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16th Annual Statewide Conference on Homelessness:
"Growing Home: Nurturing the Present to Cultivate the Future"

 
On October 26-27, 2009, the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness hosted over 275 participants at its annual conference. Highlights of the event included an opening welcome address from Governor Janice K. Brewer. One keynote address was from Becky Kanis with New York's Common Ground. Ms. Kanis presented implementation procedures and results of use of the Vulnerability Index. Steven Cohen from the Veterans Administration unveiled the federal 5 year plan to end veteran homelessness in his keynote address. The third keynote address was from Colonel Joey Strickland, Director, Arizona Department of Veterans' Services, who presented the Department's role in ending veteran homelessness.

Attendees had the opportunity to choose six workshops from twenty-seven offerings.

The annual award luncheon honored the following persons:
The Coalition partnered with Arizona Department of Education to offer this conference.  We would like to thank the following sponsors:

Chris Cooley
2009 Conference Planning Committee




Governor Brewer Addresses
16th Annual Statewide Conference on Homelessness

Governor Janice K. Brewer delivered the welcome address at the 16th Annual Statewide Conference on Homelessness on October 26, 2009. Brad Bridwell, Conference Planning Committee Chair, introduced the Governor, noting the following points about her distinguished career in public service:

At an early age, Governor Brewer learned the value of hard work. She grew up helping in her mother’s dress shop, where she gained the basic principles of responsibility and integrity.

She came to Arizona in 1970 and became active in her community. She was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1983, and then to the State Senate in 1987. She served for 14 years in the Legislature, becoming a highly respected member of both houses. She then served as Maricopa County Supervisor, helping to propel the County from being in debt to being one of the "Best Run Counties in the Nation."

In 2002 she was elected Secretary of State, and was re-elected in 2006. Throughout her service as Secretary of State, she immediately found ways to save taxpayer money and make the election process more accessible for the disabled, overseas military personnel and the general public. Governor Brewer has always worked even-handedly and without partisan rancor to inspire public confidence in the state’s political processes and to make government more accessible and efficient.

On January 21, 2009, she took the oath of office to become Arizona’s 22nd Governor.

Following her address, Steve Capobres, Chair of the Coalition Board of Directors, presented the Governor with a petition signed by the conference attendees. The petition read:




Dear Governor Brewer,

We, participants in attendance at the 16th Annual Statewide Conference on Homelessness, are writing to thank you for your continued support in helping resolve the plight of the homeless in Arizona.  Your advocacy of a comprehensive and balanced solution to our budget crisis through the creation of an additional revenue stream is quite courageous and admirable.  As you have mentioned, solely cutting our way out of this crisis will only serve to do long term damage to our state.  We count on your continued leadership to maintain a healthy Arizona in which all of its  citizens may thrive, including the most vulnerable.

Mr. Capobres noted that the Governor has long been a champion of the underserved, serving as Chair of the Maricopa Continuum of Care, advocating for the creation of the Human Services campus while serving on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, and, as Governor, working to preserve Lottery funding for the homeless line item and to minimize deeper cuts to the DES budget in a time of an unprecedented budget crisis.

In his presentation of the petition, Mr. Capobres noted that the conference participants were calling on the Governor to continue to be the champion for those men, women and children in our state who are most vulnerable.

In recognition of her long-time support, Mr. Capobres and AZCEH Executive Director Jacki Taylor presented the Governor with a gift from the Coalition inscribed simply, "With our sincerest thanks."

Other keynote speakers were:

Becky Kanis

Steven Cohen

Col. Joey Strickland

Sota, Targovnik Honored by Board

Tomas Sota and Nina Targovnik were recognized at Monday's luncheon for six years of dedicated service on the Coalition's Board of Directors.

"Tomas has faithfully represented our southern Arizona and rural constituents, offering his rich behavioral health perspective. His participation on the board and help with conference activities have been invaluable."

"Nina, as a lawyer with Community Legal Services, brought a rich perspective of the legal battles faced daily by many of our clients. She was instrumental in creating a Policies & Procedures manual for the Coalition and spear headed 3 Spring Fling fundraising events for the Coalition."

Conference Sponsors

Awards of Excellence