Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Can you imagine trying to get a job or even rent an apartment if you have no place to shower, no place to wash clothes, have no mailing address, no telephone, no recent landlord references, have no credit rating because you haven't paid a utility bill in years?
Add to that any mental illness or physical disability that you may have, and the barriers you face seem insurmountable.
The Alliance is working to remove the barriers that prevent those experiencing homelessness from moving to better circumstances.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Sleep Center
In collaboration with the City of Walla Walla, the Alliance offers a low-barrier Sleep Center for adults experiencing homelessness. The Sleep Center consists of thirty-six hard-sided shelters for individuals or couples, an overflow room for single men, indoor toilets and showers, caseworker and staff offices, and a climate-controlled gathering room for meetings and where meals donated by the community are served.
The Sleep Center remains our largest program. In 2021 it provided 14,844 nights of safe sleep to 221 individuals. Typically, about 45 people find shelter there.
Exit Homelessness
The Exit Homelessness program includes on-site case management and peer support, coordination of services with local social-service organizations, life skills classes, and other services that lead to self-reliance and stable housing.
In June 2019 we added on-site case management and peer support. Meeting clients on-site, one-on-one, has proven to be highly successful. In the last four months of 2019, 40% of Sleep Center residents have engaged in services. Of those, 24 moved into housing and 11 found employment.
During 2020 we took advantage of having clients in the Sleep Center 24/7 to engage further with them. Despite the pandemic, 48 individuals found housing.
Basic Necessities
The Alliance offers mailboxes and a mobile shower unit to serve homeless persons in the community.
In 2019, the Alliance acquired a mobile shower to bring better hygiene to those living on the streets. Combining the showers that we installed for residents of the Sleep Center with the mobile shower deployed in town, we provided 1,229 showers in the second half of 2019.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of people using homeless shelters per week
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
The Sleep Center
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
During 2020 we provided 14,844 nights of safe sleep to 268 individuals, an average of 285 per week.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless (“Alliance”) envisions a community in which everyone has access to shelter, services and housing.
The Alliance was formed in 2015 to recognize and resolve the unmet needs of the homeless population of the Walla Walla Valley. Our mission has evolved to “provide homeless people in Walla Walla with access to safe shelter, basic necessities, and the resources needed to transition to stable housing and self-reliance.”
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our service model has three parts:
Low Barrier Sleep Center: In collaboration with the City of Walla Walla, the Alliance offers a low-barrier Sleep Center for adults experiencing homelessness. The Sleep Center consists of thirty-one hard-sided shelters for individuals or couples, an overflow room for single men, indoor toilets and showers, caseworker and staff offices, and a climate-controlled gathering room for meetings and where meals donated by the community are served. The Sleep Center remains our largest program. In 2020 it provided 14,844 nights of safe sleep to 221 individuals. Typically, about 45 people find shelter there.
Exit Homelessness Program: The Exit Homelessness program includes on-site case management and peer support, coordination of services with local social-service organizations, life skills classes, and other services that lead to self-reliance and stable housing. In June 2019 we brought the Exit Homelessness services on site at the Sleep Center. Bringing the services directly on site has proven to be highly successful. In the last four months of 2019, 40% of Sleep Center residents have engaged in services. Of those, 24 moved into housing and 11 found employment. During 2020, 48 move into housing.
Basic Necessities:
Showers: For those experiencing homelessness, a shower provides a way to get clean, improve their self-image and restore their dignity. They also look better, smell better, and have a better chance of acceptance by employers or landlords. Yet there are few places where someone who is homeless can shower. The Alliance offers three options for showers. Those who reside at the Sleep Center can shower any evening. Those who participate in the Exit Homelessness program can shower on Mondays and Wednesdays. Our mobile shower operates one day per week in town, providing showers to those who live on the streets and choose not to engage in other services. We provided 1,229 showers in the second half of 2019. Note: operation of the mobile shower has been paused duing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mailboxes: How can you receive mail or manage official communication or even fill out the most basic application forms when you have no mailing address This is an issue faced daily by those experiencing homelessness. The Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless is pleased to provide 32 mailboxes free of charge for homeless Walla Wallans.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Sleep Center receives support from the City of Walla Walla. There is a part-time paid manager for this program, but the great majority of hours expended are by volunteers -- well over 10,000 hours per year. The manager's credentials include a BA in social work, a masters in divinity, and 30 years of managing shelters.
The Exit Homelessness program includes two full time Peer Support Specialists, interns from the Social Work program at the local community college, and volunteers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The winter of 2016-2017 had temperatures below zero and, heavy snow. We rallied community donations of tents, sleeping bags and clothing to keep folks alive.
In 2017 we collaborated with the City to create a better option. We built Conestoga huts. Operation of the “Sleep Center” was given to the Alliance. The huts and management processes have worked well. Its success has brought visits from over 20 other communities to see if it might solve their needs.
The Sleep Center remains our largest program. In 2020 it provided 14,844 nights of safe sleep to 221 individuals. Typically, about 45 people find shelter there.
In 2019, the Alliance acquired a mobile shower to bring better hygiene to those living on the streets. Combining the showers that we installed for residents of the Sleep Center with the mobile shower deployed in town, we provided 1,229 showers in the second half of 2019.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Craig Volwiler
Beth Call
Kathy Drake
Diane Davis
Jan Foster
Nancy Forsthoefel
Kailana S. Alaniz
Louise Bourassa
Craig Richards
Patrick Adams
Naiomy de la Rocha - Minkler
Craig Volwiler
Chuck Hindman
Patrick Carman
Patty Courson
Byron Olson
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 03/24/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.