Advocacy and
Systems Change

A large audience sits in a church auditorium, listening to speakers on stage near an organ and stained glass windows.

Until no family faces impossible choices

People Serving People centers family voice and choice in leading and advocating for systems change to prevent and remove barriers in the policies and systems that families encounter when experiencing housing instability.

Our systems change work



At People Serving People, we recognize that homelessness is a systemic issue that requires systemic solutions. While emergency shelter is essential and provides immediate relief, actual change happens when we address the root causes of family homelessness—racial inequities, educational and economic barriers, and policies that exclude rather than uplift.

To compel solutions and drive meaningful change so that no family faces impossible choices —e.g., between providing their children with medical care or food, or between being able to work without childcare and homelessness —People Serving People pursues systems change at all levels of government and other bodies that impact systems. We do this through:

Centering family voice



We center family voice in our advocacy. We do this through three primary pathways:

Explore our new series of articles

How a group is helping people experiencing homelessness have their voices heard
October 30, 2025

How a group is helping people experiencing homelessness have their voices heard

WCCO's Reg Chapman shows us how People Serving People is making to ensure that people without a home address have a chance to vote.
Punishing Poverty: Cuts to SNAP 
October 22, 2025

Punishing Poverty: Cuts to SNAP 

90% of families currently staying at our shelters receive SNAP benefits. Not only will the cessation of SNAP benefits drive up the demand for People Serving People’s shelter services (which is already at 200% capacity), it will also increase the number of days, or months that a family will need shelter.
Fully Fund Stable Homes Stable Schools
October 9, 2025

Fully Fund Stable Homes Stable Schools

Full funding to meet the need People Serving People strongly supports the City of Minneapolis’ Stable Homes Stable Schools (SHSS) initiative and encourages the city to invest in its continued success. Families in our emergency shelters have relied on SHSS referrals as a vital pathway to exiting shelter into stable housing. SHSS’s focus on education...
Punishing Poverty: Trump’s Executive Order on Homelessness
August 8, 2025

Punishing Poverty: Trump’s Executive Order on Homelessness

This is part two in our ongoing series, Punishing Poverty. Here we examine the July 24, 2025, Executive Order, which purports to address homelessness and find that it, like the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” promotes a punishment model for responding to poverty and homelessness rather than proven solutions.
Punishing Poverty: Initial Reaction to OBBBA
August 1, 2025

Punishing Poverty: Initial Reaction to OBBBA

OBBBA is devastating for all families—yours as well as those we serve— making it even harder for families to secure their basic needs for food, housing, medical care, childcare, and employment, which will only increase the number of families experiencing homelessness.

Join our community of changemakers

Advocate
Raise your voice

Raise your voice

Speak up on behalf of families. Discover how you can help advocate for families experiencing housing instability.

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Donate and volunteer

Donate and volunteer

Learn how you can support families by donating money, goods, or your time.