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Since its inception eleven years ago, the People for Fairness Coalition has been a tireless advocate for Washington, DC’s underserved population. PFFC’s primary focus has been and continues to be ensuring that all DC residents have access to affordable, sustainable housing. Given that PFFC is composed primary of individuals who currently or formerly lacked stable housing, PFFC’s focus has primarily been on this population.
Advocacy enters into everything that PFFC does, be it: advocating for the rights of individuals who have been discriminated against because they lack stable housing; advocating for affordable and sustained housing, including the resources that the DC government needs to invest in order to ensure that this takes place. PFfC has also been a tireless advocate for the improvement of the unacceptable conditions of DC’s shelters for the homeless. Most recently In late 2014 PFFC launched an initiative to advocate for clean, safe, public restrooms that are available for 24/7 for everyone including our sisters and brothers who live on the streets. Since December of 2015 PFFC has watched in horror, and raised it’s voice in disapproval, as the Deputy Mayor’s Office has carried out a number of sweeps designed to eliminate encampments in different areas of DC. For several years PFFC has been advocating for a day center in Downtown DC where individuals experiencing homelessness can seek shelter during the day, meals, showers, laundry, and access to resources, such as: housing opportunities, health services, legal assistance. We are pleased to announce that in early 2019, the Downtown DC BID, in collaboration with the New York Presbyterian Church and with financing from the DC government opened a day shelter in the basement of the church.
In terms of how advocacy is reflected in its major initiatives:
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[bullet icon=”fa-bullhorn” color=”theme”]The objective of PFFC’s Downtown DC Public Restroom Initiative is to convince the DC government to install and maintain clean, safe public restrooms available to everyone in needed areas of downtown Washington DC.[/bullet]
[bullet icon=”fa-bullhorn” color=”theme”]PFFC is an active participant in an Anti-Discrimination Initiative lead by the National Coalition on Housing (NCH). The objective of this Initiative is to add “homelessness” as a protected class under the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977.[/bullet]
[bullet icon=”fa-bullhorn” color=”theme”]PFFC’s advocacy work continues with our Annual Homeless Vigil held near the winter solstice where PFFC raises awareness on people who have died during the year without having a home and advocates with the DC Council for more resources for affordable housing and to support DC’s homeless population.[/bullet]
[bullet icon=”fa-bullhorn” color=”theme”]PFFC’s Universal Right to Housing Initiative has as its objective ensuring that everyone has access to affordable and sustainable housing.[/bullet]
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