A Way Home America is a community advocacy group that promotes left-of-center policies towards addressing housing, homelessness, and LGBT rights. According to its website, it has advocated for “defunding” the “policing, legal, and incarceration systems” it stats has harmed “Black people…and…members of LGBTQ communities.” ^1 2

Background

According to A Way Home America’s website, the group transitioned from a “Board of Trustees” to a “leadership body” made up of “of a majority of youth, minority, and formerly unhoused individuals.” ³ Marcella Middelton was appointed as CEO of the organization in 2020, while the group itself received tax-exempt status in May 2024. ^{3 4 5}

Finances

A Way Home America received tax exempt status in 2024, backdated to July 2023. The group filed a 990-N e-postcard for 2023, indicating that its revenue that year was less than $50,000. ⁶

As of 2025, the group’s website lists several of its financial supporters which includes the Raikes Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Melville Charitable Trust, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, and Liberty Mutual Insurance. ⁷

Activism

A Way Home America promotes left-of-center views about housing policy, homelessness, and LGBT rights. The group’s staff are identified with preferred pronouns and its annual report discloses what percentage of staff have “lived experience,” identify as LGBT, and are black, indigenous, or other people of color (BIPOC). The group emphasizes intersectionality and places special emphasis on homelessness among racial and sexual minorities. ^{1 2 8}

Activities

A Way Home America has advocated for left-of-center policies towards housing, LGBT rights, and homelessness to be adopted by the U.S Congress. According to the group’s 2024 annual report, three of its proposals were introduced as legislation by the 118^th Congress: Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income Pilot Project Act of 2024 (YHGIPPA) (H.R. 7451), Homes for Young Adults Act of 2024 (H.R. 8722), and Commission on Youth Homelessness Act (H.R. 7908). ^{1 8}

The group’s primary proposal is titled the “New Deal to End Youth Homelessness” a “federal policy proposal that offers a roadmap to transform how young people, particularly Black, Brown, Indigenous, and LGBTQ young people, are supported in our society.” ⁹ The proposal also states it focuses on five primary pillars: “Housing Justice,” “Child Welfare Justice,” “Legal Systems Justice,” “Economic Justice,” and “Immigration Justice.” ^9  1 The proposal also lists several of the group’s “co-conspirators” which includes the Campion Foundation, Funders Together To End Homelessness, Larkin Street, Melville Charitable Trust, National Alliance To End Homelessness, National Innovation Service, National Youth Forum On Homelessness, Point Source Youth, the Raikes Foundation, True Colors United, and Youth Collaboratory. ⁹

Leadership

Marcella Middleton is the CEO of A Way Home America, a position she has held since January 2020. She has previously worked in the foster care and social work system. ⁴

1. “Our Work.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.awayhomeamerica.org/our-work
2. “About.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.awayhomeamerica.org/about
3. “Leadership.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.awayhomeamerica.org/leadership.
4. “Marcella Middleton.” LinkedIn.com. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcella-middleton-9249aba2/.
5. “AWHA News.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.awayhomeamerica.org/news.
6.  A Way Home America. Return from an organization exempt from taxation (Form 990N e-Postcard) 2023.
7.  “Partnerships.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://www.awayhomeamerica.org/partnerships.
8. “AWHA 2024 Annual Report.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zE9I6VdWKGjpXSXji4hnYDh01KN9AURT/view?usp=sharing&usp=embed_facebook.
9. “New Deal to End Homelessness Fact Sheet.” A Way Home America. Accessed July 28, 2025. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61f8327511b9aa1489194dd0/t/61fc2b6eda81c83bd46abefa/1643916142962/AWHA_New_Deal_FactSheet.pdf.