WELCOME HOME TEAMS ORIENTATION AND

INFORMATION

Welcome and Introductions

Reflection Activity

1. Think about a time that you

experienced hardship.

2. What feelings did you have during this

hardship?

3. What type of support helped you

overcome it?

Homelessness Nationwide

On June 22, 2010, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) presented the nation’s first comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness titled, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness (Opening Doors), to the Office of the President and Congress.

Opening Doors is focused on four key goals: Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness by 2015; Prevent and end homelessness among Veterans by 2015; Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children

by 2020; Set a path to ending all types of homelessness.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Definition of Chronic Homelessness

Chronically homeless person as either an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for a year or more

OR An unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has had at least four

episodes of homelessness in the past three years. This definition is adopted by HUD from a federal standard that was arrived upon through collective decision making by a team of federal agencies including HUD, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

(HUD, 2007)

A person suffering from homelessness is a person sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation (e.g. living on the streets, for example) or living in a homeless emergency shelter.

HUD’s Definition Of “Homelessness"

(HUD, 2007)

Housing First

Housing First is a “Best Practice” model to address homelessness, especially chronic homelessness, which emphasizes stable, permanent housing as a primary strategy for ending homelessness.

(Arnaudo, Madrid & Zappasodi, 2012)

Statistics in San Bernardino County

• San Bernardino County has a disproportionately large share of homeless veterans.

• The poverty level for children increased 32.1 percent between 2009 and 2011.

• San Bernardino City is the second poorest city in the nation.

• 47 percent of city residents are on welfare, food stamps, Medi-Cal or all three, and 38 percent are living at or below the poverty level.

IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY 2,321 ADULTS WERE FOUND

HOMELESS FOR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.

65 CHILDREN WERE FOUND UNSHELTERED.

Point in Time Count, 2013

No Child Left Unsheltered

The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) has declared a state of emergency for children and their families who are chronically homeless.•Housing assistance and resources for chronically homeless families with children•Two families have been placed thus far.•Expand in early 2014 (to up to 50 families)

Partners for No Child Left Unsheltered

Child Care Resource Center Children's Fund San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Molina Healthcare Clinics San Bernardino City Unified School District California State University, San Bernardino Catholic Charities Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County Southcoast Community Services Family Assist Faith Based Community (various) welcome home teams Technical Employment Training (TET) County of San Bernardino- Workforce Development Department SAC Health System

End Veterans Homelessness by 2015

Video 100,000 Homes Campaign

• http://youtu.be/Db-72KUuwpA

What is a Welcome Home

Team?Welcome Home Teams are faith and/or

service based organizations and volunteers who are volunteering to assist

homeless families with furnishing and other basic needs for their home.

Welcome Home Vision

The vision of the Welcome Home Initiative is to restore the hope of homeless families and their children by welcoming them into stable homes, providing them with their immediate household needs, and join them in friendship and love to

secure stability.

Health, Education,

Faith, Community, Wellness

Resources

Welcome Home Teams Referral Process

1. Attend an Information & Orientation session: All Volunteers will learn how to organize a group.

2. Recruit Volunteers : Colleagues, businesses, friends, church group etc. Group which will consist of 6-10 people.

3. Identify a Team Leader: Decide roles and responsibilities. Team leader or co leaders will be the one mostly in charge to organize members. Other assignments can include House Designer, Inventory Coordinator (check to make sure all things on list are received), Storage Coordinator (Organizes where things are stored), Transportation Coordinator (hires the moving van or organizes trucks), Hospitality Coordinator (helps play with kids day of move in, does introductions of families and volunteers etc.).

4. Receive Match Assignment: Your team will be matched with a homeless individual or family and will assist them in moving within the next 7- 30 days depending on needs and availability.

5. Collect Items for Household: Team works together to identify needs list, organize team members for service, contact service providers for items, shop, and store items.

6. Plan move-in day: Team will plan the “ move in party” and create a warm welcoming move-in party.

7. Welcome the Family HOME on Move-In Day!

Welcome Home Team

Step by Step Process

Examples for Team Coordination

There are various ways to motivate your team for action. We have included three different models

which are easy and fun!

Model A: Each team has specific volunteers for specific roles –needed for both models

Model B: The team has a team leader but breaks up the responsibilities to individuals to collect items by rooms i.e. bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room etc.

Model C: Combo of the two!

Roles & Responsibilities

Team Leader: Recruits team members Communicates with KEYS or VA Case Manager Leads the team meetings Encourages and checks in regularly with the

team volunteers Maximizes the gifts of volunteers and empower

them to serve Coordinates move-in activities

Roles & Responsibilities

Inventory Coordinator: Receive checklist from KEYS/VA Case Manager Implement marketing strategy for donated items

Social networking and post on FB, church website etc.

Be present on church/school/church site Clean and repair donated items (delegate)

Manage checklist until complete Send KEYS follow up checklist of all items

Roles & Responsibilities

Storage Coordinator(Self-Storage/Warehousing Items):

Makes arrangements to clear out a volunteer’s or church garage for 3-4 weeks (park on driveway)

Provide times available for people to drop-off donations (do not pick up items)

Give out address for drop-off donations Keep track of donors and provide receipts

(authorized signatures)

Roles & Responsibilities

Transportation Coordinator(U-Haul):Freight/logistics/short-haul dispatcher,

relocation specialist Rent a U-Haul or borrow a trailer

for the move-in day Recruit volunteers to load and unload Remember a tool kit with hammer, nails,

screw gun etc. Emphasize safety

Roles & Responsibilities

Hospitality Coordinator:Social butterfly/Networker/Listener• First impression for the team• Introductions between the family and team members • Get family involved in the process (investment)• Listen for other needs• Take photos• Bring Welcome Home First Meal and/or Cake • Make sure Fresh fruits and veggies can be stocked • Extend an invitation to attend local church or help find

a local church or support group to connect them

• MODEL B: – Team Leader works with volunteers to

collect items for bathroom, kids bedroom, master bedroom, etc. Each volunteer organizes getting all the items for their “room”.

Roles & Responsibilities

REMEMBER DAY OF MOVE IN

• Be sure to introduce Family and Team members• Take Pictures of move in before and after.• Stock fridge with fresh fruits and veggies and

possibly 1-2 nights of meals including breakfasts goods.

• Share first meal with family – order pizza, make sandwiches on move in day– EAT TOGETHER!

• Bring cleaning supplies including hand soap.• Bring hammers and nails for pictures or other needs.• Bring first aid kit for team in case of emergencies.

Where do you find donated items?

• Facebook, Twitter, other social networking• Assistance League, Goodwill, etc.• Habitat for Humanity ReStore• Ashley Furniture• Kmart (Registry)• Encourage your organization to re-decorate• Other __________________

Boundaries and Confidentiality

DO• Offer unconditional love at all times! Some will love this and

other families may not show their appreciation.• Show respect and kindness to all family members and

fellow volunteers.• Maintain a nonjudgmental attitude towards those with

different lifestyles, belief systems and physical appearance.• Refrain from asking any personal information of the family

unless the openly share their story. For example, do not ask them what happened, why they were homeless, etc. unless they offer the information

• Be flexible and work with your Team Leader to fulfill team roles and responsibilities.

Boundaries

DO• Communicate with KEYS or VA through your Team

Leader with questions about the family• LISTEN to the family members as they share their story. If

they are open to sharing then listen, support, & use words like “this must be difficult; you are strong; you are going to get through this.

• Refrain from sharing your story as this is about them.• Report any child or elder abuse suspicions you may have

with your Team Leader and/or KEYS or VA Case Manager• Immediately report any concerns, issues or problems to

your Team Leader.

Boundaries

DO NOT Give your own personal address, phone number,

Facebook, email, social media info to the family if you haven’t thought about this ahead of time. You need to feel confident that you can attend to the family but we don’t want to overwhelm the family with too many contacts. Decide who will be the main contact for the family and who is comfortable being available to the family if needed in the future.

Visit a household alone. Always go in pairs.

BoundariesDO NOT Give any money directly to the family.

All monetary and personal donations should go through your local church or can go through KEYS. Example – mom shares that she has no money for food and do you have any money…a child likes the ball cap you have on and makes mention that he wishes he had one. You might feel you should give it to them. DO NOT give it away to them unless you have discussed it with your team captain or KEYS Case Manager.

Discuss your own personal problems, issues, hardships with household members. This is about them.

Make any sexual advances under any circumstances. Find yourself alone with a child in a room. ALWAYS have other

team members present with you.

Confidentiality

Please be mindful of the family’s need for privacy:• Refrain from using the full family name

• Do not take a family photo without consent– If they have signed a release then you are ok to use

pictures but in all circumstances be mindful of the family’s dignity.

– If they haven’t signed a release then take pictures of the move in with the furniture, trucks arriving, etc.

• Some family’s will be very open about their circumstances, but please mindful not to share the personal or intimate details of the family’s problems even if they are open about them to you. Respect their privacy.

Confidentiality

What to do if a family member tells you something disturbing or if they are fearful of something?

“That sounds difficult(express empathy). We are not equipped to help with that, but your KEYS or VA Case Manager has resources to help. Here is their number... Do you mind if I follow-up with them to make sure you get the help you need?”

Always call 911 if you think they are suicidal.

Don Porter’s Story

http://www.myfoxla.com/story/22708681/helping-the-homeless-one-person-at-a-time

Q & A

Sources

Hanleybrown, F., Kania, J. and Kramer. (2012).Channeling change: Making collective impact work. Stanford Social Innovation Review. Retrieved from http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/channeling_change_making_collective_impact_work

Office of Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2007). Defining chronic homelessness: A technical guide for HUD programs homeless assistance programs. http://www.hud.gov/local/mn/working/cpd/annualshelter-homeless.pdf

1000 Homes Campaign Video Retrieved from http://100khomes.org/see-the-impact

HACSB.com http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/Center/2009_AHAR-Vet_Report_Final_201

1.pdf

Trinity Church of Redlands.(2013). Welcome home team at trinity church.

Contact Information

KEYS

Maureen O’Keefe Hodge, Executive Director

909-890-5394/mhodge@keysnonprofit.org

Amber N. Hearn, Coordinator

909-890-5336/ahearn@keysnonprofit.org672 S. Waterman Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92408