Becoming Homeless
Who are our guests?
19% don’t have a high school
diploma
32% have a physical disability
48% report substance abuse
issues
40% are women
37% have chronic health
problems
7% are 24 or younger.
Data are for the year ending June 30, 2017.
Facing the Evening
Without a Place to Sleep
Our guests have reached homelessness by different paths:
-- A job loss or exhausted unemployment benefits leaves no money to pay the rent.
-- Illness or the end of a relationship begins a chain of events that leads to loss of housing.
-- Housing that is barely passable becomes unlivable, forcing residents to move out without other affordable options in place.
-- Substance abuse destroys both livelihood and social network, leaving no safety net.
In some cases the disruption will be temporary. Half our guests are back on their feet in less than two weeks. In some cases this return to housing can take place “at the shelter door” with diversion efforts. In other cases a short shelter stay can be ended with rapid rehousing assistance.
A small percentage of our guests face real barriers to staying housed. For these individuals the longer term supports provided by permanent supportive housing are appropriate.
Our founding vision puts a special emphasis on serving these who are most in need: individuals suffering from substance abuse and/or mental illness, people coming out of prison, those who are living outdoors or have been homeless a long time and those who are vulnerable due to age or illness.