Chris Megison, President/CEO and Cofounder Chris Megison is a social entrepreneur, cofounder and CEO of Solutions for Change. Since 1993 Chris has designed and led numerous free market social purpose initiatives and innovations that have solved homelessness permanently for over 4,500 people. His trademark impact is his “get up, suit up and show up” model of leadership in which he leads from the front, a style of servant leadership that he learned as a U.S. Marine. Chris is a movement trailblazer best known for his visioning, consensus building and then crafting and leading social impact initiatives that disrupt the status quo.
Solutions for Change was founded in 1999 by social entrepreneurs Chris and Tammy Megison because they didn’t think it was right for babies to be sleeping on the floor of an emergency winter shelter. Prior to starting up Solutions for Change, the Megisons developed and directed work and housing programs that helped thousands of homeless men get jobs, pay rent and earn their way back into society through an intense boot camp style program. As dozens of families began to show at this shelter, the Megisons realized that they were confronted with an enormous problem. The entire homeless response system was woefully inadequate to deal with the needs of homeless families.
Big solutions were in order and with the help of other community leaders and entrepreneurs, Solutions for Change was born. Their vision was different from the current “handout” approach to homelessness. It did not include more shelter beds, feeding programs or traditional human services, but rather an innovative, permanent solution focused on well-being and capacity building.
Solutions for Change creates access for parents to the right set of opportunities, addresses root causes of dependency, and equips people with the skills, knowledge, and resources to permanently solve their homelessness. The comprehensive model addresses three key areas: personal development (well-being), workforce development (economic capacity), and community development (service). It blends affordable housing, educational opportunities, employment training and health related solutions all within one cohesive strategic partnership.
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