Ending Homelessness

Give Real Change

The City of Spokane is working with more than 30 community partner organizations to reduce, prevent and end homelessness. To that end, the City supports a coordinated set of low-barrier, housing-focused interventions intended to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our community are connected to appropriate resources as quickly as possible. These interventions include:

• Outreach: providing information, assessment and referrals for people sleeping in places not meant for human habitation—wherever they are at.
• Coordinated Assessment: Common assessment tools and real-time referrals to available units and other services, prioritized for those most in need.
• Diversion: Helping stabilize people in the housing they already have—preventing new occurrences of homelessness.
• Temporary Housing: 24/7 access to emergency shelter for those experiencing housing crises, and transitional housing for those needing longer term support in the movement to self-sufficiency.
• Permanent Housing: short and medium-term rental assistance for rapid transition to independence and permanent supportive housing for those with disabling conditions.

Beyond services for the members of our community experiencing homelessness, the City is supporting many other programs that impact housing stability. This programming includes:

• Affordable Housing Development: increasing the supply of affordable housing units in the community.
• Housing Rehabilitation: completing critical repairs in housing for low-income homeowners to ensure safe, healthy living environments.
• Food Security: increasing access to healthy food.
• Job-training: programs that put people on a path to self-sufficiency and increase economic opportunities.

Give Real Change Program helps people look at giving in a different and better way. Street signs have also been placed promoting giving to services. These "Need Help Call 211. Give Help call 311" signs help people need services as well as those who want to help give when they see homelessness or panhandling on the streets. Giving to programs allows someone to know exactly where the donation is helping the homeless. The Give Real Change program works with community-based service providers to administer coordinated shelter, outreach, job placement and training, and other services for people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. The program works to help coordinate housing and other resources.

Give Real Change is committed to ensuring that every man, woman and child who experiences homelessness in our city has an alternative to living on the streets. The success of Give Real Change is a collaborative partnership among nonprofits, foundations, businesses, individuals, faith-based community, service providers, and government at all levels.

Community providers such as SNAP, Goodwill, Transitions, House of Charity, Hope Works, Union Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, DSP, Volunteers of America, City, and area businesses all came together to make this program a success supporting dignity for all human beings by asking that all human beings have a way to find their basic human need for food and shelter.

Give Real Change FAQs

Give in a better way.

Is the City ticketing homeless people?
No. Donating to services instead of individuals connects people to services. Money goes to funding the 24/7 shelter system.

List of items that could be purchased for the same cost ($136) as the fine for stopping your car in traffic:

• 7 nights in a shelter bed (based on HoC operating costs at $19.24/night)
• 1 week of volunteer support costs (based on HoC operating costs at $137/week)
• 3 days of shelter kitchen food supplies (based on HoC operating costs at $46/day)

Where is the money from the meters going?

Money will go to the 24/7 shelter system.

How can I give?
You can give many ways including:

• Calling 311 or visiting 311 at City Hall
• At meters at the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza downtown or Spokane International Airport
• Online through your utility bill