What does "homeless" mean?

Here’s a link to an interview with the author of “A Girls Guide to Homelessness”. 

(http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112801/fight-to-rejoin-middle-class-usnews)

It’s a great story that highlights the fact that people who are homeless all have a different story. We also don’t always see the folks who are homeless in our midst. Brianna says in the interview “There's also a misconception about what "homeless" means. Do you have to be panhandling? Or sleeping on a park bench? A lot of people think it doesn't count if you're living out of a vehicle, but if they were living out of a vehicle, they might think otherwise.” Do you think someone who is living out of their car is homeless? What about someone who is living in a motel? Share your thoughts!

Monthly Round Up- New Beginnings

• Many of you will be receiving Transitional Housing’s first e-newsletter this afternoon. We hope that this newsletter is filled with the stories, ideas and information that will help you feel better connected to our ministry. Please take a minute and forward this e-newsletter to five of your friends who may not know about our program. All new subscribers to the e-newsletter will get a series of e-mails that will introduce them to the struggles of homeless families in our area and the strategies we use to help those families reach self-sufficiency. It would not be possible for us to do this critical work without your support. So, THANK YOU!
• Although summer doesn’t begin officially until June 21, this week for many of us in Georgia represents the beginning of summer. Temperatures have steadily been in the 90’s, kids are finishing up with school, and summer vacation is beginning. The youth in our program are also taking advantage of some great summer opportunities. Camp Glisson worked with us to get youth enrolled in their program. We also have many youth enrolled in YMCA summer camps and Boys and Girls Club summer programs. In addition, both children and youth are planning to attend Vacation Bible School and summer youth programs at our partner churches. We are so grateful for the many partial scholarships that were awarded to our families from our partner organizations. If you would like to contribute to our summer camp fund, please click here to make a donation.
• And finally our Case Manager, Danielle, had her baby on Friday. A big “Congratulations” to the Meyer family on their newest addition.

Help us open ten new houses in the Mountains of North Georgia!

We just got the good news that we received a grant from HUD to open 10 new houses in North Georgia, but we cannot access these federal funds until we have community support pledged!

How you can help:

Help us find 10 faithful landlords who have an empty house, a heart for mission, and are willing to donate $8000 of the rent we pay them back to the program. Our grant allows us to start houses in any of the following counties: Banks, Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Oglethorpe, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White and Whitfield Counties.

Housing is the first step towards ending homelessness for a family. There was a 9% increase in the number of homeless families in 2010. Help us address this growing need! We know that there are homeowners who are being called to this ministry. Help us connect with them and together, we will end homelessness…one family at a time.

For more information, please contact Jannan Thomas, Executive Director, Transitional Housing; jthomas@actionministries.net or 404-881-1991 ext. 5615.

Is this the beginning of the end for Transitional Housing?

On Friday I got sent a policy brief from the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness asking:  Is this the beginning of the end for Transitional Housing?  As the Executive Director of Transitional Housing at Action Ministries this question is troubling to me.  I get the privilege every day of seeing the difference our program, and programs like it, make in the lives of homeless families. I can rattle off countless stories of families in our program that have gone on to become self sufficient and leave homelessness behind forever.  It’s certainly not the lack of homeless families that is prompting this question.  The number of homeless families keeps rising as we continue to weather the effects of the great recession (the numbers are between 5.5 and 9% higher than last year).  Here in Georgia, we are experiencing unemployment rates higher than the national average.  This lack of employment is one of the major factors that lead families to lose their housing.  In addition, north Georgia has just experienced devastating tornadoes.  So even more families who were barely holding on are already homeless or in danger of becoming homeless.   So, why would the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness ask this question?  They certainly are aware of the difference Transitional Housing makes for families.  Why are they worried that Transitional Housing is in danger?  The answer is:  Federal Funding.
   

It is clear that the federal government has shifted its funding priorities to ending chronic homelessness and to a program called “Rapid Re-housing”.   And not surprisingly, when funding shifts, programs begin to shift as well.  The first priority of ending chronic homelessness does not really address the needs of homeless families.  Folks that are chronically homeless are often who we think of as “homeless”.  Many chronically homeless have a serious mental illness, like schizophrenia and/or an alcohol or drug addiction. Most people who experience chronic homelessness have been in treatment programs in the past and have still found themselves repeatedly homeless.  They are often the “face” of homelessness in downtown Atlanta.  I’m not debating that these efforts are not needed; I am noting that addressing chronic homelessness does not really address the needs of homeless families.
 

The second priority – Rapid Re-housing – does a better job of addressing families who find themselves homeless. However, it concentrates on families whose situation will be greatly improved by providing housing assistance for a couple of months.  It is not a program that focuses on addressing the underlying causes of homelessness.  This aspect of our Transitional Housing program is vital for moving families to true self sufficiency.  Addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, in my opinion, is the best way to ensure that families do not become homeless again and has the best chance of preventing generational poverty.  I agree with the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness when they say “this approach overlooks a majority of families that require more time and supportive services to overcome barriers to financial independence, such as low educational attainment and lack of sufficient employment skills. Only time will tell if this policy shift away from transitional housing will ultimately benefit and reduce the number of homeless families.”  As for me, I am proud to be a part of a Transitional Housing program that helps families thrive and with our network of compassionate individuals and churches, I see us continuing this ministry for the long haul. 

~Jannan Thomas

Executive Director, Transitional Housing

Action Ministries