Ok, I promised to write more about this. The program assists people with transitional housing. From what I understand, families are eligible if the adults have not had any felonies within the last three years, are not listed as sex offenders and do not have untreated addictions. The first step is the transitional housing part. They stay in host churches or schools. The host church provides dinner every night. During the day there is a day center that they stay at and can do laundry or shower or whatever they need to do, basically it's a home base. The time the families spend in the host churches or schools gives the staff of Phoenix a chance to find them an apartment. The staff then pays/subsidizes their rent for up to two years, all the while supporting them in multiple ways (daycare, etc) to make sure that they are truly back on their feet. I think it's an amazing program from what I've seen so far. It's not a roof over their heads for a couple of months and then an expectation that they should have it all together. They really support them until they are able to be self sufficient.
I know it's not something anyone wants to think about or admit but it's the rare family that isn't a few paychecks from homeless if someone loses a job. We're fortunate to have family to depend on but not everyone has that. I was talking with one of the women there and she said that they had a money in savings (between 12 and 20 thousand) when the husband lost his job. Even watching their pennies they couldn't make it past 5 months and ended up homeless. It's not the problem of the good for nothing low class, it can happen to anyone. This has been a real eye opener, it's pretty scary stuff to think about.
Tomorrow we're going to be spending the night at church and then on Monday also. It ought to be fun, I'm just hoping that they get the thermostat working by then. :) Well I'm off to bed, g'night.
PS Steve, why I'
3 comments:
Well, Cassie, because I'
Cassie, this is a fabulous idea. I wish there were places that existed like that here. I read a blog by a young girl who is 20, and she's been abused. She lives in Austin Texas, and talks about a place like this. I wonder if they have the same thing?
Steve, I can't even remember what I was going to put there but I do remember I was going to put something and then decided not to. I thought I deleted it, then I thought you were nuts for posting that on my blog.
Michelle, It was a great experience for us. A few of the people thought that we were going to be staying the whole time since we were there two nights. I guess most people aren't willing to do that. I can see how it would be a big inconvenience if you work but I don't so it wasn't a big deal at all. I was glad to be home on Tuesday but I really didn't mind it. I was just grateful that I was there in that capacity and not living there because I didn't have a home to go to. When you think about it that way it's not really a huge sacrifice.
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