Founded in 1999 by a husband and wife team, North County Solutions for Change (Solutions) began in earnest after seeing a sudden increase of families seeking refuge at emergency winter shelters in San Diego County. After nearly a decade of helping hundreds of men end their homelessness by utilizing an innovative work to recovery model that the couple developed called STEP-UP, Chris and Tammy Megison were now confronted with an extraordinary new face of homelessness: that of a nine year old girl.

The Megison’s launched a series of community education campaigns aimed at raising the public’s awareness. It’s first such campaign featured a pair of tiny little feet which stuck out from underneath a baby blanket. Underneath it read: These Little Piggies are Homeless – We Can Change That! Soon, the local print media picked up on the plight and within one year CNN ran a world-wide special called “Left Behind” which documented Solutions helping two such homeless families living in their tents and cars who worked yet could not afford the skyrocketing rental costs.



Now in its seventh year of providing housing and services to homeless families with children, Solutions has met head on, and overcome the challenges inherent to a new non-profit organization. The capacity building challenges of funding, staffing and program development have been steadily built up, while at the same time continuing to be on the front lines of ending homelessness for hundreds of children and their parents. Solutions has created community based solutions on a region-wide level while reaching and touching the lives of hundreds of marginalized families who have slid through the economic cracks in this largely upper middle class area of over 1.2 million people.



Solutions raised over 6.5 million dollars to build the new Solutions Family Center and has now effectively administered over $2,580,000 worth of program grants and public contracts since its inception, representing over 40 different funding sources including funds from eight different local governments. Now, over 110 corporate or foundation funding sources, including dozens of faith centers and over 2400 documented private contributors have supported Solutions for Change -- evidence that its capacity is strong enough to earn the confidence of even the strictest monitored grant giving programs.

This same confidence has spread throughout the North San Diego county area, as a community alarmed by record numbers of homeless families with children witnessed North County Solutions for Change organize a five city wide emergency housing effort that has since resulted in over 1200 children in 352 families getting immediate shelter, food and the care they needed.

The award winning Solutions Family Center opened November 2004. Within six months nearly 400 homeless families with over 800 children sought entry into the 32 unit center. Sadly hundreds of children were turned away for lack of space. In early 2005, Solutions launched another bold campaign to raise over one million dollars to purchase a building at 890 East Vista Way in Vista. The new home for an additional 12 families will be opening in Spring 2006.

Solutions realizes that in order to truly end family homelessness it must be able to move people out of its transitional programs and into permanent affordable housing. Sixty-two percent of the families who exit the Solutions programs move into permanent affordable housing, are full-time employed, have saved $2,000 and have sufficiently resolved the other social and economic factors that may have contributed to their homelessness.

Every Child Deserves A Home

With a driving commitment that “every child has a home”, Solutions for Change is a recognized leader in establishing a replicable and sustainable model that involves clients and the whole community as partners in providing solutions to homelessness for children and families.



Our Vision:

	That ‘every child has a home’.
	To establish a community model that other communities can replicate.
	To energize the whole community to take on helping homeless children and families and to providing solutions.
	To be a respected and recognized leader in affecting solutions for homelessness.
	That involvement with Solutions is a fun, rewarding, and positive experience for all.
	That our purpose or program is not about “servicing” people, but rather affecting partnership commitments to make positive changes with clients and with the community.
	Organization is self-sufficient and sustainable.
	Give opportunities for hope and success.