The fifth and final session of the Homelessness Awareness Month Community Forum focused on the ways in which corporations and private foundations have contributed to the needs of families experiencing homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area. Panelists spoke broadly on the key advantages that private companies and foundations bring to family homelessness assistance—creativity, flexibility, and operational efficiency. The discussion touched on the changing nature of philanthropic work, which has increasingly moved beyond a singular focus on fundraising or charity. Panelists discussed how foundations are looking at new, more creative and sustainable ways of providing support, including venture capital and social impact investments. Corporate foundation panelists discussed how their strategies for philanthropic work are successfully grounded in the business expertise of their companies and partnership with key experts on the ground, moving beyond pure philanthropic giving to create strategic partnerships with on-the-ground actors to craft tailored, high-quality responses to alleviating the problems facing families experiencing homelessness.
Questions considered in this session were: In what ways has the pandemic changed how foundations and corporate philanthropy seek to support those experiencing homelessness? How is philanthropy making a difference in the lives of low-income families and families of color in the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity? In what ways have foundations and corporate philanthropic actors supported the resilience of both families experiencing homelessness and the communities where they come from? What are some of the key lessons learned from the work that has been done? How promising is direct cash assistance as a model to alleviate poverty in our communities, especially for families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity? What can philanthropy do differently to create a more meaningful impact on families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity?
Agenda
12:00-12:05 Opening
Kyriell Noon, CEO, Hamilton Families
12:05-12:20 Session 1:
Adrian Schurr, Bay Area Giving Manager of Google.org
12:20-12:35 Session 2:
Jackie Downing, Executive Director of Crankstart
12:35-12:50 Session 3:
Karina Moreno, Executive Director of Mimi and Peter Haas Fund; Board Member of Hamilton Families
12:50-13:00 Closing Q&A
Kyriell Noon, CEO, Hamilton Families
Meet the speakers
Resources for Attendees
Download our Fall 2021 Corporate Partnerships Playbook to engage in our virtual events, volunteer from home with us, help fundraise, and participate in other exciting moments.
Download our Q1 Impact Report which provides our supporters and partners with updates on the impact of their support and investment on the families we serve.
Join us and support our work on November 30 for Giving Tuesday!