On November 15, the Law Center hosted its 14th Annual McKinney-Vento Awards at the Renaissance Downtown Hotel in Washington, D.C. A celebration of outstanding contributions to the fight to end homelessness, this year's event also marked the 25th anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Act.

Emmy® Award winner, philanthropist and Food Network celebrity Sandra Lee received this year's Stewart B. McKinney Award for her tireless work to end childhood hunger and bring stability to homeless families.  In an emotional acceptance speech, Lee shared her firsthand experience with poverty and reaffirmed her support for the Law Center's goal to end homelessness in America.

This year's Bruce F. Vento Award was shared by Rhode Island Senator John Tassoni, the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, and Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project for their leadership in passing the nation's first-ever "Homeless Bill of Rights."  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) accepted the award on Tassoni's behalf, while Jim Ryczek of the Coalition and John Joyce of the Advocacy Project spoke with pride about the groundbreaking law. They were introduced by Sue Vento, widow of the late Congressman after whom the award is named and a longtime friend of the Law Center.

D.C. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton presented the Pro Bono Service Award to Covington & Burling, which helped advocate for the McKinney-Vento Act in 1987 and has provided the Law Center critical pro bono support since its inception.  Navigant accepted the Pro Bono Assistance Award for working alongside Covington to protect the rights of homeless service providers. 

Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) presented the Personal Achievement Award to Danae Vachata, a young woman who spoke openly about her struggle to overcome homelessness with the Law Center's help.  Vachata is the founder and president of the Bell Fund, which helps homeless and at-risk youth access post-secondary education. 

The evening closed with an excerpt from American Winter, an upcoming documentary by filmmakers Harry and Joe Gantz.  The film, which follows eight families' struggle to survive in the wake of the economic and foreclosure crises, brings home the consequences of public policy for individual human beings.

Rebecca Cooper, reporter for ABC 7 in D.C., served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening.  The Law Center is grateful to Ms. Cooper and to all our honorees and presenters for their tremendous work.

We also want to sincerely thank all of the sponsors and supporters who made this event possible.  Your continued generosity is making a difference in the lives of millions of homeless and poor people every day.

The McKinney-Vento Awards were a chance to celebrate victories, reaffirm our commitment, and raise critical funds for the Law Center's continued work to end homelessness in America. We hope you'll join us in finishing the job.

 

Today, the Law Center released its 2012 report card on U.S. compliance with the human right to housing.  Sadly, it reveals that, in many areas, U.S. policy is moving backwards when compared to our 2011 assessment.

The report card rates U.S. policy in the seven categories that compose international standards: security of tenure; availability of services, materials, and infrastructure; affordability; accessibility; habitability; location; and cultural adequacy.  The U.S. receives a "D" in four categories, and a "C" in the remaining three.  In one sub-category -- access to counsel -- it receives an "F." 

While these grades are alarming, there have also been encouraging developments.  In June, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness issued a report which, for the first time, recognizes that, in addition to possible violations under the U.S. Constitution, the criminalization of homelessness may implicate our human rights treaty obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture.

These are important steps forward, but new dangers are also surfacing.  Unless the Administration and Congress can strike a deal before January 1, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will suffer drastic budget cuts as part of last year's sequestration agreement-savaging the social safety-net and further marginalizing homeless and poor Americans.  That represents the opposite of a human rights-based approach to housing.

We recognize that overall enjoyment of housing rights is better in the U.S. than in many nations, but housing is a human right that must be progressively realized based on the resources available to a country.  The U.S. is still the wealthiest in the world, with well-developed democratic and judicial systems, and we must hold ourselves to the highest standard.

To read the report card, click here.

On a single night in January 2011, 67,495 homeless veterans spent the night on the streets of America. This is unacceptable; veterans who have honorably served our country deserve a safe, secure place to call home.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) aims to end veteran homelessness by 2015.  The Law Center is proud to join them in this effort -- and we hope you will too.

• Know the Facts. Any Veteran may be at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and substance abuse or mental health issues. All Veterans and their families have earned access to comprehensive, coordinated access to VA health care, housing, employment, education, job counseling and training, and justice system assistance and benefits.

• Spread the Word. VA has transformed its programs for Veterans who are homeless and at risk of homelessness, including for women, the fastest-growing segment of the homeless Veteran population, and operates the nation's largest network of homeless assistance programs. Make sure Veterans know about this support and help them access the care they deserve.

• Make the Call. Trained responders are ready to talk confidentially by phone or online chat 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Veterans, family members, friends, and other supporters can call the hotline toll-free at 1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838) or visit www.va.gov/homeless. 

Please share this information with family, friends, and colleagues.  Make a difference. Make the call.

 

For more information, click here.