Working to end family homelessness takes a variety of programs and approaches. While our team provides shelter, case management, and resources for families at risk of or who are currently or have experienced homelessness, this summer, our team has been ending homelessness in another way.
By sharing our knowledge and experiences, our successes and challenges with people from all over the nation and, in some cases, even other parts of the world.
First, our Permanent Supportive Housing team members, Kayla Hemphill, and Sara Cartmill, spoke at the Corporation for Supportive Housing’s (CSH) annual supportive housing conference in Philadelphia, PA. Kayla and Sarah inspired guests from California to London as they presented Community of Hope’s housing successes and learnings from their program to improve the integration of housing and health services.
Then, Stephanie Hawthorne, Director of Homelessness Prevention Program, presented at the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) conference. She shared important insight into how Community of Hope and Washington, DC, have drastically reduced family homelessness. They’ve targeted resources to help those most likely and advised on how other communities can use data to create their own approaches. As a reminder, 95% of families in Community of Hope’s Prevention program did not enter shelter when exiting the program.
Finally, Community of Hope presented our homelessness programs at the Ward 8 Housing Talkback and Resource Fair, hosted by Councilmembers Robert C. White Jr. and Trayon White, Sr at Union Temple Baptist Church. About 80% of the people we support with housing and case management live in Wards 7 and 8, and we are glad to partner with so many other agencies to care for families and now individuals in this way.
For individuals we just opened a second program for individuals, Bridge Housing at Hope, located in Ward 8. The program replicates our successful Bridge at Girard Street program by providing short-term housing to individuals who are connected to a housing voucher but haven’t found their apartment yet. The program provides an opportunity to be housed, to prepare for living, cooking, and caring for an apartment again after some time living in mass congregate shelters or on the streets.
We are proud of all our team is doing to end homelessness for families and individuals in DC.
