National Women’s Shelter Network
UP for Women & Children Brings Our Mission to Capitol Hill
In late January, I had the opportunity to represent UP for Women & Children in Washington, D.C., at the National Women’s Shelter Network Conference. This annual gathering provided an invaluable space for shelter leaders, advocates, and service providers to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and push for meaningful change.
This year, we expanded our advocacy efforts by taking our message directly to Capitol Hill in a bipartisan effort to ensure that the needs of women and children experiencing homelessness are heard at the highest levels. Alongside shelter leaders from across the country, we met with congressional representatives and senators to educate them on the critical role shelters play in addressing homelessness and the urgent need for
federal support, including the Women and Families Protection Act. This proposed bill requests $100 million per year for five years to fund shelters and essential services that provide safety and stability to women and children in crisis. At these meetings, we emphasized a reality we see every day. Shelters are the first responders in the homelessness crisis, yet they remain underfunded and stretched beyond capacity. With more than 1 million women and 2.5 million children experiencing homelessness each year, the need for sustained investment has never been more urgent.
We also shared what we are seeing firsthand. Over the past two years, the number of children we serve has risen dramatically. In previous years, we could go days without seeing children at our shelter, as many were temporarily staying with relatives or had entered state care while their mothers worked to create stability for their families. But over the past two years, we have seen children coming through our doors every single
day, and by last summer, we were welcoming as many as 35 children in a single shift. The rise in family homelessness is undeniable, and we are responding to this crisis in real time. While UP for Women & Children has always been focused on direct service, it is becoming increasingly clear that policy and funding decisions at every level—local, state, and national—directly impact our ability to serve. Advocacy is not separate from
our work. It is a necessary tool to ensure shelters like ours have the resources needed to provide both immediate support and long-term solutions.
Our focus remains on serving women and children in crisis, but we recognize that raising awareness among decision-makers is an important part of ensuring real change. This bipartisan effort underscores that supporting shelters should never be a political issue. It is a human issue. We left these meetings encouraged by the support we received, and we will continue following up to keep these issues at the forefront. As we continue our work locally, statewide, and nationally, we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of these conversations and will advocate wherever we can to help drive progress. Thank you for standing with us.
This year’s convening featured over 50 panel presentations and breakout sessions, 100+ inspiring speakers, and powerful conversations on Capitol Hill. We educated lawmakers on the homelessnes crisis many of us are facing on the ground, the importance of safe shelter in saving lives, and the need for more resources at the Federal level for shelters and safe haven programs that are, in truth, the first responders in a nationwide epidemic of homelessness.
One of the many highlights of the conference was hearing from the NWSN’s official celebrity spokeswoman, 8-time Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter and actress, Gloria Estefan, at our Lunch and Learn session on the second day of the conference, as well as at the National Press Conference spearheading our mission to raise public awareness of women’s homelessness and the importance of safe shelter in saving lives. Gloria Estefan’s voice has been vital to amplifying our mission and impact. Her words left us inspired and motivated to continue the fight for those in need. We are also incredibly thankful for Christina Love from Egegik, located on the Copper River in the interior of Alaska, and Margaret Mitchell, YWCA USA’s CEO, who both gave compelling and invigorating speeches, moving and energizing all of us.
A heartfelt thank you to all our expert speakers and panelists, selfless volunteers, sponsors, and NWSN Board members for their extraordinary commitment and generosity. Your dedication, knowledge, and support made this heartwarming and informative convening of shelters and safe haven programs from across the nation possible and an unforgettable experience for all attendees. We are deeply grateful for your contributions and commitment to our mission to advance the safety, health and wellness of women, youth, children, families and seniors and our Network!
Beyond the numbers and sessions, this conference was an enormous reminder of the strength of our Network. We laughed, we cried, we hugged, we made new connections, and we reunited with old friends. Being in a room filled with passionate, dedicated individuals in shared mission and service was an honor and a privilege.
See what conference attendees said about the experience:
Looking Ahead to 2026!
Before we start planning for our next gathering, we’d love to hear from you! Help us make the next conference even better by filling out this quick survey.
Did you capture special moments at the conference? If you would like to share with everyone, you can upload your photos in this Google Drive folder.
CAPITOL HILL DAY
An unforgettable and uniting experience, the NWSN’s Capitol Hill Day gave shelter leaders the tools and opportunity to educate their Federal lawmakers on the special needs of women, youth, children, families and seniors experiencing homelessness in their communities, the importance of safe, supportive shelter for women, children and families in transition, and the need for more resources to support successful transitions to end homelessness. In total, there were 70 meetings across the House and Senate, over 100 participants — a stellar showing — and significant progress was made in elevating the crisis of women’s and family homelessness. However, the work continues.
The NWSN team is diligently following up with congressional staff on the meetings and contacts made by shelter leaders during our Capitol Hill Day. We continue to make our voices heard and seek resources for our most vulnerable women, children and families. Stay tuned for next steps with Advocacy Alerts from the NWSN coming soon!