Lunch

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Lunch Learn Series Homelessness 101
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LIVE UNITED
United Way is working to advance the common good
by focusing on education, income and health.
These are the building blocks for a good lifea
quality education that leads to a stable job,
enough income to support a family through
retirement and good health. Our goal is to
create lasting changes that prevent problems
before they happen. One of the ways we do this is
through our 10 year plan to end chronic
homelessness. We invite you to be a part of these
changes. Together, united, we can inspire hope
and create opportunities for a better tomorrow.
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United Way Advancing the Common Good
Creating the opportunities for a good life for
all by focusing on
Education Helping Children Youth Achieve Their
Potential
Income Promoting Financial Stability and
Independence
Health Improving Peoples health
Homelessness Ending Chronic Homelessness

• Maximized income
• Increased savings
• Financial assets for long-term stability

• School readiness
• Academic achievement
• Engaged parents

• Healthy children and youth
• Healthy parents and families
• Healthy seniors

• Housing with services
• Mental income support
• Employment help

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Homelessness 101 Syllabus

• Course objectives
• To increase your awareness and understanding of
  homelessness as a major issue in our community,
  and explain your and United Ways role in solving
  it by answering these five questions
• What is homelessness?
• Who are the homeless?
• Where does homelessness happen?
• What are the root causes?
• What are the solutions?
• Course credits earned
• You walk away with an understanding of what
  homelessness is and how it affects our region.
  AND, you feel empowered to do something to help.

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Homelessness 101 Regional Commission on
Homelessness

• 2002 Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin challenges
  United Way to tackle homelessness in our
  community. United Way accepts.
• 2003 Horace Sibley (retired partner of King
  Spalding) formed the Regional Commission On
  Homelessness composed of civic, community, faith,
  and business leaders. The result of the
  commission's work was the Blueprint to End
  Homelessness in Ten Years, which included the
  following strategies prevention, case
  management, ongoing support services and
  supportive housing. The Blueprint was presented
  to Mayor Franklin and she accepted.

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Homelessness 101 Regional Commission on
Homelessness

• 2005 The RCOH opened the 24/7 Gateway Homeless
  Services Center. Since its opening the Gateway
  Center has had a significant impact on immediate
  crisis services and long-term assistance.
• 2008 RCOH reaches five year mark and makes
  great progress on
• blueprint goals.
• -Over 1600 supportive housing units created
• -More than 1,200 homeless people employed
• -Over 8,000 homeless people reunified with loved
  ones
• -Gateway Center serves more than 6,000 per year
• -Trend is going in right direction 8 percent
  drop in homelessness in the city 16 percent
  drop in chronic homelessness

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Homelessness 101 Activity and Discussion

• Give it to me straight Whats the truth and
  wheres the lie?
• Objective
• Students will be given a table tent with
  homelessness facts (Who, What, Where, How,
  Solutions) but the catch is that some of the
  facts are true and some are false. The object of
  the game is to identify the truths and lies.
• Rules
• Everyone plays!
• Everyone wins!

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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 1What is
homelessness?
A person who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate
night-time residence is considered homeless.
Applies to individuals staying on the couches of
family and friends, or sleeping in cars and
motels.
Homelessness is classified as chronic when it
occurs for one year or more.
15-20 percent of Atlantas homeless population is
chronically homeless.
A person is considered homeless who lacks a
fixed, regular,
and adequate
night-time residence.
This population uses up 50 percent of the
resources dedicated to homelessness.
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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 2Who are the
homeless?
Many of our homeless suffer from mental illness
in some cases the condition was pre-existing, but
increasingly mental instability is a product of
prolonged homelessness.
Homeless people with mental disorders remain
homeless for longer periods of time and have less
contact with friends and family.
In recent years, agencies have reported that
women and children are showing up in greater
numbers in search of temporary housing.
Women and children make up 40 percent of our
homeless population.
Homelessness breaks up families, as a result of
shelter policies or the placement of children in
foster care.
Extended stay motels and the homes of family and
friends also serve as temporary shelters for
individuals and families at risk of homelessness.
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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 2

• United Way Success Story Avis Jenkins
• Lost her job when the store where she worked
  closed.
• Unable to pay rent, she knew she and her family
  faced homelessness.
• Received help from The Center for Family
  Resources, a United Way grantee.
• Now has had steady work for six years and
  provides a stable home for her two daughters.

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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 3Where does
homelessness happen?
In most cases, homelessness originates outside of
the city limits of Atlanta.
Two-thirds of United Way 2-1-1 calls for shelter
and housing came from areas outside the City of
Atlanta.
Eight jurisdictions have joined the Regional
Commission On Homelessness Dekalb, Fulton,
Clayton, Cobb, Douglas, Rockdale, Gwinnett and
the City of Atlanta.
It is easier to find shelters in suburban areas
due to the smaller homeless populations there.
Due to fewer shelters in suburban areas, homeless
people there are more likely to live in a car.
Atlantas chronically homeless find themselves
spending more nights in jail and hospitals, which
become de facto shelters.
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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 4What are the
root causes?
The primary causes of homelessness in our
community are mental illness, addiction and
domestic violence.
In 2006, there were 716 cases of homelessness
caused by domestic violence.
The risk of homelessness often occurs when there
is a hiccup in a familys finances.
Homelessness and economic instability are linked.
40 percent of the Atlanta homeless population
report having partial or full-time work.
Underemployment and unemployment are factors in
homelessness.
Fortunately, things such as poor credit history,
felony records, and an individuals ability to
save for rental expenses have not proved to be a
barrier for securing housing.
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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 4

• United Way Success Story Charlotte
• Moved in with her daughter and son-in-law after
  losing her parents.
• Soon her son-in-law became verbally and
  physically abusive.
• Shepherds Rest Ministries, a United Way
  community partner kept her off the streets.
• She is now back on her feet and speaking out
  about the dangers of violent homes.

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Homelessness 101 Give it to me 5What are the
solutions?
The Regional Commission on Homelessness was
formed to build more temporary shelters.
The RCOH mission is to end chronic homelessness
not to manage it.
Making available more support services like job
training, case management and child care will not
help prevent or solve homelessness.
These services help homeless individuals and
families stabilize and begin moving toward
independence.
It costs our community less to place homeless
individuals in supportive housing than to place
them in jail.
It costs 20 less per day to provide supportive
housing to an individual than to jail them.
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How will you live what you learned today?

• Stay informed. Get involved.
• Participate in UWMAs campaign
• www.unitedwayatlanta.org
• Sign up to receive UWMAs newsletter
• www.unitedwayatlanta.org
• Volunteer by calling United Way 2-1-1 or
  exploring www.unitedwayatlanta.org/volunteer
• Give. Advocate. Volunteer.

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