Recently, Simpson updated its two-decade-old mission—along with its values—to better reflect its operational focus, development and approach to programs, and steadfast commitment to anti-racist efforts, both internally and within the broader community. (Read the revised mission and values here.)
Over a period of six months, a diverse group of Simpson staff collaboratively created the updated mission and values, presented them to the agency’s staff, leadership, and board, and revised the language based on feedback. The working group brought diverse experiences, perspectives, and thoughtful consideration to the table. Click each dropdown to hear about the process in the group members’ own words.
Each member of the group understood that it was necessary for the agency to re-examine its mission and values and to convey its current state.
Julie Wells, Public Grants and Contracts Manager
“Our agency has changed a lot, especially since the murder of George Floyd in 2020. The amount of anti-racism work we’ve done in the last four years has shifted how we view programs, how we [support program] participants, and the whole interconnected system of social services that helps people experiencing homelessness. [The mission and values] needed to grow because we’ve grown.”
“[This update] takes the saviorism out of our mission and values[, which] aligns with our racial justice and social justice focus of empowering people. Some of the [older] language was more passive…[and sounded] like the people experiencing homelessness aren’t doing anything. The complete opposite is true. They’re full of amazing skills, gifts, knowledge, and resiliency. They’re the ones actually doing the work; we’re walking alongside them.”
“Maybe for some people [the updated language] might be an adjustment. But I’d invite them to come into conversation about why we needed more accurate language.”
Jocelyn Pickreign, Program Manager, Children & Youth Programs
“It’s just a good practice as we grow and change to be able to articulate—not just to other people, but to ourselves—who we are, what we do, and how we do it. [The updated mission and values] are very targeted to what we do in trying to end homelessness, but they’re also quite broad, and so you can apply them in lots of different ways…in our individual circumstances. The way we live [a] value out will look different [in different departments], but the core value itself stays the same.”
The experience of working with each other was a highlight for group members. They felt that the process itself reflected Simpson’s culture of inclusion and equity.
Aaron Ramos, Volunteer Engagement Manager
“Collaborating with the group was really awesome. I think everyone took it seriously and was intentional. You could tell that everyone who was working on our values was very committed to the [work] and committed to Simpson as a whole.”
Julie Wells, Public Grants and Contracts Manager
“What was really important was to have representation across different areas of the [agency]—different programs and different types of positions in the agency.”
“Once we figured out that everybody’s strong preference was to [work] in person, we made way better progress. We got to that point where we were filling in each other’s words [or saying] “Wait, no, go back; where are you going with that? What did you just say?” It [became] this really good energy.”
Jennifer Sansom, Communications and Marketing Associate
“What this process confirmed to me was that Simpson Housing Services is not just ticking a box when it comes to inclusion. The whole experience was collaborative and equitable. Everyone from the staff to the board of directors got a chance to provide feedback. [The group was] also conscious that, as a work group and as the wider agency, we were building on a foundation of anti-racist work by staff and leaders, specifically BIPOC.”
Cathy Gilbert, Program Director, Single Adult Programs
“It was enlightening [to hear] everybody talk about the trends that are happening these days. The different focus areas, the importance of being relatable to the [people we support] and [of] reflecting our work out to the community. I really appreciate everybody coming to the table and expressing their concerns, their insight, and how they want the [agency] to move forward.”
“I’ve never worked for an [agency] that is so employee driven. I’m used to an [agency] that works from the top [down]. Simpson is the only place that I’ve ever worked that really values what their staff have to say. They really value lived experience from people on the board to [employees]. In the different programs, I think we are changing the game. And to be a part of that is really cool.”
Christina Jacobson, Director of Equity and Human Resources
“It felt like almost like the whole agency was involved, because we [had] these representatives from each aspect of the agency. It was very collaborative. I feel like everyone had the opportunity to be heard. It’s an example of [what happens] when you’re thoughtful about who’s in the room. You can come up with some really great things.”
The group thoughtfully considered language that would clearly convey meaning for internal and external audiences.
Julie Wells, Public Grants and Contracts Manager
“Language is really important. And I think that the people chosen [for the work group] all understand that.”
Aaron Ramos, Volunteer Engagement Manager
“The hardest part was to encompass everything we do in just four or five compact sentences.”
Cathy Gilbert, Program Director, Single Adult Programs
“We spent a lot of time on trying to navigate the right wording for every single value. For me, [wordsmithing] allowed me to reflect, select, or think about using verbiage in a different way. The meaning is the same, but the use of it needs to be updated.”
Jocelyn Pickreign, Program Manager, Children & Youth Programs
“We talked about connotations and denotations of words, and really wrestled with the different baggage that different words carried for each of us, depending on our own experiences. The agency has really said, ‘This is what we stand for, and now it’s down to each of us—whether we’re staff or a participant or a community member—to [say], ‘Here’s how I think I can live into these values and how I can integrate these values [with] whatever my own personal ethic is.’”
Jennifer Sansom, Communications and Marketing Associate
“The anti-racism framework that the staff developed in 2023 definitely informed our word choices. The framework expresses what the agency has learned in the anti-racism journey we’ve been on from before 2020. I think the work group was better able to refine our mission and values because we had this tool.”
As the group met over several months, each person had the opportunity to reflect on how the process of reframing Simpson’s mission and values through an anti-racist, transformational perspective showed up in their day-to-day work.
Aaron Ramos, Volunteer Engagement Manager
“I’ve been able to sit with guests at the shelter to check in with them, asking them direct questions [about] how I’m doing and the work that I’m doing and how it’s reflecting in how I am providing my services to them. We are driven by accountability, and I want to be accountable [for] the work that I’m doing so that it’s not transactional, it’s transformative. We keep ourselves accountable to the ways that we are compassionate. We’re not having pity, we’re not trying to be the saviors…[or] the ones in the driver’s seat.”
Jocelyn Pickreign, Program Manager, Children & Youth Programs
“We’re moving away from a transactional model, which is predicated on the people who have and the people who don’t have, and [doing that] requires a level of vulnerability and humility that [can be] really scary. I empathize deeply with that. We at Simpson in some ways are really fortunate to have had so many dedicated opportunities to do that work of learning and unlearning in community with each other.”
Jennifer Sansom, Communications and Marketing Associate
“By updating our mission and values, we’re inviting everyone to reframe the traditional model of social services. This updated language helps amplify the incredible strengths, resiliency, and accomplishments of shelter guests and housing participants—not out of pity or a scarcity mindset, but out of a transformational lens of relational equity and abundance.”
“Whether I’m writing a fundraising appeal or a social media post, I know that Simpson is shifting what community looks like, both internally and across the Twin Cities.”
The team discussed the language and goals of each value, taking time to ensure all viewpoints were considered.
Housing Value
Jennifer Sansom, Communications and Marketing Associate
“The right to safe, affordable housing is a non-negotiable for Simpson. As written, the value is so fundamental that we almost immediately decided to keep this language unchanged.”
Racism Value
Aaron Ramos, Volunteer Engagement Manager
“We at Simpson can play a role in how racism is played out with participants on a micro level, as far as systemic levels in rent stabilization, rents, dealing with [property owners and managers]. With people that are staying in our shelters, being able to advocate for them in a way that dismantles or stands up to racism.”
Julie Wells, Public Grants and Contracts Manager
“‘Racism is a key cause of homelessness’ drove a lot of the changes. The elephant in the room for homelessness is racism. And you do nothing without addressing that; you can’t change anything if you don’t acknowledge it. So putting that [in our values] that we know [racism is] a factor—and especially in Minnesota, because the disparities are massive, some of the highest in the country—we wanted to go bolder and more direct. Because you’ve got to name it. You can’t solve the problem if you don’t name it.”
Cathy Gilbert, Program Director, Single Adult Programs
“‘Racism is a key cause of homelessness…’ The message that we want to get out to the community is, ‘We know this, and this is what we’re going to do to dismantle it.”
Dignity Value
Jocelyn Pickreign, Program Manager, Children & Youth Programs
“The word inherent was so important. We talked about wanting to really distinguish between external dignity, which is dignity that the world or that circumstances confers upon an individual, and the dignity that they carry because they are a human being—the dignity that’s tied to their [innate] worth as an individual, their belonging in our community, and their potential for growth, regardless of circumstance. So [we were] really wanting to focus on immutable dignity rather than dignity that’s dependent on their circumstances. We talked about that a fair bit.”
“Embracing dignity and self-determination and self-efficacy are really tied to this idea that our well-being is all interconnected. I don’t help you because it gives me a sense of gratitude or cosmic perspective on my own gifts, but because your well-being and my well-being are interconnected. It’s not about me giving something to you so that your life can be better. It’s about us working together so that we can build the kind of world that we want to live in.”
Compassionate Accountability Value
Aaron Ramos, Volunteer Engagement Manager
“I remember doing the last [value]—compassion, accountability, and authentic. I think those three words took a bit. We knew we were going to use them, but [not] the placement.”
Jennifer Sansom, Communications and Marketing Associate
“We updated some previous language to create the community value. Using the term ‘compassionate accountability’ was important because we needed to reflect that we do this work through a transformational, relational lens. We are rooted in care for each other and commitment to learning from each other. We’re stronger together, so let’s do this work together. Let’s stay accountable to each other as we share the strengths, experience, and commitments that we each bring to the table as equals.”
“This value is something we want to live out at all levels, whether we are working alongside shelter guests, housing participants, external partners, funders, volunteers, donors, or other Simpson teams. So we spent a lot of time and care on workshopping the language. I think the updated terminology opens doors for building relationships because people are going to be curious. ‘What do you mean by accountability? What does being authentic mean in this context?’ Well, that’s a great question; let’s have a conversation about our shared values.”
The team tackled the mission statement last. They felt that the language naturally flowed out of their work on the values.
Cathy Gilbert, Program Director, Single Adult Programs
“Honestly, I thought our current mission and values were fine…However, once we [started discussing the language], I thought, ‘That makes sense. They need to be updated, and these are the reasons why.’”
Jennifer Sansom, Communications and Marketing Associate
“Moving from ‘house, support, and advocate for people experiencing homelessness’ to ‘house, support, and empower people impacted by homelessness’ is more of a reframing than a change. It ties into the transformational model. It doesn’t mean we stop advocating, for example. Advocacy happens on multiple levels and in different areas.”
“Our new mission also acknowledges the reality that Simpson has evolved. Our biggest programs now are the supportive housing programs. Program participants are currently housed, although they have been impacted by previous experience with being homeless. And even being homeless is a spectrum, from sleeping in your car to doubling up with friends and family to needing some assistance in building relationships with property managers.”
The work group hopes that the updated mission and values will significantly impact Simpson’s community, both internally and externally.
Julie Wells, Public Grants and Contracts Manager
“My biggest desire would be that these would resonate with other people—[that they would ask] how they can join us in this. Because I would like it to be an invitation. Join us in community. This is what we believe.”
Cathy Gilbert, Program Director, Single Adult Programs
“Internally, I hope that [people] recognize the work that we put into this, set some time aside and really read what our [updated] mission is and our core values are, because it really sets the tone for who we are as an [agency]. Externally, I really hope that the community embraces what we mean, what we stand for, and the work that we do. I really hope that they allow themselves to think outside the box at their own organization, or within their own individual lives or their family lives.”
Christina Jacobson, Director of Equity and Human Resources
“[The leadership’s priority is] making sure our staff are on the same page, that we’re all aligned, that we all agree, that we all understand all the [updated] values. That we will work into them, we will live into them, we’ll lean into them.”
“I hope that people are [supported] with enough information to go out in their communities and be able to explain what role racism plays in Minnesota’s homeless population. And through that, we can come up with better solutions that will address the causes and prevention, so it’s not even an issue anymore.”
Jocelyn Pickreign, Program Manager, Children & Youth Programs
“We’re trying to be honest about what we think and who we are. If you want to live into those values authentically and figure out how they resonate for you as an individual, we want to support you in doing that work.”
“Simpson is going to bring to the community what we’ve learned as an agency. Individuals and groups in the community are also going to bring their experiences. Together, we continue growing as a community. Our responsibility now is not to rest on our laurels or to stop and say we figured it out. Our responsibility is to continue [doing the work].”
Simpson is moving beyond difficult conversations to create systemic change within ourselves, our agency, and the wider community. Through our mission and values, we invite everyone to do anti-racist work, dismantle systems, and collaborate to achieve racial justice.