MCH's Legislative Action Day 2025 Thank You

Thank you to all the attendees for joining us in the fight to end homelessness at the Coalition's Legislative Action Day last Monday at the State House. We had over 250 people with us: families, youth, and adults with lived experience of homelessness, providers, advocates, and legislators all speaking up for solutions to homelessness, housing instability, and poverty, and taking action to ensure that everyone has a place to call home.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY SPEAKERS!

We are incredibly grateful for the advocates, people with lived experience of housing instability and homelessness, and our nonprofit partners who shared their stories and remarks on the importance of addressing housing and homelessness issues NOW. See more information about the speakers below: 

• Andrea Park, Director of Community Driven Advocacy, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

• Annmarie, Participant, On the Rise

• Brandy Brooks, Executive Director, Boston's Higher Ground

• Craig, Young Adult Advocate, Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY)

• D. Ellyane Klein, Participant, AgeSpan

• Elisabeth Jackson, President/CEO, Bridge Over Troubled Waters

• Judie VanKooiman, Founder/President, Those Who Can for Those in Need

• Lashaunda Watson, Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)

• Levi, Young Adult Advocate, Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY)

• Marian Leblanc, Participant, AgeSpan

• Michael Shelton, Resident, 2Life Communities

• Mo, Associate, Breaktime

• Randely, Associate, Breaktime

• Shandra Waller, Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR STATE HOUSE PARTNERS!

We are so thankful for Rep. O'Day and his team for hosting the event, the legislators who provided remarks on advancing bill and budget priorities that address housing and homelessness issues (list below), and the legislators and legislative staff who came to the event.

Representative Jim O'Day, Host.

• Representative Christine Barber

• Senator Brendan Crighton

• Representative Sean Garballey

• Senator Adam Gomez

• Senator Pat Jehlen

• Senator Liz Miranda

• Representative Jim O'Day, Host.

THANK YOU to the pre-event and event-day volunteers and team members who made LAD a success:

• Byungchan Ahn

• Allison Alter, Public Policy Team Volunteer, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Jacob Anderson

• Tina Baptista, Director of A Bed for Every Child, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Sr. Linda Bessom, SND, Public Policy Team Volunteer, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Jimena Chavez

• Anais Colin

• Brian Condron

• Guissella DeLeon, Director of the Casa Project, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Amelia DeStefano

• Charlie Dietrick, Public Policy Team Volunteer, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Lydia Duan

• Robyn Frost, Executive Director, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Lissbeth Gallego

• Minerva Garcia

• Sophie Goodman

• Amelia Heymach

• Sarah Lagasse

• Jason Lee

• Emily Levine

• Samantha Linnehan

• Emma Lu

• Grace McDonald

• Nathaniel McLeroy, Public Policy Intern, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless)

• Bobbie Nathan

• Andrea Park

• Jennifer Paulino, Casa Advocate, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Sr. Rita Raboin, SND

• Purple Reign

• Celinet Sanchez, Director of Grants and Communications, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless

• Maya Talwar-Hebert

• Charlie Tisdell

• Yuqi Wang

• Angelina Wong

  
  

...and everyone who helped dropped off legislative folders and supported the event!

We also are very thankful to everyone who met and/or called legislators and staff in the afternoon to advocate for key homelessness and housing bill and budget priorities. Links to fact sheets on the Coalition's key FY26 budget requests (PDF, chart), 2025-2026 bill priorities (PDF, chart), and other materials can be found here.

If you did speak with state legislators and staff, please complete the legislative response form. If you didn't speak to your legislators yet, it is not too late! Please contact your State Representative and State Senator and/or their staff in the week ahead to express your support for the Coalition's budget and bill priorities and ask them to actively support these priorities throughout the FY26 budget process and this bill session. Legislators' contact information can be found at https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator or www.wheredoivotema.com. Here are some tips for talking to legislative offices about housing and homelessness priorities.

For more photos from the event, check out the LAD 2025 photo album here.

From across the Commonwealth, we raised our voices with one message, and took action to end homelessness. Let's continue to build up that momentum. Thank you for your partnership and solidarity!

 With gratitude,

Julia and Kelly



Julia Garvey

Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate

julia.garvey@mahomeless.org

Kelly Turley

Associate Director

kelly@mahomeless.org