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Meet Katie Gentry of Street Sense Solutions in Phoenix

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Gentry.

Katie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
What started as a mere idea in June of 2018 has morphed into what Street Sense Solutions are today. Through initial grant funding as a part of the Obama Foundation’s Community Leadership Corps, Street Sense Solutions created a live action, hands on simulated story telling experience depicting a ‘month’ in the life of an individual or family experiencing homelessness in the Phoenix metro area, uniquely reflective of local demographics, statistics, and resources.

In October 2018, the simulation was finalized and went to print. In November, Street Sense was featured by the Obama Foundation on its website and social media channels and was invited to present the simulation at the 2018 Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago.

In January 2019, Street Sense Solutions began offering simulations to businesses and the community. In March 2019, we began our social impact venture as a member of the new cohort of SEED SPOT, a nationally renowned social impact accelerator program. In May 2019, we finished the accelerator program and was able to pitch to community members and locals interested in social impact. Since May, Street Sense Solutions has continued to offer the simulation to local businesses and community groups.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Creating a startup is never a smooth road, especially when you don’t begin with the thought of creating a start up. Street Sense started as an idea to raise community awareness and allow people to understand what it is like to experience homelessness.

After the simulation was created, we decided to become a startup and begin offering the simulation. Besides the challenges of a startup and learning the ins and outs of the business, we have continued to find new groups interested in the simulation and are working to offer the simulation on a greater scale at a price that makes sense for the everyday neighbor.

Please tell us about your organization.
Street Sense Solutions seeks to educate and inform community members about the complexities, daily struggles, and systemic barriers of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the metro Phoenix area, and how to get involved in proven, sustainable solutions that are helping our fellow neighbors facing homelessness.

We offer a hands on, live action simulation that replicates a ‘month’ in the life of experiencing homelessness. One of the things that people walk away knowing is how complicated and difficult homelessness is and what tools and resources are available in the community that they can help and direct people to.

One of the biggest things that set us apart from others is that we include all local data and statistics. The stories in the simulation reflect what is really happening in Maricopa County and we offer local resources to get connected to.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
We have had so many mentors, friends, and supporters along the way. The idea would not have become a reality if not for the Obama Foundation and the mentors that continued to push us through that process. SEED SPOT helped us to take our idea into truly a startup and know what to do and how to do it to be able to stay in business. Friends, family, and clients that we have had so far have allowed us to not only begin to have a name for ourselves but continue to network and thrive to continue to expand.

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Image Credit:
Riz Toni Forgeron

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