National Coalition for the Homeless, Inc.

NCH takes as its first principle of practice that persons who are or have been homeless must be actively involved in the resolution of homelessness.  Our organizing works centers around training homeless self-advocates, as well as working to preserve and protect the civil rights of people experiencing homelessness.
 
NCH's Homelessness in the First Person project works to optimize self-sufficiency among families and individuals experiencing homelessness.  This program placed homeless speakers on expert panels that were held by the White House office on homelessness (USICH) to help develop and plan for a federal plan to end homelessness.  NCH speakers are already being placed on decision-making boards and having their stories heard by national policy-makers.
 
The second key component of NCH's community organizing work is the National Civil Rights Organizing Project.  The civil rights of people experiencing homelessness are continually violated, whether it be by hate crimes/violence committed against them, or by unjust laws making it illegal to be homeless.  NCH has been working with advocates, police departments, policy-makers and homeless people nationwide to track civil rights abuses and create effective strategies for ending these abuses.
 
Every year since 1999, NCH has published a report on hate crimes committed against the homeless and every two years, a report on the criminalization of homelessness.  Additionally, NCH releases timely reports on related issues such as tent cities, foreclosures and food sharing restrictions.  These reports have been followed by national media sources and have led to action on the state and federal levels.  Several states have passed hate crimes or vulnerable population statutes that include homeless persons, and legislation is currently being considered by the US Senate. 
 
The Civil Rights Organizing Project also works to involve people experiencing homelessness and poverty in the political process.   Through the "You Don't Need a Home to Vote" program, NCH has registered thousands of homeless people to vote nationwide, as well as advocated for inclusion of homeless persons in all state voter registration laws.  Through election-year bi-annual events, NCH organizes get out the vote drives and voter education campaigns nationwide.

NCH has remained the substantive voice in the federal legislative process for people who are experiencing homelessness.  In out policy advocacy, we work diligently to ensure that mainstream resources and opportunities are available to families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.  Specific goals include: housing that is affordable to the lowest income Americans, comprehensive and accessible health care and other support services, livable incomes and civil rights protections.