News from HPSS

Annual report

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Renovations and Celebrations

Dear Friends,

HPSS has been responding to the needs of individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness since 1989 when the congregation of Humboldt Park United Methodist Church began an outreach ministry to the homeless with a food pantry, clothing distribution and warming center.

In 2004 HPSS began the process of strategic planning to chart a new course for the next five years of work. Although it feels like a long time ago, the strategic plan continues to have an impact on our current programming. The board, volunteers, staff and clients envisioned a drastically different HPSS in 2004, one that provided paths to self-sufficiency and to permanent housing for all of our clients. The HPSS of the future would not provide stop gap measures; instead, it would change people’s lives. It would serve fewer clients, but ensure those clients achieve meaningful transformations. In implementation, the Board of Directors understood the new vision for HPSS would result in the eventual conversion of our Emergency Shelter into an Interim Housing program for single men.

HPSS has been providing emergency shelter to at least 40 men a night for nearly twenty years. A bedrock service of our agency, we have served homeless men by providing a nightly place to sleep for eight months of the year. Although shelter services are vital to meet the needs of the homeless in our community; through our strategic planning process, stakeholders, community members and clients felt that HPSS could make a greater impact by serving 22 single men at a time through an Interim Housing program focused on moving clients from homelessness to permanent housing in, ideally, 120 days. Therefore, HPSS has made plans and secured funding to convert its Emergency Shelter into Interim Housing for men as of July 2010, meaning our Warming Center will provide its final day of emergency shelter on May 31st, 2010.

Although a difficult transition for all of us, this transition represents a success for HPSS and an opportunity for celebration. Not only is this conversation the last step in the fulfillment of our 2004 Strategic Plan, HPSS has proven that lives are significantly changed through the Interim Housing model. Our Interim Housing programs for women and families served 23 households in 2009, 18 of which departed the program. Of these, 12 households (67%) were placed in permanent housing. Of those placements 6 (50%) were made in 120 days. Of the 18 households that exited, 12 households did so with a documented income. Although fewer clients will be served, those that are served through our program will have a greater likelihood of gaining housing and achieving stability.

Over the course of the next month, we will be undergoing major renovations to the shelter space, hiring new staff, and developing new programming. The Interim Program for men will provide clients, some who are currently staying in our Emergency Shelter, the case management, specialized housing, employment and financial services and social and emotional supports needed to obtain permanent housing through the Center for Changing Lives.

We will be opening up our new space to our clients, volunteers and supporters so that you can celebrate this success with us. Details about these tours will be forthcoming. Information about the referral process will also be released shortly so that we can spread the word about how individuals in need of short-term shelter can access our new program. In the meantime, if you or someone you know has questions about our program please feel free to refer them to the Center for Changing Lives at 3051 W. Armitage Ave or by phone at 773-342-6210.

Thank you for your on-going support of our efforts.

Sincerely,
Delia Ramirez
Executive Director

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