by Rebecca Stoll
When HOPE for the Homeless in Shreveport, LA signed on to the 100,000 Homes Campaign in 2010,
it changed the way the organization approached ending homelessness.
“Instead of looking for clients that fit our program, we
began adapting our program to fit the clients,” said Ryan Parker of HOPE for
the Homeless. “Now we wrap our services around each client.”
This new attitude is evident in the
agency’s approach to outreach. HOPE’s Street Outreach Team provides services in
the field to those homeless persons who are living on the streets, abandoned
buildings, or emergency shelters.
The Outreach Team:
- Consists of a substance abuse professional, a mental health professional, formerly homeless individuals, and volunteers from local agencies who serve the homeless
- Builds relationships with homeless persons by offering them food, blankets, or other essentials
- Engages those with mental illness and provides case management services to link the client to healthcare, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, and/or transportation with the ultimate goal of the client obtaining and remaining in housing
The Team blogs about outreach
experiences and current needs - http://inthetrencheswithkristiandryan.blogspot.com/
The 100,000 Homes Campaign also
influenced the agency’s decision to create a Vulnerability Book, which
identified the 100 individuals most vulnerable to dying on the streets. These
individuals are given priority in receiving services.
To learn more about HOPE for the Homeless, visit http://www.nwlahope.org/.
I really like the name of the program. It sound promising and generally explains their purpose to people who are not aware of what it is. By Hope for the Homeless adapting their program to their clients I feel that being able to build partnerships with other agencies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool program - meeting people where they are and customizing services for individuals sounds like a great idea. How many cities have this program in the south?
ReplyDelete