Perfect World

By Holly Gardner, Intake Specialist

In a perfect world, I get an empty manila folder handed to me with only a family’s name and contact info. After checking a few details, I arrange an appointment for screening; upon acceptance into the program, I estimate a ready date; and then I provide a move-in date and time to the new family.  Again, this world is perfect, so the apartment is clean, decorated by volunteers and ready just when the family needs it.

On their move-in day, the family is given a walk-through of their apartment and a hug or two. The family and I both get emotional when I hand them the key. They accept it, and we both know this relationship - this program - will impact their life journey in a very positive way. But again, this is a perfect world. 

Moving to the real world: We recently screened and accepted a family into our program. The manila folder was on the corner of my desk next to my “to do” list.  In just a few short days the family went from strangers to the newest family preparing to move in.  The young mom was nine months pregnant and had three other youngsters.  Her situation at the shelter and other community resources were waning, and her stress levels were increasing. She left me a soft, sad message on my answering machine hoping to move up her move-in date.

I let our team know we needed to do all we could to speed up the process. Everyone pitched in, from maintenance to cleaning to decorating. As they do so often, things just fell into place.  Our maintenance team was in the middle of some pretty extensive projects, and I did get a grimace or two, but they assured me that yes they could do it for this mom and her family.  Everything was touched, improved upon, updated and personalized. I was able to call her back and let her know that what we thought would take us three days we were able to accomplish in a day.  Her apartment was ready for her and her children.  In a perfect world maybe this family would not ever need us, or maybe her barriers could be overcome without the rigors of a program but we all know perfection is hard to find.  In this instance, for this family, we got very, very close.  

Transition

Submitted by Emily Lyons, CTI Case Manager

Transition is hard, but Community LINC is here to make it a little bit easier.

New home, new school, new neighborhood, new sounds, new routine. Transition is hard. Transition is even harder when it involves uncertainty. Families who are experiencing homelessness often struggle with knowing what comes next, and once they do find a more stable place to stay, whether that be with a friend or relative, at a shelter or a community program, most of the uncertainty remains with them: What happens when I have to leave here? When will my time be up? What will we do then? Its questions like these that make already difficult situations turn into impossible tasks. Here at Community LINC, we walk side by side with our residents to make these transitions less daunting. From the day residents enter the program, they are supported by staff to look for employment, enroll children in school, obtain permanent housing, and connect with community resources in order to make their transition to the next chapter of their lives easier. Even after our families leave the furnished apartments on Community LINC’s campus, they are still supported for nine months during our Aftercare program. Preparing our residents to embrace their new chapter is sometimes challenging, but more times than not, it is simply rewarding – especially when through good preparation, the uncertainty diminishes and the excitement regarding their next steps escalates.

Strong Parents Help Build Stable Children

Submitted by Griselda Williams, Manager Mental Wellness Services

Recently, several coworkers and I met to discuss our annual report for the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF), Missouri’s Foundation for Child Abuse Prevention. The grant funds mental wellness services at Community LINC, for children and youth ages 6-17. Mental wellness services are provided by a Child Therapist to include individual therapy, socialization, coping group therapy and often sibling group therapy.  As we were discussing interventions for children and youth our conversation naturally moved toward mental wellness supports provided to the parents. Some of the topics shared with Community LINC parents to support stable families and safety of children include:

• Protective Factors for Strengthening Families (taken from training offered via the Children’s Trust Fund).
•  Concrete support for parents in times of need
• Parent Resilience
• Social Connections
• Social and Emotional Competence
• Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

• Parents as Role Model (Open discussion from the, Children See, Children Do video).
• Why Does My Child Act Like That? (We discussed the four archetypes for child misbehavior).
• How Well Do You Know Your Child? (Parents were given a handout with questions about their child’s favorite color, video game, best friend, etc. Parents met with their children to discuss their responses.
• Child Development for children birth to 5 with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and Social, emotional and cognitive development of children ages 6-17.
• How to Help Your Child after a Traumatic Event (such as homelessness).

When parents have information and feel supported there is less risk for child abuse and neglect. These “protective factors” help families succeed and increase their resiliency during stressful times; like when they are experiencing homelessness. 

Every Hour Counts!

By Daniel Barber, Volunteer Manager

The community that supports Community LINC is a very generous one!  2015 was filled with fantastic acts of kindness and dedication from our volunteers.  These volunteers are essential to Community LINC’s ability to function and impact poverty.  Often times, individual volunteers can overlook or forget about the importance of their time.  But we know every hour counts!

2015 in Review

In 2015, Community LINC volunteers donated 5,427 recorded hours.  That time is estimated to be a $135,435 value to Community LINC.  Allow me a moment to recognize just a few highlights of the overall contributions of our volunteers.

Apartment Preparations:  Our volunteers spent 332 hours cleaning, re-organizing and decorating apartments to make them feel like a place our residents can call “home”.   On average, each apartments takes about 10 – 12 volunteer hours to get ready for the next family.  Without volunteers, that work would have to be done by employees. Which would mean: 1) Less time for employees typical duties (maintenance, or resident interactions), or 2) Community LINC would have to hire more employees to handle the duties, and 3) Probably most importantly, apartment prep would take longer, and families would have to wait longer to move in.

Budgeting: Last year, our budgeters clocked 233 budgeting hours.  That is time spent, individually, with residents and aftercare participants, helping them achieve their financial goals and attain stability.   Budget counseling is a big reason 93% of our program graduates from 2008-2013 have not returned to homelessness in the last seven years.

Maintenance: Our buildings are over 100 years old.  We have all the maintenance duties any other apartment complex would have, on top of the impressive age of our buildings.  As you can imagine, every single one of the 1,387 hours donated to maintenance was greatly needed.  Without these dedicated volunteers, our facility would not look nearly as nice and would be very far behind on routine maintenance.

Youth / Children: Throughout 2015, our volunteers spent 696 hours with the children of Community LINC.  The impact of homelessness on a child can be devastating; emotionally and developmentally.  The time our volunteers spent caring for and supporting these children has greatly impacted and improved each student’s ability to deal with their stressful circumstances.

Special Events: The Rent Party is a fantastic highlight of the year for Community LINC.  It is also responsible for one-third of our operating budget! To pull off such a fantastic evening of entertainment, it takes lots of time and preparation - 258 volunteer hours to be exact!  Volunteers are crucial for acquiring donations for the auction, as well as to make sure the event runs smoothly.  Without all of these hours, the Rent Party could not be as successful as it is.

These are just a few highlights of the overall impact our volunteers make at Community LINC.  Each hour donated means we can do a better job at ending homelessness, impacting poverty and removing barriers to self-sufficiency for the families we serve.  The volunteers at Community LINC clearly understand just how much community matters. We appreciate every one of our volunteers and every hour donated!

No Turning Back

By Employment Service Manager, Constance Taylor

Often times our participants lack vision and a genuine desire to reach for their dreams to achieve and excel. They cannot always believe they deserve a better paying job with benefits working within a highly committed and professional team. One of my chief goals is to exercise coaching tools that propel our participants beyond what they can imagine.

After several years of verbal abuse with her current employer, Tonya was suspended for two weeks when she finally expressed her concerns of how she was being treated to higher management. While rehearsing the details of the event she realized this may be a good time to weigh her options. After five years of committed service with the existing company, the thought of pursuing another career was a little frightening.

She decided to put in some applications and see what happens. Her first application was for an office position as a receptionist. To her surprise she was contacted for an interview within three days. She was offered the position earning more money with an extensive benefit package. Community LINC’s employment services program was able to provide her with donated clothing perfect for the new job.

She is on her way to a brand new job and life. Her new employer plans to train her on other job functions which will also strengthen her ability to learn new skills and provide the tools needs to expand her new career path. What an awesome turn around at a time that seemed like things were about to crumble. No turning back now only soaring ahead at a brand new future.

When Failure is Not an Option

By Employment Services Manager Constance Taylor

Lanette’s life took a spiral turn for the worse after interviewing and waiting for 2 weeks to report to a new job and discovering that they had hired someone else. It never entered her mind that she would hear the words, we couldn’t wait and we had to hire someone else immediately.  Now she had no income and she and her three boys had to go to a homeless shelter.

In our interview she discussed her past poor choices openly and convinced our team that failure was not an option. She was definitely motivated and ready to move forward. Her barriers were overwhelming but we knew she would do well because of the   compelling discussion concerning the goals she set for herself and her family. She was honest about the past mistakes that landed her in prison and was determined to take the steps necessary to improve her future. It was not the jail stay that changed her mind but her desire to become independent and self-sufficient. She wanted to work a professional career, earn a livable wage, dwell in a nice home, and care for her family. She won the battle against alcoholism and was ready to put the pieces back together.

She told me one day, “My boys are watching me and I have no choice but to make this work.” She hit the ground running. Every morning she would come to the lab ready to go: dressed for an interview, her hair well groomed, and a big smile on her face.

We discussed that networking would be her best asset. She went to every job fair, every felon-friendly assistance program, and tons of community events. Lanette did everything possible for a person with her background to secure employment. She knew she had to work ten times harder than the next person. She came to the job lab every day and attended the life skills and budgeting classes. She meets with her Case Manager and also receives encouragement from the Mental Wellness Manager.

She was not afraid or opposed to taking baby steps but knew she needed a good job to cover her family’s monthly expenses. She went to interviews each week repeating her story of defeat and remorse. 

The day finally came when she told me that she had landed a position making $13.65 as a customer service representative. Not only is she feeling self-sufficient again, but she has regained her self-esteem and sense of purpose. Her sons and Community LINC were the motivation and support she needed to regain her independence.  

Children Matters: Mindful Presence

By Children’s Program Coordinator Josh Chittum

For the purposes of this blog I’m always scanning my surroundings for stories. Sometimes it’s a struggle for me to find them. Sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I can’t. Personal eccentricities can obscure the eye. Other times I see it as valuable to recognize the reality of our residents. To accept where they are in their story as opposed to me trying to shoehorn them into three succinct acts.

The following is a sampling of dialogue I’ve heard spoken from residents in the last two weeks. From these lines, if we stop and listen and are present, we can infer where they are within their personal narrative.

“The teacher is worried that the problems are more than just speech,” said the Mother of the three year old who is falling behind his peers developmentally.

“The world is full of idiots who need to get their (expletive) together,” said the teenager whose father is not living at home anymore and is trying to rebound from slipping grades at school.

“Sometimes when I’m mad at myself I bang my head against the wall and tell myself I’m stupid,” said the articulate and kind 2nd grader who is having behavior issues at school.

“He can’t see his Dad because I filed a restraining order against him,” said the single Mother of three children.  

“I’m worried I might get jumped tomorrow, but I can’t tell anyone at school about it,” said the high school sophomore.

“We weren’t in program last night because his Dad went to jail,” said the Mother of a child with special needs when asked if everything was okay.

Again, this is just a sampling. Over the next several weeks I will hear different words spoken from different residents, but the emotions and thoughts will stay similar. Words of stress. The emotion of pain. Thoughts of fear. As time progresses some of the residents quoted above will transition to new stages of acceptance or to stages of resolution. Some of the residents will find new crises at the door. Others will remain where they currently are.

But as we work towards helping families find permanent housing, one of the most poignant, effective, and powerful things we can do is walk beside them no matter what stage of change they’re in, no matter how far away from resolution they find themselves. The reality is that this doesn’t always provide us with a natural place to roll the credits, but it does provide us with an opportunity to be present.

In a frenetically paced world where the moment of now is often stomped on and trampled upon, I see tremendous value in this state of mindful presence. And while presence itself is hard to measure, I contend that it leads to successful measurable outcomes. May we continue to work with our residents in this mindfully present state as they wade through the difficulties before them. And may the safety and security of permanent housing allow former Community LINC residents find the present-ness of their lives containing less stress, less pain, and less fear.

 

Housing Matters: Affordable Housing, It's a Necessity

By Housing Specialist II Shaunte’ Abernathy Cox

An estimated 12 million renters and homeowners pay more than 50 percent of their annual income for housing. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage can’t afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States (HUD, 2015). 

However, at Community LINC, Sara, a 28 year old, mother of three, who entered the Interim Housing Program unemployed, is finding a way to beat the odds.  Within her first month of being in the program, she secured employment.  Her minimum wage job, combined with the money she receives for child support, has allowed her to start the process to transition to permanent housing. 

During her time at Community LINC, she’s been able to establish a financial safety net, which will help decrease her chances of cycling back into homelessness.  Through the direct assistance funds we receive, we will be able to eliminate some of Sara’s barriers by paying her outstanding utility debt. 

In addition, she was able to connect with a private landlord to secure housing with cable, water, trash and sewer fees all included in the rent.  The only utility Sara will be responsible for is electricity. 

In a couple of weeks, she will leave Community LINC with a job, money in a savings account, a budget, a furniture voucher, restored confidence in herself and most importantly, HOUSING! 

By all accounts, Sara succeeded. She participated in services at multiple levels and utilized the tools she received from each area to help her succeed.  However, without the availability of private, affordable housing, things could have been a lot different for Sara.  For example, the average wait for Public Housing in Kansas City is 1-3 years while the average wait for Section 8 is 3-5 years.  Furthermore, the wait for many low-income tax credit properties in Kansas City is 12-18 months. 

Establishing partnerships with private landlords is critical when it comes to helping our clients transition.  It ultimately boils down to education…taking the time to explain to landlords who we are, what we do, who we serve and why our clients should be given a second chance at housing. 

It’s a never-ending task, but I’m up for the challenge and I hope you will join me as we work together to Educate & Celebrate! 

Source:  The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

www.portal.hud.gov (Who Needs Affordable Housing), 2015

*Low-income tax credit properties are indirect Federal subsidy used to finance the development of affordable rental housing for low-income households (HUD, 2015)

**The client’s name was changed to protect her identity.

Programs Matter: A Christmas Story for 2014

By Family Coach  Frenchie Pulluaim

Jason is a single dad raising his three year old son.  They had been homeless about 4 months, living in a hotel, when they applied for our program.  Jason and his son were one of five families adopted for Christmas by Dan Wilkinson and his staff at Datamax this year.

Upon delivering gifts Dan and his staff found that Jason and his son did not have a Christmas tree. After they delivered all of the gifts for the other families, Mr. Wilkinson called to let me know that they were shopping for a tree and ornaments as a surprise for Jason’s son.  Jason was in the job lab when the tree came. He said it was the most beautiful thing that had happened for his family in a long time.

We are very thankful to Mr. Wilkerson. This is not the first Christmas that Mr. Wilkerson has adopted families here at Community LINC, but it was surely one of the most special.

Intake Matters: Open Mind

By Intake and Resident Specialist Holly Gardner

I love the freshness of moving in a new family, especially the ones you can tell right off the bat are going to work with the staff here in good ways and meet their goals, or at least the majority of them.  I love the enthusiasm and appreciation that they share with me when they get my call letting them know we have a space for them and what their move in day will be.  This is a glow I carry around for hours, sometimes days and helps to remind me to keep an open mind with each new family.  That is the least I can give them.

There are families that seem to run for weeks on that energy.  Yes, they have their setbacks, ups and downs, but they get back on the horse and get their stride.  How do I know these families will have the energy it takes, the right attitude to make it successfully through the program and in to their own housing?  I don’t know, and I can get surprised, but one thing they seem to share in common are manners.  These are the families that tell me thank you, usually over and over again and want to know how to thank others like our apartment prep ladies.  They monitor their kids closely in the lobby and remind them of their manners. They smile more and make eye contact.  They ask me how my day is going. 

  

Yes, I love move in days and all the potential it brings, like the autumn air there is change, there is potential for growth.  All I have to do is keep an open mind and cheer them on because the families that are going to hit the ground running and make the most out of this program deserve that much from me.  

Housing Matters: Fear

By Housing Coordinator Tammy Mayhue

What a wonderful experience watching a new family enter Community LINC. The children are happy and the parents have a sigh of relief on their faces. But for some, their worries have just begun.

I had a revelation today regarding a family who was approved for housing. This family has been homeless for about 1 year. They lived in a couple of shelters and also with a family member prior to coming to Community LINC. I contacted the mom to inform her of the good news. I recall hoping she would answer the phone instead of getting her voice mail.

She answered the phone and I said, “Congratulations you got the apartment!” There was what seemed to be a long void. I said, “Hello” she said “Yes.” “Did you hear me? You got the apartment.” She then said “Oooooooooh. OK..” I asked her if something was wrong, and she stated “Nothing is wrong.” I told her, she could move in next week and ended the call.

I sat at my desk thinking about what had just happened. Then it came to me, she is happy to have housing, but has anxieties of the unknown. She is fearful of possibly making the same mistakes and has fear of failure. She may be even dreading what’s to come. This experience has opened my eyes and reminded me that the families we serve are still healing from their past.

Am I missing something?

By CEO/Executive Director Laura Gray

 

The Missouri Budget Project reported at the conclusion of the legislative session: “Moreover, lawmakers failed to take advantage of the opportunity to expand eligibility for Medicaid. Not only did the proposal have broad bipartisan support, it carried with it the strong support of diverse interests. Chambers of Commerce throughout the state, hospitals, health providers, health advocates and consumers came together to support expansion, which would provide at least 267,000 Missourians with access to health care, boost Missouri’s economy with an influx of federal funds, and reduce existing costs to state general revenue – strengthening the entire state budget as a result.”

 

Opponents stated that Missouri cannot afford the cost of expanding coverage. The Missouri Budget Project estimates that, because the federal government would pick up many costs, expanding Medicaid would save Missouri $140M in fiscal 2016 and 2017 and $30M per year thereafter.

 

Because Medicaid wasn’t expanded, the parents in our fragile homeless families have no insurance coverage unless they get it from an employer or meet the current criteria for Medicaid. However, an adult in a household of three has to have less than $307 per month in income to receive Medicaid under the existing criteria. That means they will use the emergency room for primary care. Hospitals will have to eat the cost of emergency care and adults won’t get routine medical care. It also means that an untreated illness has the potential to cause them to lose a job and again be at risk for homelessness.

 

Intake Matters: What a family leaves behind

By Intake and Resident Specialist Holly Gardner

 

This month I have been particularly busy doing walk through’s of apartments after a family moves out. Part of my job duty as an intake and resident specialist is to assess what the apartment needs will be for maintenance and cleaning, then I estimate the time frame and planning for the new family. 

 

Most of the time the family moves out gracefully, with minor damages.  Sometimes, if they won’t need these items in their new place they leave dishes, clean bedding and other things behind as a gift for the new family moving in.

 

I have noticed a direct correlation between the condition of the apartment when they move out and the family’s participation in the program.  It is no surprise to me when I see a family thrive here and want to share what they can with the new families coming in.  It is always refreshing to do the walk through when a family has left such a nice mark on us, the property and especially the new families moving in to the space.

 

Most of the time I can measure fairly well how to clean up a unit after a family departs, I can see that mini blinds get replaced, painting is done and a stove gets a deep cleaning, but I can’t always see or measure what that family was able to take in and or what that family will take with them when they leave us and continue on their housing and self-sufficiency journey. But when departing family’s with their own stresses and concerns are thoughtful enough to share their small bounty with another family I know that this is a kind gesture, a true welcome and it won’t go to waste. 

 

Programs Matter: Invisible people

By Interim Case Manager Frenchie Pulluaim

I am always attending trainings, informational sessions, and conferences about topics that affect the families at Community LINC. March 24 through March 26^th, I attended training that targeted something that is huge for most families in crisis.  The training was about Invisible people. 

Invisible people are people that affect someone’s household, but are never formally/officially counted as an expense to the household.  These are the non-working family members, boyfriends, buddies, and parents that eat, sleep, and partake of the benefits that a family receive, no matter how small the benefit is. 

This is a chronic problem for our families and usually coming into this program provides an opportunity to unload some of the invisible people they have been taking care of for years.  These are people who can stop a family from being successful.  This is a constant problem, not just for our agency, but most agencies.

We currently have a family with a son who is 21 plus. Our client is his mother, but she is no longer responsible for his welfare.  But, he always finds a way to live in the household physically (I feel that maternally mom feels obligated), but not on paper.  This son causes many issues for the mother. He has a poor choice of friends, disregards mom’s authority in front of the younger children, and is not applying himself in a positive way, although he has information/resources.

Mom has a son who is invisible in her household.

He increases the cost of caring for her family, but mom does not recognize/acknowledge that he is a part of her inability to get on her feet and become self-sufficient.

The training explored ways of working with the heads of household to assist them to see the cost of invisible people, and their responsibility to support their immediate household (children).  This was a sensitive because it is very difficult to tell residents/clients that they are too poor to assist their love ones.
 

This training was to learn how to apply motivational case management to create a comfort level with clients that will allow you to speak with them as they problem solve this issue.  Case managers should never undermine a client/resident’s self-worth by limiting their ability to reach out to family/friends in need. This class was to assist them to give without hurting their ability to remain stable and self-sufficient.

The class identified the problem not to be helping the invisible people in a family, but how the family chose to help the invisible people. 

Example:  Giving invisible people money will not help them, if they have problems with financial management.
 

Resolution:  This invisible person should be armed with resources and programs that will assist them with financial issues.  Receiving these resources could lead to housing, stability and opportunities they could not get from taking handouts from family members/family.

This would also make the invisible person independent and an asset to the Community LINC family in question.

Jobs Matter: "When Good Out Weighs the Bad"

By Employment Job Coach Connie Taylor

The minimum wage for Missourians remained at $5.15 for 10 years until a law was passed in 2006 to increase it each year for cost of living/inflation changes.  The minimum wage increased to $5.85 in 2007, $6.55 in 2008, $7.25 in 2009, and in January 2014 it increased to $7.50.

Advocates for higher minimums say it’s past time to make the wage floor do a better job reflecting the cost of living. According to polls, most Americans say the current minimum, at whatever level, isn’t enough to provide a livable wage for a full-time worker trying to maintain a household.

Although $7.50 an hour is less than most of our families need to survive, is it an improvement for entry-level employees. Due to limited education (no high school diploma or high school equivalency) and little or no work history, many of our clients earn minimum wage and work less than 25 hours per week until they prove themselves on the job. Once they reach full time 40 hour weeks, their income is still less than $16,000 a year.

Last week, I called one of our residents to check on his progress. He said that he was actually on his way to my office to talk. His very words were, “I have good news and bad news.”  I was unsure what to expect knowing that he had only been on his job for a few weeks.  I later discovered that his dilemma was much like most of the families we serve. Now that he was earning an income ($7.50 an hour) he would no longer be eligible to receive TANF cash assistance ($232 a month). In fact, the money he was expecting had not been deposited in his account the day before. His first paycheck, which was for less than 40 hours, was only around $40.00. He would have to wait another week before he would receive any additional income. Sadness gripped my heart as I thought about his circumstances and his inability to see past his current circumstances of “not enough.”

Then the good news. His job was offering him an opportunity to transfer to a new location where he would be scheduled 40 hours a week and considered a full time, regular employee. He would no longer be required to float between two stores miles apart. 

 

The highlight of our conversation was that his employer was very pleased with his work. Because he had proven his ability to perform his job duties and displayed responsibility and trust, he is now moving up to a better, full time position. He was told that his income is likely to increase by $1.00 an hour over the next few months, as long as he remains stable.

Good news for a job well done!

Volunteering Matters: Home is where the heart is

By Volunteer Coordinator Kate Nevins

 

Each month Community LINC tries to bring in a group of compassionate and caring volunteers in order to host a weekend project. This month we were lucky to be having the girls of Delta Sigma Theta Cotillion Group, a youth development and scholarship program co-sponsored by the Kansas City, Missouri Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

 

The girls will be helping our newly arriving families feel more at home by prepacking bathroom kits with all the necessary essentials, as well as decorating and filling fun Children’s goody bags with small toys, games, and books. It is important that our families feel comfortable at Community LINC as they begin creating new memories and living their lives.

   

The girls will also be creating a creative bulletin board for our entry way inspired by our Housing Specialist, Tammy Mayhue. Since finding permanent housing for our families is such a significant part of the Community LINC mission, the girls will be crafting a board with houses and keys in order to motivate and inspire our families to look forward to a bright and fulfilling future!

 

Jobs Matter: "I Got My Dream Job"

By Employment Job Coach Constance Taylor

 

I remember my first conversation with Mr. U He had just moved to Kansas City from New York and he was facing many unresolved issues concerning his diabetic eleven year old daughter.  Although he trained with a school bus company for almost three months after coming to Kansas City, he was told he was ineligible to be hired.  His employment history was very spotty with large gaps and no high school diploma or G.E.D.

 

He remembered working for a car rental company as a detailer and truly loved it, so he asked about the possibility of landing a job like that once again. He applied to several car rental companies, but didn’t get any responses.  It had been five years ago since he worked as a detailer and his references were  no longer be available.

 

He switched his search to jobs as a dock worker  and received several  invitations to interview.  The work hours wouldn’t work either due to transportation or having to leave his daughter home alone during the evening.  He even had some interviews look promising right up to the point of hiring, when the interviewer would ask, “By the way, do you  have your G.E.D.”?

 

Finally, the call we had all been waiting for came. It was from the first application he completed seeking a job as a car detailer. He answered their additional questions and went in for an interview. He was hired for the position! It was exciting and scary all at the same time. Who would have thought that the first application would be the one that landed him his dream job. 

 

Aftercare Matters: It doesn't stop there...

By CTI Case Manager Sara Barrett

 

Moving into permanent housing is an exciting and monumental goal for families of Community LINC. There are few things in this line of work, in my opinion, that come with the feeling of watching a family walk into a home to be theirs for the first time.

 

A common question I am asked by clients when they first come to Aftercare is, “So, what now?”

 

Aftercare helps families address this question. A roof over their heads, is just the foundation and starting point for a journey of success. Aftercare, often for the first time, challenges families to believe there is more to them than a goal of not being homeless. Once housing is stabilized, and budgets are in place, Aftercare pushes families to think further and answer questions about their goals for them personally and dreams they have wanted to accomplish. Often times these goals and dreams include establishing a substantial savings, finishing basic education credentials or beginning college or finishing a certification, home or small business ownership, and extra-curricular activities to help shape the talents of their children.

 

Nearly every family starts Aftercare meetings with the CTI Case Manager and the family sitting on the floor of their new space, with only beds to call their own, answering that question of, “So, what now?” It is a beautiful journey to move from floor-sitting to thriving in the community and dreams coming true that never could have been touched or thought of without a permanent place to call  home...

 

Program Matters: Rules are made to be broken?

Senior Director of Programs Jeannine Short

 

Community LINC has had a longstanding rule that families who have exited the program could not re-enter.  Given the emphasis on harm-reduction, however, we have taken steps to align our processes by shifting our focus away from static rules to the big picture—helping families become permanently housed.

 

Recently, a single mother of four made the decision to exit the program (without agency assistance) for what she thought was a permanent housing opportunity.  She soon discovered, however, that the decision was erroneous at best and requested re-entry into the program.  Other program performance issues notwithstanding, the family was allowed to return.

 

Approximately two months later, this young mother had obtained fulltime employment, signed a lease, and was given the keys to her own permanent residence.  On the day of her exit, she came to my office to tearfully express her gratitude.  In her words, “Thank you for giving me a second chance… for believing that I could it.”

 

I don’t know who coined the phrase “rules are made to be broken”, but in this case I’m very glad they did.

 

Employment Matters: Dreaming of a brighter future

By Job Readiness Coach Constance Taylor

 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that “the unemployment rate declined from 7.3 percent to 7.0 percent in November, and total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 203,000. 

 

Employment increased in transportation and warehousing, health care, and manufacturing.

The number of persons reported unemployed less than 5 weeks declined by 300,000 in November partially reflecting the return of work of federal employees on lay off in October due to the partial government shutdown. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was essentially unchanged at 4.1 million in November. The number of long-term unemployed has declined by 718,000 over the past 12 months.”

 

N. has accepted a position with a local retail industry and is preparing to take on line G.E.D. courses to improve her educational status and advance to management.

 

After several months of experiencing strong feelings of defeat she decided to focus on what she had to offer over other candidates. How could she solve problems for employers became her primary focus? She was able to speak fluent Spanish and located a merchant who needed her skill and was quickly placed on the payroll. 

 

N. has moved into permanent housing and is happy to be among those that are now successfully employed.

 

She is dreaming of a brighter future.