Andrea Danes’ Post

Fighting homelessness hinges on two concurrent challenges: 1) Taking people off the street; and 2) Preventing those at highest risk from becoming unhoused. As I have long argued, the clearest entry point in tackling that second challenge is by better helping youth who age out of #fostercare. Released in July, this report from the California Policy Lab uses administrative data to better understand and predict #homelessness for Los Angeles County #fosteryouth. Between the ages of 21 and 24, 30% of all the 18-21 year-old youth in 2019 were tagged as having experienced homelessness by the Department of Social Services. This important research dovetails with longitudinal survey responses, wherein one quarter of California foster youth reported experienced homelessness between the ages of 21 and 23. Thanks to the authors Janey Rountree, Robert Santillano, Maya Buenaventura, Brian Blackwell, April Nunn and Andi Vidaurre for using their talents to highlight the acute need to do better for these young people. I am glad for L.A. County's support of this important research, and its potential for driving change. Please read here: https://lnkd.in/gKy5nUhD Better Angels The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Reissa Foundation Conrad N. Hilton Foundation WHH FOUNDATION Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Blue Meridian Partners Specialty Family Foundation Weingart Foundation Matthew Haas Yali Lincroft Zaneta J. Smith, MSW May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust Annie E. Casey Foundation Casey Family Programs Child Welfare League of America National Foster Youth Institute Think of Us California Community Foundation

Great people, great project

Urgent Update: Google is stepping up to tackle homelessness by backing guaranteed income initiatives. How can this innovative approach bring relief to those in need? Dive into our latest article for insights and implications. 🔍 Key points covered by Constance Matthiessen: The impact of guaranteed income on homelessness Google's role and commitment Perspectives from experts and community leaders Join the discussion! What are your thoughts on guaranteed income as a solution to homelessness? #Homelessness #GuaranteedIncome #Philanthropy #Google #SocialImpact #CommunitySupport #GooglePhilanthropy #HomelessnessRelief #EconomicEquity #PovertyAlleviation #CrossSectorCollaboration

Celebrate Huckleberry House Day, March 6, 2024! Where are they now? Becky Westerfelt was the Executive Director of Huckleberry House from 2002 – 202o. Becky says of her time at Huckleberry House, “One of the things I loved about working at Huckleberry House was that there was a commitment to the why of our work and not just the what. That meant that our practice reflected both our values and mission in a seamless way. Many organizations talk about being client-centered, but at Huckleberry House, it is such a foundational value that it hardly needed to be discussed. I think that allowed us to be creative in how we worked with people. I think about watching one of our therapists walking down the alley to find a client who skipped his session; or the worker who talked to me in the parking lot (I was trying to go home) to ask me to find funding for a parent mentor in the Transitional Living Program; or the Board members who supported the idea that our relatively small organization could buy an apartment complex to we could stabilize our housing programs. These are all examples of an organization that doesn't just see the problems in front of us but sees potential for imaginative solutions. As a social worker and the Executive Director, I found my time at HH to be a place that brought out the best in me and my practice.” What were the urgent issues around youth crisis and homelessness during your tenure at Huckleberry House? While I was at Huckleberry House, we spent a lot of time connecting the dots between the youth-serving and homelessness systems. Policy makers and funders love to promote collaborations, but rarely consider how those collaborations require change for everyone involved. It is not enough to say that the community's homeless response should include services for youth. And it is not enough to assume that all homeless youth are cared for in the child welfare system. For 50 years Huckleberry House has had a foot in both worlds and has insight that is critical for both sides. While I saw progress during my time at Huckleberry House, as a community we still expect youth and young adults to fit a system designed for adults, and we still only think of children when we design services to protect and care for young people. What are you doing now? I'm retired so I just do what I want. I spend a lot of time with friends and family which feeds my soul. I like this quiet time in my life. Point of fact. On March 6, 2020, Huckleberry House purchased the Kenmore Square apartment complex, expanding total Transitional Living units to 73; later that same year, Huckleberry House began providing services for another 40 Permanent Supportive housing units, made up of 18-24 year olds, at Marsh Brooke Place. On March 6, please consider a gift in a $6 increment to help us celebrate Huckleberry House Day. To see all the stories: https://lnkd.in/gv8nB5-Z #shinealight #huckleberryhouse #march6

Office of Head Start Director Khari Garvin shares enrollment strategies and why all children and families experiencing #homelessness should have a “Home at Head Start.” We at SchoolHouse Connection agree that comprehensive Head Start services are what children and families need and deserve to thrive, especially those experiencing homelessness. 🎥 https://bit.ly/3wcrTOy 💥 He challenges all Head Start and Early Head Start programs to: 1️⃣ Prioritize children and families experiencing homelessness; 2️⃣ Work with community partners like homeless liaisons to provide enrollment referrals and supports. Rely on your parent leaders to help you find families who may be sharing housing due to financial or other hardships or emergencies; and 3️⃣ Help staff understand the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness and how to engage in caring conversations with families without ever using the word “homeless."

🫣 Family homelessness is real, even if we don’t always see it. 👀 Homelessness in our community is more complex than a single number can show. HUD’s definition of homelessness counts those in shelters or on the streets, while the McKinney-Vento definition used in schools includes families and children who may be doubled up or staying temporarily with others. Both views are essential in beginning to understand the true scope of the crisis—because homelessness affects individuals and families differently, requiring a unique approach to support all community members without a stable home. Families facing homelessness need tailored support and specific resources, especially when it comes to finding housing and overcoming employment, childcare, and transportation barriers. By recognizing both key definitions of homelessness and building a collaborative network of community organizations, schools, and service providers, we can create a safety net that meets each family and individual’s needs. Family Promise of Greater Wichita is committed to bridging these gaps and working together with our incredible community partners to create lasting solutions. 💛 https://lnkd.in/eqPpb5wc #FamilyPromiseWeek #HomelessnessAwareness #FamilyHomelessness #InvisibleCrisis #KeepingOurPromise #GrowingTogether #TogetherWeCan #CommunityCollaboration

ADDRESSING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS: CatholicCare’s plans to support young people on the Central Coast Member CatholicCare Diocese Of Broken Bay has plans to deliver a 57-bed Youth Foyer in Wyong, one of ten new Youth Foyers slated by The Foyer Foundation over the next three years. Foyers offer integrated learning and accommodation for young people aged 16-24 years who are at risk or experiencing homelessness. Wyong faces significant socio-economic challenges, with only 68% of young people completing Year 12. Youth-specific housing solutions are critical, as young people on the Central Coast currently wait an average of 19.4 months for housing, disrupting their education and career prospects. This Youth Foyer is part of CatholicCare’s broader efforts to address housing and homelessness on the Central Coast, complementing services like Mary Mac’s Place, KEYS young parents’ homelessness service, and transitional accommodation with casework support. By providing dedicated housing and support, CatholicCare aims to positively impact young lives, helping them complete their education and start successful careers. This project not only addresses immediate housing needs but also invests in the long-term potential of the region’s youth, fostering a brighter future for the entire community. The Foyer Foundation is seeking federal funding to build ten new Foyers to help 3,500 more young people. Members Mission Australia and Uniting NSW.ACT are already supporting young people through this proven model. #youthhomelessness #housingcrisis #CentralCoast

Youth Homelessness Issue 🏠 Hailey's story highlights the urgent issue of youth homelessness. Imagine being Hailey at 16, facing eviction and spending over a year couch-surfing and living in a caravan. Her story mirrors the reality of 11,744 children on Western Australia's public housing waitlist as of June 2023. Nationally, nearly one-quarter of those experiencing homelessness are aged between 12 and 24. These children and young people are extremely vulnerable and face educational disruption. More Insights : 📅 In 2021, at least 2,058 WA children and young people were homeless. 🏠 During 2021–22, 6,802 children and young people aged zero to 17 presented at WA specialist homelessness services, with the majority under 10 years old. 👪 Family and domestic violence remains the leading cause for youth needing housing and homelessness assistance. These data show us the urgency of action for children and young people like Hailey. (source: Profile of Children and Young People in WA 2024, 👉 https://bit.ly/3kqdF2W Let's unite to raise awareness and take decisive action to support vulnerable youth across Western Australia. Read ABC article 👉 https://bit.ly/3zlZJBM #YouthHomelessness #SocialImpact #EducationMatters #CommunitySupport #HousingCrisis #Advocacy

By Katie Spencer White... #Homelessness has never been worse in #Maine, and we are at a turning point. This week the #legislature will decide whether to fund #LD2136, a bill which provides much needed funding to Maine #homeless #shelters, or to watch several of them close in the next few months. The shelter system as a whole has not received an increase in funding since 2017. No business could operate on a budget from eight years ago, let alone do the work well with dignity for the people they serve. Many people are under the impression that homelessness is caused by mental illness and #addiction. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that 55% of homeless households in Maine had a child under the age of 18 and the fastest growing population are seniors. Actually, the biggest contributing factor to increasing homelessness is the unaffordability of #housing. According to a report released in October of last year, Maine needs approximately 80,000 units of affordable housing to correct for years of underproduction and meet growing demand. Even with historic housing production in 2023-24, it will take decades to fill this gap. People in a housing crisis can’t wait that long. More people than ever have resorted to sleeping outside. Municipalities across Maine are struggling to balance the needs of desperate people and of communities who want safe and welcoming public spaces. Aside from the aesthetics, encampments are inherently unsafe for occupants with high levels of violence, including robbery, assault, human trafficking, and disproportionately high rates of death. This is not the way life should be for anyone. Shelters provide the only safe alternative for thousands of people every night. Our sector works with men, women, children, young people, seniors, veterans, domestic violence survivors, the disabled, the formerly incarcerated, and those who defy labels yet still have no place to go at night. Maine must decide whether to continue to do what we’ve always done – take care of people while taking care of our beautiful communities, or go the way of California and Oregon and other western states where unsheltered homelessness is the norm. It doesn’t have to be this way. Last October, in collaboration with many partners, we ended unsheltered homelessness in Waterville. That was possible because Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter provided 40 additional beds on some nights because we refused to turn anyone away. We can do the same across the state if we have sufficient funding. But not if our shelters are expected to do the work for free. Free doesn’t make payroll, pay for auditors, or keep the lights on. There are no easy answers to solving homelessness for good, but there is one thing I know for certain: all Mainers deserve a safe place to sleep tonight. If legislators believe the sign at the state line, they need to make sure that Maine is the way life should be for everyone.

This report on the impact homelessness and housing instability has on young children is so valuable. Much of the data and particular policy analysis is on North Carolina, but these issues are felt nationwide. One poignant insight is that homeless shelters and services often don’t support the particular, material needs of young children – there’s no extra support for formula, diapers, or baby food, for example. This makes the already painful and distressing situation of being homeless even harder for families. #northcarolina #duke #housinginstability #homelessness #childhoodhomelessness #inequity #families #caregivers #nyulangone #parentcorps https://lnkd.in/g-5b38qV