Email from Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness Coalition Update View as webpage Coalition Update   July 31, 2025 ACEH NEWS AROUND ALASKA COC UPDATE DATA UPDATE   Participants in the veterans housing surge 2025 gathered in June. Community partnerships and system expertise help veterans A veteran was on the verge of losing his housing voucher when the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness street outreach team collaborated with community partners on a solution. They helped him get to an appeal hearing before the Alaska Housing Finance Corp. Without their expertise in system navigation, he likely would have returned to homelessness. This is just one success story from the Department of Veterans Affairs housing surge that took place in June. A multi-disciplinary VA team that included a doctor, an employment specialist and social workers joined partners in the field for outreach to veterans experiencing homelessness. The VA asked our street outreach team for help with this mandate. “Our knowledge of the people, places and things was necessary to their moment,” said Zach Zears of the ACEH street outreach team.  In a single day, five veterans were contacted and offered services. Not everyone was ready to make the move that day. But one who was living outdoors got into emergency housing, and the veteran who was at risk of losing his housing voucher remains stably housed.   ACEH news Project Homeless Connect: A true, community effort Our one-day, one-stop resource fair is a powerful event that connects 500 of our unsheltered neighbors with essential services — from housing and healthcare to meals, supplies and warm winter gear. Among other services, our guests will be able to enroll in Coordinated Entry, a needed step for those experiencing homelessness to get a referral to housing. Project Homeless Connect is set for Sept. 23 at the Egan Civic & Convention Center in downtown Anchorage. It’s a true community effort, and we need your help to make it happen. Get involved To those who have already signed up or regularly volunteer — thank you! Your time and heart make a real difference. One Unexpected Thing We’ve launched a social media campaign called One Unexpected Thing to highlight the often-overlooked reasons someone might experience homelessness for the first time. It could be anything — losing a job, a sudden health crisis, a rent hike or a relationship breakdown. We invite anyone with a story to share about finding oneself homeless to do so with the hashtag #OneUnexpectedThing. Special thanks to the Future Elder team for the cool design elements. Reach out to us at [email protected] and we will share the design elements with you or your organization. Comings and goings Farewell for now, Meg After a dynamic three-plus years at the helm, Meg Zaletel has stepped down as executive director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. Meg brought vision, energy, and a fierce commitment to the belief that everyone deserves a safe place to call home. Her leadership helped shape a stronger, more coordinated system of care for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Under Meg’s leadership, we worked with funders to convert three hotels into housing for those with extremely low incomes, a first for Anchorage. We helped to de-compress the mass care shelter at the Sullivan Arena when it was shut down in 2023. We began coordinating street outreach for our community. We provided guidance and staff support to the Anchorage Continuum of Care to update our community’s strategic plan, Anchored Home. It provides a housing-focused answer to homelessness that tailors solutions to individual needs. We spent a year collaborating with partners on a rapid rehousing project we called Next Step that saw 177 people move from homelessness to housed including individuals from two encampments. Even on her final day, Meg was driving projects forward — helping launch the #OneUnexpectedThing social media campaign, which highlights the often-unseen causes of homelessness. She was a powerful leader who never let us forget that housing is the effective, efficient and economical answer to homelessness.   Around Alaska Alaska Housing Summit: Learn what works and shape what’s next Don’t miss out on the Alaska Housing Summit 2025, a statewide housing-focused gathering set for Aug. 19-20 at Southcentral Foundation’s Nuka Learning Institute in Anchorage. Housing providers, healthcare professionals, housing developers, government workers, policymakers and others interested in housing are encouraged to attend. The in-person event always sells out, and this year’s featured presenter will share valuable stories and experiences. Chief Seattle Club, a Native-led housing and human services agency, will share its mission and successes from a drop-in day center in Pioneer Square to housing assistance, legal services, a Native art job training program and more. Register here. A limited number of scholarships are available for those who are currently experiencing homelessness or who have recent lived experience. Reach out directly to Owen Brooks if you or someone you know is interested in a scholarship. Those who can’t attend in person can watch online. A link to the livestream will be posted on the event page. The packed agenda will span two days, bringing in the voices of those with lived expertise and putting spotlights on Alaska innovations from Nome to Sitka. The Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness and the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness are co-sponsoring the event. The cost is $150, which includes lunch both days and an Aug. 19 mixer at The Nave.   Municipal News How does public transit impact you? The Municipality is updating their transit-human services plan to more broadly address the needs of transportation-disadvantaged populations. They want to hear from riders as well as service providers. If you'd like to participate in their survey, visit the survey website HERE.   CoC update   Help strengthen our community’s approach  If you want to take a more active role in our community’s response to homelessness, consider joining a committee of the Anchorage Continuum of Care, a network of service providers and individuals working to strengthen Anchorage’s approach. Four committees support the Continuum of Care Advisory Council: Community Priorities, Compliance, Data and Coordinated Entry. Learn more here and if you want to get involved, contact [email protected].   Data update January count showed small increase in homelessness Our community’s annual Point in Time Count of those experiencing homelessness took place in January and revealed a small increase in overall numbers. The count showed that 1,748 people were unsheltered or staying in shelters and transitional housing, up by 39 from a year earlier. With more year-round shelter beds, more people were staying in year-round shelter and fewer were in the seasonal shelter spots. But more were unsheltered, too. Learn more   Upcoming   Volunteer Opportunities Looking to spread some kindness and make a difference in the lives of our unsheltered neighbors? Join us as we assemble outreach kits for those forced to sleep outside. Next event is August 11, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Sign up! Assembly Housing and Homelessness Committee Learn more about the committee's work and Assembly initiatives to provide housing and to solve Anchorage homelessness. Next meeting is on August 20, at 11 a.m. Learn more Homeless Prevention and Response System Advisory Council meeting The Advisory Council meets monthly to discuss relevant Anchorage Continuum of Care initiatives and current events. Next meeting is on August 28 at 4 p.m. Learn more Case Conferencing These meetings provide a platform for housing providers to share vital information about client situations, whereabouts, and both past and current circumstances. Email Mac Lyons to learn more and get involved.       Contact Us [email protected]       Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness | 3427 E. Tudor Road Suite A | Anchorage, AK 99507 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Our Privacy Policy | Constant Contact Data Notice