether it is with a homeless family at Solutions for Change or the neighbor down the street, true acts of mercy are about going all the way, way beyond that bowl of soup or a drive by volunteer opportunity. It's not about compassion transactions but about relationships around solving tough community problems. It begins with seeing the difference between the containment system and the compassion model. Once we recognize the difference, then implementing the solutions are simple. When that happens, watch and see how our North County community defeats family homelessness with amazing ease.

Community Members are Part of the Change

2009-10-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful for all the different community organizations who continue to Be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever. Without all of you, we would not be able to continue to provide the impact we need in order to solve family homelessness. We were honored to have two great events this past weekend.

On Saturday, October 10th Girl Scouts held a fundraiser at the Wallmart in Vista. On Sunday, October 11, Teens in Action built seven bikes for our kids here at the Solutions University. We would like to give a big THANK YOU to these two organizations as it means everything to us when organizations want to be part of the change.

If you have an organization or you are an individual and you would like to help fundraise for Solutions for Change, PLEASE contact us as soon as possible. We will do everything we can to ensure the success of your participation.

Mercy for the Homeless in San Diego

2009-10-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

There has been a big debate in San Diego lately around where to put the emergency winter shelter this year. I know exactly what the shelter operators and the community is going through down there because for years we faced the same type of challenges and debates here in Vista/North County. Here is my take on it...

The old way of dealing with homelessness through emergency shelters, soup kitchens and other human service programs has FAILED. These methods only contain and manage the symptoms of homelessness while creating more impacts in our communities which act like a giant enabling churning system. Sure some homeless get out, but most just churn around in an every expanding and costly system. Then we scratch our heads and wonder why neighborhoods come unglued and we can’t get a winter shelter placed. Take it from an old Marine who’s been on the front lines of this social battle for 18 years here in San Diego County...you need a new battle plan. HINT: Real mercy includes the attitude, the action and the accountability of compassion. Without all three -- a shelter bed and a bowl of soup is merely a "compassion transaction". It all starts with a shift in our thinking....a whole different attitude. Stop compassion transactions and start treating the impacts of homelessness on human beings and communities like the worthy opponent it is.

Chris Megison

We Provide the Tools...."One Family's Story"

2009-10-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Why do we continue to say that we have a permanent solution to solving family homelessness? Why have we created the Solutions University Model?

In order to allow families to solve their homelessness they need the tools that will enable them to get into stable housing and correct where they may have gone wrong. This is not done by solely providing families with a bed to sleep on or a bowl of soup to eat. One has to solve the problems that are occurring after the person walks out of the soup kitchen or the temporary homeless shelter for the evening...

Here is proof that the Solutions University provides these families with the necessary tools to solve their homelessness; enabling futures to be changed for a lifetime!

“Solutions for Change has impacted my life in a lot of different ways. It has helped my son and I learn to set goals in all areas of our lives, so that we can better our future in many ways. I have learned how to save money, pay bills, and how to get a job that will support my family and I in a better way. I thank Solutions for Change for all their love and support for my family and I.”

- Solutions University Graduate

Facts on Family Homelessness

2009-10-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

In this week's "Facts on Family Homelessness" we highlight the facts on the "Lack of Affordable Housing" thanks to familyhomelessness.org.

As you will notice, these statistics are astronomical. The Solutions University model is committed to directly aiding families in having the opportunity to move into affordable housing once they are ready to do so. This is the challenge we face on a day-to-day basis; the more off campus housing we can afford to purchase, the greater our chances are of permanently solving family homelessness. Our campus has the ability to only house a certain number of residents and therefore it becomes critical to be able to move them to off campus housing. As the residents move from on campus, to off campus housing they are allowing themselves enough time to be able to enter the normal renting market in a stable and secure manner. As we accomplish this, we accomplish solving family homelessness!

Lack of Affordable Housing:

In a detailed analysis of the US rental market, the National Low-Income Housing Coalition concluded that our country is experiencing a significant and prolonged shortage of affordable housing.

- 1.7 million housing units are needed to fill the gap in affordable housing for extremely low-income households.

Housing costs outpace wages.

- A full-time worker earning minimum wage cannot afford a one-bedroom unit priced at the Fair Market Rent anywhere in the United States. Nationally, a full-time worker must earn $17.32 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.

One in seven US households – 37.3 million – has severe housing cost burdens. Most of these households (78%) are in the bottom quarter of the income distribution (earning $23,000 or less annually).

Federal support for low-income housing has fallen 49% from 1980-2003.

- The average wait for public housing is twenty months. The average wait for a Section 8 Voucher is thirty-five months.

One Family's Story...

2009-10-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

Our "One Family's Story" continues with a current resident who is almost about to graduate from the Solutions University.

“Solutions for Change is the biggest part of my family’s future, and a stepping stone laid down for my family by God as a hand up. We are in preparation to graduate and move into our new home in the next six months. This is a huge difference considering six months ago I was jobless, with little money and soon to be evicted. This partnership has rocked my whole world and way of thinking, living and walking through life. The uniqueness of this program cannot even be compared. It’s more than change, it’s a new life. You do the work, and you get a new turnkey life. It’s not easy but it’s so worth it. I can accomplish my dreams now.”

There are many ways that you are able to be part of the change and allow more families to go through this amazing life changing university model. Please visit our web site by clicking here. Take some time to get to us know us a little more in depth; our mission, our values and the volunteer opportunities we have to offer. You will see that Solutions for Change is not just a Name, but a Promise!

Be Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Happy October folks!

The 2010 Entertainment Books are Here!

2009-09-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

If you have been asking yourself, "How can I be part of the change to help the Solutions University?" then we have another great opportunity for you!

The 2010 Entertainment Books are finally here and we are selling them for $40.00 in order to raise money for the terrific Kids Homework Club! Your purchase will not only get you incredible deals all over San Diego, but you will also be helping one of our great Solutions University programs.

In order to purchase your Entertainment Book, please email Tammy: tammy@solutionsforchange.org.

Thank you for your continued support, generosity and being part of the change - for today, tomorrow and forever!

Facts on Family Homelessness

2009-09-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

This week we highlight the facts on: "Who are Homeless Families?"

The typical sheltered homeless family is comprised of a mother in her late twenties with two children.

• 84% of families experiencing homelessness are female-headed.

This is due to a number of factors:

o Most single-parent families are female-headed (71%).

Single-parent families are among the poorest in the nation and as such, are extremely vulnerable to homelessness.

o Many family shelters do not accept men into their programs, causing families to separate when they become homeless.

• Families of color are overrepresented in the homeless population. Nationally:

o 43% are African-American

o 38% are White, non Hispanic

o 15% are Hispanic

o 3% are Native American.

• Families experiencing homelessness usually have limited education.

o 53% of homeless mothers do not have a high school diploma.

• 29% of adults in homeless families are working.

• 42% of children in homeless families are under age six.

Data Provided By: http://community.familyhomelessness.org/

The final three Community IMPACT Leaders from the "We are Winning" Documentary

2009-09-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

We Are Winning is a documentary about one community in America and the people in it who are solving family homelessness. Recent reports state that 1 in 50 children living in the United States will experience homelessness in 2009. Is family homelessness in America a condition that can be solved? Over the next several weeks you will meet people from the community of North San Diego County California who believe that solving family homelessness for kids and communities is achievable and who are doing something about it.

If you’ve already watched the documentary introduction just select one of the Docu-Clips below or click here to watch the Documentary Introduction by Chris Megison

Social entrepreneur and visionary Chris Megison introduces the first part of an ongoing documentary series around what one community in America and the people in it are doing to solve family homelessness. In this initial first phase of the documentary, Megison introduces 15 people who explain why they are winning the battle against family homelessness in their community. This first series of short vignettes explores the benefits of engaging all community sectors: civic, church, education, government and business around a model and a plan designed to solve (not contain) homelessness.

County Supervisor Bill Horn - from the government sector

Bill Horn, Supervisor Fifth District of the County of San Diego representing most of North San Diego County California describes the importance of Solutions for Change to a family in crisis and to the community at large. Supervisor Bill Horn has been known for his tough stance on social problems like gangs and criminality. In this interview Bill sits down with a family who, prior to becoming homeless, was causing some of the same problems that he was confronting. Formerly associated with the gang and criminal life, then homeless for a time before coming into and then eventually graduating the Solutions for Change program, a local couple shares their story with Supervisor Horn about how their lives have been completely overhauled. Says Horn, “The thing about Solutions for Change is that they want to make you successful, they want to help you work out of this no matter how far down or how tough it may look. They are the guiding light that comes alongside of you to help get you out of homelessness. No person should be given up on, really, and Solutions for Change is proof that with the right stuff many of our toughest challenges can be solved.”

Alan Heim – from the business sector

Alan Heim, Vice President Human Resources talks about why Directed Electronics invests in the community through the Solutions University programs run by Solutions for Change and how through the relationships which are built, many families including the lives of many children, are impacted in very meaningful ways. In this way, Directed Electronics views their reach and their commitment to significance far beyond the front door of their business headquartered on Viper Way in Vista California. Like their world-class automobile security systems that provide peace of mind and personal safety, their position in the community exemplifies a like attitude of investing in a safe and secure community, which according to Alan must include helping the families at Solutions for Change. “North County Solutions for Change has made an overwhelming difference in many of the lives of the homeless families in our community. I’ve spent time at Solutions for Change and I can see that these families are getting the support that they need to get back on their feet. It’s a program that we are very proud to be a part of.”

Daryl McFarland – from the law enforcement and business sector

Daryl McFarland, former police officer and current Director of Operations at Sun Country Builders, developers of the finest housing in San Diego County gives his views on homelessness. Daryl talks about how his core values and the core values which make up the Solutions for Change organization align around the simple principles of accountability and hard work. Daryl says, “For me having been an ex cop it was doubly surprising and doubly rewarding to see how this program could so dramatically change lives. We aren’t talking just any lives here; we are talking about the lives of homeless kids and we are talking the lives of the parents of those kids who are taking responsibility to change whatever is needed to succeed. Most times that change involves a real hard long honest look in the mirror. It’s not easy, but those at Solutions for Change are making it happen, one family at a time.”

One Family's Story...

2009-09-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

This week's "One Family's Story" post has a little twist to it as we have a great video to share with all of you that highlights more than just "One Family's Story." This video is a tribute to all the families who are currently solving their homelessness and who are experiencing the 1,000 day Solutions University program.

Our thanks goes out to HomeReach.com, Global Plastic Sheeting and all those who helped in making this day so special for all of our residents who had the opportunity to attend the event. They are all Part of the Change - for today, tomorrow and forever and we ask that you too be part of the change; so we can continue to solve family homelessness for one family and one community at a time.

Three more community members who are Part of the Change for today, tomorrow and forever!

2009-09-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

If you’ve already watched the documentary introduction just select one of the Docu-Clips below or click here to watch the Documentary Introduction by Chris Megison.

Kent Davy - from the business sector

Kent Davy, Editor of the North County Times Newspaper talks about the commitment to report on the issues related to homelessness in northern San Diego County. Kent describes how the ongoing debate over the problems and solutions around homelessness provides the North County Times with unique insights. Those insights delve both into the struggles of the individuals and families who have lost their homes and into the attitudes found within a community struggling to balance mercy and justice, compassion and responsibility.

Sue Reynolds – from the nonprofit sector

Sue Reynolds, CEO of Community Housing Works, a not for profit developer of affordable housing describes her role as the developer of the Solutions Family Center. Sue further talks about the overall importance of affordable housing and how with it communities can obtain and remain healthy both from a social and economic perspective.

Dal Williams – from the civic and educational sector

Dal Williams, retired Mayor of Marines and educator talks about the early challenges of homelessness in the city of which he served as an elected official. Dal pioneered a community initiative that started with an education campaign called Real Change – Not Spare Change. The campaign engaged business owners, law enforcement, nonprofits and churches in a productive dialogue around dealing with the problems of homelessness head-on. Dal’s no-nonsense approach gained traction which then eventually led to a new way of local government, business and community organizations working together in dealing with a very old social problem.

What Does Solving Homelessness Look Like?

2009-09-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

What does solving homelessness look like? If you are like me, you’ve asked yourself that question a few 100 times. Maybe a better way to start thinking about that question is what it DOES NOT look like.

It doesn’t look like serving the homeless, unless serving the homeless means more than a transaction around a bowl of soup, a shelter bed and a weekly case management visit with a few hugs thrown in there. Solving homelessness is based on forging a relationship with the person around a plan to help the person solve the underlying reasons that got them homeless. It’s not about transactions. It’s about partnership. And yes, in case you are wondering, it is possible to form a partnership with a mentally ill homeless person or a homeless person slinging dope on the streets. It may start with a bowl of soup, but it quickly changes into a strategic intervention plan with very purposeful goals and objectives that include getting shoulder to shoulder with the person around a conversation to get off and stay off the streets.

It doesn’t look like helping the homeless person at the expense of the community. In other words if what we are doing is stringing together transactions around soup bowls and shelter beds we are going to really piss off our community. We see this in the news all the time. Neighborhoods come unglued. This is the natural consequence to what happens when a church, a nonprofit or a program “helps” the homeless at the expense of the community. Again, it’s not about transactions, it’s about partnerships with those in our community too. And those partnerships MUST be purposeful and meaningful or people are going to see through it and get pissed off.

There is a long list of what solving homelessness doesn’t look like, but I am going to stop with this third example. Solving homelessness doesn’t look like the image of my buddies down there in San Diego with pitchforks and battle axes whacking at the toes of Godzilla. That is what we are doing in my humble opinion of 17 years on the front lines of this thing. Our battle plan sucks (sorry, I had to use the adjective that my 12 year old uses when I tell her to clean the garage without getting her the skills, knowledge and resources to do it right). The battle plan LOOKS like we are doing all kinds of really cool and important things like feeding, sheltering, serving, hugging and case managing the homeless. But in reality we are getting our butts handed to us. This opponent called homelessness can be defeated, but instead of crafting a real plan, a plan based around solving this thing (and perhaps putting some folks out of business) we just keep gleefully whacking away at symptoms. Hugs and Smiles - Chris Megison

This Weekend's Upcoming Event

2009-09-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to HomeReach.com's "Your Home. Our Community." campaign, 62 of our residents will be treated to a San Diego Padres game this Sunday. The residents will be driven down to Petco park in Limo Buses, receive t-shirts, food and a few other surprises. A local Vista Company, Global Plastic Sheeting is also a big part of the event as they are one of the corporate sponsors that enabled this event to happen. Here is the article that was published through the Union Tribune earlier this morning. Have a great weekend and feel free to join us at the Game.... Padres vs. Rockies, Sunday, September 13th at 1:05pm. See you all there!

Homeless kids, parents going to Padres game

By Joe Tash

September 11, 2009

Several dozen North County homeless children and their parents will be treated to a Padres game with all the trimmings Sunday, thanks to the efforts of a San Diego real estate agency and other donors who pitched in to support the outing.

Two limo buses will pick up the group of 62 children and parents Sunday morning at North County Solutions for Change, a Vista-based homeless shelter that works with families in an effort to provide them with the skills and resources needed to get off the streets permanently.

“I don't know if they're more excited about the limo bus or the baseball game. They're just fired up; it's great,” said Chris Megison, president and executive director of North County Solutions for Change.

When the outing was announced at a meeting, “the look on (the children's) faces was just priceless,” Megison said. “They couldn't believe it.”

The excursion was organized by HomeReach.com, a real estate agency based in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. David Tal, the company's principal agent and founder, said the event is part of an overall campaign to assist worthy organizations throughout the county.

Each month, volunteers organized by HomeReach.com are planning to participate in a charitable event that's connected to housing in some way, Tal said. In July, the first month of the campaign, volunteers helped build a house with Habitat for Humanity in Oceanside.

Tal said his company chose Solutions for Change after reading about the nonprofit's work on its Web site.

“Chris (Megison) was so excited when I told him what we wanted to do,” Tal said. “Charities are suffering right now."

The group will sit near the third-base line at Petco Park to watch the Padres play the Colorado Rockies. The trip will include food, drinks and T-shirts for participants. All of the services have been donated, Tal said.

A Vista-based company, Global Plastic Sheeting, also is a major sponsor of the event. Several individual donors have contributed as well.

Solutions for Change is always looking for ways to bring homeless children and their parents into the mainstream of society, Megison said.

“When a kid can go to a ballgame, and sit back and have a hot dog and popcorn and in the seventh inning sing 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game,' I don't know anything more American, more mainstream than that,” he said. “It puts our families out in the community in a way that says, 'We're part of this community just like anyone else.' ”

The Padres event isn't the only significant contribution received recently by North County Solutions for Change. Last month, employees of Watkins Manufacturing, a spa builder in Vista, brought 20 boxes of supplies and a check for $15,000 to the homeless shelter. The donation came from Watkins' parent company, Masco Corp.

“In this day and age right now, with the recession knocking a lot of nonprofits in the kneecaps, the word 'grateful' just doesn't seem to reflect how I personally feel,” Megison said about the donations. “Without these companies coming through, we can't solve homelessness for these kids and families.”

Joe Tash is a freelance writer from Oceanside.

One Family's Story...

2009-09-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

We have decided to switch it up a little and provide you with a different way to get in touch with the stories of past and present residents here at the Solutions University. Please take a few minutes to click HERE and listen to this week's story.

We cannot thank you enough for your on going support. Please help be part of the change and spread the word!

Remember, you can also connect with us here:

Become a Fan on Facebook

Thank You!

Companies like Watkins Manufacturing are part of the change!

2009-09-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

We cannot express our gratitude enough towards one of the amazing local companies here in Vista that have helped made an impact and who are part of the change for the Solutions University - Watkins Manufacturing.

September 8, 2009 -- During this past August, the employees of Vista-based Watkins Manufacturing filled the company's hallways with bedding, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, clothing, food and school supplies. On Friday, August 28, Watkins representatives delivered over 20 boxes to North County Solutions for Change, along with a check for $15,000. The check was a grant from Watkins Manufacturing's parent company, Masco Corporation, according to Sandra Shuda, Vice President of Human Resources for Watkins, maker of Hot Spring Spas and Caldera Spas.

"Our company has been an active supporter of Solutions for Change for several years. We appreciate the proactive way they're creating a solution for homeless families in Vista. When the Masco Corporation Foundation invited its subsidiaries to apply for grants to help local organizations devoted to ending homelessness and hunger during these tough economic times, we knew immediately who our candidate would be," said Shuda.

To read the FULL Press Release, click here.

THANK YOU!

Three more amazing community members from The "We Are Winning" Documentary.

2009-09-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

We Are Winning is a documentary about one community in America and the people in it who are solving family homelessness. Recent reports state that 1 in 50 children living in the United States will experience homelessness in 2009. Is family homelessness in America a condition that can be solved? Over the next several weeks you will meet people from the community of North San Diego County California who believe that solving family homelessness for kids and communities is achievable and who are doing something about it.

If you’ve already watched the documentary introduction just select one of the Docu-Clips below or click here to watch the Documentary Introduction by Chris Megison.

Mark Henschen - from the business sector

Mark Henschen, Circulation Director of the North County Times Newspaper describes how Solutions for Change is like a miracle for the hundreds of children and families being helped. “This place is nothing short of a miracle. The interesting thing is that they have tapped into the burning desire of the people within this community who desperately want and need real solutions to this vexing problem. Working together with the community, people helping people, a new model called the Solutions University was built that literally transforms the lives of whole families and entire communities. I watched as Chris and Tammy Megison built the North County Hawker program from the ground up into one of the most successful newspaper hawking operations in the country. They took that same passion and drive and have since built a national model for solving family homelessness. If any community in the nation wants to really end this thing, you need to come here and see this.”

Otto Schneider – from the faith sector

Otto Schneider, a retired United States Navy Chaplain still very active in community service, talks about how the church community struggles with addressing the problems around family homelessness. Says Mr. Schneider, “the church plays a vital role in any community when dealing with these social issues, but the problem is that they are not equipped to handle the myriad of problems related to a family losing their home, their car, their job, their health and who are now homeless with children. Often times they try to help but what ends up happening is that the best the church can do is contain the problem. And containment can be a disaster. Families get the much needed spiritual guidance, which is great, but they also desperately need real practical help with health related disabilities, addiction recovery, employment related training, parenting skills, and affordable housing, to name a few. Solutions for Change is the answer because the church can be involved in a purposeful and meaningful way while working within the Solutions University structure towards achieving the goals needed to solve homelessness for kids and for our community.”

Catherine Trout-Lichterman – from the government sector

Catherine Trout-Lichterman, Housing Director of the County of San Diego shared (just before retiring after over 20 years of public service) about how the government sector makes a difference in the lives of homeless families and children. Says Ms. Lichterman, “Anytime you see a group of citizens come together around solving a problem it becomes a very powerful thing and it becomes a win for the region as a whole. It’s very gratifying to know that the funding that we administer is used for those purposes and with those results and with those positive outcomes.” The County of San Diego continues to invest public funds into the housing programs and services provided by Solutions for Change.

One Family's Story...

2009-09-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

"My name is April, and I would like to share my story of success with Solutions for Change program. I cannot imagine what my life would be today had I not ended up on the Solutions for Change doorstep.

It was just a few years ago and as a young 20-something wife I wasn't much worried about anything. My husband made good money, we lived in a decent place... life was pretty good. But due to some bad decisions and immaturity I messed up and spent two months in jail. Shortly thereafter I became pregnant. The relationship with my husband feel apart and we separated. All of a sudden my life started to spiral out of control. I applied to several recovery and housing programs and did not meet the criteria to enter those programs. My last stop was Solutions for Change, if I was turned away, I did not know what would happen to me and my unborn child.

On July 3, 2007 I entered the Solutions for Change program, scared and unsure of what was to come. The program was stringent, but I had a child on the way and needed a place to get my life in order. I was willing to do whatever was needed to end my homelessness, regain my life, be a loving mother to my child and be a successful woman.

My son Joseph was born on Christmas Eve and as of September 2009, I have been sober and drug free for almost three years. I was given the opportunity to help with the Solutions for Change childcare program and activities. Additionally, I work in the evenings at the intake shelter, which is a very rewarding experience. I have the opportunity to warmly welcome new residents, share with them my personal experiences. I have the blessing of watching the transformation that occurs - the same transformation that occurred in me.

Thanks to Solutions for Change, I have permanently ended my homelessness; my son has a safe, loving environment in which to grow up in. I am now moving forward with my college study in Child Development. None of this would have been possible without the support and love I received from Solutions for Change."

We thank you for reading our stories and your continued support of our Solutions University.

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words...

2009-09-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

A picture is worth a thousand words. Solutions For Change solves family homelessness in 1,000 days for one family, one community at a time.

Be part of the change - for today, tomorrow and forever.

Click here to join the cause.

"We Are Winning" Documentary Continues...

2009-09-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Here are 3 more videos from the "We Are Winning" Documentary on members of one community in America who are SOLVING Family Homelessness.

Mayor Morris Vance, Mayor of the City of Vista - from the government sector

The project was lauded by officials in Sacramento and Washington D.C. as one of the greatest multijurisdictional collaborative efforts ever developed around solving family homelessness. Recognizing that there was plenty of access to temporary solutions through emergency winter shelters and feeding programs, this communitywide initiative developed an integrated and comprehensive access around permanent solutions using a new model called the Solutions University. Vista Mayor Morris Vance’s leadership was instrumental in bringing the public and private sectors together around a common vision of solving family homelessness for kids and communities. Says Mayor Vance; “the programs provided by Solutions for Change transforms people’s lives. It is something to us here in our community that is very special, in that it provides long term solutions.”

Sarah Nichelson, VP North Island Credit Union - from the private sector

Sarah Nichelson isn’t your average every day banker. Sarah describes how the principles of North Island Credit Union and Solutions for Change came together around the common goal of making a healthier community around the idea of “giving back”. Solutions for Change is an organization that equips those that it helps, the actual residents of their programs, to get out in the community and give back to help others. As an example, when Katrina hit, the residents of the Solutions programs organized a community wide project, engaged more residents of other shelters and collected over $20,000 which then went to relief efforts to aid the Katrina victims. Says Sarah; “I don’t think that in all my years of banking have I ever been so connected to a nonprofit that changes lives like that of Solutions for Change.”

Vern Soderstrom, Volunteer and Rotarian – from the civic sector

It is simply one of the greatest projects I've seen, and I've spent 40 years in government." Every community in America has a Vern Soderstrom. Vern served 40 years in the public sector, and as a longtime Rotarian he remains active in his Vista community still serving and helping others.

Promises Made

2009-09-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

Dear fellow believers in change,

When it comes to helping families in crisis and giving kids who've lost everything something to hope for, the people in and around the Solutions for Change organization know what it’s like to believe in the impossible. Now that you are getting more involved in our cause we want you to start believing too…

In 1999 the Solutions vision was born. It was a simple vision that started with a nine year old homeless girl’s tug on a shelter workers sleeve and an innocent question: “excuse me mister but could I have a pillow please?” This little girl had no home. Her dresser was a black hefty trash bag and her bed as a half inch thick green Army mat on the floor of a church. When she got the pillow Amy was so happy because back then there weren’t enough pillows for the hundreds of homeless children seeking help.

Something happened in that moment and a promise was made to Amy and all the other little boys and girls. A promise that meant whatever it would take to SOLVE the root problems of this horrible thing called homelessness. A promise that meant that others would be engaged in a PURPOSEFUL and MEANINGFUL way around a plan to DEFEAT homelessness for these kids. Could we really solve this thing so that families and children could build a future that didn’t include being stuck in a dependency cycle of welfare, soup kitchens and shelters?

Feeding and sheltering would be done of course, but 90% of the plan would take place around what would happen AFTER the bowl of soup and the warm shelter bed was given. It was quickly learned that solving something as complex as homelessness wasn’t going to be easy. Many groups were feeding and sheltering the homeless and meeting their immediate needs but there was a massive gap separating the access to temporary solutions which seemed to be plentiful, and access to permanent solutions which were woefully nonexistent and which if available, would interestingly greatly reduce the need for the other.

It’s easy to get in the trap of containing homelessness and managing its symptoms by feeding and sheltering because feeding and sheltering is easy to do, but it’s really REALLY hard to develop partnerships around a plan to solve the underlying issues related to poverty, addiction, domestic violence, under-education and unemployment….to name a few. Solving it could happen with a big plan around a big attitude and that is why the name Solutions for Change was chosen. And so a plan was made and big attitudes were born. Then the real work began.

We built the plan around three core areas: 1) Improve Health (mental, emotional, behavioral and spiritual), 2) Equip with education and skills that would increase income, 3) Achieve housing stability. Activate the plan not in a shelter or a soup kitchen environment but in a “university type” setting where families could live, learn and work together to get equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to solve their problems and defeat homelessness, permanently.
Now ten years later Amy isn’t homeless anymore. She grew up, graduated High School and now attends college. 542 families with over a thousand kids believed and are no longer homeless today because the idea of hope and change meant hard work, learning to be accountable and responsible and developing partnerships with others who would equip - NOT give hand outs or foster dependency.

Solutions took its message of SOLVING this thing to the community and thousands of people from all the different sectors of the community responded. Church folks, business leaders, civic organizations…just average people. The Solutions University was created and now on any given day 60 families work hard to transform their lives within its walls. It’s still not easy. Solving something as complex as homelessness just is never easy. The Solutions staff, residents, volunteers and supporters work tirelessly to help families get equipped with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to defeat this thing.

We need you to help us. We need you to believe. Now more than ever we MUST believe that we can solve this thing called family homelessness for kids and communities. Join us in believing. Sign up on our Twitter and FaceBook pages. Recruit your friends. Spread the word. Come visit us. Save lives with us. Solutions for Change is not just a name, it’s a promise! You are now part of the promise.

Sincerely,

The Megison's

P.S. It's all divinely navigated anyway so you must be here for a reason.

One Family's Story...

2009-08-31T23:45:00.000-07:00

This week's story is short, but it says a lot about what kind of change we have made and continue to make...

"Solutions For Change impacted my life by showing me there are people here that offer a new hope with a solid plan, which if applied, cannot fail to end my homelessness. By allowing me to afford rent and attend college my financial future is changed which was the big struggle to end my homelessness.

Today my life is saved only because Solutions gave me the tools to work toward my goals that have changed my life and that of my two kids forever. If everyone that was homeless came to Solutions, homelessness would no longer exist!"

- Solutions University Past Graduate

We are Winning is Finally Here!

2009-08-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

We are excited to release We are Winning. We are Winning is a documentary about one community in America and the people in it who are solving family homelessness. Recent reports state that 1 in 50 children living in the United States will experience homelessness in 2009. Is family homelessness in America a condition that can be solved? Over the next several weeks you will meet people from the community of North San Diego County California who believe that solving family homelessness for kids and communities is achievable and who are doing something about it.

Introduction to the Documentary by Chris Megison

Social entrepreneur and visionary Chris Megison introduces the first part of an ongoing documentary series around what one community in America and the people in it are doing to solve family homelessness. In this initial first phase of the documentary, Megison introduces 15 people who explain why they are winning the battle against family homelessness in their community. This first series of short vignettes explores the benefits of engaging all community sectors: civic, church, education, government and business around a model and a plan designed to solve (not contain) homelessness.

Sandra Shuda, - from the business sector

Sandra Shuda, Vice President Human Resources at Watkins Manufacturing - Makers of HotSprings Spa's shares why she is involved in a community initiative that is solving family homelessness in her community. “I have seen their programs with my own eyes, talked to their people and know that Solutions for Change is solving homelessness for children in my community”.

Randy Reznicek, - from the civic sector

Avid golfer and entrepreneur Randy Reznicek talks about his motivation for being involved in a different kind of “homeless” community organization. Says Randy, "Once I understood that these were children, even babies, right here in my own community who lost their homes, that is what got my attention. Then once I investigated further and saw that Solutions for Change was actually solving this problem, I became a believer. We are actually winning this battle and defeating a very tough social problem".

Linda Gibney, - from the educational sector

Linda Gibney talks about how her volunteerism with an organization called Solutions for Change is making a difference in her life and in the lives of the children she helps. "It hit me one day when one of the kids said something that really stuck. She told me that she really looked forward to seeing me and that I was a bright spot in her day. That's a really good feeling to know that I am having an impact".

One Family's Story...

2009-08-21T13:56:00.001-07:00

Every week we will continue to blog on, "One Family's Story" - highlighting an inspiration story that fuels are passion to solve family homelessness and prove that our Solutions University has a permanent solution to solving such a critical issue in our community.

We hope you enjoy this weeks' story:

" My family and I came to Solutions for Change on April 15th 2006. My life before Solutions for Change was an unstable and a bad life. We moved around from place to place, my parents always fighting drinking and doing drugs, not having any time for me and my brothers. We came to Solutions for Change to start a new life and because we lost our house and had nowhere to live so we were homeless. When I first came to Solutions for Change I was happy because I was going to live with my parents again and start a better life. When we moved to the apartments (Solutions Family Center) I was happy because we were not at the shelter anymore. I like the friends that I have at Solutions for Change. They have shared the same experiences as me. Solutions for Change helped my parents by showing them how to stay clean and sober and have a stable life. Now they work full time but still have lots of time for us kids. Solutions helped us get into our own home. Everything is changed now. I would tell someone coming in to Solutions for Change that they are lucky to be there, it is a great place and it will change your life."

- Jacob ...he was 15 at the time of the above story...

WE HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Facts for the Week

2009-08-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

As part of an on going initiative, we will be releasing facts on various aspects of homelessness. In order for all us to realize what we are trying to solve, we have to see the tremendous effects that this social issue is causing people. Today, we highlight a few facts on children's health who are battling homelessness:

Are sick four times more often than other children. They have:
- Four times as many respiratory infections.
- Twice as many ear infections.
- Five times more gastrointestinal problems.
- Four times more likely to have asthma.
Go hungry at twice the rate of other children.
Have high rates of obesity due to nutritional deficiencies.
Have three times the rate of emotional and behavioral problems compared to non-homeless children.

*Facts from: www.familyhomelessness.org

Our Solutions University allows children to not fall into the above categories... one family, one community at a time!

Visit our site to find out how you can get involved today! www.solutionsforchange.org

One Family's Story...

2009-08-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

We continue to build and develop our Solutions University because it provides a permanent solution to SOLVING Family Homelessness. Stories like the one you are about to ready is what fuels are drive and passion. This is a problem faced all over the world, not just in North County, San Diego.... we are here to change this...

"I am a single mom with three kids. We have lived in North County for six years. After four years with the same employer, I was laid off. Within three weeks my $2,000 savings account was depleted. Within two months, my children and I were homeless. The weeks that followed were some of the most desperate and scary times of my life.

I sought assistance through the maze of social programs. I was turned down because I wasn't a substance abuser, a victim of domestic violence, or suffering from mental illness. A few places could not take me because I had a child over age ten. The affordable housing programs all had long waiting lists.

Every night that went by I just couldn't believe that my family had to sleep in our car. My kids were hungry and cranky all the time. I felt like a failure - like I was letting them down. I began to lose hope.

That was just a short twelve months ago, although it seems like a lifetime. Today, thanks to North County Solutions for Change, my family and I are no longer homeless. Feelings of hopelessness were replaced with dignity and gratitude. Living in our car and unemployment were replaced with an affordable apartment that I qualified for because they helped me get a decent paying job.

Solutions for Change took my children and me in when no one else would. They challenged me, provided structure and the economic re-entry support that we needed to change our lives. They provided a safe and loving atmosphere for my children. Most of all they believed in me - and my potential for success."

- Program Graduate

Honoring Bill Gerken

2009-08-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

The article says it all...Please take a moment to read this article on Solutions For Change honoring an amazing person and member of the Solutions Family!

It is people like Bill who have enabled us to be where we are and give us the opportunity to SOLVE Family Homelessness - one family, one community at a time!

Thank you to the Vista/San Marcos News as well for releasing this article.

The HEARTH Act evolves from 20 years of failed policy. Will it work?

2009-07-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assitance Act was the first federal response to the growing homelessness crisis in the United States. Passed in 1987, it established that homelessness is an immediate and growing problem that the nation had an obligation to address. In May 2009, Congress passed the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, which reauthorized the McKinney-Vento programs. It was the first significant reauthorization in nearly 20 years.

Look at the problem today compared to 1987 and ask yourself how the originators of the act, Stuart McKinney and Bruce Vento would feel today if they were still alive.

The intent of the the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was a decent and honorable one but the execution of this Act has been an abysmal failure. The Act essentially led to the creation of HUD's Continuum of Care which has resulted in the mother of all containment systems and duped millions into believing that homelessness could be solved by using a plan based on managing homelessness.

We are reaping the consequences of two decades of battling the effects of homelessness on people and communities. McKinney-Vento led to the mobilization and deployment of thousands of programs and millions of people that went into battle against a very tough opponent (homelessness), with pitch forks and axes. No real battle plan, no exit strategy, no hope to win...just a bunch of pitchforks and axes flying around that made it look like we were fighting the good fight. The outcome? We got our butts handed to us. More homeless then ever. 1.2 million CHILDREN homeless. It's bad. real bad.

Its like if your local hospital used candy stripers to run around and give magazines and hugs to patients lying in beds on a morphine drip. The real problems never get addressed and people churn around in the system for a long time. Some get out but many just die. That's what happens today in America after spending billions and billions of dollars. Millions of people churn around the homeless system, some get out (about 20% MAYBE), some die but most just CHURN, stuck in it.

But here is the scary part...the new HEARTH Act evolved not from a new battle plan with sound strategies built on core values to defeat (solve) homelessness, but to put a giant dome over the battle and call it housed. It is a colossal REACTION to the failure of McKinney Vento. It is NOT, in my 19 years of being on the front lines of this thing, a real plan to defeat homelessness.

ARRA Bucks Incoming!

2009-05-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

It’s here. With all of its 850 billion dollar weirdness, 2009 is now full throttle. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA funds are all printed up and stacked high and proud, standing by and at the ready. And with a wink and a nod they’ll be slung from their super powered, high hoped, low drag American made titanium reinforced sling shot in D.C. Their target is a community near you. And when it comes to dollars to help the homeless I know what you are thinking. How will this change what we do as a community when it comes to addressing homelessness?

If you’ve been reading my blogs you pretty much can guess what I am thinking. My thoughts are generally on whether this whole ARRA thing, when it comes to helping the homeless, is going to be the mother of all containment operations. With all the free housing being offered up now around these funds and added to the changing policies around the “Housing First” model the real question is: will these AARA funds essentially put a giant dome over the battle against homelessness and call it “housed”? Are you following me?

Here is an example. There are some folks that I know around the region that run programs that help the homeless solve the root causes that led to their homelessness. If we walked into those places today with a sign that said “free housing”, how many would bail and abandon their programs? I know that I am simplifying this but really, I want you to think. If it comes down to these funds being used to allow folks to bypass solving the real reasons that got them homeless and get re-housed or stayed housed are we really solving homelessness or just containing it like the disease we as a society treat it as?

It’s human nature for us to be drawn to the “easier and softer” way of dealing with our problems. Now what about the person or family who is experiencing the consequences of those causative factors, maybe the recession is acting as a natural intervention and putting pressure on them to get help. But instead of addressing their causative factors and solving the real problem, they can get “symptom relief” by getting free housing. Yeah and I know all about those housing vouchers coming with a “case management” carrot and using that as some sort of accountability badge. Comon now.

Let’s pluck one of those San Diego folks asking for or getting help and give them housing along with a service contract that says they must see a case manager once a week to “address” their issues. Bingo. For some (maybe 15%) that might work. But for the huge majority of homeless folks in crisis, where is the motivation, the community partnership and the accountability to solve the real problems? Who pays for their free housing? Let’s connect the dots. Homeless person/family in crisis seeking help + given free housing + little or no direction, motivation, partnership and accountability around solving their causative factors + tax payer funded = mother of all containment operations.

INCOMING! – Here come the HPRP’s and the EHCY’s and an EFSP. Oh no…not an NSP! Duck, run for cover! The list below (according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness)shows the funds hitting the streets IN ADDITION to the billions already allocated through our regular annual planning and budgeting process:

- 1.5 billion dollars in Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP).
- 70 million dollars in Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (EHCY).
- 100 million dollars in Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).
- 2 billion dollars in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).
- 50 million dollars in Transitional Housing Assistance Grants (THAG).
- 510 million dollars in Native American Housing Block Grants (NAHBG).
- 1 billion dollars in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
- 1 billion dollars in Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)
- 5 billion dollars in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Here are the questions that I (and I hope you) will ask yourself and others responsible for doling out these funds.

Will these ARRA homeless assistance related dollars be used to solve the root causes of homelessness thereby resulting in less homeless people and a lesser need for more dollars?

After the billions on top of billions of ARRA Bucks are all used up and gone, after this epic landmark effort is all said and done, how many people will these dollars have truly solved homelessness for?

And the biggest question of all…

Is this battle plan a stealth containment (dependency program) operation? Meaning will this be that “dome over the battlefield” example I used earlier where we are essentially employing the mother of all containment operations?

I have this fantasy that somehow we won’t let that happen and that some way we will activate the collective will of us Americans to use these funds to solve homelessness for kids, adults and communities. It’s a really far out fantasy I know. But something tells me that if you really read this whole blog that there might now be another person out there who like me, has the same crazy idea. We have a real opportunity here to use the ARRA Bucks to solve this thing. Spending tens of billions of dollars to simply provide housing with “voluntary case management” WILL NOT end or solve homelessness. For the vast majority of homeless out there right now we must invest these funds into plans, people and programs that can solve the root causes around the specific needs and causative factors that led the person or family to become homeless. Everyone is talking about hand up not hand out and teaching folks to fish instead of giving a fish but what good is it if every year there is more homeless, more impacts on our communities and more ARRA Bucks being slung?

Kill the supply lines - Win the war

2009-04-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been in a combat situation or know someone who has then you know that interupting the supply lines of the enemy is a high level tactical priority. Without food, ammo, fuel and reinforcements the enemy can not win.

America has been battling homelessness, poverty, addiction and domestic violence to name a few for decades. We spend billions of dollars and deploy thousands of programs. Yet today there is more homelessness then there was 10 years ago. Why do you think that is? I have my own opinions, but I'd love to hear yours.

These opponents love it when we whack away at their symptoms instead of going after the root causes. We come up with new and very cool sounding appoaches. The new attitude is: well we'll just put a big dome over the battle, call it "housed" and that will be it. Problem solved. But stand by. Because someone (as in you) will be paying for that free housing.

Solutions for Change Goes Global

2009-04-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Solutions for Change has joined the Face Book World

The orgaization that Tammy and I founded together in 1999 has joined the ranks of the millions on FaceBook.

You can become a “fan” of Solutions for Change by clicking here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-County-Solutions-for-Change/72803892299

By becoming a fan you will get regular updates on Solutions for Change latest efforts to solve family homelessness for kids and communities in North San Diego County California.

- You will hear about the Leadership Consensus Building effort around an innovative model and exciting new plan to solve family homelessness in North San Diego County California.

- You will get regular updates about the plan and how it is progressing.

- Some of the regions top leaders and strategic thinkers are joining this battle to defeat family homelessness. See who is signing up!
Join the cause and build a future for a homeless kid. Get in here, stay connected and work with us as we scale a solution to one of the toughest social problems facing America today: kids with no homes!

We've been working for 10 years developing a model based on accountability, partnership and compassion. It's a real solution around big impact.

Defeating Family Homelessness – One Family, One Community At a Time

2009-04-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

What’s needed: A Battle Plan, Americans Helping Americans, A few Axes and a couple Pitchforks

There is a battle going on right here in our own neighborhoods and the enemy just got some heavy reinforcements courtesy of this recession. The negative consequences of homelessness, poverty, addiction, domestic violence and unemployment are worsening and their effects are impacting innocent children and each of us in profound ways. They are hard-hitting opponents that unless dealt with accordingly will wreak havoc on the core of the American institution: the family. We all know we cannot let that happen yet it is happening right now here and in communities across the country. The reason why is because the community as a whole doesn’t have a plan with clear objectives related to how we are going to defeat these guys.

Defeating family homelessness (the lowest rung of poverty here in America) won’t happen with programs that give free housing like we see happening in communities across the country around the “housing is a right” banner. And it absolutely will not happen with the old models of feeding, sheltering and servicing the homeless. Those approaches will only at best give most folks a short reprieve from homelessness. But worse they will lead us back to an experiment that failed us miserably: free housing (Google: “free housing to homeless”).

Reacting and servicing people in need by giving quick fixes instead of recognizing the cause of the grief and setting out to jointly solve the underlying root problem only enables what was once a little suffering to become huge monsters. The sight of those monsters then produces more reaction and even bigger band-aids. The recent trillion dollar bailout package suggests that this phenomenon is true. It’s a cycle that you should view as a real threat. Our collective indifference might even be revealed one day as the REAL enemy. You can stop the merry-go-round by refusing to stay on it and refusing to spin it.

Yes we need to feed the hungry and care for the hurting. But that is just the beginning of the battle that we as a community face. And we are losing that battle today not because we don’t have the heart, but because the battle plan we’ve been using sucks.

We are losing because we respond to these opponents like wimps with kid gloves. We treat the symptoms instead of going after the supply lines of poverty. Giving a bowl of soup is a wonderful way of showing we care; it treats the symptom of hunger. But to solve hunger we must go way beyond the bowl of soup. Providing a warm bed on a cold night to a homeless person shows compassion, it treats the symptom related to exposure. But to solve homelessness requires that we go way beyond the shelter bed. We haven’t gone way beyond for most. We do just enough to relieve the symptoms. Our opponents love that about us. Their secret weapon is our self imposed mediocrity.

The very fact that there are far more homeless in our communities today instead of far less proves my point. The plan most communities are using is a containment based plan. It seeks to contain this problem not solve it! This not only hurts our communities but often harms the very people being served.

70 years ago the guiding principles around solving poverty were compassion with discernment, work and accountability. The entire community worked together – businesses, churches, elected and civic leaders – to build purposeful relationships designed to solve the tough issues of poverty. As social issues grew, the government stepped in and huge social programs were born to try and manage the increased problems. Nonprofit organizations sprang up everywhere, yet their approach has all too often been to only treat the symptoms rather than to provide solutions. My intent is not to give you a history lesson but to help you realize that we didn’t end up here by mistake. We are reaping the consequences of 70 years worth of programs that were primarily geared around containing social problems instead of solving them at the core.

No matter how well intentioned our government programs are, and no matter how far reaching or how many billions of dollars they can throw at it, there is nothing that can respond to a social issue like Americans helping Americans and communities coming together around a good plan with a clear goal.

Given a good plan with clear goals rooted in the guiding principles that made this country great: hard work, accountability around ethics, integrity of purpose and sound leadership from all sectors of the community, we Americans can win this battle.

Solving family homelessness for kids and communities is really hard work. I’ve been leading efforts in North County for 17 years around a model based on accountability and partnership to solve homelessness. I can tell you first hand that defeating homelessness for a person or a family is a tough battle. Even with the amazing team of dedicated and talented professionals that work every day leading families out of homelessness, it’s hard. It’s hard because we aren’t just in the business of making transactions of compassion around a bowl of soup or a shelter cot. We are in the business of building strategic partnerships with the community to crush this thing called poverty, permanently. And that takes a community with some guts. And it takes a really good plan. But at the end of the day when we get to “take off our pack” and reflect on the fight, it was a good fight because a kid now has a future that doesn’t include soup bowls, shelter cots and welfare lines.

Chasing Symptoms – Banging Heads

2008-12-31T10:46:00.000-08:00

My IT guy has been digging around in my server for five weeks trying to fix a problem of intermittent server outages. He comes in, finds what appears to be the problem gives me the “good news” and then about two days later, it happens again. After 30 hours and numerous head on the wall banging episodes later he has come up with this analysis: “Chris, we are trying to locate and resolve the root problem, but it’s very hard to find, and once we do find it we have to have the right fix to make sure it doesn’t come back”.

Chasing and slapping the quick fix on the symptoms of the root problem has been a costly and frustrating experience. For me it’s only a few thousand bucks and a quick plaster patch job on the wall. But what about when we translate this to the problem of homelessness?

In my humble opinion of nearly two decades working in this field, this is what many communities STILL do with their homeless problem. Slap a quick fix on the problem. Feel better for awhile. Get more homeless impacts…more quick fixes. And the cycle continues ad nauseam. The press drives the issue constantly saying that we need to do more, more shelters, more money to help, more, more, and more. And for the most part, most people out there really DON’T have the time to learn and understand such a complex issue, so they take one of two sides: Help them, or don’t help them. But there should be a third way and it’s the way that Solutions for Change has been proposing for many years. SOLVE the ROOT problem! But that message gets drowned out in another newspaper story, another meeting, and another plan.

So we end up doing more. All the while it LOOKS like we are doing something because after all, we have our emergency winter shelters, our ten year plans, our consortiums and meetings and it goes on and on. I’ve been a participant in this process and I have seen firsthand how the system works.

Someone once said that every organization (or in this case our homeless policies) is perfectly designed to get the results that they are getting. There were 1.3 million homeless children in America this year. How do you like those results?

A friend of mine, Tom Suddes, puts it this way. Three powerful insights: ABANDON, REDESIGN, REIMAGINE.

- Abandon the old way we approach and manage the problem of homelessness.

- Redesign using new entrepreneurial intervention and engagement strategies cemented in the absolute non negotiable bottom line: SOLVE IT! Solve it for the person. Solve it for the community. Period. End of planning process.

- Reimagine our North County community with NO homeless families. No homeless people in the parks. No homeless impacts in our cities.

Maybe 2009 will be the year. We never give up hope here.

ON POINT: The basics

2008-12-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

Did you miss last week’s ON POINT article? If so you can catch up below.

While serving in the Corps aboard Camp Pendleton I lost a bet with my buddies and as the part of the deal, the loser had to serve in a soup kitchen line. That was a chilly winter night seventeen years ago which changed the course of my life forever. It was supposed to be a onetime shot to show the community that we Marines care, ladle some soup real quick and get back to the base. But this homeless dude named Steve (nickname Wolfman) messed up my plan and ever since I’ve been on this crazy divinely navigated mission of trying to SOLVE homelessness for both an individual and a community.

I decided to do these “On Point” articles because while working with and for the homeless, I’ve met a lot of people who care about this issue who want to understand the problem on a deeper more thought provoking level. They, like me, want to feel as though their involvement has purpose and meaning AND actually solves the problem they are working on. People call me a social purpose entrepreneur; but I just simply feel like I have an addiction to finding solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems with no money, no good looks (although my wife might argue that one) and no time.

I don’t know how long I’ll write these, I suppose as long as you find them interesting and useful. I’m working on putting together an ON POINT – ON IMPACT series for 2009. I’d like to hear from you so feel free to share with me your comments, suggestions or criticisms.

There are some very important lessons I’ve learned while working with the homeless and with the people who get involved, either for or against, helping the homeless. These lessons have come both from my own personal struggles and from the insights of those who I have struggled with. I’ve been personally involved with tens of thousands of interactions and transactions of compassion, indifference, pity, fear, spite, guilt, anger, joy, love, courage, defeat and victory as it relates to homelessness. Examining my own ideals while honestly trying to deal with these feelings has shaped some fundamental beliefs about homelessness, both as it impacts a human being and as it impacts our community at large.

Throughout these articles you’ll run into those beliefs and the lessons behind them. I’ll introduce them to you for seemingly no logical reason and in no particular order. Sometimes you won’t like or agree with what I say and sometimes you will. My purpose is to get us, as a North County community, to think deeper about solving one of the most pressing social ills that we as a people face. Yeah, I know its “bad timing” right now to be talking about the homeless when we’re confronted with these tough economic times ourselves. I get that. I guess all I can offer you is one of the tools we use here when things are tough, which is basically all the time for a mom with two kids who is on the comeback trail from homelessness. We here at Solutions for Change are big believers in the power of contribution to others. Let me say that clearer. We are always looking for ways that our clients can help others.

That means that we tell the mom here (we have a few dads here too, but 85% of the burden of recovering from homelessness falls on women, the single mom), that even though she has experienced major loss and consequences, to get out there and help others both within our centers and outside in the community. And she does. You see, by helping others, the grip that the problem has on our attitudes and therefore our actions lesson, they become more and more insignificant instead of more and more overwhelming. Helping others allows us to get outside of ourselves and when we do, clarity usually follows. Weird huh? Why would a “homeless shelter” be engaging its residents to find ways to help others when they all need so much help themselves? This is but one of the many differences that define Solutions for Change. And it is the first Lesson Learned that I am going to share with you today.

Lesson Learned #4: Engage the homeless person as an asset, not a liability. Government, church and not for profits must stop treating the homeless like liabilities that have to be contained, managed or controlled. These people have gifts that when realized and tapped will make them healthier and happier and make our community stronger. Both can and should happen simultaneously. But instead we see all the time that one happens at the expense of the other. Homeless providers or churches try to open homeless programs and communities rally to stop them. Or shelters and soup kitchens open and then we see impacts in our parks and public spaces. It doesn’t have to be this way. Both the homeless person and the community can win. Both individual homelessness and community homelessness can be solved. But the thing is that it’s not going to happen with the same old schematics, the same old containment plan.

Getting a homeless person to realize and tap these gifts doesn’t happen by simply giving them a bowl of soup, a warm bed, a hug and a “social worker”. It happens with a plan that includes the soup, bed, hugs and case worker but goes WAY beyond those things. It happens strategically with first recognizing which one of the three kinds of homeless person we are engaging. Is the person stuck in an active addiction to drugs or alcohol (The Will Not), is he or she suffering from a severe mental illness (The Can Not), or have they lost their job, been a victim of domestic violence, or been raised in a poverty situation (The Have Not)? We fail because we have only scratched the surface with developing customized intervention and engagement strategies for each one of these three groups of homeless. And when we treat a Will Not like a Can Not, we set ourselves up for huge and very expensive experiments which eventually fail us. And its not only the community that gets burned with their parks and public spaces impacted, it’s the homeless person too. Because we can do better than just feeding them and keeping them warm at night.

In fact, if we could engage the homeless person as an asset, not a liability as a matter of deliberate programming, acting on this belief alone could transform how America deals with homelessness. It is part of the Solutions for Change vision, that one day the homeless that we help will also be developed and empowered as the resources that we need to win this battle and defeat homelessness for people and communities, permanently. We do it now at Solutions, but there is so much more we could do if other efforts embraced this concept.

ON POINT: The Homeless Issue in North San Diego County

2008-12-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

When serving in the Corps, we had to make our own parts in the metal shop. We couldn’t just put in the trusty requisition form and expect to get a nice new part the next day like the Army or Air Force. I've been making "parts", finding creative solutions and helping to rebuild much more important things since those days.

It started by accident when I lost a bet with my fellow Marines, I wasn’t too happy about having to serve in a soup kitchen line. Little did I know that this would be the divine pivot point that would change my whole life. That first night, I met one of North County's most prominent "chronic" homeless persons. Steve. Nickname: Wolfman. Not knowing exactly why, I sat down with him over a bowl of soup.

What I learned starting in that moment with Steve was that there was an elaborate system of churches and non profits and many heroes who worked tirelessly to feed, clothe and take care of all the Steve's out there. But the more I talked to Steve and listened to his trials the more troubled I became.

So I decided to do what any good Marine would do, I packed my stuff and went on a little recon mission into the parks, beaches and service centers of San Diego county. What I came out of there with a few days later fired me up big time and put me on a divinely navigated pathway, which as you’ve figured out by now would take me on a 17 year mission (my friends say it’s more like a calling). What I have learned then and what I know now is much the same, only I can summarize it better now because (like most Marines) I needed to get some of this stuff drilled into my head. Here it is:

- Many churches and non profits have these amazing dedicated compassionate people, heroes really, working tirelessly trying to help the homeless
- Many homeless people, desperately needing help, consumed the resources given by these great organizations
- The people helping felt good
- The people being helped felt good
- The business community, the government and community at large where the homeless and the programs were in felt bad. They were angry actually.
- Why? Because the programs were helping the homeless at the expense of the community instead of with and for the community.
- They were helping the homeless with a “one size fits all approach” instead of recognizing that there were distinctly different needs around vastly different segments of the homeless:

o Intervention, Engagement and Strategy Number One: Solve it for the Will Not. The Will Not is typically the highest percentage of homeless person out there on the streets representing 40% or more of the homeless. This is the person who is normally stuck in an active addiction and is impacting our community the greatest. Not utilizing a customized strategic plan with this segment of the homeless problem is the single biggest reason why we fail. The cost to society of managing this group and “churning” them through the various government funded “systems” is staggering.

o Intervention, Engagement and Strategy Number Two: Solve it for the Can Not. The Can Not represents about 18% of the total homeless population. This is the person that suffers from a bonafide mental illness or a dual diagnosis. Interestingly enough, this number is often over represented in the field because a high percentage of WILL NOT’s get treated like CAN NOT’s. This is a recipe for disaster.

o Intervention, Engagement and Strategy Number Three: Solve it for the Have Not. The Have Not’s are all the other homeless persons out there. Typically they are the ones who become homeless due to economic reasons, domestic violence or other factors due to external or environmental reasons. This is the percentage of homeless that most homeless providers call “skimming the cream” because they are the easiest to work with (when compared to the Will Not or Can Not) and have the highest relative positive outcomes.

Lesson learned after the recon mission and more. Megison’s New Mission. The Goal: Figure out a way to SOLVE homelessness for the person AND the community simultaneously.

The ultimate test of effectiveness (and it is progressive with greater positive outcomes seen over time) 1) Less homeless people in our community, 2) less homeless impacts in our community 3) More formerly homeless people being productive and contributing to a healthy and strong community by earning income, buying goods from area merchants and helping others by paying it forward.

After many years of playing around with and retooling “parts” we’ve been able to social reengineer and get these results consistently.

When a community runs emergency shelters and homeless programs and we see many homeless people struggling to survive in parks, beaches and public spaces are we solving the problem or containing the problem?

The reason this happens is because we are stuck in using outdated and ineffective operational models. After working for 17 years on this issue and experiencing thousands of interactions with the homeless we've developed a model based on innovative intervention and engagement strategies. The model can work for any community that wants to SOLVE homelessness. I’m not saying it’s easy, but I am saying that it’s doable. The documentary being done on Vista and the efforts in this city to SOLVE homelessness proves this.

It really comes down to how bad do you as a community want to solve homelessness?