Council recognizes Chris Baker for homelessness work; proclaims Aug. 28 Chris Baker Day
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Summary
Council member Ryan Alter presented a proclamation honoring Chris Baker and The Other Ones Foundation for services addressing unsheltered homelessness; Baker reflected on partnerships and the city's homelessness strategy office.
Council member Ryan Alter presented a proclamation on Aug. 28 honoring Chris Baker for his leadership with The Other Ones Foundation and declared the date Chris Baker Day in Austin.
Alter praised Baker’s eight years of leadership and the foundation’s programs that provide shelter, work opportunities and support at Esperanza Community. “We are better off as a city because of the work that Chris has done over the past eight years,” Alter said.
Chris Baker, who identified himself as the nonprofit’s executive director, accepted the recognition and emphasized the collaborative nature of the work. He named local allies, including David Gomez and staff in the city’s Homeless Strategy Office, and said the organization has benefited from increased mayoral and council support for addressing homelessness. “We do have the ability to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring in our community,” Baker said.
The proclamation was ceremonial; no council vote or funding action was taken at the presentation. The text cited the foundation’s founding year (2017) and described partnerships and services intended to reduce unsheltered homelessness.