Why did the Sound Families Initiative only fund three counties in a region with such great need?
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation made its first set of investments to address family homelessness in its own backyardthe Puget Sound regionwhere an inadequate supply of affordable housing puts many families at risk of homelessness. The Gates Foundation will continue to partner with these three countiesKing, Pierce, and Snohomishas a first step in a next set of investments to end family homelessness. These counties will serve as pilot communities where the foundation and its partners can try new approaches that have worked well in other communities. After carefully monitoring outcomes, the foundation hopes that the lessons learned will be applied statewide. Early evaluation results from Sound Families were one inspiration for the Washington Families Fund (WFF), a unique public-private partnership to dedicate funding for supportive services for homeless families across the state. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a partner in the fund since its inception in 2004. Along with
