Dear Friends,
Folks often ask me, how is the economic crisis affecting EHC LifeBuilders? Like many non-profits, it’s having a profound affect not only on our agency, but on the sector as a whole. We’ve seen a significant decrease in government, foundation and corporate financial support this year and this decrease has placed many of our programs in financial difficulty.
On the flip side, we’ve seen a significant increase in demand for homeless shelter and services. More of our neighbors are experiencing homelessness for the first time or for longer periods. Seniors, families, and veterans who never dreamed of being homeless are experiencing homelessness in greater numbers. The 2009 Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey recently found that since 2007, there has been a 35% increase in the number of chronically homeless persons. These are people who are experiencing many or longer episodes of homelessness and are in need of more significant help and outreach.
Now is not the time to let up on safety-net and homeless services. As an agency, we are asking ourselves what we can do to preserve core programs and services in the near-term. The answer hasn’t been easy, but we’ve learned that over the years our most valued contribution to the community is as an emergency shelter and supportive service provider. Going forward, we will focus our efforts in three core areas: 1) emergency shelter and basic needs assistance; 2) scattered site supportive housing with intensive case management, and 3) direct financial assistance and housing location. Our goal is simple – to move more people quickly from homelessness into stable living conditions, or even better, prevent homelessness from ever occurring.
One very bright spot in this challenging year has been the success of our One Stop Homeless Prevention Center. Since its inception last December, the program has placed 139 chronically homeless individuals into permanent housing. Many of these individuals had been homeless for years, in some cases, decades. The One Stop model of providing intensive benefits, job training, and housing placement support is an excellent example of one that is working to end homelessness. It’s the type of program we need to preserve as an agency and as a community, now more than ever. As the economic crisis continues and the cold weather season approaches, it’s imperative we move more people off the street and into permanent housing.
EHC LifeBuilders is committed to leading the charge to end homelessness in our community. We are launching an agency-wide Strategic Planning Process in October to determine our overall direction, goals, and resources needed to meet those goals. This process will be guided by our relentless pursuit of our mission and in the creation of housing, hope and opportunity for all we serve. Thank you for your ongoing support of EHC LifeBuilders and those we serve. Your support makes a tremendous difference.
In Partnership,
Jenny Niklaus
Chief Executive Officer
EHC LifeBuilders