Orientation to the Faith Partnership to End Family Homelessness

1. Orientation to the Faith Partnership to End Family Homelessness June 5, 2012

2. Project Overview • Seeking 100 congregations to commit resources ($ and people) • 40 committed • 20 considering • Trained mentors in committed congregations will be matched with homeless families each month based on geography and family preference. • First families to be matched in July.

3. Project Objectives • End homelessness for 100 families through short-term financial assistance and longer-term mentoring supports. (85% stable at 3, 6, and 12 months) • Connect congregations to the Action Plan to End Homelessness and its many partners to exchange information and to make the most efficient use of limited funds. • Sustain the Emergency Housing Partnership, a stimulus-funded initiative that has held family homelessness down (0 growth) at a time when single individual homelessness has increased 38% after funding expires in June 2012.

4. Why Families Become Homeless Compared to housed low-income families: • They aren’t more likely to be mentally ill or substance abusing. • They aren’t more likely to be disabled. • Exposure to significant trauma is nearly universal (92% by national studies) among both groups • They are more likely to be young and pregnant. • Relationships are fractured. • Poverty is that much more severe.

5. Training Overview • Major components: relationship building, core concepts of mentoring in a cross-cultural setting, financial literacy, and positive parenting practices. • Mentoring = 7 structured engagements over 6 months, with specific goals and objectives (family sets goals, emphasis on financial), contact by phone weekly is recommended, phases down after six months. • Setting the tone for adult-adult relationship building (avoiding enabling patterns and maternal/paternal relationships)

6. Before Families are Referred • Point of contact and mentors identified. • Payment made. • Mentors complete background checks and application forms (Alliance or congregation-sponsored)

7. What to expect • Alliance staff provides lead contact with family profile. • Family will have housing identified and may already be housed. • Family committed to working with mentoring team but may be frequently “unavailable.” • Early contact is important = within 48 hours of approval, congregation should receive referral. • Check-ins by Alliance staff monthly, support provided as needed.

8. Common Concerns and Issues • Impatience around solving the poverty problem; mentors driving the goals when the family should be. • Doing too much/failing to maintain boundaries (parenting someone else’s child) • Disappearing • Saying the right things but doing the opposite

9. Breakout Session Instructions: Answer three questionsSelect a facilitator and a recorder Come back when you’re finished. You Have Ten Minutes

10. Final Pitch • Help us reach other congregations and reach our goal. • Want to help in other ways? • Project Homeless Connect July 12th! • 100k Homes registry week September

11. Instructions for Signing Up • Each table represents a month: July – December • Ten congregations can sign up for each month. • Suggested dates/times are provided.