24 Jan 2018

5 Social Media Accounts Every Homelessness Activist Should Follow

posted in: Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless Blog |

 

As you saw in our last blog, there are several ways for absolutely anyone to be an activist. The quickest and easiest way to advocate for your favorite cause is through sharing information on social media and educating your friends and family.

One of the challenges nonprofits face is getting their message out to more people, especially with Facebook’s frequent algorithm updates. It’s up to you to engage with their social media posts to ensure you remain updated on the issue and can share with others when you feel especially inspired!

If you are passionate like we are about ending homelessness, here are five Twitter and Facebook pages you should be following – and sharing!

 

National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH)

 

 

This non-partisan, nonprofit organization is committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States and is the top place to find news and public policy regarding homelessness. Follow NAEH on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Jeff Olivet 

 

 

Jeff Olivet is the CEO of the Center for Social Innovation, an organization that promotes best practices to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness, trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Jeff speaks every year at our annual HOME Conference, and tweets about current events and how they will affect homelessness. Follow him on Twitter.

 

Invisible People

 

 

Invisible People is a nonprofit that leverages the power of video and social media to share stories of people experiencing homelessness. The stories they create are raw and impactful. Follow Invisible People on Twitter and Facebook. 

 

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness

 

 

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness coordinates the Federal government’s response to homelessness. This account posts frequently with national data and updates on the Federal strategic plan to end homelessness. Follow USICH on Twitter and Facebook. 

 

Your Local Nonprofit

 

 

Creating lasting change begins at home. Find the nearest nonprofit that focuses on ending homelessness in your community and engage with their content! Winter is an especially important time to share information, as people experiencing homelessness are in danger during extreme cold weather. Follow MCCH on Twitter and Facebook or find your nearest nonprofit if you live outside of Montgomery County, MD. 

The simple act of sharing a video or tweet can have a big impact on ending homelessness! 

 

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) is a non-profit with the mission to provide solutions in Montgomery County to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Learn more about MCCH.

9 Jan 2018

How to Be a Successful Advocate with Any Schedule

posted in: Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless Blog |

 

Only 25% of Americans volunteer. Are you one of them? Volunteering is a hands-on way to advocate for a charity or nonprofit, but not everyone has the time, energy, or resources. Thankfully, there are several ways to advocate for a charity or cause that you deeply care about. Here are some ways you can start advocating for your cause today that will accommodate any schedule!

 

If you have 5 minutes

Follow, like, and share posts from your favorite organizations and nonprofits on social media: Part of advocacy is simply showing other people why they should care about an issue. Follow MCCH on Facebook and Twitter.

Hold a Birthday Facebook Fundraiser: This selfless way to celebrate a birthday helps raise awareness about an issue that concerns you. Start a Fundraiser for MCCH.

Call your congressman: A simple, scripted phone call can make all the difference when an important issue is being decided. Get started now on a range of issues you may care about on this site or go to the National Alliance to End Homelessness for information that affects MCCH’s mission to end homelessness in Montgomery County.

 

If you have 2-3 hours a week

Volunteer regularly and get to know those in need: You can build lasting relationships with the people you meet while volunteering. MCCH has opportunities for committed volunteers to: tutor formerly homeless children, help men in emergency shelter find stable jobs, or donate a monthly meal.

Host an action and awareness event: This group event is perfect for companies and organizations. An MCCH representative will visit your location, educate staff about the issue of homelessness, and oversee a project that benefits our clients. Learn more about Action and Awareness events.

 

If you have flexible time

Attend community rallies and events: Throughout the year, service providers hold rallies, memorials, and other events to honor and support the vulnerable members of our community. Subscribe to MCCH’s email alerts and social media accounts to be notified when these events are happening. Community support at these events is crucial to show elected officials and community leaders that these issues are important and constituents care about them.

Each nonprofit has their own opportunities for you to get involved. Did you know about the Montgomery County Volunteer Center, which allows you to search for a wide range of volunteer opportunities locally? If you live elsewhere, you can search here for volunteer and advocacy opportunities in your community!

 

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) is a non-profit with the mission to provide solutions in Montgomery County to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Learn more about MCCH.

27 Dec 2017

Make the World a Better Place With These New Year’s Resolutions

posted in: Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless Blog |

 

As the year comes to an end, it’s time to look forward and decide: What are you going to accomplish in the next 12 months?

We’ve received an enormous response from our community for our holiday gift drive, and we appreciate every single gift and volunteer hour that was donated during this time. However, our clients aren’t only in need during the holidays; providing resources and solutions to ending homelessness is a year-round commitment. Ring in the new year with these two resolutions that will continue providing support to those in need all year long.

 

 

  1. Get involved with a local charity: Reflect on how many charities or nonprofits you helped this year. If you want to be more involved in your local charities, there are options for all ages and for every schedule. One easy way to support our clients is by joining our Urgent Needs Task Force Facebook group. Throughout the year, our clients need a range of items, usually very quickly. We rely on our community to provide these needs, either by delivering these items or shipping them directly to our office. Join the Urgent Needs Task Force or check out a list of all Montgomery County volunteer opportunities.

  2. Become a monthly donor: This resolution will carry on all year, and you don’t even have to think about it once you’ve filled out the online form! Your monthly tax-deductible gift will help your charity of choice throughout the year and you’ll receive monthly updates on their progress. If you are financially able, choose one larger national charity and one small local charity that you’re passionate about and pledge to support them monthly. Whether your monthly gift is $5 or $500, it’s incredibly valuable, as many nonprofits rely on generous community members as their main source of funding. Become a monthly donor today and support MCCH all year long!

By adopting one or more of these resolutions, in a year from now, you’ll know you had a positive impact in your community and that you helped make this world a better place.

Share this article with your friends and family to inspire others! 

  

 

 

 

 

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) is a non-profit with the mission to provide solutions in Montgomery County to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Learn more about MCCH.

 

8 Dec 2017

4 Meaningful Traditions to Start This Year

posted in: Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless Blog |

 

Traditions, whether they be decades old or entirely new, are a vital part of the holidays. These rituals bring together family and friends to celebrate this special time of year. Many families enjoy holiday traditions like baking cookies, decorating their homes, and attending services. As this is the season of giving, it might be time to adopt a new tradition to help people in your community. Here are four meaningful traditions you can start this holiday season:

 

1. Write a Letter to a Veteran in Need: Although some veterans return home to their families after serving, many are left with no place to call home, like those at our Safe Havens emergency shelters. The holidays can be an especially lonely time for our veteran clients. This is a great opportunity to send a letter or card thanking them for their service and letting them know you’ll be thinking of them during this special time of year. You could even go the extra mile and donate a holiday gift to one of our veteran clients.

 

2. Pack Resource Card Kits: To help those experiencing homelessness or hard times, MCCH provides resource cards filled with local sources of support  for people who need shelter, food, and clothing, as well as employment and legal services. While we encourage you to decide whether to include something with the resource card, creating a simple resource card kit is an easy way to give back. In a Ziploc bag, you can include a small bottle of water, a pair of gloves or hand warmers, and a granola bar with the resource card. Keep a few of these kits in your car and hand them out during the winter months.   

 

3. Hold a Facebook Fundraiser: One easy tradition to start this year is to hold a fundraiser for a local non-profit. Facebook has made it even easier to hold fundraisers, and you can ask for donations in lieu of holiday gifts. You can start a Facebook fundraiser for MCCH right now!

 

4. Make Care Packages for First Responders: Even on holidays, first responders continue to help others. You can pack some goodies and deliver them to your local police or fire station on days when most people are at home with their families. Fill a mason jar or small container with coffee pods or tea bags, seasonal treats, lip balm, and a note thanking them for their dedication to saving lives. For many our clients, first responders were the gateway to MCCH, and they visit the shelter several times a week for health emergencies. We can’t thank them enough for all that they do!

Starting one of these traditions is a wonderful opportunity to help those experiencing homelessness for years to come. Share this blog and encourage others to adopt one of these traditions too!

 

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH) is a non-profit with the mission to provide solutions in Montgomery County to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Learn more about MCCH.

 

 

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