People-Centered Relationships

We appreciate and value our differences and are committed to building relationships based on mutual respect and trust. In doing so, we foster a non-judgmental, welcoming, and safe environment focused on relationships that empower individuals.

Active Reflection and Co-Learning

We cultivate an environment where Advocates, Members, and staff learn from each other. We create organizational space to critically reflect on and improve our work.

Participatory Ownership

We — Members, Advocates, staff, and board — share ownership of CEF and achieve our organization’s goals through collaborative decision-making. We are specifically committed to centering the voices and leadership of people of lived experience with homelessness and poverty and Black members of our community.

Financial Independence

We work together towards sustainable financial security and economic equity for all members of our community and are actively working to end the racial wealth gap. 

Community in Power

We contextualize our efforts within systems of power and through Member and Advocate experiences. We are committed to racial and social justice and pursue local community-level change.

Welcoming Connectors

We are committed to cultivating an open network of values-aligned people and organizations to holistically serve Members’ goals.

Quality and Accountability

CEF strives to be an interconnected and transparent organization that gives and receives feedback for mutual accountability, to ensure quality in all that it does.