LOS ANGELES, CA (Jan. 25, 2011) In recognition of its 30th Anniversary, the City of Los Angeles proclaimed Friday, January 21 as Para Los Niños Day in a ceremony at City Hall. Para Los Niños' President Gisselle Acevedo joined Tanya Tull as 9th District Councilmember Jan Perry recognized Tanya as Para Los Niños' visionary founder.

Tanya's work with the children and families of Skid Row began after she read a Los Angeles Times story about "The Children of Skid Row". She was moved by the children's devastating poverty and need to create Para Los Niños/For the Children. With an initial grant of $5,000 in 1980, Tanya leased a warehouse, raised additional funds to renovate it into a child care center, and Para Los Niños began to offer child care and social services to children and families living in Skid Row hotels. Para Los Niños now serves thousands of children and parents a year living in the poorest neighborhoods in San Bernardino and Los Angeles County. Today, Para Los Niños' vision is "to be the model of excellence in integrated urban education, leading to long term success for children, families, and the communities in which they live."

In 1988, after co-founding LA Family Housing and founding A Community of Friends, Tanya founded Beyond Shelter, an outgrowth of her work which began after reading the single news article in 1979, and seeing hungry, tired and frightened children on the streets of Skid Row. Dedicated to promoting economic, housing and social justice and well-being for families living in poverty, Beyond Shelter celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2008.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Jan. 04, 2011) On Monday, December 20, MetLife Foundation of New York, NY named Beyond Shelter as one of 12 Community Development Initiative grant recipients.

Beyond Shelter's $40,000 grant was awarded to support its Career Link Collaborative in South Los Angeles, a targeted initiative that will help unemployed local residents to obtain and maintain living-wage careers. "We are proud to have received this funding and very grateful to MetLife Foundation," said Beyond Shelter's President/CEO Tanya Tull. "The grant will support Beyond Shelter's employment and training programs in Los Angeles' highest area of unemployment, poverty and need. Some neighborhoods have 30 to 40 percent unemployment. There could be no better time for MetLife to support access to training and employment in careers that can offer opportunity to support a family even during the recession."

MetLife Foundation has awarded $1 million through the Community Development Initiative since 2009. This year, Los Angeles joined Boston, Chicago, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area as cities where nonprofit community development groups were eligible to compete for funding.

"Community development organizations play a critical role in building livable neighborhoods," said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "We are pleased to recognize Beyond Shelter for the Career Link Collaborative which will help meet growing local need and build opportunity and hope."

Beyond Shelter was founded in 1988 by Tanya Tull, and today provides nationally-recognized solutions and training on how to address the problems of poverty and family homelessness. In South Los Angeles, the agency provides affordable housing development for families, neighborhood services and programs through resource centers, and crisis services in addition to its "Housing First" Program, which assists 300 homeless families annually to move out of shelters into their own residential rental housing in the community.

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife in 1976 to carry on its longstanding tradition of contributions and community involvement. Grants support health, education, civic and cultural programs. For more information, visit www.metlife.org.

Beyond Shelter's Institute for Research, Training & Technical Assistance and its partner HomeStart, a Boston-based homeless services provider, have produced a new report focused on strategies to overcome the housing barriers of homeless families and individuals. The brief highlights promising and successful techniques, tools, and policies agencies and communities across the country are utilizing to build partnerships with private-market landlords and overcome common barriers to rental housing, including poor credit, eviction histories, and criminal records. The brief is intended to be a valuable resource for both individual service providers and entire communities as they prepare to respond to new rapid re-housing priorities and funding (the HEARTH Act) from the federal government. Click here to access the practice brief.

President/CEO Tanya Tull accepts the 2010 Neighborhood Builders Award from Bank of America's California President Janet Lamkin at the November 10 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Celebration which was held at the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. The NEI Builders Award is the prestigious signature initiative of Bank of America, and provides a two-year, $200,000 financial award and a strategic leadership development program to build the capacity of the winners to better-serve the community. Since inception in 2004, Bank of America has committed more than $110 million in support of nearly 100 nonprofit organizations in 44 of the bank's market areas across the United States and in Great Britain. The Program also recognizes outstanding Student Leaders, and Local Heroes, who are individuals who've made a difference in their own community through tireless volunteer efforts for worthy causes.

On July 13, 2010, Tanya Tull and Ryan Macy-Hurley of Beyond Shelter co-presented on effective re-housing strategies for "hard-to-house" populations during the National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference in Washington, DC. Before a standing room crowd of 100 participants, Tanya and Ryan shared practical and innovative strategies agencies and communities can use to help homeless families and individuals to overcome their financial and non-financial barriers to housing. The Annual Conference is the largest gathering of homeless service providers, funders, researchers, and policy makers from across the country. More than 1200 individuals participated this year.

On July 12, Tanya delivered a keynote address on Housing First for homeless families during a community forum on homelessness held in Baltimore, MD. The forum, organized by the Homeless Persons Representation Project, a legal services provider, was the first in a four-part series focused on raising community awareness of the crisis of homelessness and stimulating critical discussion on systemic strategies to address it.

On July 7, Beyond Shelter's board members heard the inspiring story of Terry Gray, a 17-year old recent graduate of Manual Arts High School. Terry was in 5th grade when his family lost their place to live. After that, Terry's large family stayed at a Motel 6 until their money ran out and they were forced to go to a homeless shelter. The shelter quickly referred the family to Beyond Shelter. Beyond Shelter's Housing First Program helped them to find and move into a four-bedroom apartment in South Los Angeles near Broadway Village I at 78th/Broadway. After they moved, Terry's mother continued to link to Beyond Shelter's neighborhood programs and resources to help her children. Among his many achievements, Terry received a full scholarship to UCLA, where he will major in Business and Social Science. Terry told UCLA scholarship reviewers that, "Ever since I can remember, my mother and nine brothers and sisters have struggled financially." Highly-motivated, Terry inspires other students as well. At Manual Arts, he was Co-Founder and Co-Captain of the Debate Team, and a member of the Basketball Team, as well as numerous other clubs and activities. According to Terry, "The world I have come from won't decide what I will be in the future. Watching the struggles my mother has faced, I want to improve my own life for the future."

On April 29th, Beyond Shelter hosted its 2010 Inspiration Awards Celebration with at Paramount Studios. The Awards ceremony, in the Paramount Theatre, was hosted by Alex Borstein (the voice of Lois Griffin on Family Guy). Inspiration Awards were given to our honorees: LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina for her steadfast efforts to improve the health, education and welfare of children and their families in LA County; ING Direct USA for their exceptional support and generosity, and their efforts to make a difference in the community; and The Richie-Madden Children's Foundation for their remarkable generosity and continuing efforts for families and children living in poverty. Additional awards were presented to three families who have successfully rebuilt their lives.

Everyone went into the theatre lobby for the party. Guests enjoyed fabulous wines, and food stations from LA's finest chefs: Akira Hirose from Maison Akira, Neil Fraser from Grace, Andre Angles from Frenchy's Bistro and Jean Francois Meteigner from La Cachette Bistro. There was also a wonderful silent auction of many one-of-a-kind items. Funds raised at the event help support the vital services Beyond Shelter provides to homeless families.

Beyond Shelter has released an evaluation report of permanent housing outcomes for 300 high-risk families served by the Skid Row Families Demonstration Project. The Demonstration Project (January 2007-December 2009) was a collaborative effort with Beyond Shelter, L.A. County departments, and two local housing authorities, intended to address escalating family homelessness in L.A.'s Skid Row neighborhood, a dangerous and unhealthy environment for homeless parents with young children. The report reveals a high program success rate despite serving one of the most challenging and dysfunctional subgroups of homeless families in L.A. County.

According to the report, 80% percent of enrolled households (241 out of 300) were able to move into affordable, rental housing in residential neighborhoods located throughout L.A. County, primarily through negotiations with private landlords and rent subsidies. At least 25% moved into permanent housing with their own lease agreements for the first time in their lives. All families received a minimum of six months of social services support after they moved in. The overall housing retention rate was 97% six to twelve months after families were placed into housing.

Click here to download the press release on the report and here for the full report and executive summary.

Raquel Rolnik, an independent expert on housing issues appointed by the United Nations, visited Los Angeles on November 2-4, 2009, as part of a seven-city tour investigating housing conditions in the United States. Ms Rolnik was appointed last year by the United Nations Human Rights Council to monitor individual country compliance with international laws and treaties recognizing the human right to adequate housing. The "official" part of her visit included meetings with public officials in Washington, DC and the six other localities, while the "unofficial" part of the visit included meetings and other activities with community-based organizations.

As a member of the LA Planning Committee, Beyond Shelter helped to coordinate three days of activities and site visits for the Special Rapporteur. As part of the bus tour of different sections of the Los Angeles area, agency staff took Ms. Rolnik to two substandard "shelters" in South Los Angeles, one low-cost motel and one private, for-profit "pay shelter." Ms Rolnik was shown the dangerous, crowded, and undignified conditions that homeless families who cannot access publicly-funded, facility-based programs must endure in order to have a roof over their heads, if only temporary. The picture below features Ms. Rolnik and Tanya Tull, Beyond Shelter President/CEO, speaking with a homeless mother sitting on her bed at a "pay shelter."

Tanya Tull also participated in a Town Hall meeting at the California Endowment as part of the Los Angeles visit. The purpose of the event was to allow the Special Rapporteur to hear directly from community members impacted by housing rights violations, including slum conditions and predatory lending, as well as from community-based organizations advocating for better housing conditions and protections for vulnerable populations. Tanya spoke about the recent rise in family homelessness in Los Angeles, and shared a video of client testimonies of their experiences as homeless parents.

In Spring 2010 Ms. Rolnik will formally present the findings from her U.S. visit in a report to the UN General Assembly.

In October 2009, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden broke ground for the Richie-Madden Children's Playground at Beyond Shelter's Broadway Village II. This new playground will provide a safe place to play for young children from formerly homeless families who live in the Broadway Village II apartment complex and also for children from homeless families and low-income families who come to the Karsten Neighborhood Resource Center with their parents, seeking food, shelter, and help for other special needs.

The funding for this playground was made possible by The Richie-Madden Children's Foundation, and donors from all over the US through a text-to-donate campaign.

On June 25, 2009, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Chair of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, introduced House Resolution 582 supporting the right to housing for all children together with their families. The resolution affirms that housing for children is not just a value we share as Americans, it is a basic human right.

In its press release, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) acknowledged that the resolution comes as a result of persistent advocacy by a number of organizations, including Beyond Shelter, the LA Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness, and University of Southern California Professor Ralph Fertig.

Beyond Shelter is pleased to have partnered with the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and local advocates in this effort, and echoes the words of Maria Foscarinis, Executive Director of NLCHP, who stated: "We thank Rep. Waters for her attention to the housing needs of America's most vulnerable families. The lack of affordable, permanent housing is the primary cause of family homelessness. No child should have to be homeless in America.  No family should have to choose between paying the rent and putting food on the table. And no family should have to give up their children to the state simply because they are homeless. For a country that proclaims family values, we fail to value families."

Beyond Shelter looks forward to working with our local and national partners and with Rep. Waters to pass this important resolution. To read Rep. Waters' press release, click here.  To read NLCHP's press release, click here.

On March 28, 2009, at L.A. Southwest College, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chair of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, held the first in a series of national Congressional field hearings on the crisis in affordable housing.

Beyond Shelter President/CEO Tanya Tull testified at the hearing on the affordable housing and family homelessness crises in Los Angeles and the need to promote and protect the human right to housing of all persons. In addition, a formerly homeless mother who was assisted back into permanent housing by Beyond Shelter spoke on the importance of preserving and expanding the Federal Section 8 Program.

During the hearing, Rep. Waters committed to introducing a resolution in Congress proclaiming a right to housing for children. The lack of affordable housing is a leading cause of children being removed from homeless families by child welfare agencies.

Beyond Shelter has been working with our national and local partners, including the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, Professor Ralph Fertig of the USC School of Social Work, and the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness, to draft the right to housing resolution.

To read the testimonies of Tanya Tull and other expert witnesses, please click here.

On February 12, 2009, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), one of Beyond Shelter's key partners, honored the historical contributions of Tanya Tull and Beyond Shelter to national efforts to end family homelessness. During a luncheon ceremony at NAEH's Annual Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, held in San Diego, CA, NAEH President Nan Roman recognized the important role Tull and Beyond Shelter have played in impacting policy and practice nationwide, including pioneering the Housing First, or rapid re-housing, approach for homeless families.

More than 100 volunteers from the Wasserman Foundation and Wasserman Media Group joined Beyond Shelter and organizers from KaBOOM!, along residents of the South Los Angeles community on December 4th to build a new, safe playground at Beyond Shelter's Broadway Village I Apartments and Neighborhood Resource Center in South LA. The new playground's design is based on drawings provided by children who attended a Design Day event in September.

Beyond Shelter is proud to have been selected by The Wasserman Foundation and Wasserman Media Group as a funding partner for this project.

The new playground will provide more than 1,000 children in the community with a safe place to play every year. The playground will serve residents at Beyond Shelter's Broadway Village I apartments, as well the children whose parents are receiving services at the adjacent Neighborhood Resource Center. The playspace is the first built by KaBOOM! and the Wasserman Foundation, and one of more than 215 KaBOOM! has built across the country in 2008 in an effort to provide a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

On May 8, 2008, Beyond Shelter celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a spectacular party at Paramount Studios. Over 400 guests helped us share the festivities. The Awards ceremony, in the Paramount Theatre, was hosted by KNBC newscaster Kim Baldonado. Inspiration Awards were given to our honorees: Rabbi Zoe Klein accepted the award to Temple Isaiah for their outstanding social justice work; Nicole Richie presented the award to Baby2Baby founders, Marnie Owens, Lee Michel and Karis Jagger, for their generous contributions for mothers and children; and the Honorable Jan Perry gave the award to JoAnne Yokota for her 25 years of affordable housing advocacy and for serving as Executive Director of Beyond Shelter Housing Development Corporation for seven years. Additional awards were presented to Tanya Tull and Beyond Shelter honoring two decades of helping homeless and low-income families in Los Angeles.

A touching and emotional film was screened, featuring the stories of several formerly homeless families that have been helped by Beyond Shelter over the years. Everyone then "walked the red carpet" into the party, held in a beautiful tent surrounding the Paramount Fountain. Guests enjoyed fabulous wines, scrumptious ethnic food stations and dancing. There was also a wonderful silent auction of many one-of-a-kind items. Funds raised at the event help support the vital services Beyond Shelter provides to homeless families.

In March 2006, Beyond Shelter re-activated the Los Angeles City/County Coordinating Council for Homeless Families (LACCCHF) in response to the growing problem of family homelessness.

Comprised of representatives from public and private agencies and coalitions, the Coordinating Council addresses the coordination and improvement of services delivery to end and prevent family homelessness in L.A. County. Its membership includes representatives from over 50 governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and regional homeless coalitions. Monthly meetings provide an opportunity to bring together individuals and agencies who may not normally communicate and to foster shared dialogue, idea development, and cross-agency collaboration.

The LACCCHF mission statement is as follows:

The Los Angeles City/County Coordinating Council for Homeless Families is a working group of governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and individuals dedicated to ending family homelessness by increasing access to housing and improving services delivery.  The goal is to implement the family recommendations of the L.A. 10 Year Campaign to End Homelessness.  The Coordinating Council is committed to a human rights based approach to addressing family homelessness, including, but not limited to, the promotion of housing as a basic human right.

Council goals include:

• Evaluating existing key services and resources
  
• Improving utilization and coordination of those services and resources
  
• Identifying and advocating for additional services and resources when needed

To learn more about the LA Coordinating Council for Homeless Families, please click here.

For its 5th annual People Issue, L.A. Weekly's best photographers and writers set out to capture Angelenos who make L.A. the only place to live. This year, they featured Tanya Tull talking about Beyond Shelter, and her work helping homeless families. "Tanya Tull: First, a Home"

"Homes should be social concern, not commodity" (San Francisco Chronicle, November 10, 2009, page A-14), discussing a United Nations tour of unsafe, substandard family shelters and slum housing in Los Angeles, organized by Beyond Shelter and other members of the local planning committee.

In March 2009, the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at USC reported that the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development is giving Los Angeles Cities $73 million in grants to help the homeless. Beyond Shelter is slated to receive funding to help families who have become homeless due to the recession.

Read the Los Angeles Times' article, The Next Step Toward Home, about how Tanya Tull helps homeless families go beyond temporary shelter and into housing in residential neighborhoods.

Read the Los Angeles Times' article, Home Maker , about Tanya Tull, Beyond Shelter founder and President/CEO, as she reflects on what her life's work is all about.

"The American Nightmare: More Families Living on the Edge of Homelessness," (Affordable Housing Finance Magazine, January 2007), featuring a segment on Beyond Shelter.

"Housing Plus Services: Supporting Vulnerable Families in Permanent Housing," (PDF) by Carol S. Cohen, Elizabeth Mulroy, Tanya Tull, Catherine White, and Sheila Crowley. Featured in a special September/October 2004 edition of Child Welfare, a publication of the Child Welfare League of America. To order the entire edition, click here

Learn more about Beyond Shelter's founder and President/CEO Tanya Tull and how she started the agency in "Tull Lends a Hand to the Homeless," which was featured in The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles on June 25, 2004.

Find out more about the Housing First Methodology in The "Housing First" Approach For Families Affected by Substance Abuse (PDF) an article written by Tanya Tull, Beyond Shelter President/CEO. Reprinted from the Spring 2004 edition of The Source, a publication of The National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center.

Read the Los Angeles Times' article, Plight of Kids Without Homes,  written by Tanya Tull, Beyond Shelter President/CEO, and Ruth Schwartz, Executive Director of Shelter Partnership (March 6, 2004).

"Service-Enriched Housing - Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Empowerment", an article written by Tanya Tull for the National Housing Institute. Service-enriched housing projects have the ability to provide an enhanced quality of life for individuals and families struggling to survive in communities that are often detrimental to their well-being.