Spokane is fortunate to have a prominent private-sector interest here that’s willing to step up and take a leadership role in addressing the complex issue of homelessness.

 With its hiring of Chris Patterson in a full-time position and providing support resources, Washington Trust Bank is launching an initiative that more businesses and the overall community can rally around. Those involved can form a coalition to focus on livability issues that local governments and community service providers can’t solve on their own.

Patterson is familiar with many social services, having interacted with them while in foster care growing up and later through BreakThrough Inc., which he founded in 2006. He also brings experience working with governments in positions ranging from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regional administrator to special adviser on homelessness to Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward.

Jack Heath, Washington Trust Bank president and chief operating officer, says Spokane is at a tipping point in which it could become overwhelmed by the homelessness crisis as is happening in downtown Seattle and Portland.

Beyond providing immediate services, the aim of the bank’s initiative is to help break the cycle of poverty for people on the street and those on the brink of being homeless, while addressing often-related issues of drug addiction and behavioral health.

Homelessness will continue to escalate if the Spokane community simply continues to attempt to provide services without engaging trigger points of the problem.

Patterson says the private sector has the ability to work faster to address such issues than the public sector. For example, Washington Trust Bank has already engaged a study of gaps, needs, priorities, and duplications of service in the homelessness ecosystem that will be completed by midmonth.

The next step will be to bring groups together to validate the study.

The initiative also is looking into the legislative process and how to balance drug enforcement and rehabilitation treatment for the best results.

The bank is looking to other communities that are showing some success in addressing homelessness.

Heath cites San Diego, California, as a city in which the business community has rallied around the Lucky Duck Foundation to provide millions of dollars to help fund bridge shelters, employment programs, transportation, meals, care kits, and other critical services for people experiencing homelessness.

Based on private funding and run by business leaders, the foundation is showing good results in serving the community, he says.

Now, Spokane has a chance to be a model for the country.

Washington Trust Bank is providing an opportunity for the business community to come to the table to work with social service providers and community leaders in an all-hands-on-deck approach to homelessness.

The initiative is showing that the private sector desires to serve in a leading role in developing a permanent and sustainable movement that incorporates best practices to address homelessness.

It’s an initiative we all can rally around, as businesses leaders, social service providers, and government officials here agree that addressing homelessness is a top priority.

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