More Good News!

HOME has more 2009 year-end statistics to share with you, this time from our program staff!

Out of the 15 families that graduated from the residential program in 2009, 14 or 93 percent increased their self-sufficiency rating score with an average increase of .70. Also, 13 out of the 15 families, or 87 percent, increased their income with an average increase of $382 per month.

This is great news for the families living on our campus. HOME's mission is to break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County and with statistics like this we are able to see that the program really works. Rating the families on the self-sufficiency rating scale helps us measure our families improvement in employment, transportation, living situations and income. All of these things, working together with case management, allows us to make a change in the lives of our families and to know that we are making a difference! Sphere: Related Content

"Getting There"

HOME just completed its first "Getting There" class, a six-week course, designed to help those who are unemployed receive the lifeskills they need to find successful jobs.

Eleven members of the class, who are part of HOME's HOMELite program, learned how to write resumes and cover letters, internet marketing, interview skills, and how to dress for success.

With teachers from The Orlando Employment Guide, volunteer interviews from the City of Kissimmee and Osceola County HR department, and a visit to the Central Florida Dress for Success, the members of the "Getting There" class learned how to put their best foot forward in finding a new job!

Above is a group photo from the class on graduation day. Graduates received a completion certificate, weekly planner, and a $15 gift card from JCPenney.

HOME will start another "Getting There" class on June 16. Sphere: Related Content

Bill Passed to Prevent Homelessness

HOME will be receiving more benefits from the government to help homeless families. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, President Obama signed a bill yesterday that would alleviate and prevent homelessness in the United States.

Both the House and the Senate passed the bill entitled, The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009. According to the Law Center the bill

"Includes a measure to reauthorize the housing and shelter programs of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act - the first and still only major legislation addressing homelessness, for the first time in 17 years. It also includes a measure to protect the rights of renters in foreclosure - a major step that will help prevent them from becoming homeless."

Both bills will be helpful to HOME as we navigate families in the right direction ... toward their own home. A few highlights of the bill, announced by the Law Center, that will benefit HOME include:

"Rename and amend the Emergency Shelter Grant program to allow nonprofits to provide a broader range of services, including short- and medium-term rental assistance, utility payments, housing relocation and stabilization services, and other services to keep people in housing or to move them quickly into housing. Families living doubled up would be eligible to receive services funded by this section

Expand the definition of homelessness to include unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth who have a long-term history of housing instability and can be expected to continue to experience instability due to disabilities, substance abuse disorders, history of abuse, or multiple barriers to employment; as well as families living doubled up, living in motels or hotels or other housing and who are facing eviction within 14 days"

Also, according to the report

"The Tenants' protections portion of the bill will allow bona fide tenants to remain in their residence, pursuant to their lease, following a foreclosure of the property, except when the successor in interest or subsequent purchaser will occupy the unit as a primary residence. In that case, the tenant must receive notice to vacate at least 90 days before the effective date of such notice."

With this policy support, HOME and other organizations working with homeless families have the ability to give families a new start. Sphere: Related Content

"The people who are homeless were living in homes here and became homeless. These are not transients -- these are neighbors."

This entry's title is a quote from Cathy Jackson this morning in an Orlando Sentinel article about yesterday's Project Homeless Connect (scroll down for info on volunteering opportunities). I can tell you from our own experience at HOME that these are in fact neighbors, and even, in many circumstances, neighbors who were formerly well ensconced in middle class neighborhoods. All is not well in Florida (and many other places as well).

We have seen a drastic uptick in calls in the past 6 weeks- my guess is that folks were able to use their tax refunds and stimulus checks to pull through during May, but that money is now gone. Many calls are coming from families who have never utilized the social service system and are very uncomfortable and ashamed to do so. My personal take is that social services are the safety net for all of us. As a participant in society, the basic social contract is that you help out and contribute when you can, and when you need services they will be there for you as much as for the next person.

HOME has several new programs for families just like the one discussed in the above article. We have a scattered site program that helps families with a portion of their monthly rent over a period of time, and we also can help working families with first month's rent and part of their security deposit.

Thursday was a particularly good day and a perfect example of how this new program can work. We had been working with a family who moved here from out of state in November when they were forced to short sell their home. The home they rented here was foreclosed upon unbeknownst to them (until authorities showed up to lock up the house). Luckily, the husband had been working day labor 6 days a week, and the wife at a local big box establishment. They have one 12 year old son, and would take turns working and staying with him. When they lost their home (and deposit, by the way, because the management company went under), we offered them a choice between a motel voucher for one month, or first month's rent. They opted for first month's rent, and after a few grueling weeks of living in a motel, working to save money, and trying to find an acceptable rental, found a place early this week. We were able to get the landlord a check within a few days, and also have applied for a portion of the security deposit. The wife calls just about every day to update us and let us know if they have any needs. Oh, and she has also offered to come volunteer for us in her spare time. :) There is nothing better than helping a family get a roof over their head.

So please, think twice before you judge a homeless person or family. They may very well have been your neighbors, coworkers, or fellow parishioners.

If you would like to help, HOME accepts donations for emergency housing/first month rent. 100% of donations go directly to families in need. Simply use the JustGive button on our site and mark your donation "HOMEFast." You can also send a check with this same notation.

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