Pallet shelter villages are transformational communities for unhoused people. Residents can rest and recharge inside in shelters which offer private space with a locking door. Residents have access to meals, hygiene facilities, and social services through an on-site service provider while they work towards moving on to permanent housing.

When Pallet initially began addressing unsheltered homelessness, we started with the 64 sq. ft. sleeping cabin, then the larger 100 sq. ft. cabin. Last summer, we started offering bathrooms for our villages. Having a safe, private space for hygienic needs is an element of our commitment to creating a dignified community for unhoused people. 

Being able to gather with one another is also a core component of Pallet shelter villages. Many locations have outdoor seating, such as picnic tables, but now there's a new option: a community room. It comes in two sizes, 400 sq. ft. and 800 sq. ft. Pallet's engineering team began working on the community room after customers were interested in having a large shelter as a meeting space. The room has multiple uses, including food distribution and administrative offices. 

The engineering team takes a derivative design approach when creating new products,meaning they evolved from the original design rather than from scratch. This strategy allows the team to work quickly and meet the needs of villages across the country. The 400 sq. ft. community room has 18 panels, and the 800 has 28 panels, compared to the 64 sq. ft. sleeping cabin, which has seven. The community room is assembled on-site. It takes a bit more time to complete because of its size.

"The 64 square foot cabin can be assembled in about 30 minutes. The 100 square foot takes about an hour, hour and a half. The 400 takes a day, and 800 probably takes about two days," explained Zane Geel, Pallet's Director of Engineering. Part of the reason for the extra time needed is because of the roof. "You have to use a lift assist to get the roof up because it's so much bigger. It's heavier because it's twice as wide as a 100 square foot roof. So you have to hook a sling onto it, pick it up with either a forklift or a boom, pivot it in position, and then set it down, so it is a more complicated assembly deployment."

The community units have windows which open and close, plus two locking doors. The interior is a blank slate, so each village can modify it to meet their unique needs. Two shear walls in the 800 provides stronger wind resistance. Each shear wall is about 3ft wide on either side and goes from floor to the roof beams. The center of the room is still open all the way through. Heating and cooling options are available. The interior lights are powered through the electrical panel and are turned on through a remote wireless switch and turned off with a motion sensor. Each community room is made to order. Two community rooms are already in use across the U.S., and we're producing more. 

By offering sleeping cabins, bathrooms, laundry, and now a community room, Pallet is making it easier, faster, and more cost-effective to build a village.

"Customers come to us, and we can sell them everything,” said Geel. “And it makes one contact, one source and one connection point to get all of those products ordered, specified, delivered, and deployed. They're just dealing with one company instead of four or five."

It's an exciting time here at Pallet as we continue to grow what we offer. With each new village, it means more people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are on their way to the next step in their life.

Build a Village

Jennifer always liked working with her hands and using power tools — in part because her father worked as a roofer. With two younger brothers, she took pride in proving she could do anything they could. Her tactile skills, honed over the years, made her a great fit as a manufacturing specialist at Pallet. She joined the team in May 2020. Jennifer began with the drill press, then progressed to other machines such as the chop saw and band saw. Jennifer also excelled at training others. When she wasn't working at Pallet's headquarters, she traveled to other cities to set up shelter villages as part of the deployment team. 

"It's very humbling when you're watching people take down their tents, and they are just so grateful and so excited and so happy that you're here, and they're thanking you," she shared. "You know that they're going to be okay because they're going to get more help."

Jennifer understands the realities of homelessness. She and her dad lived in a car, then an RV for more than a year. Living in an RV presented challenges, from constantly moving because of parking restrictions to finding ways to pay for gas. It was a struggle to support herself. Plus, she and her father were both using substances.

"Growing up in a dysfunctional family of two parents who are addicts themselves, they hid the drugs from us pretty well," she shared. "We didn't have an idea until we were older when we started bringing drugs into the house ourselves. And then they started doing our drugs with us. So we are a family that used together." 

In addition to years consumed by substance use disorder, Jennifer says she also experienced physical and verbal abuse from a previous partner. She describes feeling lost during this time in her life. Over the years, she tried to remain in recovery, but it wasn't until an arrest in the fall of 2019 that she was successful. Jennifer enrolled in the Mental Health Alternatives (MAP) program. This 12-month therapeutic program uses continuous and intensive court-supervised treatment and services to reduce recidivism. Once she completed the program, all of her charges were dismissed.

"I continued my journey in a clean and sober house which I became the resident assistant of," Jennifer said. "And from there, I got baptized. And that's really when I think the miracle happened within me. The light came back after that whole process, just letting everything go into the water."

Since joining Pallet, she's been able to begin rebuilding her life. She now has her license back, bought a car, and started making payments on the thousands of dollars worth of "financial wreckage" she had incurred in previous years. Two of the four judgments are paid off. She's grateful for the opportunity to rebuild her life.

"This is a second chance company. I didn't have to worry about explaining my felonies or anything that would come up on a background check," Jennifer shared. "I felt like I really dodged a bullet when I only had to fill out just a general application."

(*We now describe our hiring practices as fair chance employment. Learn why we changed our language here.) 

Jennifer likes that she can be her authentic self at work and doesn't have to worry about how she's being perceived. She feels seen for who she is and appreciated for what she contributes to the workplace.

These days when Jennifer gets home from work, she's no longer shaking out a few metal shavings from her hair. She's been promoted to Human Resources and Safety Specialist. In her new role, she's making sure employees follow safety protocols and schedules training sessions. Jennifer can spend more time with her daughter thanks to the new hours. She regained custody of her last fall and is rebuilding their relationship. Everyone in Jennifer's immediate family is also in recovery. 

Jennifer likes to cook in her spare time and plays in a softball league. She's looked back at old photos of herself and is proud of her transformation. Joy radiates from her eyes and smile. Today she has a purpose. 

"I know where I left off, and I can't imagine there being a deeper bottom than what I've already crawled out of," she shared. "I found myself again. I've worked on myself enough. I actually have my independence back now, and I'm doing this on my own."

As more people living on the margins of society are increasingly visible in cities across the country, how to address the growing homelessness crisis is on everyone’s mind. Discussions on homelessness inevitably include beliefs based on longstanding stereotypes about the unhoused community. Among the most pervasive stereotypes is that homelessness is a choice. But people who have experienced homelessness repeatedly reject this notion. They want help. They want the opportunity to move back inside. 

A survey in the city of Seattle's 2016 Homeless Needs Assessment report echoed what homeless folks have said about wanting to accept a place to live. Ninety-three percent of survey respondents reported they would move inside if safe, affordable housing were available. A recent survey of approximately 140 tent encampment residents in Boston showed 95 percent “would be willing to leave their tents for housing, if it were available.”

The stereotype that homelessness is a choice coincides with the pervasive belief homeless people are drifters, moving from city to city to take advantage of free government services. People experiencing homelessness aren't just the people we see sleeping outside. They could also be the cashier at the grocery store or the dad of one of your child's classmates. Homelessness isn't always visible. 

Service providers and outreach workers also say homelessness isn't a choice. In video series debunking homeless myths, United Way of Orange County spoke with advocates who shared their experience with the unhoused community. 

Brian Peterson, founder of Faces of Santa Ana, shared, "I've actually never met any person that has wanted to be homeless, quite the opposite. They often share stories with me of how difficult it is to be homeless. How difficult it is to not have a good night's rest. How difficult it is to be woken up every hour throughout the night telling you to move to a different place."

I've actually never met any person that has wanted to be homeless, quite the opposite. They often share stories with me of how difficult it is to be homeless. How difficult it is to not have a good night's rest. 

– Brian Peterson, Founder of Faces of Santa Ana

"When building these relationships with individuals and families, they hear that this isn't the life they chose. And it's not something that if they had all the options in the world that they would choose to experience. But it was a ripple effect from whatever life situation that they endured," Chelsea Bowers, Communications Director at City Net, shared. City Net is the service of a Pallet shelter village in Riverside, CA.

The leading cause of homelessness is economic hardship. Homelessness rates rise faster in cities where residents spend more than one-third of their income on rent.

Where did this stereotype originate? Late President Ronald Reagan is credited with bringing it to the national stage. Throughout his time in office, he said homelessness is a choice. A 1988 New York Times article includes a quote Reagan gave to David Brinkley with ABC News: "They make it their own choice for staying out there…There are shelters in virtually every city, and shelters here, and those people still prefer out there on the grates or the lawn to going into one of those shelters." Reagan's economic policies — which crippled federal and social housing programs — are cited as contributing to the modern homelessness crisis cities are grappling with today. 

When homeless people don't accept the traditional options presented to them, there's a false belief that they're choosing to stay homeless. Barriers to accepting assistance at congregate shelters include: pets not being allowed; partners can't stay together because genders are separated; hours of operation don't accommodate someone working a nontraditional schedule such as an overnight shift. It's why Pallet shelter villages have removed these obstacles. Pets are welcome, partners can stay together, and residents can come and go as they need to. Our villages are a safe place to stabilize while people work towards moving onto permanent housing. 

Rather than assuming the worst of our unhoused neighbors, let's show compassion instead and treat them with dignity. They are individuals going through a challenging time who need support. 

This post is part of an ongoing series debunking homelessness myths.
Part One: They're not local
Part Two: Homeless is a personal failure

For people with homes, public spaces are often inviting environments. A bench with an armrest in the middle could be seen as an excellent addition, as it provides separation between you and a stranger. 

But for someone who wants to use that bench as a place to rest, they aren't able to. This design feature is referred to as hostile architecture. Hostile architecture limits how people experiencing homelessness use public spaces and discourages them from staying in an area for too long. 

Hostile architecture isn't limited to seating with barriers. It also includes the placement of boulders, spikes, high pitch sounds, or other features to stop people from lying down or camping. In New York City, a bookstore installed sprinklers to prevent people from sleeping under its awning. In Seattle, the city installed bike racks near a highway onramp after sweeping a camp in the same area. After complaints of its placement, the city removed the racks. Anti-urine paint was used on public spaces in San Francisco. This paint splashes back liquid when it hits a surface it's applied to. (Friendly reminder: a lack of public restrooms is a significant problem across the country.)  Later, San Francisco officials created a Pit Stop program which provides 24-hour access to public bathrooms throughout the city and has since reduced the incidents of public defecation.

Cities install hostile architecture because of pressure from constituents who demand that public spaces and streets are clean. But if access is limited and visible poverty is frowned upon, where can someone experiencing homelessness exist?

Hostile architecture isn't solely an issue in the United States; it's present in other countries worldwide. Here are a few examples.

Hostile architecture isn't harmless. The design decision conveys that people who live outside are not welcome. Even when unhoused people use congregate shelters, they can't stay there all day. They must leave early in the morning and can't return until the evening — leaving extra hours available for those who aren't working. With few options, it's yet another obstacle for unhoused people as they try to survive. 

People who aren't homeless are also affected, notably when seating in a public space is eliminated. If someone has mobility problems such as muscle weakness, joint pain, or neurological issues, removing a place to sit prevents them from stopping and resting when they need to. 

Creating a safe environment

Pallet shelter villages serve as transitional housing communities for people experiencing homelessness. A local service provider operates each village and provides social services, meals, and more. 

After an initial assessment and orientation, residents can finally relax and recharge by moving inside a Pallet shelter, a private space with a locking door. Living unsheltered can be disruptive partly because of the threat of being forced to move. It isn't easy — everyone is in survival mode.

Here's some of the services provided at Pallet shelter villages across the country: 

Securing documents 

People living outside are often subject to "sweeps" of their encampments. During a sweep, anything remaining on the site is cleared away. Campers are given notice, but the length of time they have to move locations varies from city to city. It's common practice for cleanups to lead to the loss of documents, such as an identification card, driver's license, Social Security card, or birth certificate. These documents are necessary for an unhoused person to move into permanent housing. Case managers help residents who need them secure these documents. Because each village has a postal address, the documents can be shipped directly to residents.

Housing navigation

Pallet shelter villages are a place to stabilize before moving on to permanent housing. Navigating the application process or applying for a housing voucher can be challenging. Housing navigators help residents through the steps they need to take, whether for a traditional apartment or supportive housing.

Social services

Being homeless is a traumatic experience, and it takes time to recover. The service providers at our villages offer residents health, mental health, and substance use services.

Sara Allee-Jatta is a clinical substance use counselor in Wisconsin. She's been providing services to residents at our village in Madison. Allee-Jatta recently told PBS Wisconsin, "This is the first time for a lot of people that somebody has been able to just listen without interruption and people can tell their story. So there's a lot of people that just want to come in and be heard and just talk."

Job assistance 

It's estimated about 25 percent of people experiencing homelessness nationwide are employed. Job assistance is available for those staying in our villages who don’t have a job. One barrier to employment is not having an address to put on a job application. Staying at one of our villages eliminates that obstacle. John, a former Pallet shelter village resident, is now housed thanks in part to being connected to a job as a forklift driver. 

Veterinary visits

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 1 in 5 people experiencing homelessness don't accept shelter because their pets can't join them. Unlike traditional shelters, pets are welcome at Pallet shelter villages. Just like their humans, fur babies need care too. In Los Angeles, Dr. Kwane Stewart and his team at Project Street Vet stop by our villages to perform checkups on the pets.

Celebrations

While everyone living in Pallet shelter village is working on moving toward the next step, it's important to celebrate the milestones in between. Whether it's getting approved for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or receiving a birth certificate in the mail, it's worth highlighting. At Riverside Cabin Village Shelter, residents develop their ideas for activities — one being the construction of vision boards, a collage of images affirming one's desires and dreams. Celebrations are a way to keep everyone's spirits up and support each other in their journey.

Community is one of the cornerstones of Pallet shelter villages. Our villages are places to bring people together for joy, healing, and growth. 

Build a Village

As 2021 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at the stories we’ve shared throughout the year. It’s been a busy year at Pallet, from new village openings in three new states to introducing a new product: bathrooms for shelter villages. Most importantly, hundreds of people experiencing homelessness are staying in dignified shelter with a locking door and have access to social services. They can stabilize and work towards moving into permanent housing with the assistance of an on-site service provider. 

In addition to sharing company news, we’ve also shared information about our homeless neighbors and the challenges they face. Here’s a round-up of our top stories from this year. 

1. Los Angeles Opens Its First Shelter Village

In the past year, homelessness in Los Angeles County grew at a rate of 13%. That’s a startling change for any city — but for Los Angeles, where more than 50,000 people live without adequate access to shelter, a 13% increase represents thousands of new people who now live without a roof over their head.

The need for shelters and supportive housing in Los Angeles is more critical than ever. The City of Los Angeles is building Pallet shelter villages for its residents experiencing homelessness to address that need. The first such shelter village of its kind in Los Angeles opened in February. It immediately reached full capacity, with new residents moving off the streets and into their own personal, private, and dignified sleeping cabins. [Keep Reading]

2. Pallet employee Josh thought the life he has today was out of reach

On a sunny spring weekend, Josh and his fiancée exchanged I do's in an outdoor ceremony. The two pledged to be life partners in front of a small group of friends and family. The joyous occasion marked a milestone for Josh he would not have predicted for himself. Several years ago, he was sleeping in his car in the back of a store parking lot. Today he maintains a full-time job here at Pallet, mended fractured personal relationships, and tries to lead by example.

"If you told me almost eight years ago when I got clean, that this is where my life would be, I would not have believed you," Josh shared. "I wouldn't believe you, that I have been with the company for almost four years. I wouldn't believe you, that a woman is head over heels for me and wants to marry me." [Keep Reading]

3. Community check in: Riverside, California

Moving out of homelessness is complex, and the path to stability varies from person to person. However, one proven factor in improving the odds of long-term success is transitional housing. Riverside Cabin Village Shelter offers this critical step with Pallet shelters.

The southern California community opened in March 2020 with 30 shelters. City Net, a nonprofit organization addressing homelessness through the coordination of community efforts, is the service provider. They’ve partnered with the City of Riverside. Residents have access to 24-hour wraparound services, including program supervisors, case managers, and housing navigators. Meals are also provided.

March 16, 2020 - April 30, 2021 impact: 

● 149 people served
● 49 people received tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA)
● 41 people permanently housed
● 25% increased their income
● 3 people reunified with family [Keep Reading]

4. Putting people before profit: Why we’re a Social Purpose Company

Classifying ourselves as a Social Purpose Company (SPC) is more than an official designation. It speaks to Pallet’s values and purpose. SPC is the Washington state equivalent to a B corporation. It means our team puts a social purpose above making a profit. We're on a twofold mission: build equal opportunity access to housing and employ a nontraditional workforce. [Keep Reading]

5. Profile: Chris Hernandez, Chandler Blvd. Tiny Home Village case manager

Chris Hernandez freely admits he likes to talk. He puts people at ease and effortlessly connects with others. It's a crucial skill in his role as one of two Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission case managers at Chandler Blvd. Tiny Home Village in Los Angeles, California.

"As a young kid, I was always very verbal with people. I was always near people," Chris said. "I've worked in hospice. I've worked with quadriplegic, paraplegic people. I've worked with people with cancer. I was a nursing assistant. I worked in a nursing home. I just love being around people and helping people. And I think I'm good at it." 

Chris is part of the staff who provide social services at Chandler Village, a transitional housing community made up of 40 Pallet shelters. [Keep Reading]

6. Debunking homelessness myths: They are not local

While the myths surrounding homelessness may seem benign, they can have real consequences for unhoused people. Public perception helps shape public policy. When we believe the worst about our homeless neighbors, they aren't shown the compassion and dignity they deserve. Getting back on the path to stability requires support that we should be eager to give.

As part of an ongoing series addressing myths about homelessness we begin with the myth that people experiencing homelessness in a given area are not local — that the majority of those in need have flocked to a given city in search of a handout and government services. It's not unheard of for someone housed to believe that their unhoused neighbors are transplants from another place. We'll explain the problem with this logic later, but first, let's look at some statistics. [Keep Reading]

7. Pallet introduces bathrooms for shelter villages

Ensuring Pallet Shelter Village residents have access to bathrooms is an integral part of our community model, along with on-site social services. Having a safe, private space for hygienic needs is one element of our commitment to creating a dignified community for people experiencing homelessness. We're excited to announce Pallet's engineering team has designed a series of bathrooms for communities. Five designs include various combinations of a sink, toilet, and shower. A tankless water heater assures that hot water will be readily available.

The new bathrooms are an evolution of our 64 sq. ft. and 100 sq. ft. sleeping cabins. The same material is used for the structure, aluminum framing and walls composed of fiberglass reinforced plastic with a foam insulating core. The team modified the basic structural design to meet its new purpose. This approach allowed our engineers to move quickly to meet this need. [Keep Reading]

8. Five tips to become a second chance employer

Pallet's nontraditional workforce is an integral part of our success. Temporary shelters are the foundation of our people-first restorative communities across the country for unhoused people. Because our team members have lived experience in homelessness, Pallet makes a product that uniquely meets the needs of people who have been living on the street. Their input is essential.

As a second chance friendly employer, we believe potential — not the past — defines people's futures. More than 80% of our employees are formerly homeless, in recovery, or previously involved in the justice system. Amy has shared her expertise with companies considering tapping into this hidden workforce. Here are her five tips to get started [Keep Reading]

9.  Veterans move into Pallet shelters

A group of people who served our country moved from unsheltered homelessness into dignified temporary housing. The new village is operated by VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. It is located on their property in West Los Angeles. It's part of their Care, Treatment & Rehabilitative Services (CTRS) Initiative, a low-barrier-to-entry outreach program. There are a total of 28 Pallet shelters on site. Veterans are offered the shelters based on a priority list with the most vulnerable veterans receiving higher priority.  [Keep Reading]

10. From winter to summer Pallet shelters can weather the conditions

Pallet's mission is to unlock possibilities by building people-first restorative communities. There are Pallet shelter villages in 1 in 5 states with 3,000 beds and counting. Each location addresses the homelessness crisis with a resource net of social services and a safe place to sleep. As Pallet partners with local governments and nonprofit organizations to build transitional housing villages, it's crucial our shelters can withstand various weather conditions. People should have resources to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Pallet’s engineering team completed performance testing on the 64 sq. ft. and 100 sq. ft. cabins to refine our sleeping cabins’ designs. [Keep Reading]

'Tis the season for giving. Two groups in need of extra help are our unhoused neighbors and people experiencing poverty. Many individuals and families are still dealing with economic uncertainty because of the coronavirus pandemic. But you can help your neighbors today by donating items in high demand. Below is a list of items needed right now at food banks, homeless shelters, and other organizations assisting people in poverty.

Winter items

Winter officially begins December 21, but many areas are experiencing frigid temperatures now. Warmth and protection from the weather are essential this time of year. If you're buying new items, keep in mind a range of sizes is needed. 

● Coats
● Gloves
● Scarves
● Hats
● Hand warmers
● Crew socks, wool socks (new)

Food

According to the nonprofit Feeding America, 1 in 8 people faces hunger, and 1 in 6 children faces hunger. Across the country, food banks are serving more individuals and families. Volunteers of America, a nonprofit organization providing housing assistance and other services has seen demand for food increase significantly. According to a published report, "Volunteers of America went from distributing 3.7 million pounds of food the year before the virus took hold to nearly 8 million pounds the first year of the pandemic." In addition to the rise in demand for food assistance, an increase in inflation has also meant fewer community contributions.

● Non-perishable canned food such as soup, fruit, and beans
● Peanut butter
● Pasta
● Rice
● Fresh fruits and vegetables
● Snack bars
● Canned meat such as tuna
● Lean proteins such as a whole chicken *some food banks have space for items that need to be kept cold or frozen, call ahead to double check
● Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt

Toiletries

Personal care products can be expensive for people who are already struggling to make ends meet. 

● Toilet tissue, deodorant, lip balm, menstrual care products
● Toothpaste, soap
● Shampoo and conditioner (travel sized works best for unhoused people)
● Diapers and wipes
● Hand sanitizer

Items for outreach services 

Organizations serving people experiencing homelessness typically go out into the community to reach people living unsheltered, helping to meet the immediate needs of the unhoused.

● Sleeping bags
● Sleeping pads
● Solo tents
● Tarps
● Umbrellas

Financial donation

Financial donations help an organization meet their specific needs as it can change often. It also allows them to purchase what they need when donations are low so they can continue to serve the community.

Before you donate it’s a good idea to call or check the website of the organization you’re interested in helping. They may have a list of items you can buy directly and send to them.

For more ideas, check out our list of most needed to help our homeless neighbors year-round. 

Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas officially introduced Lakeview Village to the surrounding community on a rainy Monday morning. Neighbors eagerly walked through the village to see the new addition. The day's weather reinforced the value of Pallet shelter villages for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Living outside means exposure to the elements, from rain to snow to extreme heat. Our shelters provide protection, security, and dignity. 

Lakeview Village is located on city-owned property near Lake Merritt. It's a first-of-its-kind solution to addressing homelessness in Oakland. The parcel on which it’s built is slated for future development, but rather than letting the land remain unused while people slept outside, city officials created an innovative and compassionate interim solution. 

Residents are staying in Pallet shelters with the following amenities: a foldable bed, personal climate control, windows, electrical outlets to power personal devices, shelves, space for storage, a fire extinguisher, and a locking door. They'll also have access to meals, bathrooms, and showers. Each shelter is single occupancy. Residents also have access to a community room that contains a mini kitchen. Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB) is the service provider for the site.

HCEB Program Manager for Lakeview Village Kevin Cockerham said once residents get settled, they'll focus on getting people "document ready." HCEB case managers will help residents get replacement identification cards, birth certificates, and social security cards. Housing navigators will assist them with finding a permanent place to live. Social services are also available.

"We are making sure that we're providing trauma-informed services, harm reduction services around three areas: health, mental health, substance, and other health and wellness issues," Nikki explained. "Secondly, economic issues. There are many reasons why people become homeless even when they're working."

Kevin is excited about the opportunity to help the new residents of Lakeside Village. He's worked at HCEB for two and a half years and is proud of his work assisting people in finding permanent housing. He's learned his position requires empowering the people he's working with and being a life coach as well.

"A lot of people don't believe that the hard work is going to get them to where they want to be," Kevin shared. "So I'm just like that crutch, that backbone for them. 'C'mon, let's keep pushing, keep pushing.' Then when something happens, I just bring it to them like, 'Look what you did. You were successful in this.' That's a part of where we want to go, of our goals."

There isn't a set timeframe for how long people can stay at Lakeview Village. Because each person's situation is unique, they'll be on individualized plans.

More village news:
New Beginnings Pallet shelter village opens in Arkansas
Pallet shelter village opens in Everett, WA
Community check in: Riverside, California

Since J.J. began working at Pallet in the spring 2020, he's become an integral part of the team. In a short time, he was promoted from manufacturing specialist to production supervisor. His leadership skills and genuine desire to help others made him a natural fit for the position. The role is more than just making sure everyone is working safely and efficiently. 

"Part of it is trying to figure people out, because I know how easy it is to just make a snap judgment on somebody and be done with it," J.J. explained. "I like to try to figure out what makes them tick and the best way to teach them so that I can get them to feel the best."

J.J. is a native of the Pacific Northwest who worked in construction and R.V. assembly before joining Pallet. At one point, he supervised a team of 16 people. J.J. described Pallet as an environment unlike others he's worked in: a family he didn't know he had. His outgoing personality has helped him easily bond with co-workers. Like many of them, he's experienced childhood trauma, homelessness and is in recovery. 

He understands who they are and what they need. They can count on him even outside business hours, "They're my brothers, and they're my sisters. There's nothing I won't do for them. I don't care if they call me at one o'clock in the morning and I don't have to be up for an hour and a half. And they say, 'I'm struggling.' I got those calls. 'Bro, where you at? I'll be there in a minute.'"

J.J. takes his role seriously because of the positive impact our work has on the community. He's taken the words of Amy King, Pallet Founder and CEO, literally when she told staff that without them, someone spends yet another night experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

"My purpose is to hit whatever shelter production number they tell me to get. So that somebody doesn't have to sleep on the streets. That is my purpose now and to help people grow," J.J. shared. "They come in here; they're broken, they're just getting clean, just getting out. Doesn't matter what their story is. I'm trying to get it to where they understand that they're valued and that they're able — even if they decide Pallet isn't for them."

Despite his personal experience with homelessness, working at Pallet has been a learning experience as well. He now has a better understanding of the dangers women living on the street face and why the lockable door on our shelters is vital. 

Sometimes in life, we have experiences that we don't fully understand until years later. J.J. had one of those moments during a company-wide meeting. Amy talked to the group about people helping others who aren't doing it for recognition. At that moment, an old memory came back to him. J.J. grew up in a tumultuous household, so he frequently ran away as a teenager. At one point while living on the streets, he slept by a hedge outside of a home. The heat coming from a nearby dryer vent kept him warm. The homeowner kept the dryer going at night for several weeks and left him food as well. 

"I was 15 years old. How do you grasp that somebody is willing to do something like that for you? And it clicked to me that she had left her dryer on for me that month and a half I stayed there," J.J. said. "There's people that are in the shadows that are truly just trying to help. They don't want recognition for it."

J.J. is paying it forward and bringing the same approach to his role at Pallet.

Outside of work, J.J. enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, camping, and going to sporting events.

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We no longer require resumes to work at Pallet. Here's why.

This Veterans Day, we're proud to share some good news: a group of people who served our country moved from unsheltered homelessness into dignified temporary housing.

The new village is operated by VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. It is located on their property in West Los Angeles. It's part of their Care, Treatment & Rehabilitative Services (CTRS) Initiative, a low-barrier-to-entry outreach program. There are a total of 28 Pallet shelters on site. Veterans are offered the shelters based on a priority list with the most vulnerable veterans receiving higher priority. 

UPDATE: In December, 2021 former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger donated $250,000 to the nonprofit Village for Vets for the purchase of 25 Pallet shelters. There are now a total of 78 shelters on the site.

The Pallet shelters they are staying in include the following amenities: a foldable bed, personal climate control, windows, electrical outlets to power personal devices, fire safety equipment, and a locking door. They'll have access to meals, bathrooms, and showers, as well as peer support, medical care, and behavioral health services. This is Pallet’s first-ever village built exclusively for veterans experiencing homelessness.

"The shelters provide additional privacy and protection from the elements, making participants more comfortable as they work with their case managers to receive the supportive and medical services available to them on campus," Chanin Santini, CTRS supervisor, said.  

Pallet shelters were added to what was previously only a safe tenting site at the request of veterans who had heard of “tiny home” villages for those experiencing homelessness.  The shelters were quickly added to the site when a nearby homeless tent encampment traditionally occupied by veterans was disbanded. In addition to Pallet shelters, veterans could move into a safe, clean, designated tented living area. 

CTRS is a pilot initiative that provides unsheltered homeless veterans expanded access to VA services during the COVID-19 pandemic. VA officials say the goal is to improve unsheltered veterans' healthcare outcomes while guiding them toward permanent housing solutions.

In the greater Los Angeles area, the latest count showed there were 3,902 veterans experiencing homelessness. The majority were unsheltered. Across the country, 8 percent (37,252) of homeless adults are veterans. 

Pallet is proud to be a part of this initiative. Our shelter villages rapidly address unsheltered populations — by providing the dignity of private space in a healing community environment.

How Pallet provides a transitional step to permanent housing

Hundreds of thousands of people are experiencing homelessness across the country. Whether they're temporarily staying in a hotel or living outside, they face daily challenges. 

Kevin Fitzpatrick is a homeless advocate and board member of a Pallet shelter village service provider. He says people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, in particular, are focused on basic survival. A weather event such as rainfall can create a significant obstacle. 

"After a rainstorm, you worry about how you're going to dry everything. That could be your whole day trying to dry your sleeping bag, trying to air out your tent. All the things that got soaking wet that day," Kevin explained. "I think most people don't ever really think about the mechanics of what that looks like day to day. If they were, I think we would have a much more empathetic country than we have right now."

Donating items directly to an individual or a shelter can make a difference.

If you're interested in helping your homeless neighbors, below is a list of frequently requested items. Anything you donate should be new or gently used. Personal care items are best when travel-sized and new (half-empty bottles will not be accepted). Many nonprofit organizations post their wish lists online to ensure they receive what's needed. Calling ahead is also a good idea.

1. Socks

Socks are always needed but often the least donated item. They provide warmth and protection but also get dirty and wear out quickly. Imagine taking a shower then putting dirty socks back on because that's all you have? Access to clean socks helps keep our feet healthy. White crew socks are typically preferred. Wool socks are especially helpful in the winter. 

J.J., a Pallet employee, has experienced homelessness. He said they were a must-have item in part because he never took his shoes off. He explains why: "One, you never know when you're going to have to run. And two, if your shoes are off and somebody wants them, and they take them. What are you going to do? Walk around barefoot?"

2. Personal care products

Personal care products help us feel clean and are needed year round. 
● Body wash
● Deodorant
● Ethnic hair care products
● Menstrual care products
● First-aid supplies such as bandages
● Hand sanitizer
● Masks
● Razors
● Reusable water bottles
● Toothpaste, toothbrush

3.Clothing

Proper clothing is important especially in the winter months. Hand and feet warmers are also useful when people are staying outside.
● Gloves
● Hats
● Hoodies
● Jackets
● Jeans / Pants
● Shirts
● Underwear

4. Gift cards

Gift cards to grocery stores, department stores, fast food restaurants, or even a gas station are a good idea. Gift cards give people the flexibility to buy exactly what they need in a dignified way. They also give people experiencing homelessness the ability to become a paying customer, which is often the threshold to come inside, get warm, and use the restroom. Gas station gift cards are useful to people who sleep in their vehicle. Bus tickets/passes are useful as well. 

5. Pet food and supplies

Pet ownership among people experiencing homelessness isn't uncommon. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, "evidence shows that animal companionship is fortifying and contributes to the emotional well-being of people experiencing homelessness." One study found homeless pet owners feed their pets before themselves. For women, pet ownership while living outside also helps keep them safe. Donating pet food and supplies helps unhoused people maintain a vital bond.  Pallet recognizes the importance of keeping fur babies with their owners. It's why our shelter villages welcome people with pets.

Providing unhoused people with what they need rather than judgement is the minimum we can all do.

Why Pallet

Homelessness in the U.S. is a growing crisis. Over the last four years, the number of people in need has increased. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), about 18 of every 10,000 people in the nation are unhoused. More than half live in four states: California (28 percent), New York (16 percent); Florida (5 percent); and Texas (5 percent). 

Homelessness generally means an individual or family without fixed, regular, and sufficient nighttime residence. It includes people staying in congregate shelters, transitional housing, and those on the street. People living in hotels, and motels paid for by a charitable organization or government program are also considered homeless. In addition, homelessness applies to people leaving an institution where they stayed for 90 days or less and previously didn't have housing.

Unsheltered homelessness refers to people sleeping outdoors in locations not designed as a regular sleeping location, such as the street, a park, under an overpass, in tent encampments, abandoned buildings, or in a vehicle. People living in public places often attract the most attention in part because research shows people often have a visceral response to visible poverty. 

Unaccompanied youth under 25 experiencing housing instability, plus people fleeing domestic violence who don't have a support network, are also considered homeless. 

The National Coalition for the Homeless states there are three types of homelessness: chronic, transitional, and episodic. 

People experiencing chronic homelessness are entrenched in the shelter system, which acts as long-term housing for this population rather than an emergency option. They are likely to be older, underemployed, and often have a disability. 

Transitional homelessness is when people enter the shelter system for only one stay – usually for a short time. They are likely to be younger and have become homeless because of a catastrophic event. 

Episodic homelessness refers to people who experience regular bouts of being unhoused. Unlike transitional homelessness, they are chronically unemployed and may experience medical, mental health, and substance use issues. 

Another category is imminent risk of homelessness. It applies to individuals and families on the brink of being unhoused. They have an annual income below 30 percent of the median income for the area. They don't have sufficient resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing. 

Hidden homelessness refers to people who aren't a part of official counts. They might be couch surfing at a friend or a relative's house. 

Whether we can see our homeless neighbors or not, they deserve a safe place to stabilize. Homelessness isn't a personal failure; it results from many factors, including poverty, lack of affordable housing, and structural inequality.

Pallet shelter villages provide a crucial step to move people off the streets and into a place of their own, combining the dignity of personal space in a healing environment. A resource net of onsite social services and food, showers, laundry, and more helps people transition to permanent housing.

Build a Village

One prevailing view of homelessness is that it's a personal failure. The false belief implies people living on the street have done something wrong to cause their misfortune. This view doesn’t recognize structural issues that can inhibit one's ability to keep their head above water. It's not uncommon to hear, "homeless people are all on drugs" or "homeless people are all mentally ill." These statements aren't true. 

Data and surveys show economic factors — such as losing employment — are the leading cause of homelessness from urban to rural areas. The most recent count by the Department of Housing and Urban Development shows there are 580,466 unhoused people across the country. No one is immune to falling on hard times, a fact highlighted by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. 

This post is part of a series that  debunks homelessness myths. In part one, the "they're not local" myth is addressed. Following is a look at factors contributing to homelessness. 

Economic Conditions
A 2020 Greater Los Angeles homeless count showed 59 percent of people experiencing homelessness for one year or less cited economic hardship as the main reason for their loss of housing. This was followed by a weakened social network (39 percent) and disabling health condition (24 percent). Respondents were able to choose more than one reason.

Sixteen percent of people surveyed during a 2020 point-in-time count in King County, Washington, showed losing a job as the reason for their homelessness. Other economic-related reasons included: could not afford rent increase (8 percent); eviction (5 percent); foreclosure (1 percent); totaling 30 percent.

A 2018 Council on Homelessness report from the Florida Department of Children and Families states, "most people who become homeless in Florida have extremely low incomes making it difficult to maintain stable rental housing." The report lists three primary factors contributing to homelessness in Florida: lack of access to housing, need for employment and income opportunities, and inadequate access to health care.

The Council on Homelessness report highlights how lack of affordable housing and poverty are intertwined components of the homelessness crisis. Homelessness rates rise faster in cities where residents spend more than one-third of their income on rent. In only 7 percent of all U.S. counties can a full-time minimum wage worker afford a one-bedroom rental home at fair market rent, according to a 2021 National Low Income Housing Coalition report.

Additional factors contributing to homelessness:

Domestic violence
Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children, according to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In a 2014 survey of 25 U.S. cities, 15 percent of all homeless adults were survivors of domestic violence. An ACLU report on homelessness calls attention to the link between domestic violence, poverty, and eviction. 

Substance Use
From the Addiction Center:
"The National Coalition for the Homeless has found that 38 percent of homeless people are alcohol dependent, and 26 percent are dependent on other harmful chemicals. Often, addiction is a result of homelessness. The difficult conditions of living on the street, having to find food, struggling with ill health, and being constantly away from loved ones create a highly stressful state of being. Individuals suffering from homelessness may additionally develop psychiatric conditions in response to a harsh lifestyle often characterized by feeling threatened by violence, starvation, and a lack of shelter and love."

A national report from the same year (2017) shows the national substance use rate in people 18 and older was 7.6 percent. This data includes people living in homeless shelters, but not those who aren’t.

Mental Illness
From a National Coalition for the Homeless report: 
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25 percent of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of severe mental illness. In comparison, 6 percent of Americans are severely mentally ill (National Institute of Mental Health, (2009).

The list above are just a few of the factors contributing to homelessness. It’s a complex issue without a one size fits all solution. Despite the images often associated with the unhoused — an older single male — homelessness also affects families. Black people are four times more likely to experience homelessness because of structural racism. LGBTQ+ youth, people who have been incarcerated, and those with a prior history of homelessness are also at increased risk of experiencing homelessness. 

Homelessness can happen to anyone and it isn't a personal failure. Instead, it's an outcome of poverty, a lack of affordable housing, and structural inequality.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

PART ONE: Debunking homeless myths: They’re not local

Built with purpose

Why are warming centers important in the winter? 

Winter brings an increased risk of hypothermia for people living in tents. Hypothermia starts to set in when your body loses heat faster than it can be produced. 

Homelessness is always a crisis – but in winter the stakes are higher.

Inclement weather closes public buildings where people experiencing homelessness access resources, such as libraries, college campuses, or volunteer-led food pantries. When snow storms or hazardous conditions impede public services, people experiencing homelessness suffer.

Flu, the common cold, and other illnesses are also spread during wintertime. According to the CDC, flu activity peaks between December and February. Learn more about how winter affects homelessness. 

Why are personal sleeping shelters important?

Warming centers get people inside as quickly as possible. But for personal reasons, some of these people require private space, or they may not accept shelter at all. Each person experiencing homlessness has their own story. Having personal space – just like in an apartment or home – allows people to develop their own routines.

Congregate or large warming shelters may not work well for people who have:

• Experienced domestic violence, and are worried about running into past partners 
• LGBTQIA+ families that need a safe place to stick together
• Irregular schedules, such as working graveyard shifts
• Compromised immune systems 
• Pets that also need space to shelter, exercise, and food
• Important survival gear they cannot abandon

Having a personal sleeping shelter is a good way to serve more of the population. 

Pallet is the leader in building transitional housing – “tiny homes” – for people experiencing homelessness. Our village model has been implemented across the United States in different climates, and has been tested to temperatures as low as -40°F while maintaining 70°F interior temperatures. 

Pallet shelter villages are a low-barrier option for people experiencing homelessness. Private sleeping shelters have locking doors, insulation, and optional heating and air conditioning. Many Pallet villages allow pets, too. All Pallet shelter villages are run by on-site service providers local to the community. Villages are a safe place to seek help for mental illness or substance use disorders.

Learn more about Pallet shelter villages.

What services should warming centers have on-site? 

When harsh weather continues for weeks or months, everyday services become more important. On-site facilities can help people experiencing homelessness with:

• Laundry facilities 
• Lockers to store belongings
• Clean bathrooms with warm, private shower stalls 
• Charging stations for cell phones and electronic devices
• A dining center to eat and pick up pre-packed snacks
• Water bottle refill stations 

Pallet shelter villages are designed as an all-encompassing community for residents who shelter there. Local service providers work with people experiencing homelessness who live on-site. Residents have access to bathrooms, hand-washing stations, dining facilities, electricity, heating, and more. 

What is good to donate to warming shelters? 

Each warming center has different needs, so it’s always a good idea to check before starting a fundraiser or making donations. Call ahead and ask if they are taking:

• Backpacks
• Bottled water
• Packaged snacks, such as granola bars or apple sauce
• Waterproof gloves, jackets, and boots 
• Hand and foot warmers
• Wool socks
• Disinfectant supplies 
• New underwear
• Blankets

Better serve people experiencing homelessness in your area by planning ahead this winter. Warming centers and private shelters should be used to reduce the risk of hypothermia and illness.

Get Started

People experiencing homelessness deserve a safe and dignified space this winter.

Learn More

More on Pallet’s employment model:
Five tips to become a second chance employer
FAQ’s about becoming a second chance employer
Resume Not Required

Risk of hypothermia and frostbite

For people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, living outdoors poses a greater risk during winter. Cold weather can cause hypothermia – where your body loses heat faster than it can be produced. People experiencing homelessness tend to lack access to vital resources, including insulated winter clothes and warm shelter. This is especially true at night, when temperatures can drop below freezing.

When your body temperature is at 95 degrees Fahrenheit or below, it becomes critical to seek help. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), low body temperature affects the brain; hypothermia symptoms include:

• Memory loss
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Shivering

Frostbite is another risk – usually affecting the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes, according to the CDC. Severe cases of frostbite can lead to amputation if left untreated. People experiencing homelessness may not be able to seek medical attention, especially when there is lack of access to affordable transportation. 

Congregate shelters fill up fast – and aren’t for everyone

When the weather is mild, people experiencing homelessness may seek refuge in their own private space – whether that’s a tent or car. Wintertime is a different story. As people seek warmth, congregate shelters begin to fill up. 

But congregate shelters aren’t the first choice for everyone. Here are some reasons why people choose to stay in tents during the winter:

• Most congregate shelters are gender-specific, meaning not all families, couples, or friends can stay together
• Work schedules may not align with congregate shelter hours 
• Most congregate shelters do not allow pets
• People who have experienced trauma may have difficulty being around strangers
• Congregate shelters limit the belongings you can bring in, sometimes only allowing a backpack 
• Safety can also be a concern, since there are different personalities in an enclosed space
• Fear of getting bed bugs in a communal setting  
• Inability to sleep when it’s noisy 

Spread of flu and other viruses

As people seek warmth at congregate shelters in fall and winter, it’s likely a few people entering these shelters have been impacted by coronavirus, the flu or other viruses. Like any communal setting – from workplaces to concerts – there’s an increased risk of catching a bug. Congregate shelters are a great way to house as many people as possible, but carry the risk of outbreaks. COVID-19 and the flu are easily spread in the air. 

Closure of public spaces, from dorms to food pantries 

Snow, frozen roads, windstorms, and other winter weather can close crucial resources for people experiencing homelessness. For example, some cities turn off communal water fountains to reduce the risk of freezing pipes; this could also affect public restrooms, making access impossible. 

When roads close or power outages occur, staff can’t reach their workplaces. Community libraries, food pantries, college campuses, and more may close quickly with little advance notice. This means people  experiencing homelessness – including students – may not have anywhere to go. Some residence halls even close during winter time. What happens if a student doesn’t have anywhere safe to stay?

In the event of a city-wide shutdown or power outage, people who are sleeping outside may no longer have a way to look up modified bus routes or connect to friends on their phone.

Get Started

People experiencing homelessness deserve a safe and dignified space this winter. 

Learn More

More on Pallet’s employment model:
Five tips to become a second chance employer
FAQ’s about becoming a second chance employer
Resume Not Required

For the last three years, Daniece has been committed to self-improvement. She works full-time at Pallet as a manufacturing specialist, manages two homes for people in recovery, and is mending relationships. She's showing her family she's back in their lives for good.

The path Daniece is now on began when she was incarcerated. While serving a sentence, she enrolled in an intensive substance use treatment program. It ended up being a transformative experience. The approach required her to get up at 5 a.m. and attend group meetings. She also received counseling, motivational interviewing, and recovery-focused skill building. Daniece completed a relapse prevention exercise which she described as scary. 

"They made you plan your next relapse. Plan, how you're going to get it, how much you're going to get, how you're going to use it, what you're going to do with it and how long you think that's going to last," Daniece explained. "Then, when you're done with that, what's going to happen?" 

Daniece said she experienced anxiety and stomach aches throughout the planning process.

"But they do that to build a new pathway in your brain," she shared. "After you present that, then you know you don't ever want to do that."

From there, Daniece progressed in the program and even became the big sister to another inmate. She provided support and helped guide them through the treatment process. They formed a bond and they’re still in contact. Daniece says the program helped build self-esteem, and learned a lot about herself as well. Discovering her learning style was eye-opening. 

"Some people can read. Some people need to write it down. Some people can watch somebody else do it," she shared. "But for me, I physically have to do it with my hands in order for me to comprehend it. Which I didn't pinpoint that before, so it just makes it easier for how I learn now."

While incarcerated, Daniece connected with The If Project. The nonprofit organization collaborates with currently and formerly incarcerated adults, community partners, and law enforcement focused on holistic intervention and reducing and preventing incarceration and recidivism. They suggested she apply for a position at Pallet after her release. As a second chance friendly employer, we believe potential — not the past — defines people's futures. More than 80% of our employees are formerly homeless, in recovery, or previously involved in the justice system. (*We now describe our hiring practices as fair chance employment. Learn why we changed our language here.)  Daniece joined the team in 2020 and is thriving in a supportive environment. 

"We just give our all to it. It's rewarding because it's going to the homeless people," Daniece said. "Somebody could offer me more money to go someplace else. And I wouldn't because this is a rewarding job for me."

Daniece also experienced homelessness for about a year and is sure if she had the chance to live temporarily in a Pallet shelter, it would've made a difference.

"Shelter over my head and a place to put my things and possibly sleep without worrying about everything. I know I could've done a lot more for myself. I wouldn't have had to go to prison to realize that. That's why the shelters are super rewarding for me."

While in treatment Daniece created a vision board which outlined various goals she created for herself for the next five years. It included paying off fines and buying a car, which she accomplished in just one month. She’s proud of her accomplishments and is continuing to work towards personal development. 

In addition to working at Pallet, Daniece is training to become one of the coaches at Recovery Café, a refuge for healing and hope for people traumatized by homelessness, substance use, and other mental health challenges. Plus, she's on The If Project's council. 

"I took a lot from the community," Daniece shared. "I'm in a position where I want to give back now."

Fresh bedding, USB outlets for personal devices, and a locking door are just a few of the amenities more than a dozen people experiencing homelessness in Arkansas now have access to. This week they moved into New Beginnings, a Pallet shelter village in Fayetteville. A nonprofit bearing the same name is the service provider for the site. The village meets the complex needs of chronically unsheltered people. The village is low barrier — pets, partners, and possessions are welcome — plus residents will have access to trauma-informed care. 

New Beginnings staff stocked each 100 sq. ft. Pallet shelter with everything the residents would need for their fresh start. Items include a locking storage bin, homemade quilt, chair, reading light, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. A few pets also moved in with their owners, so there are supplies for them too. It was important for each person not to feel like they were still living in a tent.

Village features:

● 20 Pallet shelters with locking windows, personal climate control specifically designed for colder weather, custom fit mattresses, and more
● Program building: offices for housing navigator, social worker, medical personnel, and mental health counselors
● Three bathrooms, two are ADA compliant
● Laundry facilities 
● On-site meals
● Commercial kitchen

Among all the site's features, New Beginnings board member Kevin Fitzpatrick says the one feature that sets this Pallet shelter village apart is the locking door on each cabin. 

"That makes the difference in most of these people's world because the majority of them are coming from a world where they were consumed by who's going to steal my stuff. And what am I going to do with my family heirloom? What happens if somebody assaults me in the middle of the night? Those are all-consuming," he explained. "They are consumed by the issues of safety and security. And people that have trauma in their life, both recently and in the past. That creates a whole other layer to that safety and security. No wonder they are in that circumstance because it just becomes a cyclical nightmare for many of them."

Fitzpatrick is also a University of Arkansas professor and homeless advocate. He understands the importance of accessible housing as he's watched homelessness increase in Northwest Arkansas. For several years he's worked on bringing a transitional housing village to the area. The rigorous process paid off when the Pallet shelters arrived over the summer.  

"This project really got a shot in the arm when the Pallet shelters went up," he shared. "Buzz started to happen, and I'm not sure that it did before that. So it really gave people an opportunity to see exactly what we were doing. And I've not heard a single negative word."

Fitzpatrick went on to say each new resident is on a different timeline. Some will move on to permanent housing faster than others, which is expected since everyone is dealing with different circumstances.

Build a Pallet shelter village 

From the start, Pallet employed a non-traditional workforce to build shelters for people experiencing homelessness. We believe potential — not the past — defines people's futures. More than 80% of our employees are formerly homeless, in recovery, or previously involved in the justice system. People with lived experience are vital in helping us design and build restorative communities. Amy King, Pallet Founder and CEO, wouldn’t have it any other way. She encourages employers to adopt a diversified employment practice.

In this follow-up to five tips to becoming a second chance employer, Amy answers frequently asked questions about hiring. (*We now describe our hiring practices as fair chance employment. Learn why we changed our language here.) 

Do I need to perform a background check?

A background check isn't necessary for many industries. Exceptions include those that interact with children. If an employer chooses to run a background check, Amy says it's best to approach it as a tool for honest communication. 

"We take more of the approach of, here's your background check. You've seen it, we've seen it. Let's have a conversation about it. It creates that inherent kind of foundation and undercurrent of trust between us and the employee as we go forward. I think it's a helpful tool."

One upside to going over background check results is that it gives the employee a chance to verify that all the information is correct. If there's an error, we direct them to a service that helps them clear it.

The results from a background check have never disqualified anyone from working at Pallet. 

Should we have sobriety requirements?

This decision depends on the industry and corporate values. Pallet is a substance-free workplace. We chose this partly because many of our employees are in recovery, so we've created a culture that supports them.  

"When you come here, this is a safe place. If you can't pass a drug test, you can't be here because the person next to you is fighting hard for their sobriety, and we don't want you to derail them. And they don't want to derail you, you're in this together. It's less about substance use as it is about creating a culture of safety. And I think that's the key for people who want to do second chance employment; it's got to be a safe environment for people."

I'm concerned my current employees will be scared. How do I address fears of safety?

One of the best things you can do is expose your existing staff to people with lived experience before hiring. For example, Amy has helped interested employers by putting together a panel of people to discuss their lives and the circumstances leading to homelessness, substance use, or incarceration.

"Hearing these stories of rehabilitation and recognizing that someone exiting prison or coming out of addiction or coming off the streets out of homelessness doesn't have to be a scary person. And is probably, in fact, inherently not a scary person. They're a person who needs help."

What about theft?

"That person is no more dangerous than anybody else in your building. I guarantee it. People are people," Amy explained. "Give your people the benefit of the doubt. If you trust them and you believe in them, they will believe in themselves and trust themselves. And then it becomes a shared trust."

How high is staff turnover?

Pallet has been able to avoid the revolving door of staff and the expense that comes with it.

"We have very low turnover rates compared to most businesses because our people are very loyal. They're doing purposeful, mission-driven work that they care about, so they're more likely to stay here."

Why should I hire a nontraditional workforce?

"One of the best things you can do to contribute to our community is help the people who are the most marginalized and who have the least amount of opportunity. That might not seem like an obvious thing. But the more you help the people at the bottom, the more you're helping everybody. Because everybody is responsible for that person at the bottom, whether they're aware of it or not, and it's not just economics, either. Human beings are not inclined to ignore one another's suffering, and whether we outwardly ignore it or not, it's there."

For more on Pallet’s workforce and the construction of our shelter villages, check out this podcast interview transcription with Amy. 

Pallet's nontraditional workforce is an integral part of our success. Temporary shelters are the foundation of our people-first restorative communities across the country for unhoused people. Because our team members have lived experience in homelessness, Pallet makes a product that uniquely meets the needs of people who have been living on the street. Their input is essential.

As a second chance friendly employer, we believe potential — not the past — defines people's futures. More than 80% of our employees are formerly homeless, in recovery, or previously involved in the justice system. (*We now describe our hiring practices as fair chance employment. Learn why we changed our language here.)

People who have had to live outside, navigate the prison system, or recover from substance use disorder have incredible survival tactics, are resilient and intelligent. Amy King, Pallet founder and CEO, says those skill sets can be repurposed, “The best possible candidate on paper is not always the best possible candidate for your culture, for what you want to do, for your mission, for your vision and your values. And it could be that you need a little bit of both. You need some that are really skilled, and then you need some really creative people.”

Amy has shared her expertise with companies considering tapping into this hidden workforce. Here are her five tips to get started:

#1 Hire in groups, not just one person

An employer may prefer to "test the waters" of being a second chance employer by starting with a pilot program. Amy cautions against this.

"It's not going to work because you've singled them out. There's one single person with this diverse background. They're all alone in the workplace, and people aren't stupid. They're going to know where they come from, and they're going to understand kind of why they're different, and they're going to get singled out. That's just human nature. It's unfortunate, but it's true."

#2 Hire for management, not solely entry-level positions

"One of our biggest keys to success here has been elevating people with lived experience to positions of leadership and authority. So that someone coming in at an entry-level position sees someone like them on the board, in the leadership position, as a manager, supervisor. And they say, 'Oh, that person's like me, and they're my boss, or they're my boss's boss or whatever the case might be.' I think that's critical to success."

#3 Create a flexible staffing strategy

Suppose an employer hires people who have recently exited the criminal justice system. In that case, they need to utilize a staffing strategy that allows for unplanned absences. For example, this type of employee may need to complete court-ordered requirements such as outpatient treatment, parenting classes, or drug testing. Because these requirements often occur during business hours, the employee will need to be away with the confidence that it won't put their job at risk. Employers should accommodate these population-specific needs.

Amy first encountered this particular challenge at Square Peg Construction, a general contracting company she co-founded with her husband, Brady.

"Instead of fighting it, we said, 'Let's just accommodate for that.' We overstaffed so that if someone was gone, we could still perform on our schedule. In other words, we created the staffing strategy in such a way that we could still complete our work on time, on budget, regardless of ten percent of people being out of office."

#4 Create an inclusive environment

"Inclusive in the sense that you've created a space where people can feel welcome and comfortable. They can be themselves wholly and completely in their place of employment and not feel like they have to conform to whatever that environment is, which is not traditional corporate culture."

Acceptance is a crucial component and an understanding that everyone didn't have access to the same opportunities.

#5 Prepare to apply for tax credits

Federal and state tax credits are available to employers who hire people from groups who face significant barriers to employment. Pallet utilizes the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a federal program. The credit ranges from $1,200 to $9,600 depending on the targeted group hired, including formerly incarcerated people, vocational rehabilitation referrals, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.

Pallet uses the tax credit to fund programs and services provided to staff, such as manufacturing training, life skills training, and personal support services.

Tax credit aside, Amy says using diversified hiring practices makes Pallet a versatile company. Bringing in people who can process and problem solve with compassion, sensitivity, and creativity is vital.

Part II: FAQ’s about becoming a second chance employer

Content warning: The following post briefly discusses suicide

For more than a year, A.J. has worked on the Pallet team as a manufacturing specialist. He has an abundance of energy, is adventurous, and doesn't shy away from a challenge. He embraces difficulty and uses it to better himself.

When A.J. is building shelters for people experiencing homelessness, he's most likely listening to a self-help book.

"If I really like it, I'll order it," said A.J. "But I've already basically read it three times before I order it."

One of his favorites is Jen Sincero's "You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life." Diving into the self-help genre is part of his overall effort to make life changes. A therapist is also guiding him with this effort. A.J. sought help because he was in a cycle he described as "work, bills, stress, worry, problems, and suicidal thoughts." The therapist is helping him step outside of that and work on other aspects of his life.

"Therapy is helping a lot. It keeps me constantly engaged in myself," said A.J. "How do I better myself? That never popped up. I was never taught how to do that, nor manage my emotions when I was a kid."

A.J. grew up in the greater Seattle area and enjoyed participating in sports. He proudly talks about playing basketball, soccer, and cross country running. After graduating high school, he joined the U.S. Marines. He served for three and half years then returned home.

He worked as an electrician with a family member and did well for a while. But he began taking opiates and later harder substances. A.J. says his life quickly went downhill. He tried to stop a few times but was unsuccessful. Growing up, he experienced trauma, had anxiety and ADHD.

A.J. says substance use disorder was destroying his life and strained his relationship with his mother.

"You spend all day trying to figure out how to get this or begging or pleading or stealing or something. And then you finally get it, and then the rest of the day is spent using it to wake up to start that process over again," said A.J. "You can't think of anything else because you're in so much pain, agony, stress in the mind. You think you're going to die, which you don't, but you feel like you're going to."

In January 2019, he checked into Olalla Guest Lodge for treatment. He was ready to begin a life in recovery.

The following year A.J. joined Pallet. While he was never homeless for more than a couple of nights at a time, he was friends with people who were. Making shelter for those in need is a way to give back. "I empathize with them greatly. If I see someone, here's two three bucks, whatever I can. If I can't, I'll find something else, something to make their day."

A.J. enjoys his role at Pallet and says his coworkers are like family– in part because there's an immediate understanding of the path that led him here. Because he works with many others with a similar background, he doesn't have to hide his past struggles or worry about becoming an outcast.

He explains why judgment of people like him who have faced challenges in life is unwarranted. "You're human just like me. Made mistakes just like me. I made different ones. That doesn't make you better than me. It just means you tripped over different rocks than I did. It just means my rock was a lot bigger."

When asked where he sees himself three years from now, A.J. prefers to focus on the present — meeting financial goals and continuing his personal growth. Eventually, he does want to get his license back so he can be an electrician.

Pallet is a second chance friendly company. No resume is required because we believe potential, not history, defines people’s futures.

 

RELATED POSTS:
Debunking homelessness myths: They are not local
Profile: Chris Hernandez, Chandler Street Tiny Home Village case manager
Pallet Founder and CEO Amy King talks building shelter for people experiencing homelessness and more in podcast interview

Ensuring Pallet Shelter Village residents have access to bathrooms is an integral part of our community model, along with on-site social services. Having a safe, private space for hygienic needs is one element of our commitment to creating a dignified community for people experiencing homelessness. We're excited to announce Pallet's engineering team has designed a series of bathrooms for communities. Five designs include various combinations of a sink, toilet, and shower. A tankless water heater assures that hot water will be readily available.

The new bathrooms are an evolution of our 64 sq. ft. and 100 sq. ft. sleeping cabins. The same material is used for the structure, aluminum framing and walls composed of fiberglass reinforced plastic with a foam insulating core. The team modified the basic structural design to meet its new purpose. This approach allowed our engineers to move quickly to meet this need.

"We didn't have to start over to redesign the bathrooms. If we were designing each of these from a clean sheet of paper, it would have taken us three years to design five different units," explained Zane Geel, Pallet's Director of Engineering. Instead, by using the same basic structure the design process took about six months.

The sleeping shelters were easily converted to bathrooms by increasing the number of doors on the front wall to access individual stalls, and eliminating windows for privacy during use. There's also an inner back wall for the installation of plumbing and electrical wiring. This way, the outer back wall can be removed for our team’s inspection and maintenance, and the entire structure will stay intact. The removable wall also gives inspectors easy access to review the plumbing and electrical system if necessary.

As a part of the initial design process, we installed a unit with multiple sink, toilet, and shower configurations at Skagit First Step Center in Burlington, WA. Residents are using them now and recently provided the team with valuable feedback about how its performing.

"We went through a survey and asked them all these questions, things like, is the lighting adequate? Is there always hot water available? Do you have any trouble with the toilets? Is the sink the right height?" said Zane. "Overall, it's performing very well. They love the products."

The assembly of the bathrooms differs from our shelters. When the sleeping cabins are shipped, they are stacked and panelized on a pallet then assembled on-site by a team. However, the bathrooms are completely built at our factory, then shipped to a community. This process significantly simplifies installation.

By offering bathrooms, creating a Pallet Shelter Village is more streamlined; it eliminates the need to find multiple separate suppliers.

"I think another one of the advantages of a customer coming to us is you get the consistency of look," said Zane. "We can provide a single quote, a single deployment that provides all of the functions that they need, which makes it way easier for the municipality."

Other accessory units in development include an ADA bathroom, community center, and laundry facility that will hold five stackable washers and dryers.

While the myths surrounding homelessness may seem benign, they can have real consequences for unhoused people. Public perception helps shape public policy. When we believe the worst about our homeless neighbors, they aren't shown the compassion and dignity they deserve. Getting back on the path to stability requires support that we should be eager to give.

This post is part one of an ongoing series addressing myths about homelessness. We'll begin with the myth that people experiencing homelessness in a given area are not local — that the majority of those in need have flocked to a given city in search of a handout and government services. It's not unheard of for someone housed to believe that their unhoused neighbors are transplants from another place. We'll explain the problem with this logic later, but first, let's look at some statistics.

Seattle / King County, WA 

A 2018 survey of people experiencing homelessness in the City of Seattle/King County showed:

• Approximately 83% were living locally when they lost housing.
• 11% lived in another Washington county before a loss of housing.
• 6% were residing out of state.

A 2017 survey showed similar results:

• 77% of respondents reported living in Seattle/King County before losing their housing.
• Approximately 15% were living in another Washington county.
• 9% were living out of state.

Los Angeles, CA

A 2019 homeless count among unsheltered adults and children in adult families living in the Greater Los Angeles area showed:

• 64.9% lived in Los Angeles County when they lost housing.
• 15.1% lived in another California county.
• 18.8% lived out of state.

San Francisco, CA

A 2019 homeless count and survey in San Francisco showed:

• 70% of respondents were living in the city when they most recently became homeless

Of the 70% who were living in the city

• 55% reported living in San Francisco for ten or more years.
• 6% said they lived in San Francisco for less than one year

A 2017 survey yielded similar findings.

• 22% reported living in another county within California.
• 8% of respondents reported living out of state at the time they became homeless.

New York, NY 

Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women, and children, addresses the "they are not local" myth on their website.

According to 2015 data, families entering shelters predominantly came from a few clustered zip codes in the poorest neighborhoods in New York City. The organization states families moving into shelters who previously resided outside NYC have remained a tiny fraction of the total number of families coming into shelters. They account for less than one-half of one percent of all families moving into shelters. Additionally, many families categorized as "out of town" are, in fact, native New Yorkers. The latter have lost their housing in neighboring communities such as New Jersey or Long Island.

As the statistics show, most people had not traveled to a new city while experiencing homelessness.

What’s at stake

The "they're not local" myth is just another way of saying homeless people don't belong. It’s “othering” an entire group of people. Homelessness isn't a problem brought to a community by a group of outsiders. It's born out of conditions already present, whether or not you can see people suffering. Homelessness rates rise faster in cities where residents spend more than one-third of their income on rent. In addition, a new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows a full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a one-bedroom rental in 93 percent of U.S. counties.

The most recent homelessness count from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shows 580,466 people, or about 18 of every 10,000 people in the U.S., were unhoused. For the first time since data collection began, more people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered — meaning they stayed on the street, in abandoned buildings, or other places unfit for human habitation — than were sheltered. The coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated the crisis.

Our unhoused neighbors are better served when we embrace compassion and reject falsehoods about who they are. Dissecting their worthiness for aid is holding them to a higher standard not imposed on those who are housed. Pallet shelter villages are “low barrier” for this reason. We value bringing everyone into a healing community with access to case management and a dignified living space so they can begin to create the life they want.

 

If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness and need help. call 2-1-1 or check this list of resources from The National Alliance to End Homelessness.

This post is part of an ongoing series debunking homelessness myths.
Part Two: Homelessness is a personal failure
Part Three: Homelessness is a choice
Part Four: Homeless people are lazy

Elevating the voices of people with lived experience with homelessness, recovery, and incarceration is integral to Pallet’s mission. In addition to telling the personal stories of our team and people living in Pallet shelter villages, we aim to raise the voices of system-impacted and marginalized persons everywhere.

We’ve partnered with Path with Art (PWA) to share personal narratives. PWA is a Seattle-based nonprofit that uses arts engagement to foster the restoration of individuals, groups, and society from the effects of trauma. The organization offers year-round arts education classes, workshops, exhibitions, and showcases to low-to-no income adults.

Aaron Hill, a longtime PWA participant, says creative writing helps him cope with past traumatic events. The following is an original poem he wrote.

 

Just Do What You Can
by aaronjhill

COLD
15°
shivering
nowhere to go for Thanksgiving and Christmas
HOT
108°
nothing to do on July 4th

life is LONELY
i am not a people-person
i have a hard time trusting people

libraries closed
no place to SLEEP
no place to go
“you can’t be here.”
private property
public property

who to ASK for help?
the bureaucracy is HELL
red tape and no empathy
why so little COMPASSION for people?

HARD TIMES
reminds me of Steinbeck
and The Grapes of Wrath
Great Depression
Dust Bowl
economic recessions come and go 

my ancestors have been through the same
cycles, never-ending cycles
haves and have-nots
does it ever end?
life can be BRUTAL
i remember that just a SMILE from strangers would LIFT me up
do what you can
to HELP

once i needed shoes for the WINTER
i put up a request on Craigslist
a young woman responded
we met at the Bellevue library
she and her husband had bought me
brand-new, waterproof BOOTS
fit me perfectly
also handed me a gift card for pizza 

SHOCKED
i was so surprised
their care for a homeless man
helped RESTORE my FAITH in HUMANITY
do not forget that YOU can do that too
just DO what you can

 

Q&A with Aaron

Pallet: How long have you been taking Path With Art classes?
Aaron: A long time. I have tried to remember my first class. It may have been printmaking, which I love. Being able to create at the Frye Art Museum is such a joy. I love that space. It has been eight or nine years, I think.

Pallet: What's been your favorite class?
Aaron: Anything to do with printmaking or clay. I love the other classes as well. I have taken so many and learned so much, from watercolors to ceramics. It is therapeutic to get my hands into clay and start creating something. I like to work organically, seeing what comes out of my crazy head and how the medium works. Becoming friends with the teaching artists and creative mentors is an added bonus.

Pallet: How long have you been writing poetry?
Aaron: I have been writing poetry since elementary school. One teacher loved haikus, so I wrote a lot of those. I learned of E.E. Cummings and I immediately became a fan. Later, in high school, I started reading Edgar Allan Poe and became addicted to his short stories. My teachers earn a lot of the credit. They drilled us in writing.

Pallet: How long did you experience homelessness?
Aaron: One day I was trying to calculate just how long I have lived on the streets. I came up with a collective ten years. It is something like that. The first episode was so traumatic for me, a middle class kid who never dreamed that such a nightmare could happen, that I cannot remember key details. My mind has blocked it out. I was sent back home to live with my parents and felt like such a failure.

Pallet: What have been the benefits of writing about your experiences?
Aaron: Writing helps me cope with past traumatic events. Also, it is a place where you can dream. You can create anything. You can play around and experiment. It may not work, but then you try to figure out how to change that. “How can I make this work?” I want to write at least one book. Of course, it takes discipline, which I lack at the moment. But once I get going, it is hard to stop. One of my short stories for a college class developed into a novel, which got lost along the way. I lost most of my belongings and have had to start over a few times. Having mental breakdowns result in a lot of repercussions.

If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness and need help. call 2-1-1 or check this list of resources from The National Alliance to End Homelessness.

 

RELATED POSTS:
Profile: Chris Hernandez, Chandler Street Tiny Home Village case manager
Community check in: Riverside, California
What’s in a name? How we chose Pallet

City of Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin is thrilled a new Pallet shelter village is available to people experiencing homelessness. She's hopeful the new low-barrier shelter option will help people who have been averse to accepting services in the past. Unhoused people can transition out of survival mode and onto the path of stability.

"The only way you can get safe and recover from the traumas of life on the street is to get inside and get that little bit of stability," Franklin said. "That's what this program is going to offer, is folks the dignity of four walls, a roof over their head and a place to put their things, to rest."

Twenty 64 square foot Pallet shelters are located behind Everett Gospel Mission (EGM), a nonprofit organization providing shelter and comprehensive recovery programs. Three of the shelters are ADA accessible. EGM is the on-site service provider for the village, and will provide residents with personalized case management. Each shelter includes beds with storage underneath, personal climate control, and electrical outlets to power personal devices. Lockable doors offer a secure, safe environment. Bathrooms and outdoor community space are available. Residents have access to showers, a laundry room, and a cafeteria inside EGM's building. 

The cabins were first offered to people living on the street in the surrounding area. Many of them are couples who wouldn't be able to stay together at a congregate shelter, segregated by gender. Sylvia Anderson, CEO of Everett Gospel Mission, is eager to provide a healing community where people can create a new life for themselves.

"We're trying to fill all the gaps so that people can come in where they are and then move to where they want to be," Anderson added.

In preparation for the site's opening, Anderson consulted with service providers at Pallet shelter villages across the nation. EGM hired a case manager and a part-time mental health counselor to work with the residents. The Pallet shelter village has enabled the nonprofit to utilize a harm reduction model. There are fewer strict rules to follow while one gets help.

"It's a very different model than what we've done before, but it's a necessary model and a continuum of care for people experiencing homelessness that we haven't participated in," Anderson said. We've been eager to do that."

Collaboration is essential in bringing a Pallet shelter village to life. At the Everett site, Pallet partnered with Construction for Change (CFC) to assemble the shelters. CFC is a Seattle-based nonprofit construction company building a sustainable infrastructure for other nonprofits across the world. The 20 volunteers who participated in the construction of this village were representatives from CFC, PCI Construction, Holmberg Mechanical, and McKinstry. Within hours the site went from a vacant gravel lot to a healing community for people living on the margins.  

"It is central to the mission of Construction for Change to serve underrepresented and under-resourced communities and provide services that improve infrastructure in health care, education, and housing," said Dean Kato, CFC Director of Strategic Relationships. "It is our pleasure and honor to work alongside Pallet and improve community housing resources."

Snohomish County and the Washington State Department of Commerce provided grant funding for the site. 

The priority for EGM is to get residents settled in before moving people to the next stage of permanent housing.

RELATED POSTS:
We are All Here: A poem on living without a home
Community check in: Riverside, California
New Pallet shelter village opens in Burlington, Washington

Chris Hernandez freely admits he likes to talk. He puts people at ease and effortlessly connects with others. It's a crucial skill in his role as one of two Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission case managers at Chandler Blvd. Tiny Home Village in Los Angeles, California.

"As a young kid, I was always very verbal with people. I was always near people," Chris said. "I've worked in hospice. I've worked with quadriplegic, paraplegic people. I've worked with people with cancer. I was a nursing assistant. I worked in a nursing home. I just love being around people and helping people. And I think I'm good at it."

Chris is part of the staff who provide social services at Chandler Village, a transitional housing community made up of 40 Pallet shelters. A safe place to sleep with a locking door and on-site case management is an essential component to Pallet shelter villages, which are designed to be a stepping stone into permanent housing.

Someone experiencing homelessness on the streets would typically have regular appointments with their case manager at an office. This location may be far away from where they live. But at Chandler Village, Chris is just a few steps away.

Day in and day out, people living at Chandler Village see Chris. He builds trust with them at their pace. His constant presence reassures folks that he's not going anywhere.

"When somebody comes in, I'll just say, how are you doing? I'll be your case manager. Is there anything that you need right now? Is there anything I can help you with? We're actually serving breakfast or lunch. Would you be interested in any of that?," Chris explained. "Honestly, it just comes natural to talk to these guys. You can tell a lot of them were hesitant at first. Even the smallest things, it brightens up their day."

Chris is there to listen and guide residents through the steps they need to rebuild their lives. One of the first tasks is to help them secure documentation such as a birth certificate or social security card. Chris recounts helping someone get a new Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card after their previous card was stolen several months before moving into Chandler Village. The card allows people to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to buy food.

"For us, it's simple. For them, it's their life. He was a little hesitant with me. We started talking daily. I helped him get his card. They actually sent the replacement card," Chris said. "I sat with him. We called to see his balance. It was over $800. And he was so, so happy with just that one card. For him, it was just everything in the world."

Residents at the village are also connected with a housing navigator and mental health services if needed. They can apply for benefits such as Medi-Cal, no-cost, or low-cost health insurance. Navigating the various systems can be complex so having a guiding hand is helpful.

Life at Chandler Village isn't all about working towards the next step. Finding joy is also vital. Residents play games, celebrate holidays, and recently assisted artist Sara Rose with a mural. She designed it for the site in partnership with Muralism, a nonprofit organization dedicated to showing how people with special needs can do productive, valued and beautiful work in their communities. Chris says many people staying there already knew one another from living in the same area on the street, so the new location is an extension of relationships already built.

Before working at Chandler Village, Chris was an intake coordinator at a substance use treatment facility. He describes the work he's doing now as amazing. He began working there when it opened in February 2021. He’s invested in folks moving onto permanent housing and a few have. He’s just as excited as the resident when everything comes together, “it’s the best feeling in the world.”

Chris is happy to be a part of a solution to the growing homelessness crisis. He wants the community to have faith in the work they're doing. As much as he's helped others, he's also learning.

"Never judge anybody by who they are and how they live because that could be me one day," Chris said. "I've just learned how to appreciate the little things. Even a toothbrush, or having a place to go to the bathroom, or even a roof over my head, a lot of these guys, they didn't have that. Cause they lived in tents. And a lot of stories these guys would tell us, it breaks my heart. So, I do appreciate everything that I do have."

Amy King is known for her work with Pallet, a social purpose company working to end unsheltered homelessness and give people a second chance at employment. But it isn’t the only company she’s involved in. There’s also Square Peg Development, a general contractor, and Weld, a nonprofit equipping system-impacted people with housing, employment, and other resources. The three companies are similar in mission and vision, with Amy and her husband Brady as the driving force.

Recently Together Washington Executive Director Tim Gaydos interviewed Amy for the “Common Good” podcast. Together Washington is a nonprofit organization encouraging innovation and prosperity for all. In the hour-long interview, Amy discussed building transitional shelter villages, Pallet’s employment model, how Weld supports the community, and more.

Listen to the full interview here. The following is a condensed version of their conversation.

 

Tim Gaydos: We are telling the inspiring stories of those building the common good across our region, across our state. We're at a time where it can be difficult to be able to find that common ground, to find the places and spaces that we can build together. And so often it's hard I think in today's society, folks think that we can't hold on to convictions or values and still work with people who are different. Amy King is with us today. Thanks for taking some time to be with us, but give us that quick cursory view of what these three orgs are doing right now.

Amy King: My husband and I started a Square Peg construction in 2014 and Square Peg is a general contractor that builds permanent products, both market rate and affordable around the city of Seattle and the Puget Sound area. What's unique about  Square Peg is that 83 percent of our employees are individuals that are exiting the criminal justice system, addiction recovery programs and homelessness across the city. And these are individuals that are interested in the construction trades. So our goal there is to build and develop a workforce to help us construct the amount of housing that we so desperately need of permanent housing, but also to increase housing supply so that's Square Peg’s goals.

Along the way in 2016, we started a company called Pallet, which is a manufacturing company. We design and produce rapid deployment shelters that go up in 30 to 60 minutes that are used for homelessness response, disaster response and mobile workforce housing. Those also provide job opportunities for people that are traditionally marginalized but in the manufacturing industry and same thing, more than 80 percent of the employees in that entity come from those three backgrounds.

And then along the way, we felt like, as we worked with our employees to learn more about the reentry process and reintegration following homelessness and addiction, we realized that people need a lot more than just jobs, although that is a really key piece of their success in reintegration. And they needed things like housing and wraparound resources and connection to public services and community groups. And so we started a nonprofit called Weld Seattle. Weld Seattle houses about 150 people a year using vacant developer properties across the city. And then we also have an employment program in that entity. And we're really excited to announce that next year we're opening Seattle's first ever Collaborative Reentry Resource Center through that entity as well. So lots of fun stuff going on. We're really excited about it.

Tim: Wow. I mean, amazing work. Congratulations. So great. And I mean, I've got 30 follow up questions from all that.

Amy: Great! (laughs)

Tim: First, on Pallet. Some folks might — they're hearing a lot about tiny homes or tiny houses. Because so many folks here in the region, over the last few years it's been in the news every day. Homelessness and what's happening. And they're hearing a lot about tiny, tiny houses. Is that what you're doing?

Amy: Yeah, kind of. When you think of the tiny homes, people have different views of what a tiny home is. So what we provide are emergency shelters that are individual in nature. These are singular or double occupancy units. They're a little different from the tiny homes that you see around the Seattle area today in that they're made of a nontraditional construction material. So they're cleanable, sterilizable, they’re panelized. They go together fast. They can be moved really easily and taken apart if needed. They're really meant to be more of a functional, urgent response. We see homelessness as a crisis that should be treated like an emergency. So we created something that was scalable and rapid-use and easy to use and reusable so that we could start acting like homelessness is the emergency that it is and we could get people into housing as quickly as possible. All of our sites across the country are set up in a community setting. Units are set up around hygiene facilities, food services and all of our sites — it is a requirement for us — all of our sites have full-time, around-the-clock service provision, case management and rehabilitative efforts for the residents who live there.

Tim: Wow. So you're doing this, I know in Los Angeles. Are you doing some of this in Seattle? Or I know there's been maybe some movement to do some work here in Seattle around the tiny houses.

 Amy: Yeah, there's been a lot of talk in the Seattle area around this movement and expanding tiny home villages. We to date have set up one unit in the Seattle area, excuse me, one site. And that was in connection with King County and Dow’s team [King County Executive Dow Constantine]. It's down on Elliott Avenue. Last year, we set up just over 2,000 shelter beds across the country, everywhere but our own backyard, which is, you know, a bummer but we get it. It's all right. So we do have sites — our longest running site, actually is in Tacoma close by. And it's a fantastic site with an 89 percent success rate, placing people in permanent housing. So we're really proud of that site.

Tim: Tell us about the work down in L.A., because you're down in L.A. quite a bunch.

Amy: Yes. So we've been working with elected officials in L.A. at the city there for just over a year. As you're probably aware, there are 66,000 homeless people in L.A. and 48,000 of those are unsheltered. So really just a massive problem. And so they are working with a number of groups to do a broad based approach and response effort to get as many people inside as quickly as possible. As you might be aware, there's also a federal Supreme Court case going on there where the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights sued the city and the county for their lack of response over the last 10 plus years. And so their urgency is being somewhat fueled and motivated by that. But actually, the city has actually really stepped up and has been great to work with and is starting to move with urgency and think creatively and embrace innovation when they think about responding to homelessness there.

Tim: Is that going to be a long-term relationship for you guys down in L.A.?

Amy: I hope so. I think so. It kind of depends. There's a lot to it that has to be considered in terms of service provision and all of that and site selection. And so I think they'll be ongoing opportunities for us to set up additional sites and rehabilitative communities for people there. One thing that we are looking at, because there's been such a broad-based response there. They're really interested in our social impact employment model that we have here, where we're employing people that need jobs. And so we are looking at a coordinated effort with them right now to put a secondary production plant on Skid Row. They are working hard to move people off of Skid Row as quickly as possible into housing, not criminalizing for homelessness, not sweeps, but to move people into effective housing with services. And part of that is job creation. So we are hopeful that we might be a part of creating some jobs for people as they exit that system down there.

Tim: That's wonderful. That's a great just a little segue to talk a little bit about what's happening here and just get your thoughts, overall kind of assessment of how we're doing here. Where are challenge areas? What can we be doing better when it comes to folks here without homes?

Amy: That's a tough, loaded question. But I'll be honest. I think what we see across the country — as I mentioned, working with L.A. and with a number of other cities across the country — what we're seeing is this really awesome creative approach to think about new ways of responding that address the root cause issue. And then sometimes we go to cities where we see this obsession with the status quo and permanent housing is the only way. As a side note, permanent housing is needed. It's absolutely the way. But we [Square Peg] also build permanent buildings. So we understand how long it takes, how cost prohibitive it is. And we cannot allow our streets to be waiting rooms for permanent housing. And that's the approach we've taken in L.A. and everywhere. And I would say it here as well. What I see when I drive around city of Seattle is we have allowed our streets to become waiting rooms for people who need our help. They are suffering and they need a place to go. They need a place to stabilize and to engage with services.

Tim: One of the things I wanted to ask you about Amy, I really want to hone in on is, you said 83 percent of your employees have come out of the criminal justice system or have experienced homelessness, addiction. This is powerful. How did that start? Where did that come from? And how is that going?

Amy: We started this work very much by accident. It sort of happened to us more than we sought it out. But now we very intentionally seek it out. And it is kind of the core of our mission here across our companies. When we first started Square Peg in 2014, my husband had set out to hire some laborers to help him. And we posted the job on Craigslist, Indeed, all the different various places that you post and literally nobody applied. And at the time, there was just this massive shortage of construction workers. There still are, it's improved some. But, at the same time, we had a mutual friend who came and asked us to help and coordinate with another gentleman who had started his own construction company and had five employees working for him. He said, could you teach him what you know about the business side of running your own business and kind of work with them? And so we were contracting them as laborers and I was helping them build out their business aspects and kind of talking through some of that with them. And then finally, they came to us and said, you know, to be honest with you, we started this business out of necessity, but we would rather just work for you guys. And we said, well, that's great. That solves the problem for both of us. So we sort of absorbed them into what we were doing.

And then — as is my practice as a manager, which I've been managing people my whole career — I went and intentionally sat down with each one of them and said, you know, tell me your story and where do you come from and how can we help you grow and all that kind of stuff. Not knowing at the time that all of them had this pretty extensive criminal history, and so when they told me where they had come from and that they were all engaged in reentry following release from incarceration, I was like, oh, my gosh, this is crazy. I grew up in Edmonds [Washington], very sheltered. I had no experience with this stuff. And in my initial reaction was fear because I didn't know. And I thought, oh, maybe I should be scared of these guys. But at the same time, I had already gotten to know them for a period of time. They had been working alongside my husband. They were amazing employees, like very hard workers, very conscientious, just really trying to prove themselves and doing a fantastic job. And so my husband and I had to sit down and say, you know, it doesn't matter that they have a criminal history, we're doing construction. It's not like we're working with small children or we're doing something that a background check would disqualify them from. We came back to it and said, well, maybe it's worthwhile. Let’s just see how this goes.

I've managed hundreds of people in my career in this industry and in health care. And I have never had such enthusiastic, conscientious workers as the people that we hire. They are the most phenomenal employees. And the rest of the employment world is totally missing this talent pool.

They work hard. They prove themselves. They're constantly trying to learn and grow and create a better opportunity for themselves. And many of them acknowledge the fact that they haven't always made the best choices. Often those choices are driven by frustrating circumstances that are outside of their control or response to trauma situations, things that are understandable to me now that I know and understand so much more about how they ended up where they did.

Tim: Absolutely incredible. That's just something, as you said, that is overlooked. Not only did you see this hiring pool, but you also saw the fact that as you got in, you start to hear their story. And how much story matters. The fact that second and often third chances are important. Tell us about that. I know there's so many stories you could probably tell about this, but what's something that sticks out?

Amy: I have so many stories, but just as a blanket, I can very confidently say that 100 percent of our people that we work with and for, a hundred percent of them have a significant childhood trauma. One hundred percent. And that is the common denominator. They've had some trauma that's happened to them. That was not their doing. And yeah, maybe they made some bad choices in response to that trauma. But, you know, it's interesting, you use the word second chance, and that's a common terminology that we hear, third chances. What I would argue is a lot of our people never had a chance to begin with. They grew up in poverty with parents that were not engaged or couldn't engage because of their own past circumstance. They did not have access to good education, to good nutrition, to housing. They did not have access to the same opportunities that I had growing up in a privileged environment. And all of them, when they tell me their stories and I hear what they've come from, I'm like, dear God, if I had gone through what you went through, I don't think I would be upright. How are you functioning in society and carrying on? And I think that's the part that I walk away from my job every day going, it's easy for those of us with opportunity and privilege to look at and judge people who are in situations different than us and say stupid stuff like pick yourself up by your bootstraps. I hate that saying, I absolutely hate it. And knowing now those people and walking alongside them in their journey, I realize that there's no bootstraps. They're not even wearing any boots. There's a totally different scenario there that I think many of us that come from privilege, if we had to journey through what they've journeyed through in terms of that childhood trauma and neglect, we would not be alive. They have navigated poverty and addiction and abuse and neglect and things that most of us would never stand up underneath. I see the people that work with us as heroes. We see people everyday, men and women, that are reunited with their children. We see families being put back together. It's a really beautiful cycle of watching people put their lives back together and then turning around and offering what they've learned back to their communities in meaningful ways.

Tim: Amy, one of the things that you have going now is Weld. The Seattle Times did a great feature on this a few months ago. Tell our listeners about what Weld is and what's coming.

Amy: Yes, so we're really excited. Weld, it is a nonprofit organization that basically provides housing access to opportunity and resources around the city for people that are reentering following incarceration, addiction, recovery and homelessness. And so we have a couple of different program areas. For the last five years now, we have been housing people, utilizing vacant developer properties throughout the city. So that's our primary program area. We turn those houses into clean and sober living houses. They are democratically run by house managers on site with accountability, with meetings, regular meetings and all kinds of services set up inside the house to help the rehabilitative process of the individual that are living there. We housed about 100 to 150 people a year in that program and it's just been wildly successful for us.

Last year we also launched a program called Weld Works, which is a staffing agency that provides individuals exiting the system to contract labor jobs. We started out in the construction industry because that's what we know. But we're now working in cleaning and sanitation and manufacturing, hospitality, all kinds of industries. And the thought there is kind of twofold. One is we want to introduce people exiting the system to jobs and we encourage employers who hire our individuals on a contract basis to pick them off if they like them. There's no placement or headhunter fee if they decide they want to employ them. And we will continue to support the individual for up to a year after placement in employment with all of their soft skills and other needs outside of employment. And then we also want to encourage employers to sort of, as I say, dip their toe in the water of second chance employment and try out the model that we love and embody and think is really meaningful. And so this is a way for them to see what would it be like to employ someone coming from that background.

The last thing which we're excited to announce is 1426. So earlier this year, we were very graciously given a building by Rich Barton, the CEO of Zillow and his wife, Sarah. They bought us a building on Jackson Street just up from Pioneer Square. And we just received our building permits, which we are so excited about. And we're going to be renovating that building and turning it into Seattle's first Collaborative Reentry Resource Center. So we will be partnering with organizations like Recovery Cafe, the Clemency Project, Innocence Project, a whole bunch of groups that are doing awesome, criminal justice and social justice work in and around the city. And we're going to be providing mental health and social work services, adult education classes, resume building, job placement, housing placement. And then we're also very excited the basement is going to have a yoga studio and art studio and a recording studio in partnership with Pearl Jam and some great art organizations in our community. And we'll be offering trauma informed creative therapy services out of the building as well. So really exciting.

We won't be open for about nine to 12 more months, but that entire effort is entirely led and driven by people with lived experience. So Weld is completely staffed with individuals exiting the system who have experience with the system all the way from our executive director down. Everybody on staff has that lived experience and they build amazing programs that are incredibly effective. So we're really excited.

Tim: Well, you had me at Pearl Jam. So they're partnering with you all. What does that look like?

Amy: They've been great to help us funding and sponsorship of the recording studio itself. And then as you're probably aware, a number of members of Pearl Jam have been engaged with all kinds of cool community service programs like MusiCares. And so we're looking at opportunities to do music-based awareness building around social justice issues and then opportunities for troubled youth that we're trying to prevent from going into the system, that kind of stuff. So there'll be a recording studio there where we can work with youth on music and we'll have pottery wheel and art and yoga and all those things. So the idea there is, you know, people are going to come into the space and do some really hard work that's really important and significant around their trauma and around their experience. And you can kind of let that out in a creative way.

Tim: Amy, what do you do in your spare time?

Amy: (laughs) I work. I don't have a lot of spare time. This is something that obviously we're very passionate about and actually 1426 kind of is my spare time passion project. I am the founder of Weld, but I have very happily handed it off to really capable people who come from the backgrounds that we serve and they really run that. And I just step in and help them as needed. I can't take credit for the beautiful programs that they have created and run today. They do beautiful, amazing work. And I would be remiss to not talk about, they actually have a less than three percent recidivism rate in the programs that they've built. The national average for five years [after release], recidivism rate across the country is 77 percent. And Weld's recidivism rate is three. It's because it's run by people who come from that background.

Tim: How do you want to be remembered, Amy?

Amy: That's a really, really good question. I would love to be remembered as a social justice warrior. As someone who fought for the people who couldn't find their own voices, and that I want to be the person who hands any microphone that I have off to someone who doesn't usually get that chance. I want to elevate the stories and voices of the heroes that I get to walk with every day. And I want to be remembered because of them.

 

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Pallet employee Josh thought the life he has today was out of reach

Elevating the voices of people with lived experience with homelessness, recovery, and incarceration is integral to Pallet’s mission. In addition to telling the personal stories of our team and people living in Pallet shelter villages, we aim to raise the voices of system-impacted and marginalized persons everywhere.

We’ve partnered with Path with Art (PWA) to share some personal narratives. PWA is a Seattle-based nonprofit that uses arts engagement to foster the restoration of individuals, groups, and society from the effects of trauma. The organization offers year-round arts education classes, workshops, exhibitions, and showcases to low-to-no income adults.

Pam, a longtime PWA participant, describes PWA as having a profound effect on her life. The following is an original poem by Pam. 

We are All Here

We live in tent cities behind nylon walls, huddled in wool blankets in doorways of neglect.
We live in secured high-rises casting shadows below, houses flooded with desire, homes gated in fear.
We live with slumlords and in public housing too.
We live alone in our minds, wandering along pathways edged by open chains.

We work for corporate greed,
We dumpster dive for food,
We work for non-profits to build a better world,
We ask for spare change, sometimes shoot-up to heal a gaping wound.
We are honest laborers, the shrunken middle class,
We do not ask for handouts, but will reach for a helping hand. 

We race upstairs chasing freedom and we lounge on city streets,
We stand in long lines at food banks, waiting for leftovers we can't afford,
We walk in parks and shop behind gilded walls.
Sometimes we steal in the night, while white collars take in the light to line their coffers gold.

Sometimes life feels darker than the backside of the moon;
we watch her catch her breath 
as she rushes to soften the edges of what we call urban blight.
Sometimes we feel the ecstasy of unity, especially on nights like tonight. 

We are a city on shifting tectonic plates, frayed at the edges, 
clothed in attitudes of love and dismay.
We are a city of others, separate and near.
We are teachers and students alike, but webs twist around our minds, our lives,
isolating us from those who look and think more different than we'd like. 

We are all here, polarized by red and blue fear.
We must break down the walls,
Step out of the shadow of Them, Other, They.
We must hold our sister's gaze, grasp our brother's hand.
Link our minds to overcome judgments about what we think is right.

We are all here; the me in them.
The drum beat of our city, the heartbeat of Seattle, 
the energy that makes our diversity vibrate with rhythm that unites.

 We are All here and we're not going anywhere.

 

Q&A with Pam

Pallet: How long have you been taking Path With Art classes?
Pam: I've been with PWA for 10 years. I can't believe it's been that long. Taking classes with them has given me so many opportunities, including giving me a voice and a platform from which to speak.

Pallet: What's been your favorite class?
Pam: Probably the class that made the biggest difference in my life was a chapbook class. They helped us publish books of our own poetry, self-published but still. I never dreamed I could do such a thing. Mostly I take writing classes, but all the classes I've taken have been incredible. Especially access [to] art events, opportunities to go to the symphony, opera, plays, performances. They help me feel like I'm part of society, and participate in things that normalize my life. 

Pallet: What have been the benefits of writing about your experiences?
Pam: For most of my life creativity wasn't on my radar, then through the Recovery Café I heard about PWA. I was terrified to take a class; I didn't feel good enough and was certain they wouldn't want me. Well, I found the courage and signed up for a class and it changed my life. It has given me confidence to step out into the world in other ways, to feel worthy, like I belong.

Pallet: How long have you been writing poetry?
Pam: PWA was where I began writing poetry; it has helped me process my life/trauma in an indirect way, which in a lot of ways has been more effective than any therapy I ever had.

Pallet: How long were you without a home? 
Pam: Aside from couch surfing, I experienced 'houselessness' two different times for a total of about a year. Once I lived out of my car and the other time I lived in a tent while I was waiting to be approved for housing.

 

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Pallet employee Alex knows firsthand why our shelter villages are a crucial lifeline for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. For about a year, he lived in a tent in the woods with his girlfriend. There are countless challenges to living outside, and Alex is thankful those days are behind him. He's worked at Pallet as a manufacturing specialist for a year, lives in an apartment, and is in recovery.

"I just got my driver's license back. I got my car. I became a Costco member. All things two years ago I never thought I'd do. Building my credit back," Alex explained. "I have a great job. I love what I do here. I love providing shelter for people. I love the people I work with."

Alex said being homeless was a stressful and horrible time in his life. He had to stay warm, worried about other people stealing items from his tent, and tried to avoid being seen going into the woods for fear of someone reporting him to the police. On one occasion, his tent collapsed under the weight of snow while sleeping, soaking everything inside. It was a situation he described as miserable. In another incident he woke up to the tent engulfed in flames in another instance because a propane heater caught fire. Thankfully, he wasn't injured.

His substance use disorder compounded the difficulty of living outside. It was a cycle that began as a teenager and lasted for 15 years. Nevertheless, he was able to work steadily until the year before he began recovery. Alex was tired of barely surviving when he heard about the Snohomish County Diversion Center. The program is for people experiencing homelessness who have substance use disorder and other behavioral health issues. Instead of being incarcerated they have access to treatment.

“Now that I've got some clean time. Today I can easily make the choice not to do it [use substances]," Alex said. "It was a long rough road that took away every good thing I ever had. And it ended up to where it was either going to be jail, dead, or change my life. I made the right choice."

Alex has been in recovery for two years. He's also enrolled in the Therapeutic Alternatives to Prosecution (TAP) program, an alternative to prosecution for adults with substance use or mental health problems contributing to their involvement in the criminal justice system. He's completed 100 hours of community service, paid off fines, and checks in with a counselor. Once he completes the program, three pending felonies will be dismissed.

Alex applied for a job with Pallet because he needed a second chance. His criminal record didn't disqualify him, and he joins many others at the company with a similar background who now make living wages with full benefits, such as healthcare and 401k savings plans.

"Being around other people in recovery is huge. It's people that have gone through what I've gone through," Alex said. "I pray every day that I don't ever go back. My life today is so much better. The things that I go through today. The stress I go through is nowhere near — nowhere near what I used to go through."

When Alex isn't building prefabricated shelters on Pallet's factory floor, he's spending quality time with his girlfriend and children.

 

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On a warm sunny afternoon City of Burlington Mayor Steve Sexton eagerly introduced a new temporary housing resource for people experiencing homelessness. It’s called Skagit First Step Center and has 38 Pallet shelters that will serve as a low barrier option to bring people inside. A crowd of about two dozen people toured the site and got a firsthand look at where people will be staying when it opens. Three of the shelters are ADA-accessible.

Friendship House, a nonprofit organization focused on transforming a person's crisis situation into an opportunity for empowerment and self-sufficiency, will provide 24/7 site management at Skagit First Step Center’s shelter village. The goal is to get program participants stabilized then moved into permanent housing. While staying in the Pallet shelters, residents will have access to mental health and substance use support, employment services, medical visits, meals, and transportation. In addition, each shelter has a locking door, electricity, climate control, foldable beds, and more. The site also features a pilot of Pallet’s communal bathrooms and showers.

Skagit First Step Center is located on city-owned property and within driving distance of Pallet’s factory headquarters. In a short time, crews rebuilt a vacant gravel lot into a community. The site is fenced, and each shelter sits on a concrete pad. Officials also renovated an adjoining building on the lot to create office space for staff and a meeting space for residents.

This shelter village is the result of a community effort zeroing in on finding an additional way to address homelessness — an issue that can often seem insurmountable. Skagit County, a few neighboring cities, and private individuals collectively contributed more than $500,000 of funding to the project. The new village joins many other Pallet communities across several states. Our model of combining transitional housing with wraparound services leads to positive outcomes. For example, 41 people who stayed at Riverside Cabin Village Shelter have moved onto permanent housing.

For Tina Tate, Executive Director of Friendship House, the shelter village is another avenue to fulfill their mission.

"It's been about six years that I've had a vision of a low barrier shelter that would serve the most vulnerable, our neighbors living on the streets and give them a place of hope,” she shared. “But Mayor Sexton's vision — this — is better than anything I ever dreamed of. So thank you. Thank you all for being here and having compassion in your hearts and believing that something like this can work.”

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Classifying ourselves as a Social Purpose Company (SPC) is more than an official designation. It speaks to Pallet’s values and purpose. SPC is the Washington state equivalent to a B corporation. It means our team puts a social purpose above making a profit. We're on a twofold mission: build equal opportunity access to housing and employ a nontraditional workforce.

Our shelters are used to create transitional villages for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Wraparound case management provided by a local service provider helps them stabilize to move onto permanent housing successfully. It's a proven model assisting people in many cities, including Riverside, California, Tacoma, Washington, and Dallas, Texas.

We employ a nontraditional workforce to meet the goal of ending unsheltered homelessness. Many on our staff have lived experience with homelessness, substance use disorder, and incarceration. At Pallet, employees earn a living wage and receive benefits. From the beginning, our team has informed the design of the shelters and continues to suggest revisions where needed. We've created a supportive community where all can thrive and create the life they want. Employment is a critical component to a sustainable movement out of homelessness.

Becoming a SPC also ensured the investors who join us are mission-aligned. Pallet and the board of directors intentionally invest profits back into the people.

You may be wondering why we aren't a nonprofit. We recognized the scale needed to be successful required a market-based solution. So we brought on partners to front-load the resources required to rapidly meet the needs of the ever-growing homelessness crisis across the country. Doing so allowed us to buy materials, secure a factory, hire staff, and more. The stakeholders on this journey understand Pallet is a social enterprise with the mission being the driving force, not substantial returns on profits.

Further, being a SPC improves our resilience. Unlike a nonprofit, we aren't dependent upon charity and the economic climate. Because of this model, we can currently build 50 shelters a week. That means more people will have access to transitional housing and a path out of homelessness. At the same time, our manufacturing specialists can continue to have access to economic opportunity and stability.

At Pallet we believe a company can pursue profits and carry out a social purpose. The two don't need to be competing forces. We’re leading by example.

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Los Angeles Opens Its First Shelter Village

Moving out of homelessness is complex, and the path to stability varies from person to person. However, one proven factor in improving the odds of long-term success is transitional housing. Riverside Cabin Village Shelter offers this critical step with Pallet shelters.

The southern California community opened in March 2020 with 30 shelters. City Net, a nonprofit organization addressing homelessness through the coordination of community efforts, is the service provider. They’ve partnered with the City of Riverside. Residents have access to 24-hour wraparound services, including program supervisors, case managers, and housing navigators. Meals are also provided.

Riverside Cabin Village Shelter has four ADA-compliant units, dining areas, showers, restrooms, a pet area, bike racks, and a resource center for program participants. In addition, each shelter has a locking door, personal climate control, windows, and more.

Celebration and community are two cornerstones at Riverside. Part of the process of getting back on track is securing lost identification from social security cards to birth certificates. When they arrive in the mail, it’s celebrated. Receiving a housing voucher is also a joyous time. People staying at Riverside form friendships and support one another as they reflect and make plans. Rather than site staff, residents develop their own ideas for activities — one being the construction of vision boards, a collage of images affirming one’s desires and dreams. Everyone staying at Riverside wants to be there and to be self-sufficient.

March 16, 2020 - April 30, 2021 impact:
● 149 people served
● 49 people received tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA)
● 41 people permanently housed
● 25% increased their income
● 3 people reunified with family

Success story:
Born and raised in the City of Riverside, Danielle grew up in a broken home. This lack of stability and familial support contributed to her falling into homelessness. Danielle was enrolled into the Riverside Cabin Village Shelter in September of 2020 and immediately got to work with her City Net Case Manager, working towards her personal goals of increasing employment and ending her homelessness. With the help of her Case Manager, Danielle located a rental unit near her place of employment to increase her hours of work and monthly income. Once approved for her new apartment, City Net helped her with the move-in process and provided her with a deposit and first-month rental assistance. Danielle has remained housed since January of 2021.

We’re excited for Danielle and what’s to come for her in the coming years. Moving into a supportive environment helped her reach her goals.

Too often, people experiencing homelessness are considered lost causes, but that’s not the case at the Riverside Cabin Village or any other Pallet shelter village. Any one of us could succumb to circumstances that require a helping hand. We’re proud to partner with City Net and the City of Riverside to support our neighbors in need.

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On a recent sunny spring weekend, Josh and his fiancée exchanged I do's in an outdoor ceremony. The two pledged to be life partners in front of a small group of friends and family. The joyous occasion marked a milestone for Josh he would not have predicted for himself. Several years ago, he was sleeping in his car in the back of a store parking lot. Today he maintains a full-time job here at Pallet, mended fractured personal relationships, and tries to lead by example.

"If you told me almost eight years ago when I got clean, that this is where my life would be, I would not have believed you," Josh shared. "I wouldn't believe you, that I have been with the company for almost four years. I wouldn't believe you, that a woman is head over heels for me and wants to marry me."

Josh is grateful for being able to shift the direction of his life. As a second chance employer, his arrest record and past with substance use didn't matter to Pallet. He had construction skills and a strong desire to be a part of an unsheltered homelessness solution. Along with all our employees, Josh earns a livable wage and receives benefits, including a 401k plan. He was one of the first people to join the Pallet team. Josh works in the factory, constructing shelter panels that we ship out to various cities across the country. Building shelter for people experiencing homelessness is personal because he was homeless for five years.

"The past four years have been the best thing in my life. I wouldn't change any of this because I'm building shelter for people that don't have one," Josh said. "We're doing what we're talking about. We're trying to get everybody off the street, and that's all I care about."

“We’re doing what we’re talking about. We’re trying to get everybody off the street, and that’s all I care about.”

The Journey
Josh grew up in the Seattle area and is the middle child among seven children. He began using substances as a teenager. Within a few years, he got into trouble with law enforcement and began using harsher drugs. Thus, starting a cycle of using substances to self-medicate. He surrounded himself with people who were also engaging in the same activities. It was a downward spiral, "I started losing jobs left and right, being homeless. I started stealing from my family and stuff, and so they didn't want me in the house for years."

Even after moving on, one visceral memory remains — the scent inside his car when he lived in it.

"The window was broken out, and I had plastic on it and the smell of the mold and body odor. I'll never forget that in my life of how bad it smelled," Josh shared. "But I was so used to it; I was so used to being in the filth that it was OK."

Josh would eventually get rid of that car because he kept getting arrested for driving on a suspended license. A judge threatened him with a habitual offender charge which led him to the decision. Later, he sought help at Everett Gospel Mission, a nonprofit organization providing shelter and comprehensive recovery programs. Initially, he used it as a place to sleep while the counselors encouraged him to join a program. Josh thought he could quit at any time until he realized he had a problem.

"I finally broke down and went to the counselor, and I was like, look, I need to change something," Josh said. "I don't know what it is, but I need to change it."

It took a few starts and restarts, but with the Genesis program's help at Everett Gospel Mission, Josh finally began to stay on track.

Josh says he's always done construction work because he was good with hands. Since joining Pallet, Josh has improved his reading and writing skills with the assistance of Zane, Director of Engineering. One of Zane's techniques was having Josh write things down rather than relying on his memory.

"He was pushing me, and I don't think he realized how much he was affecting my life," Josh shared. "Helping me to encourage myself to just step forward and just keep on working on it and it'll come eventually."

The challenge has paid off outside of work as well. Josh is reading books now and isn’t relying on voice text.

Reflections
Ending homelessness is often framed as meeting physical needs — getting a roof over someone's head and into a stable environment. For Josh, it was more nuanced. First, he had to move out of his comfort zone and accept that it was time to take on responsibilities, such as paying bills on time. He also had to get past doubt and negative self-talk. He would say to himself that he would screw up again and that he wouldn't make it, so why even try.

"Trying to come out of it was the hardest thing I ever did in my life," Josh said. "It was even harder than quitting drugs."

“Trying to come out of it [homelessness] was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. It was even harder than quitting drugs.”

Doubts still creep up from time to time, but now he has the tools to combat them. One strategy is going through a list of five things he's grateful for, which centers him.

Josh uses his journey as a testimony to help others. His affable nature and positive attitude make him easy to talk to. He also tries to be a role model at work.

"I try and be that every single day because I don't know who's struggling, who's not. I don't know if somebody needs to be talked to, nothing. So I'm always having that open heart. Always. And I always will be, you know, for the newcomer or anybody struggling."

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When you first hear our company name, the first image that comes to mind is often wooden planks forged together. It's an understandable reaction given what the word has come to represent over time. But unlike wooden shelters, ours are made of durable FRP panels that are resistant to mold, mildew, and pests. In one sense, Pallet is indicative because we stack each shelters' panels, place them on a pallet, and then ship them to destinations across North America. Pallet speaks to the functionality of our innovative solutions to human displacement. But that wasn't enough. Our name needed to reflect our values.

The driving force behind choosing the name is Pallet Founder and CEO Amy King, a self-described "linguistic nerd." She loves words and definitions, leading her to a name that reflects our mission as a whole. The early definition of a pallet is a straw mattress, or a makeshift bed to lift people up off the ground. When someone has a bed and a safe space to sleep, it allows them the opportunity to rest and plan their next steps. This is crucial for people experiencing displacement. One cannot start to improve their circumstances without having basic needs addressed. Our shelters lift people up because they offer dignity, a locking door, storage, personal climate control options, and more. They are built in a village setting to form a community where people can access wraparound services, develop camaraderie with other residents, and make positive transitions to more permanent housing.

Pallet as a name is also a reflection of our commitment to elevate our employees who build the shelters. We are a fair chance employer, which means we hire and invest in people actively engaged in recovery and reintegration. Some have lived experience with homelessness and are invaluable in the design process of our shelters. We offer competitive wages, healthcare, and a 401k plan — benefits that speak to our commitment to creating supportive spaces to heal and foster community.

At the end of the month, the federal eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to expire. The looming deadline coupled with a new homelessness report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is concerning. The annual Point-In-Time (PIT) count data reflects information collected before COVID-19 swept the nation.

For the first time since data collection began, more people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered, meaning they stayed on the street, in abandoned buildings, or other places unfit for human habitation — than were sheltered. Unsheltered homelessness increased by seven percent, while the sheltered numbers remained steady. In Arizona, Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon, more than half of the homeless population comprises people living in unsheltered locations.

This is an alarming benchmark because people living outside are at higher risk of experiencing violence and trauma. They are also more reliant on public and emergency health systems for care. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the homelessness crisis. The pandemic has created job losses and increased demand for the services such as food banks.

Key Findings from HUD’s 2020 annual homeless assessment report part one:
● On a single night in January 2020, 580,466 people – about 18 of every 10,000 people in the United States – experienced homelessness across the United States. This represents a 2.2 percent increase from 2019.
● After steady reductions from 2010 to 2016, homelessness has increased in the last four consecutive years.
● Veteran homelessness did not decline in 2020. 2020 was the first year that homelessness among family households did not fall since 2010.
● Youth homelessness is slightly down (a 2.2 percent decrease from 2019).
● People of color are significantly over-represented among people experiencing homelessness.

In a video address, HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge referred to the findings as devastating. She also spoke about how people can be helped, “It has been shown, time and again, that helping people exit homelessness quickly through permanent housing without restrictions, prevents a return to homelessness.”

But it’s not all bleak news. Help is on the way for people experiencing homelessness. The America Rescue Plan Act, signed by President Joe Biden, allocates $5 billion for emergency housing vouchers and $5 billion to help create housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

At Pallet, we contribute one solution to getting people off the street and into permanent housing. Our shelters are a safe and dignified place of transition until they can find a home of their own. The shelters are designed by people with lived experience who uniquely understand the needs of those who are living unsheltered.

Silicon Valley, where innovation and tech dreams come to life, is nestled in Santa Clara County, California. Google is just one of many notable companies headquartered there. But thousands outside of that privileged bubble are focused on a more basic challenge — finding a safe place to sleep at night.

The opening of Casitas de Esperanza, or "Homes of Hope," in San Jose is one way the county addresses their needs. The site has 25, 100 square foot Pallet shelters for families experiencing homelessness. The shelters are equipped with folding beds, storage, windows, and heat and air conditioning. It's a dignified option for people living on the margins. Showers, bathrooms, and a community room are also on-site for residents to share. The site is managed by Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment.

Among the families who moved in were a couple who were evicted from their home after losing their jobs. They bought an old RV with savings, but it started breaking down. They were able to move into one of the shelters with their two daughters and are on their way to stability.

It only took a week to assemble the Pallet shelters at Casitas de Esperanza. We partnered with the San Jose Conservation Corps, a multi-faceted program that utilizes a combination of education and job training for adult youth, to put them together.

Victor Lopez with San Jose Conservation Corps served as the construction crew leader on-site. For him, it felt great to contribute to a solution of bringing people inside. The partnership allowed Lopez to strengthen his planning and production skills to lead the team.

"I had to teach other corps members how to be communicative and how to actually put all this together," he shared.

Each individual Pallet shelter is connected to electricity to power residents' personal devices, lights, and the heating/cooling unit. Casitas de Esperanza is unique because it uses renewable energy captured by a BoxPower microgrid. The system utilizes solar panels, batteries, and a generator which are all incorporated in and on top of a shipping container. This option saved the county approximately $600,000 compared to the utility company's initial quote to power the community.

“Pallet is truly a social purpose company, driven on every level by its mission to house the unsheltered, and this partnership serves as a testament to their willingness to go above and beyond to solve for the pressing needs of the unhoused in our communities,” said Dalan Angelo, sales and partnership at BoxPower. “Our shared values of cost-effective, rapidly deployable, and modular solutions ultimately all helped make this project a highly successful partnership we hope to soon replicate."

How the BoxPower microgrid works

On sunny and even cloudy days, the sun produces energy through solar panels. The energy either flows directly to the site to power appliances or is stored in batteries embedded in the box for later use. Energy from the battery is tapped into at night. When the batteries are depleted, the generators turn on to help cover both the community's power load while also recharging the batteries for future use. This ensures that when the generator is running, the energy produced is put to maximum use. In the summer months, the community will likely be utilizing 100 percent solar energy. When the days are shorter in the winter months, the generator kicks in to support the community power load.

"As a company that strives to make energy accessible to all, BoxPower is proud to bring clean, reliable, affordable energy to the Casitas de Esperanza community,” said Angelo Campus, CEO and co-founder of BoxPower. “We give priority to solar projects that enable better health, economic, educational, and/or housing outcomes for underserved communities — and this partnership with Pallet certainly checks all the boxes.”

BoxPower is based in California. Their microgrids greatly reduce fuel consumption, emissions, and ensure that renewable energy is maximized.

The partnership with BoxPower introduced a cost-effective way to power this community and allowed Santa Clara county to mobilize quickly in conjunction with our easily assembled shelters.

Sheltering people who are experiencing homelessness is an urgent need across the country. By working together, we can provide a solution that creates a more stable community where everyone has a chance to succeed.

Casitas de Esperanza is unique because it uses renewable energy captured by a BoxPower microgrid.

Pallet began with a two-fold mission: end unsheltered homelessness and build a workforce of people impacted by the criminal justice system. The shelters we manufacture allow us to do both. Cities and counties that want to address the homelessness crisis buy our shelters to create a transitional housing village. A local social service agency manages the site — giving people living there access to services crucial to regaining stability. Our staff who manufacture the shelters work in a supportive, purpose-driven environment.

Highlights from 2020 include: creating dignified shelter beds in 21 cities, keeping our employees working during a time of record job loss, and offering a way for elected officials to continue to respond to the homelessness crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, check out our full impact report below.