In 2020, Ohio had initially planned to host three trips to DC in order to provide technical support regarding FYI vouchers, and to seek to #BringFSHOHome 

However, COVID-19 had other plans. Fortunately, we were able to continue our national advocacy virtually, and the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act was passed in December 2020 as part of the Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act (H.R. 7947).

First trip: Tuesday, Feb. 4 – Feb. 7, 2020
Link to photos.

Participants:

• Jonathan Thomas, OHIO YAB
• Lisa Dickson, ACTION Ohio
• Jamole Callahan, ACTION Ohio
• Doris Edelmann, ACTION Ohio
• Adaora Onuora, FYI voucher recipient
• Ruth Ann White, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare

Schedule included:

• Meeting with Heather Zenone, Senior Policy Director for Representative Karen Bass of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth
• Dinner with Chris Patterson, Regional Administrator at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Region IX
• Meeting at HUD Headquarters with Danielle Bastarache, Director of HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program, and others
• Meetings with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho) and Senator Chuck Grassley (Iowa) who introduced the Senate version of the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act
• Meeting with the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
• Participating in the 2nd annual National Association of Realtors Conference
• Participating in an Open House at the national headquarters of the Children’s Defense Fund

Second trip: Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15, 2020 (this trip was postponed due to COVID-19)

• Cloe Cooper, ACTION Ohio and CSCC Scholar Network
• Lisa Dickson, ACTION Ohio 
• Karimah Addison Bolding, OHIO Youth Advisory Board
• Eshawn Peterson, Onward Hope (AZ)
• Emily Wynn, FCCS 

Third trip: Monday, May 18 – Friday, May 22, 2020 (this trip was postponed due to COVID-19)

• Juliana Barton, ACTION Ohio and CSCC Scholar Network