LoveDon’tPaytheRentFundraising+AdvocacyinEvanston,Illinois

TheCommunicationsIdealAlong-termcommunicationsplanthat:• Hasacohesivenarrative• Addressestheinterestsofdifferentaudiences• Usesmultiplecommunicationschannels• EducatesANDincitesactionANDraisesmoney• Canbeadaptedtochangesinprogramsandpriorities• Canincorporatenewideasandefforts• Allowsyoutobenimble

2

TheReality• Startwithanidea—acorethemeormessage• Makeaplan• Changetheplan—continuously—butmakelinkstowhatcamebefore• Useoffersforhelp—whentheymakesense

OurStory(thisyear)

3

LoveDon’tPaytheRentProbonooffer—anunknownwithpotentiallygreatvalue• Timingwasgood—beginningoffiscalyear• TiedtothebookEvicted• Wantedtomakeasplash• Focusedonthevaluesofthecommunity:• CradletoCareer—focusonchildren• Diversityà Equity• Prideinthecommunity

• Challengedtherealityofthosevalues• Startedaconversation

4

CoreoftheCampaignPosterswith4keyelements:• Aproposition:LoveDon’tPaytheRent• Astory(photo,photo+words)• Achallenge:Evanstoncandobetter.• Anactionplan/solution:Findouthowatconnect2home.org.

5

StoriesYardsigns:• Storiesareinthephotos—loveorloneliness.Theyportraythepeoplewhocometousforhelp.

Postersforretailers:• Storiesarealsointhewords,whereposterswillbenearfoottraffic.

• Thewordsgivesfacts+anemotionalstatement+avalueschallenge.

6

TheChildStoryOver70%ofhomelessadultswerehomelessaschildren.

Thetragedyandtraumathey’veexperiencedhavedarkenedtheirlivesasadults.

InEvanston,morethan400kidsarehomeless.

ThisisEvanston.Wecandobetter.

Findouthowatconnect2home.org.

7

TheYouthStoryAlmost200ETHSstudentsarehomelesseveryday.

About300District65gradeschoolstudentsarehomelesstoo.

Howdoyouconcentrateonatestduringthedaywhenyoudon’tknowwhereyou’regoingtosleepatnight?

ThisisEvanston.Wecandobetter.

Findouthowatconnect2home.org.

8

TheAdultStoryWelookrightpastthem.

It’shardtoseetheirfear.Theirpain.Theirshame.

InEvanston,over7500neighborsarehomelessorat-risk—that’s10%ofourpopulation.

Atminimumwagethey’dneedtowork3jobstoaffordtherent.

ThisisEvanston.Wecandobetter.

Findouthowatconnect2home.org.9

Distribution&PRPlannedactivities:• Push+Opt-Outapproachforyardsigns• Canvasapproachforretailers• Blogpostingthathighlighted:• Why“LoveDon’tPaytheRent”?• EvanstonCanDoBetter• connect2home.org(rollingoutournewURL)

• E-newsletterarticle• Pressconference(alsoannouncinganeventfeaturingtheco-authorof$2.00aDay) 10

Distribution&PRReactions:• Positive—“on-targetmessaging,”“lovetheposters,”“howcanIgetaposter?”

• Confused—“Idon’tgetit.”• Negative—“Badgrammar!”,“ThisisinsultingtoAfrican-Americans,”“Areyoutryingtomakepeoplefeelashamed?”

ALLledtoproductivediscussion.

Unplannedactivities:• Distributiontopeoplewhorequestedyardsigns• Conversationswithdonorswhocalledwithquestions• Invitationtodoaguesteditorialinthelocalpaper

11

MovingForwardCarryingthethemeforwardthroughouttheyear:• Casestatement• Fallappeal&holidaycard• Video&messagingaroundgalainFebruary• E-newsletter&blogentries• Community&volunteereventsinthelatewinter&spring

Allusionstothecampaigncanbeexplicitorimplicitbutalwaysfocuson:• Thechallenge• Thesolution• Thevalues

12

CaseStatementTobetailoredforusewith:• Majordonors• Corporations• Civic&communitygroups• Foundationmeetings• Volunteergroups

13

On any given night in Evanston...

…1,000+ People Are Homeless

15

2,873

1,176

404692

178272109549

Peopleinhouseholdswithoutchildren

Peopleinhouseholdswithchildren

Chronicallyhomelesspeople

InDistrict65

InDistrict202

(ETHS)

TotalLastYear

OnanAverageNight

HomelessStudents

…and Many More Are at Risk

16

Almost10%ofhouseholdsinEvanston(7,500)areatriskofbecominghomeless:

That’sthenumberthatmakelessthanhalftheareamedianincome($34,146)andpaymorethan30%oftheirincome($853amonth)onhousing.

Tobeconsideredaffordable,housingshouldcostnomorethan30%ofone’sincome.

Housing Is Too ExpensiveArecentsearchfor1-bedroomapartmentsonApartments.comforEvanston*showed:

• 0availablefor<$1,000/month• 22availablefor<$1,500/month

MarketraterentsinEvanstonareunaffordableforthoseworkingfulltimeatlessthan$20anhour.

*July201617

Costs of HomelessnessCoststothecommunity:

“Somestudieshavefoundthatleavingapersontoremainchronicallyhomelesscoststaxpayersasmuchas$30,000to$50,000peryear.”Thesecostsresultfromstaysinhospitalemergencydepartmentsandinpatientbeds,detoxprograms,jails,prisons,andpsychiatricinstitutions.-- UnitedStatesInteragencyCouncilonHomelessness(https://www.usich.gov/goals/chronic)

Coststothehomelessperson:Chronichomelessnesscuts20to30yearsoffahomelessperson’slife.

-- “HealthcareandHomelessness,”NationalCoalitionfortheHomeless,July200918

Greatest Burden on the YouthChildrenwhoarehomeless…

• Havehigherratesofacuteandchronichealthproblems

• Aremorelikelytohavebeenexposedtoviolence

• Aremorelikelytohaveanxiety,depression,withdrawal,andaggressivebehavior

• Arelesslikelytofinishschool

• Are60%morelikelytobehomelessasadults 19

Housing is the Foundation

20Stable Housing

Withoutstablehousing,itisnearlyimpossibleto:

• Excelinschool• Holdajob• Careforafamily

Our Mission at Connections

21

Wepreventpeoplefromlosingtheirhomes

andre-housethosewhohavebecomehomeless,

tohelpmoveindividualsandfamiliesoutoftheshadowsofhomelessness

andreachthegreatestpossiblelevelofself-sufficiency.

Solutions—Long-TermWeKnowWhatWorks:HousingFirstProvidinghousing,alongwithothersupport,isthemosteffectivewaytomovepeopleoutofhomelessness.

Itgivespeopletheplacefromwhichtoworkon:Employment Education PhysicalHealthMentalHealth SubstanceUse FamilyTies

22

Butuntilpeoplecanfindhousingtheycanafford,weneedothersolutions.

Connections’ On-Ramps to Homeless Services:

23

Outreachworkersengagehomelesspeoplewheretheyare– streets,parks,publicspaces.

EntryPointisadaytimedrop-incenterco-locatedatHilda’sPlace.Itprovidesaccesstoshowers,computers,phones,outreachworkersandcasemanagers.

Hilda’sPlaceisashelterthatprovidesdormitory-stylehousingforadults,withthegoalofmovingintohousinguponexit.

Connections’ Housing for People with Special Needs:

SupportiveHousing providesongoingsubsidizedhousingandcasemanagementtoindividualswhoaredisabledandchronicallyhomelessandtofamiliesthatincludesomeonewithadisability.

Tenant-BasedRentalAssistanceprovidesa2-yearhousingsubsidyandcasemanagementforworkingfamilieswithchildreninEvanstonschools.

OurHouse isaresidentialprogramforhomelessyoungadultsbetweentheagesof18and24. 24

Services Provided

Clients

BasicNeeds:Shelter,food,clothing,

hygiene,accesstocomputerand

phoneHousing

Assistance:Location,appli-cationassist-ance,rentsub-sidies,tenanteducation

LifeSkills:Workshops,tutoringandmentoring,socialskills

CareerServices:Jobreadiness

training,employmentcounseling,

academictesting,education

HealthandWell-Being:Medicalandmentalhealthcare,children’sadvocacy,parent

education

25

TotalServed:733PeopleServedinFY16

HousingProgramsRe-Housing(includingHilda’sPlace) 142SupportiveHousing—Individuals 39SupportiveHousing—Families 84(includingkids)RentalAssistanceforFamilies 64(includingkids)TransitionalHousingforYouth 7youngmenHomelessnessPrevention 0(duetotheState

budgetimpasse)

SupportiveProgramming(theseservicesoverlapwithhousingservices)Outreach&BasicNecessities 344HealthServices 150EmploymentSupport 93Education 166

26

Reach of Connections’ Programs

1.ProvideYourOwnFinancialSupport• Jointhe365Clubandpledgetogiveadollaraday

• Increaseyourgivingby10%

• Signupforrecurringgiving

• Makeamajorgift

27

2.HelpUsGetOtherFinancialSupport• Recruitfriendsandrelativestostartgiving

• Solicitgiftsfromyouremployers

• Signupforcompanymatches

3.HelpUsSpreadtheWord• Inviteustospeakatyour

workplace

• Inviteustospeakatyourchurch,synagogue,temple,ormosque

• Hostacoffeewherewecantellguestsaboutourvision

• FeatureConnectionsatameetingofyourlocalRotary,Kiwanis,blockorotherclub

• Talkaboutusonsocialmedia

How You Can Help…

AStoryofSuccess:LAMONTLamontstoppedbytheofficetotalkwithhiscasemanagerandproudlyshowedoffthenewcarthathehadrecentlybought.Hisfiancéewaswithhimwithabeautifulengagementringonherfinger.Hetalkedabouthispositionatalocalwarehousewhereheisthesupervisorwith50employeesreportingtohim.Humbly,heconfirmedthathehasbeencleanandsobersince2014andisreconnectedwithhisfamily.

HelookedremarkablydifferentfromthemanwhohadinitiallyinterviewedtostayatHilda’sPlaceShelter.Atthetime,Lamonthadagoodworkhistorywithatremendouslevelofexperienceinhisfamily’sbusiness,buthealsohadahistoryofviolenceandsubstanceabuse.Hewas,actually,awaitingacourtdateforsentencingonanassaultcharge.

28

Everythingstartedtochangeforthebetterwhen,duringtheinitialinterviewsandmeetingsatHilda’sPlace,hefinallyadmittedthatheheardvoices. Lamonthadbeenhearingvoicesfor30yearsandtoldnoone. Hetriedquietingthevoicesandtheviolencethat“they”elicitedwithdrugsandalcohol.Theunpredictableviolenceandaddictionwerethecauseofhisseparationfromfamily,lostemployment,andhomelessness.

Thedaythathesharedhismentalhealthsecretandtrustedsomeonewiththatrealitywasthedaythathewasabletostartgettinghislifeback.LamontwasreferredtothepsychiatristonsiteatConnections,wasdiagnosed,andwasabletoreceivetherightmedicationthatfinallysilencedthevoices.Astaffadvocateaccompaniedhimtohiscourtdate(morethanonce),makingapleatothejudgethathelpedhimreceivedrugrehabandaspotinahalfwayhouseinlieuofjailtime.

WhatifLamonthadneverspokenupandtoldthetruthabouthisstruggles?Whatifthejudgehadn’tbeenwillingtoofferanalternativesentence?ConnectionscreatedtheopportunitiesforthesecriticalpivotpointsinLamont'slifetogotherightway.WehelpedLamonttochangethequestionstopositives.WhatifLamonthadthemedicationheneededandadvocacyheneededtoregainemploymentandstablehousing?WhenLamontstoppedbytheoffice;wesawtheamazinganswer.

AStoryofSuccess:MALIKMalikhadhadstablehousingthroughmuchofhighschoolandwasfortunatetobeinvolvedinanafter-schoolprogram.Whenhegraduated,hegotajobworkinginafacilityforadultswithdisabilities.Shortlyaftergraduation,helosthishousingduetoadifficultfamilysituationand,withnowheretolive,hebegansleepingonthetrains.Eventually,heheardaboutConnections'OurHouse,whereinSeptember2015hebecameoneofourfirstresidents.

WhilelivingatOurHouse,Malikfocusedheavilyonemploymentandfinancialsecurity.Hewentthroughtrainingtobeasecurityguard,obtainedthePERCcardneededtoapplyforsuchjobs,andfoundemploymentasaguardinoneofthedormitoriesatNorthwesternUniversity.Atthesametime,heworkedcloselywithafinancialliteracytutorandbegantopro-activelybuilduphiscreditrating.

29Hopingtogetbetter(notovernight)hours,Malikwasrecentlyjob-hunting,whenFoundKitchen&SocialHouseinEvanstonapproachedConnectionslookingforemployees.Malikappliedandisnowworkingfull-timeatFoundinajobwithagoodwage,aschedulethatworkswellforhim,andgreatpotentialforadvancement.

Thank You!

www.connect2home.org