Getting Your Organization Involved

Advocacy gains power with numbers and organization.  Speaking out with many voices combined can be extremely effective.  If you are a part of an organization who might have a passion or a mission to end homelessness, then bringing that organization into the realm of homelessness advocacy can be a great way to turn up the volume of all our voices.  Businesses, civic organizations, places of worship and schools all can play a role.

Link to an organization
One of the best ways to do focused advocacy at the organizational level is to link directly with an organization that helps the homeless.  Find a population or an issue within the broad scope of homelessness: pregnant homeless mothers or the chronically homeless, for example, and link to an organization that is serving that population.  Contact the organization's executive director, volunteer coordinator and their development director.  There are many ways that your organization can get involved. 

  • Event hosting
  • Fund raising
  • Volunteering
  • Letter campaigns
  • Board involvement
  • Etc.

General advocacy
Often organizations have a yearly focus or priority that is set at a yearly planning or strategy meeting.  Educate your organizational decision makers by providing copies of the latest Homeless Count Report, the Blueprint To End Homelessness and any of the factsheets provided in this toolkit.  A yearlong focus on the general topic of homelessness in Indianapolis is an excellent way to combat misconceptions and raise the level of awareness and focus within our community.  Getting your place of business to provide matching donations for any donation made by an employee to a local homeless provider is a possible good step in cementing your organization's commitment to the issue.

Schools
There is a lot young people can do.  Civic or community action clubs in high schools or even civics or current events classes can become involved.  Debate the issues.  And most importantly, raise the level of awareness and combat misconceptions of the next generation of leaders and citizens.  Getting your school educated and talking and doing something on the awareness and advocacy level by doing fund-raisers or letter campaigns or awareness campaigns, or even age-appropriate volunteering is a great way for schools to become involved.  Have your teachers, school administrators or club sponsors contact a service provider directly, or contact CHIP for help.

Congregations and places of worship
Often times, local faith-based organizations feel called to serve the poorest and most in need.  The efforts of the faith-based community in Indianapolis are invaluable to our homeless neighbors.  Aside from following the guidelines above, there are many ways you and your congregation can continue and enhance your ministry in a manner that not only adds comfort to people experiencing homelessness, but also moves them from the street to services and housing.  These can include partnering with a primary care organization to:

  • Provide financial support
  • Provide meal donations
  • Provide material donations
  • Provide volunteers

For more information on what can be done through your organization, contact CHIP.