UPDATE:
According to Dr. Karen Barber, director of federal programs with the SRC school district, One Family, One Year, One Home will open their first transitional house for a family who is homeless this week. This program will allow the family to build their resources, including education, training, and health resources to enable them to become self-sufficient in one year. However, the family needs help in the way of the following home furnishings: a kitchen table and chairs, double or queen bed with mattress, twin bed with mattress, bedding, sofa, chairs for living room, all kitchen supplies (except for major appliances), lamps, and other amenities if available. For anyone interested in helping, contact Familypromise123@bellsouth.net or call 623-5300.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Imagine the following situation. In a family of three, the father suffers an injury and can no longer work as a painter. The mother, who also paints houses, suddenly finds herself the sole breadwinner in the house. Bills rapidly pile up and the family is forced to move into a motel. Money dwindles fast as the mother burns gas taking the daughter to school and herself to work. At the edge of belief, the car breaks down. The mother has no way to get to work. The father can’t work as he slowly recovers. The daughter is missing school and expenses still arise. At this point, Dr. Karen Barber, with Bridges out of Poverty, said, “We get a call from Simms Middle School.”
Barber said she contacted John Johnson with EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless (ECOH) who paid for the family’s hotel bill. The school district, she said, was able to provide transportation to get the daughter to class. Shane Nation, with Family Promise, said they were able to get the family into housing, help the father apply for Medicaid, and help the mother get a new job. Support Alliance for Emergency Readiness (SAFER) Santa Rosa, Barber said, was able to get the mother a bicycle to get to work. The daughter in this scenario almost had to be retained a year of school, but with summer school she was able to maintain her schedule.
This kind of cooperative collaboration is at the heart of Barber’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Family Promise, and the ECOH called 1 Family 1 Year 1 Home. However, while these support organizations can provide affordable housing, case management, Bridges out of Poverty’s Getting Ahead Courses, employment support, educational opportunities, childcare and more, they need financial support from the community. Adopting a family means an $800 per month, 12 month commitment to move a family out of homelessness and into self sufficiency.
The scenario above describes a small family. Johnson said ECOH has dealt with families of 9 to 12 members. In some situations, he said, the mother and her children end up on the street after living with her boyfriend and his mother becomes too stressful.
With 1 Family 1 Year 1 Home, Johnson said, “The goal on day one is a discharge plan.” An important aspect of looking at families for the program is the screening process. Every assessment is individual, Johnson said, and support for too long becomes a crutch. Johnson said another psychological component involved unlearning certain behaviors leading back into poverty. “It takes all resources,” Johnson said, “organizations that do things right.” Nation, with Family Promise, said, “It’s about linking arms with families to move forward.”
The most striking number concerning the need here was 1,806. This was the number of homeless students identified last year in Santa Rosa County with 115 of those being unaccompanied minors, according to Barber. This year, she said, “We have already identified 957 homeless youth in Santa Rosa County and 15 homeless, unaccompanied youth. For September, that number is really high.” As the numbers on homelessness rose, assistance dropped. Johnson said available homes for this kind of program have declined in the last few years as well as federal dollars for the homeless, thus the reason for turning to the community. Habitat for Humanity, he said, is helping by providing a couple homes they’ve recaptured. Habitat’s clients go into brand new homes they help build, but sometimes, Johnson said, they fall on hard times and have to leave. Johnson said these houses tend to be very used but he said, “We can swoop in and put families into them.” However, more housing is needed with so many families in need.
According to Barber, everyone involved in 1 Family 1 Year 1 Home is approaching various churches willing to adopt a family for a year. Of course, businesses and anyone with the means is invited to take part. To take a bold step in helping those in need right in Santa Rosa County, contact EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless at 439-3009.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: First house to open this week for new transitional housing program