Matt Traynor here, and I’m excited to share some news: I’ve officially stepped into the role of Permanent Executive Director at the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless.
This hasn’t been an easy decision. It came after a lot of reflection on MCH’s future and how I can best support our team, our future, and this work. My previous role as Director of Advocacy was truly my dream job; working alongside folks with lived experience, pushing policy, and building real change from the ground up. That’s the kind of work that should be at the heart of MCH, and as Executive Director, I’m committed to helping shape the strategy to keep it there.
Given our current financial situation, bringing on any new permanent staff simply isn’t possible right now. That reality has led to tough conversations about how to move forward while staying true to who we are. The clarity has come from our people: this community, the MCH Fellows, our frontline advocates, and the unwavering support we receive from partners, members, and YOU.
“The Board of Directors is proud to affirm our full confidence in Matt’s leadership and vision by formally transitioning them into the permanent role of Executive Director of MCH. Over the years that he has been with the organization, he has demonstrated exceptional dedication, strategic insight, and an unwavering passion for our mission. We are excited for the future and look forward to the continued growth and success of the organization under their permanent leadership.”
– MCH Board of Directors
The MCH Fellows encouraged me to take on this role through their honesty, strength, and willingness to step into spaces that often overlook them. They reminded me that I can’t ask others to speak truth to power if I’m not willing to do the same.
MCH is built on collaboration, community, and centering those most impacted. That’s not changing. In fact, it’s exactly why I’m stepping into this role.
Over the past decade, I’ve been deeply rooted in lived experience (LE) work. From 2012 to 2016, I organized with shelter guests at CHUM in Duluth. From 2017 to 2023, MCH ran the LE Regional Expert Network. And since 2023, we’ve been building the MCH Fellowship. Through all of that, one thing has become clear: without genuine buy-in from high-level leadership, especially around LE engagement and LE leadership, the work doesn’t move forward.
I share this to challenge the idea that LE leadership is too hard to fund or implement. In my experience, the real barrier isn’t resources, it’s commitment and passion. The hardest situations I’ve faced weren’t about funding or structure; they came from working with staff who had all the technical knowledge but lacked passion. Skills can be taught. Passion can’t.
As Executive Director, I’m going to keep doing what I’ve always done: center lived experience leadership in our work. Not just because it’s the “right thing to do” (although, YES, it absolutely is), but because it’s the only way we’ll find real, lasting solutions to end homelessness. It’s the most effective way to influence decision-makers. Period.
What This Means for the MCH Community
As we move forward, MCH will continue to experience some growing pains while we seek funding to return to full capacity. I’ll still be leading our advocacy efforts alongside the MCH team, and we’ll continue working with our incredible lobbyists at Momentum Advocacy. To keep MCH healthy, we ask for your continued support as we navigate this transition.
At the same time, we ask that you continue holding us accountable. A recent example: scheduling our Annual Conference during Yom Kippur was a harmful mistake. When we tried to correct it, our apology also caused harm. We are deeply sorry. Our intent was to be inclusive, but the impact missed the mark, and we’re committed to learning and doing better.
MCH remains grounded in our Advocacy Model, which centers both LE leadership and LE engagement. You can learn more about how this shapes our work in the MCH Advocacy Model Booklet here on our website.
We’re also expanding how we listen. In addition to in-person listening sessions, we’ll launch a survey designed for individuals and organizations, especially those who work directly with community members. This will help us better understand needs across Minnesota while giving our staff and Fellows more time to build strong, local relationships.
The MCH Fellowship will continue as a core part of our work. It’s one of the most powerful ways we support LE leaders and develop real, community-driven solutions; not just at the Capitol, but in communities across the state. We’ll also be launching a Fellowship Alumni Program (funding pending) to ensure LE leaders stay connected, supported, and active in the movement to end homelessness.
We should all be proud of the advocacy we’ve accomplished together over the years. We need to hold onto that as we push forward because with federal programs facing cuts, now more than ever, we need to lean on Minnesota’s legislature and join national efforts to push for real change at every level.
Though ‘thank you’ is a simple phrase, it holds sincere appreciation from me. To our community, partners, MCH Fellows, members, donors, funders, advocates, and most importantly, those of you who have experienced homelessness, thank you for your ongoing support, passion, and commitment. I’m honored to serve alongside you in this new-ish role and look forward to the progress we’ll make together.
For the 2025 legislative session, MCH focused on a two-part strategy: a core Legislative Agenda shaped by what we heard in community listening sessions, and an Endorse Agenda supporting a broader range of aligned proposals. This approach was shaped by the state’s limited budget, uncertainty around federal funding, and the recent success of the Pathway Home Act in 2023. It allowed MCH to champion a range of critical legislative efforts aimed at ending homelessness.
This recap offers a broad overview of the session. While we’ve worked to capture the key moments and outcomes, we apologize if anything was missed.
In addition to advocating for new policies and funding, MCH prioritized “Protect and Sustain Housing and Homelessness Programs” on our Legislative Agenda. We’re proud to report that there were no cuts to the programs we tracked—an important win. While flat funding may not sound exciting, given the fiscal climate, avoiding cuts was a real and meaningful success. Everyone working to end homelessness should take pride in this accomplishment.
Health & Human Services Committee
MCH Main Legislative Agenda: Passed
Housing Services eligible for the Tribal Encounter Rate – The MN Tribal Collaborative to Prevent and End Homelessness (MTC) identified this as a top solution and MCH supported the efforts at the Capitol. While this did not require legislation to make happen, DHS had not made the request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) since first brought to their attention in 2022. The impact of adding housing services as an eligible activity under the Tribal Encounter Rate is too important to wait for DHS. This is why MTC and MCH decided to write legislation forcing DHS to send the request to CMS.
MCH Main Legislative Agenda: Did NOT pass
Capital funding for emergency shelters and Transitional Housing – MCH carried a stand alone bill for shelter capital and Lutheran Social Service carried a separate bill for transitional housing capital (THP). MCH knew going into the 2025 legislative session that with limited funds in the State Budget that these had a low chance of passing. Going into the year, the decision was made to still have these as priorities to continue the education of the needs to lawmakers. Shelter Capital did get a hearing but not its own bill number (was amended to the Homeless Youth Act funding) and THP was able to get a bill number but ultimately did not pass.
MCH Main Legislative Agenda: Did NOT pass
Humane Encampment Clearing – The goal of this proposal was to identify minimum standards in order to clear out encampments in a humane and dignified manner. Due to the lack of clear jurisdiction (on a statewide perspective) this proposal became very complicated. MCH made great progress in getting the language turned into legislation but ultimately, it did not leave the Revisor’s Office.
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
MN Homeless Study – Received $1.2M in one-time funding for Wilder to continue doing the study. Without this funding, Wilder may not have been able to continue doing the study.
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
Homeless Youth Act Funding – Received a $500K increase for the 2026/27 biennium and will turn into an ongoing increase of $5.768M per biennium starting in 2028/29.
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
Safe Harbor Funding – Received ongoing funding in the amount of $1.862M per biennium. This was very important as Safe Harbor did not receive ongoing funding increases when the Pathway Home Act passed in 2023.
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
Decoupling Housing Support’s Room & Board rate from changes to SNAP and SSI. Previously, state statute pointed to federal programs SNAP & SSI when determining rates for the state funded Housing Support program. With unknown impacts to these federally funded programs, we were able to change state statute so that the program’s Room & Board rates would only be impacted if either of those federal programs increase.
Housing Committee
MCH Main Legislative Agenda: Passed
Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) received $8.35M in one-time funding AND a $900K ongoing increase to the base budget. This is remarkable, even though it falls drastically short of the need. FHPAP has been on MCH’s legislative agenda for many years. As a refresher, it also received $103M in one-time funding during the 2023/24 legislative sessions. The Housing Committee was given a budget target of $15M in one time funding, and chose to appropriate over half of it to FHPAP.
Public Housing Rehabilitation received one-time funding of $26M
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
Greater MN Housing Infrastructure Coop Manufactured Housing received one-time funding of $3M
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
Local Public Housing Program created and received one-time funding of $2.44M.
Taxes Committee
Not on MCH Legislative Agenda: Passed
In 2021 the legislature passed the Local Homeless Prevention Aid and the Statewide Affordable Housing Aid. During the final weeks/days of the legislative session, there was a Senate proposal to drastically reduce the funding for both of these aids. However, thanks to a very strong response from the community (almost 400 people participated in an action alert), these reductions were removed from the final tax omnibus bill.
Thank you for your continued advocacy throughout the legislative session. Your efforts helped drive meaningful progress at the Capitol—momentum that will shape positive change for years to come. Stay tuned for upcoming updates and more opportunities to get involved.
The 2025 legislative session managed to pass some bills before the deadline, but many others fell short. Legislative leaders have given their caucuses until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, to finalize the remaining bills. They hope to reconvene for a special session in the days that follow. A full recap is available here, and MCH will do a full analysis of the legislative session once everything is passed.
One of the bills that did pass on time was the Housing Omnibus Bill. The Housing budget was $15M and the Housing Conference Committee did everything they could while acknowledging it wasn’t enough. As advocates, we should be proud that within a legislative session that had to do more cutting than increasing funding, housing was enough of a bipartisan priority that there were INCREASES to some programs.
Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) received $8.35M in one-time funding AND a $900K ongoing increase to the base budget. This is remarkable, even though it falls drastically short of the need. FHPAP has been on MCH’s legislative agenda for many years. As a refresher, it also received $103M in one-time funding during the 2023/24 legislative session.
We have a special edition reflection email for you from our MCH Advocacy Fellow, Ranee! Keep reading to hear about her experiences with MCH Homeless Day on the Hill this year.
Hello everyone,
This was my second Homeless Day on the Hill as an MCH Fellow. It was powerful, amazing, and important, and this year MCH Homeless Day on the Hill stands out for two reasons:
1. The first reason is related to the bodies in the chairs this year. As I was speaking and looking out at everyone, I felt so much joy to see both the lower and upper levels of the church nearly full which is a contrast to previous years. People with lived experience, lawmakers, and service providers showed up to advocate with us this year and it was very powerful. Additionally, the vibe in the room was invigorating, energized and extremely contagious. I had a good time on the stage speaking and attending the day with everyone.
2. The second reason – my favorite moment of DOTH- is related to the wonderful and impactful speakers this year especially true of the Ramsey Youth Advisory Board as those testimonies were authentic and mind-blowing in my opinion. I found both of the youth members testimonies to be captivating and raw, done with class and confidence, and very courageous of them to say what . This year’s Homeless Day on the Hill was incredible and one I will never forget.
– Ranee, MCH Advocacy Fellow
Other Highlights from Homeless Day on the Hill
Over 1,200 people joined us from across the state, and we took powerful messages to the Capitol. Check out these highlights from the day:
The construction at the State Office Building didn’t slow us down! This was our largest Homeless Day on the Hill, with over 1,200 people gathered throughout the day for a full day of advocacy.
The Lt. Governor came to the Homeless Day on the Hill opening program to share her support to ending homelessness. We also had champion lawmakers Representative Keeler and Representative Gomez join us for the program, and they are committed to finding solutions to homelessness and investing in services.
MCH Fellows, Jason and Ranee, were the program emcees, with Claudette, Kirsten, and Matt also speaking. Find the program here.
StreetSong opened the program with a few original songs. The crowd sang along and got energized for the day.
Jason also delivered a powerful opening message during the Rise & Repair Rally in the rotunda. You can find the full recorded version of the rally here.
We had 16 wonderful sponsors who made the event free for advocates to attend. You can check them out on ourwebsite.
We continue to hear great messages about our program speakers. We want to give a big shout-out to Tori and Dakota, two youth speakers from The Heading Home Ramsey Youth Advisory Board, for sharing their stories and giving two powerful messages to the MCHDOTH advocates.
Over 25% of registrants identified they have had lived experience of homelessness.
Just over 130 lawmakers were confirmed to meet with their constituents from across the state.
Thank you to Homes for All for partnering with us this year to make this event successful. With their help, we were able to represent the full continuum of housing throughout the day of advocacy.
Check out the hashtag #MCHDOTH on social media platforms, and you can see all the advocates’ and their organizations’ posts. Be sure to tag us when you post so we have your pictures too.
We have a special edition reflection blog for you from our MCH Advocacy Fellow, Claudette! Keep reading to hear about her experiences with MCH Homeless Day on the Hill this year.
Hello everyone,
This was my second Homeless Day on the Hill as an MCH Fellow. I was on the planning committee, I spoke at the program (find the program here), and I think it was the best experience and the biggest yet. It was very informative, and as always, it’s a great way to connect with our various lawmakers and talk with them about housing and homelessness issues across Minnesota. I enjoyed networking with new and existing partners. It is a good feeling where you can express your thoughts and ideas with your lawmaker face to face with a good group of people.
I would invite friends and family to DOTH in the near future so they can experience the power of advocacy and the people’s voices. I have learned new skills from planning and attending DOTH such as time management, prioritization, goal-setting, critical thinking and problem-solving.
Homeless Day on the Hill has had a profound impact on my journey, it has empowered me to engage in advocacy, a decision that I never thought was possible years ago. It has helped me to promote social justice and influence policy change which leads to positive outcomes.
– Claudette, MCH Advocacy Fellow
Other Highlights from Homeless Day on the Hill
Over 1,200 people joined us from across the state, and we took powerful messages to the Capitol. Check out these highlights from the day:
The construction at the State Office Building didn’t slow us down! This was our largest Homeless Day on the Hill, with over 1,200 people gathered throughout the day for a full day of advocacy.
The Lt. Governor came to the Homeless Day on the Hill opening program to share her support to ending homelessness. We also had champion lawmakers Representative Keeler and Representative Gomez join us for the program, and they are committed to finding solutions to homelessness and investing in services.
MCH Fellows, Jason and Ranee, were the program emcees, with Claudette, Kirsten, and Matt also speaking. Find the program here.
StreetSong opened the program with a few original songs. The crowd sang along and got energized for the day.
Jason also delivered a powerful opening message during the Rise & Repair Rally in the rotunda. You can find the full recorded version of the rally here.
We had 16 wonderful sponsors who made the event free for advocates to attend. You can check them out on ourwebsite.
We continue to hear great messages about our program speakers. We want to give a big shout-out to Tori and Dakota, two youth speakers from The Heading Home Ramsey Youth Advisory Board, for sharing their stories and giving two powerful messages to the MCHDOTH advocates.
Just over 130 lawmakers were confirmed to meet with their constituents from across the state.
Thank you to Homes for All for partnering with us this year to make this event successful. With their help, we were able to represent the full continuum of housing throughout the day of advocacy.
Check out the hashtag #MCHDOTH on social media platforms, and you can see all the advocates’ and their organizations’ posts. Be sure to tag us when you post so we have your pictures too.
In 2025, MCH partnered with Homes for All (H4A) to ensure the entire housing continuum would be represented at Homeless Day on the Hill. A lesser-known fact about why we partnered with H4A is that MCH was considering not holding the event this year due to MCH staff capacity and budget constraints. Staff met with our Fellows and they responded with a resounding, “We HAVE to have Homeless Day on the Hill!”. Luckily, we listened to the Fellows and had arguably our best DOTH yet- and our largest, with approximately 1,200 advocates joining! Pre-COVID we would have 500-600 attendees so thanks to everyone who joined the day in some way, and encouraged people to attend this year.
Every speaker except myself and two others had lived experience of homelessness, and they brought the energy and wisdom that only they can provide. These speakers are leaders in many ways and we are so thankful they were willing to share with everyone in attendance. Jason kicked us off with an amazing opening speech and he co-emceeded with Ranee (both Fellows). Angela and Ms Jackson went over the H4A priorities and I shared a bit on MCH’s strategy this legislative session. Kirsten and Claudette thanked our sponsors and gave instructions on what to expect for the rest of the day. The Heading Home Ramsey Youth Advisory Board, led by Jartue, Tori, and Dakota was beyond amazing and powerful. From there we had two champions towards ending homelessness Rep Gomez and Rep Keeler speak and set the tone for what we need to do in our advocacy. As usual, we had our favorite speaker for many years, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flannagan, address the audience, who emphasized people with lived experience of homelessness need to be heard by lawmakers. We closed it out with Ranee sharing how a lawmaker visit could look by giving examples of her own advocacy centered around the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program. We also tried something different this year and had the StreetSong MN choir open and close the program, including Sherry and Robert addressing the crowd in a fun and inspiring way.
All in all, DOTH grounded me in my work and showed that MCH made the right decision in prioritizing lived experience in everything we do.
In my role as Interim Executive Director, I would be remiss if I did not ask you to consider a donation to MCH. We receive zero of the funds we advocate for at the Capitol, and every little bit helps! Will you join us with a gift today?
The conference was one month ago now, and we are still reminiscing over the wonderful moments. We want to lift up the winners of the Annual Awards and share a little more about their great work across the state. Here is a recording of the Annual Awards Ceremony; keep reading to learn more about our winners.
2024 Annual Award Winners
Each year at the Annual Conference, the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding work in ending homelessness in Minnesota.
Below are the 2024 winners:
Rising Star Award — N’Dea Young
Luminary Award — James Lewis
Catalyst Award — Chelsea Marten
Catalyst Award — Amber Holmstrom
Northern Light Award — AVIVO
Northern Light Award — Patty Beech Consulting
Rising Star Award — N’Dea Young
NDea’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and leadership. As the program coordinator for the Winona Area Kitchen Table, NDea has made incredible strides in advancing housing stability in Winona County. Since May of 2023, she has worked tirelessly to support others, drawing from her own lived experience of poverty, homelessness, and housing instability. Her journey has been filled with challenges, but it’s through overcoming those challenges that she has become the powerful leader and advocate we see today.
NDea is also a graduate of the Jeremiah Program, where she built the foundation for stability for herself and her two young children. This foundation, along with her unshakable belief in the power of support, has fueled her leadership. She’s stood before crowds, spoken to legislators, and continues to lift up the voices of those who need it most.
Luminary Award — James Lewis
This year’s recipient has 23 years of experience working in emergency shelters, housing programs, and supportive services, taking a special interest to help youth facing similar or worse circumstances as he did in his youth. James has a strong dedication to helping those experiencing homelessness. During the pandemic, he helped set up a food and crisis distribution site when all of the stores and public transportation had shut down. He is always ready to put on a suit and head to the Capitol to advocate for the youth, pushing for systems change on all levels.
From starting his career working in the emergency shelter program at the Bridge for Youth to his recent promotion at The Link to everything in between, he has proven himself to be a genuine leader and a valuable asset. At The Link, he has assisted in opening programs that are culturally specific, and inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, a low-barrier shelter for 10-17-year-olds that helps youth who can not be served in other placements or shelters. He also desires to expand mental health support and youth leadership at The Link. He is equally loved and appreciated by his youth and his colleagues alike. He is a single father of 2 and they are as incredible as he is.
Catalyst Award — Chelsea Marten
Chelsea is the Housing Director at Oak Tree Support. When it became clear that the Transitional Moving Service was falling short, she didn’t just make excuses, she went to her boss and got permission to work to change the system. Chelsea worked with stakeholders and legislators to increase the funding from $ 3,000 to $5000, she collected stories of clients and testified on behalf of those with disabilities to make a solid plea for the increase. Those who know Chelsea say she is always willing to work with the needs of clients even if they are a bit “outside of the box” to come up with creative ways to make the service fit the client’s needs.
A co-worker said that Chelsea lives advocacy in her daily life whether it is managing her team or working with other agencies for the common good of everyone. Chelsea once said, “it is not enough to justify failings and make excuses- you have to be willing to do the hard work for those who can’t do it themselves”. She’s a daughter/leader/mom/advocate and she is making Minnesota proud.
Catalyst Award — Amber Holmstrom
Amber joined West Central MN Communities Action, Inc. in January 2015 as a part-time facilitator, her dedication and passion quickly led her to a full-time housing advocate position within six months. Amber’s commitment to helping those in poverty, especially those facing housing crises, has been remarkable. She has grown their homeless programming from a staff of one to a team of eleven, securing safe, affordable housing for many despite the challenges of rising rents and difficult landlord negotiations. Her work with the Launch Pad program, in partnership with Alexandria HRA, has been a significant success, providing housing and extensive case management to formerly homeless individuals.
Recently promoted to Director of the Family and Community Services Department, Amber has excelled in her new role, earning the respect of her team and colleagues statewide. She also achieved her Certified Community Action Professional accreditation, a testament to her dedication and expertise.
Northern Light Award — Avivo
Avivo is an exceptional organization actively championing to eradicate homelessness by tackling housing challenges at various levels from local to expanding statewide, with a unique focus on advocating for racial justice, LGBTQ+ equity, and other marginalized groups. Their commitment to addressing the complex intersectionality of social justice issues sets them apart and makes them a deserving winner of the 2024 Northern Light Award for Inspiring Organizational Leadership.
At the heart of Avivo’s mission is a deep understanding of the intricate web of factors that contribute to homelessness, going beyond just providing shelter to addressing the root causes of housing insecurity. Avivo demonstrates a holistic approach to tackling homelessness that is both inclusive and effective. Avivo is not only helping to ensure equal access to housing but also fostering a more just and equitable society for all.
Northern Light Award — Patty Beech Consulting
Patty Beech Consulting is more than just a small business; it’s a source of hope and support for communities and people often overlooked and underserved. Driven by a deep passion for social justice and a commitment to uplifting vulnerable populations, Patty Beech-Dziuk and Cara Oakland specialize in not only addressing homelessness but also empowering the people and organizations they work with. Their work goes beyond traditional consulting—it’s about building relationships, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that the voices of those in rural and tribal areas are heard and respected. With a focus on expanding resources for housing and supportive services, they bring people together to create real, sustainable change.
Our MCH Advocacy Fellows played a big role in the conference this year, and we have a reflection piece for you. This week Ranee Rock will share her conference highlights and experiences with you. Please enjoy this hot off-the-press piece!
Hi there! For those of you who I haven’t met yet, I’m Ranee Rock, a Policy Fellow with the MCH Advocacy Fellowship Program.
As I started reflecting on my conference experience, I realized that I wanted to take full advantage of this wonderful and amazing opportunity of being in this fellowship during the conference. I elected to participate in as much behind-the-scenes event planning as I possibly could. I do not envy the MCH staff at all as the details of event planning are enormous, yet very rewarding to see the results in the end. I am grateful to have been a contributor in the listening session decisions and planning as this was different from what we are used to in an MCH conference and most importantly I am eager to learn an effective process of compiling all of your innovative ideas of possible solutions in ending homelessness and convert the information into agenda items for a legislative agenda that is collectively representative of all our voices.
My #MCHCONF Highlight
I was able to be present at the MCH conference in a completely different way in contributing to the award ceremony process. To witness the humility and happiness when nominees who had no idea they were even nominated learn they are award recipients, brings a genuine and authentic feeling of joy to your soul when you take pleasure in seeing everyone win, not just yourself. I am completely honored and privileged to not only author a winner’s bio summary but also to present the award.
A Learning Moment from the Conference
For some reason I felt this self-induced pressure in providing a great keynote speech in which I could not find the right words. I believe that it was due to wanting to capture the right words to speak to the wonderful opportunity and the rewards from participating in it as words of encouragement to express to other lived experience individuals should consider if they seek to develop leadership skills in growth as leaders in their communities. Instead, I found myself winging it all the way through. Oh boy! I do not recommend doing that, hahaha! This was a learning moment for me and I will prepare my remarks in advance from now on. I also will take advantage of the run-through sessions we do as a team, and use them as a true practice for myself and the event.
Growing in my Leadership Skills
I love learning in my role with the fellowship and the #MCHCONF was a great place to learn and network. There are no words that can describe my gratitude and appreciation for MCH in selecting me to participate in this fellowship as I continue to learn so much from all the staff at MCH. A big thank you to the Pohlad Foundation for allowing this fellowship to exist & an equally big thank you to MCH for not only selecting me for the fellowship but also for believing in me more than I initially did. I will take away so much from this fellowship! The new skills, teamwork, and learnings necessary to help me grow and develop into a strong and effective leader that I know is emerging.
Our MCH Advocacy Fellows played a big role in the conference this year, and we have a reflection piece for you. This week Claudette McDowall will share her conference highlights and experiences with you. Please enjoy this hot off-the-press piece!
Hello advocates! I’m Claudette McDowall, an Administrative Fellow with the MCH Advocacy Fellowship program.
This year’s Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless (MCH) conference marked my third time attending, starting back when I was in the Regional Experts Network (REN). Attending conferences takes a lot of effort and time, and doing so shows your peers and managers that you truly care about what you do.
I had a lot of highlights from the conference this year. I enjoyed getting to know the winners and hearing their stories which were selected from the different categories and was very excited to be a part of this year’s planning of the conference. I learned to collaborate, plan, and organize an event which was very helpful for future events.
I got a chance to meet with different people with various roles in the state or local offices. These Conferences provide an unparalleled opportunity for me to meet influential and inspirational people that I might get a chance to connect with in the future. Also, you’ll get to network with many people who you might not normally get to meet, such as experts, peers from other sectors, and colleagues from other organizations.
My big takeaways from the conference:
Conferences showcase what’s new and changing in the industry, and attending them will enable you to stay informed about the latest news.
The conference will bring together service providers, system leaders, advocates, and people with lived experiences of homelessness to learn from each other, discuss best practices, and share innovations in the field.
Through direct-service roles such as street outreach workers, case managers, and housing navigators, social workers within the homeless response system will equip individuals with the tools and resources needed to rebuild their lives. Further, through systems-level or macro work, social workers confront policies that exacerbate homelessness, analyze and address system improvement, and lead initiatives and programs that create equitable housing and homelessness interventions.
Individuals and professionals are often drawn to the profession because of their lived experience overcoming adversity. I would invite a friend or a family member to a future conference because the event is very informative and you get a chance to network a lot.
I love learning and the #MCHCONF was a great place to learn and network. I also learned a lot from the conference and I have expanded my knowledge, and usually, conferences enable me to learn new ideas and gain a lot more insights from the people you network with or the presentations you attend. Don’t forget to check out my reflection blog from the #MCHCONF here.
— Claudette and the rest of the team at MCH
PS: Find the Listening Sessions Outcomes
This year at the MCH Annual Conference we held Listening Sessions that will help shape our future policy priorities. We found that the facilitated conversations were inclusive, impactful, and important, and you can find the full recap here.
Last month we held our MCH Annual Conference in Duluth. With over 800 advocates in attendance, we learned together over the full two days and shared new ideas and solutions to end homelessness in our state. Our MCH Advocacy Fellows co-led the event with us, and they had a lot of up-front speaking roles, so we wanted to take the time to share their insights.
MCH Fellowship Program There are four individuals in the Advocacy Fellowship Program with MCH: Laquita Love-Limo, Jason Urbanczyk, Claudette McDowall, and Ranee Rock. The program was created after six years of deeply collaborating and learning from Regional Expert Network members whose insight was instrumental in the creation of the Advocacy Fellowship. The goal of the Advocacy Fellowship is to provide career pathways for leaders with lived experience by providing them with hands-on training, experience, and valuable connections while also enhancing MCH’s advocacy. Read more about the Advocacy Fellowship Program here.
The first reflection is from Laquita Love-Limo. While this wasn’t her first conference, she had new experiences and highlights to share.
Reflections on My Third MCH Conference: Learning, Growth, and Family Laquita Love-Limo
This year’s Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless (MCH) conference marked my third time attending and my second as a fellow. Every year, this experience teaches me something new, and this time was no different. I learned that the larger the event, the more work is involved, and how critical it is to lean into being part of a team. Events like these require everyone to come together, each person contributing their part to create something impactful.
A Shift Toward Lived Experience
One of the highlights of this year’s conference was the increased presence of people with lived experience. From speakers to those tabling, the inclusion of voices from the community made a profound difference. It’s a shift I’ve been hoping to see for a long time, and I feel energized by the direction we’re heading. The authenticity and realness that lived experience brings to the table are unmatched, and it was deeply moving to witness.
A Family Affair
For me, this conference has always been more than just a professional event—it’s a family affair. My daughter has been attending with me since she was 12 years old. This year, she stepped up and volunteered to help. Having her by my side throughout these years has been incredibly special. I would absolutely invite more friends and family to attend in the future. There’s so much value in experiencing this kind of event together, especially when we’re all striving to create change.
What I Hope to Take Away
Attending the MCH conference always leaves me with a renewed sense of purpose. This year, I hope to take that energy and channel it into my work, continuing to focus on finding solutions to homelessness. But more than that, I hope to leave others with a sense of hope and inspiration. Our work can be challenging, but events like this remind me why we do it—because we believe that change is possible and necessary.
The conference was a reminder of the power of community, and I’m grateful to have been part of such a meaningful gathering. Here’s to carrying that momentum forward!
Here are a few other highlights from the wonderful day:
Over 800 of advocates were registered from across the state.
We had 17 wonderful sponsors that made the event special for attendees. Check them all out on our website.
We had 80 individuals with lived experience attend the conference with scholarships in partnership with the LEAN.
MCH Fellows, Jason, Ranee, Claudette, and Laquita were a huge part of the two days. They had speaking roles with the Awards Ceremony and led the Keynote presentation.
We held our Annual Awards Ceremony, where we recognized individuals from across the State for four different awards: Catalyst Award for Advocates of the Year, Luminary Award, Northern Light Award for Inspiring Organizational Leadership, and Rising Star Award. Find the full recorded version of the Awards Ceremony here.
We celebrated our 40th anniversary as an organization and took the opportunity to hear from the attendees in a guided conversation with facilitators called Listening Sessions. The results from these Listening Sessions will influence our future policy priorities as we continue finding solutions to homelessness. Find the results of the Listening Sessions here.
We also celebrated with cake and networking on the last day of the conference.
Check out the hashtag #MCHConf on social media platforms to see all the attendees and their organization’s posts!
Until next year – thanks for a great MCH Annual Conference!
Other Highlights from Homeless Day on the Hill
Hi there! For those of you who I haven’t met yet, I’m Ranee Rock, a Policy Fellow with the MCH Advocacy Fellowship Program. 
My big takeaways from the conference:
MCH Fellowship Program
Here are a few other highlights from the wonderful day: