Meeting Scarcity with Abundance, in Community

Hunger and homelessness are interlinked and the experience of both can lead to higher risk of family separation, being held back at school, experiencing higher health risks such as asthma, and developmental delays. National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual program to bring attention to these important issues.

Across the Commonwealth over 90,000 children live in neighborhoods where over 30% of residents have incomes below the poverty line. This means a household of four is using their income of about $25,570 a year to pay for the cost of housing, utilities, food, childcare, transportation, and more. These basic necessities are often put in competition with one another, as housing prices continue to rise.

This year, Homes for Families will be participating in National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week during the week of November 16th to the 24th. We will be sharing important information on hunger and homelessness nationally and in the Commonwealth.

We are witness to the ways in which families experiencing housing instability and food scarcity meet these challenges with resourcefulness and resiliency, creating abundance in the face of scarcity. There are many examples of how family shelters, and community partners in Massachusetts do this with families as well. At our November Community Meeting we had a dialogue about just this and key themes emerged around the importance of autonomy, control and choice for families. Here are some of the examples of where scarcity in housing and food stability is met with abundance, followed by some opportunities to learn and improve when it comes to the family shelter setting.

Promoting Abundance in Community Done Well:

• Donations when aligned with what families want: E.G. Asking for size, need, and following up to ensure need is met
• Gift cards
• Gift cards for teens and tweens specifically – gives control and autonomy for families to choose
• Taking parent wishes, making it beautifully wrapped
• Case manager collecting from families what is wanted
• Asking families what food they want for the holidays and if they want to help prepare

Opportunities for Improvement/Lessons Learned:

• The way staff receives donations- make sure it is family-centric and empathetic
• Families to have increased involvement with which foods are available for greater cultural variety, for general variety in what is served- pantries to reach out to charities for support in meeting need for fresh foods, and a variety of foods.
• Understand the impact of staff having toys visible- families will ask about specific toys; the impact of when families know what other families have received
• Vetting sources of donations
• Working on effectively managing and getting gifts out: The process, being understaffed, having few vehicles. Where could vehicle/driving donations be made by services like Uber/Lyft?
• Giving throughout the year, and shelters using gifts as incentives.

Whether it’s through a communal meal, being surrounded by loved ones, or a warm welcome , when we find abundance through the support of community, so much more is possible.

-Team HFF

FY19 Data Info-graphics and musings with #MAHomelessness Data

We are patiently awaiting for the Emergency Assistance 4th Quarter Report to be posted on the DHCD website. That report will have the un-duplicated totals for the 2019 fiscal year, July 1, 2018 through June 30th, 2019.  In the meantime, we have been analyzing the June monthly report, which is currently posted online. The June report has the year end totals, but does not have un-duplicated numbers – this means a family that applies for EA shelter multiple times is counted as many times as they submitted an application. Once the quarterly report comes out, we will share more numbers and info-graphics…and in the meantime, we present the following:

 

Fig. 1: Applications and Placements

Please note, that this is the un-duplicated number. And for comparison – 8,145 applications were processed in FY2018, with 4,895 families entering the EA system. Over, 7,000 applications and 4,000 new entries per year is a very overwhelming number, especially when we stop to consider the humans and children those numbers represent.  At the peak crisis, in FY2014 -13,115 applications were processed and 6,562 families entered the system.

 

Fig. 2: Applications and Placement by Region

Data often inspires more questions than answers; there is a lot to consider here, including front door practices and regional differences. These rates have varied over time, but without knowing the reasons families are deemed ineligible, it makes it hard to understand trends, develop prevention strategies, and understand how to address unmet needs.

 

Fig. 3: Reasons for Homelessness – Evictions

The most common reasons for homelessness, per DHCD reports and how the data is collected, remain irregular housing at 41% of FY19 entries, and actively fleeing domestic violence at and staying in places not meant for human habitation – each at 16%. The reports parse out the Eviction categories, so the total percent (14%) or number of families (471) entering EA shelter as a direct result of eviction is easily overlooked.  This data does inspire solutions and helps makes the case for some of the initiatives before the legislature and municipalities. These include more funding for Eviction Prevention programs, including RAFT and TPP;  new initiatives like Right to Council and revisiting old ideas, like Rent Control and new imperatives like combating tenant blacklisting (read more here and here).

 

Fig. 4: Shelter Exits

A total of 3,090 households exited the EA shelter system in FY2019, this includes  – 445 households that “abandoned shelter”, 364 families that found other feasible alternative housing without any financial assistance, and 290 families on a Temporary Shelter Interruption. A total of 2,036 household exited shelter with the help of HomeBASE and/or another subsidy or financial assistance.  Only 674 households exited the system with a “permanent” subsidy. With the gap between wages and rent, exacerbated by the growth of the low wage job market and steep rises to tent, and the number of families entering homelessness each year, the number of subsidies must increase if we are to continue to make progress addressing homelessness in MA.

Graphics by Brianna Gaddy

 

 

 

FY19 Quarter 3 Emergency Assistance Shelter Data in 3 Infographics

 

 

Graphics by Brianna Gaddy

Data Source: https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/06/10/FY19%20Q3%20EA_HB_RAFT_Report.pdf

In May We Celebrate Mother Figures and Recognize Mental Health

At our May Community Meeting, Homes for Families honored mother figures and recognized the layered health challenges faced by the many mother-led families within the EA system. Mental and emotional health and well being is an important aspect of health for any mother whether in shelter or not. Being a mom, and a new mom especially, can be utterly exhausting and is a lot of work. This, coupled with even the most supportive of shelter settings, is going to have its added challenges.

It’s not surprising that the majority of parents within EA say that their stress level increased since entering EA shelter (see image below). For a link to the full report that this data point came from click here.

Our network of programs, families and allies all want families and moms to succeed. We want to create the supports mothers need to be emotionally and physically well. EA shelters provide an incredibly vital service and staff and families work hard every day to foster stability and opportunity. However, practices and policies can get in the way. Participants at community meeting named a number of punitive and unhelpful practices that hinder rather than facilitate moms’ success. Lack of flexibility around: chores where a pregnant woman can be required to mop floors in the late evening; not being able to leave your children unattended; and lack of access to transportation to get to and from appointments, for the parent, are just some examples.

There is opportunity to assess how policies and practices can be implemented through a more trauma informed and whole-family lens and for seeing each child’s success as inextricably tied to their primary caretaker’s ability to get their emotional, mental and physical needs met. Given that families experiencing homelessness are disproportionately people of color, we must continue to acknowledge and dismantle structures that systematically disadvantage people of color, women, and families with low incomes. As one Community Meeting participant said: “If middle class white people were subjected to this [unreasonable policies], they would have changed a long time ago.”

If you want to take action right now towards improving the policies that impact families in shelter, check out our most recent state budget-related blog post!

At Community Meeting, we began with notes to our mother-figures and so we will end here with some of those beautiful messages:

Liz Peck

Team HFF

Data Snapshots: as seen at Visioning Day 2018!

At this year’s Visioning Day, the crowd worked at their tables to share reactions to five “data snapshots” having to do with family homelessness in Massachusetts. Each table then worked together to come up with one vision statement to address the issues shown in the data.

Want know more about Visioning Day? Check out last year’s Visioning Day Report.

Below are the five visuals shown at Visioning Day — revisit them if you were there and otherwise, explore them!

Source: MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Homeless Student Program Data 2016-2017.
Note: “Last year” refers to the 2016-17 school year, the most recent year for which data was available; 

Note: “the past year” refers to the Year-to-Date numbers for Fiscal Year ’18  available at the time, July 2017 through May 2018. 

Note: these data represent the number of households receiving eviction judgments. Both the number of households facing eviction filings and the number of children and adults affected by evictions are significantly larger. 

Wondering what families, providers, and others came up with at their tables?

Here are a few of the vision statements that came out of this activity:

“We have a vision that one day all those in MA have equal access to resources & that no one has to experience homelessness.”

 

“No Discrimination

No Racism

Stop the displacement of families, children and individuals

Housing is a human right”

 

“We imagine a world with enough affordable housing so that all children can grow & thrive in a safe, stable environment without fear of being evicted.”

 

“All families, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, have access to safe & affordable housing.”

 

“We have a vision for every child to feel the security of a safe, permanent home, and the ability, regardless of ethnicity, race, and identity, to feel celebrated for who they are and what they can accomplish.”

 

“We have a vision that all races should have equal access to services such as housing, food, and education.”

Putting Survey Data Into Practice: Part 5, Housing & Homelessness History

“If the providers understand the family’s perspective on things, they
are better able to help, are more sympathetic, and the family’s needs
can be better met.” 

— Homes for Families Consumer Advocacy Team (CAT) Member, 2017

In September of 2017, HFF released a full report on Family Experiences of Homelessness in Massachusetts. We are continuing to explore and build off of the survey data used in that report, and one way we are doing this is with this blog series, a continuation of the “Putting Survey Data Into Practice” document released in January. The series incorporates the perspectives of families and providers in relation to key data points, and works towards solutions for families and family-centered care.

Stay tuned every Monday in April at 10am for a new (coffee break) installment of this blog series!

Housing & Homelessness History

Important points from the survey results (page numbers correspond to the full report):

We wanted to hear from families! What would be some of the best approaches to address trends in housing and homelessness history for families experiencing homelessness? The HFF Consumer Advocacy Team (CATs) shared their reflections, summarized here:

Where do we need to focus our attention to prevent homelessness and better understand multi-generational cycles?

• Focus on families that are struggling with domestic violence (DV).
• Improve access to the necessities for housing stability and economic stability (affordable housing; access to jobs; access to child care; education, etc.). 
• Effective and sustained stabilization services are essential to prevent homelessness, as well as to prevent multi-generational cycles of housing instability and homelessness. This should include supports for emotional and medical stability.
• Stabilization, stabilization, stabilization!

 

This post authored by I.W. & N.M.

Putting Survey Data Into Practice: Part 4, Demographics

“If the providers understand the family’s perspective on things, they
are better able to help, are more sympathetic, and the family’s needs
can be better met.” 

— Homes for Families Consumer Advocacy Team (CAT) Member, 2017

In September of 2017, HFF released a full report on Family Experiences of Homelessness in Massachusetts. We are continuing to explore and build off of the survey data used in that report, and one way we are doing this is with this blog series, a continuation of the “Putting Survey Data Into Practice” document released in January. The series incorporates the perspectives of families and providers in relation to key data points, and works towards solutions for families and family-centered care.

Stay tuned every Monday in April at 10am for a new (coffee break) installment of this blog series!

Demographics

Important points from the survey results (page numbers correspond to the full report):

We wanted to hear from families! What would be some of the best approaches to recognize and address the needs of families who identify as LGBT? The HFF Consumer Advocacy Team (CATs) shared their reflections, summarized here:

Are we doing enough to support the LGBT population?

• As a community, there is not enough being done to support the LGBT population of families experiencing homelessness. 
• There is a lack of understanding in what needs to be done to better support LGBT families, and the compounded challenges they may face.
• More training around supporting LGBT families and removing judgement are important steps in the right direction.

 

This post authored by I.W. & N.M.

MA Homeless Education, Part 2

Following up on our previous post on the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, here are some data points to further detail ‘the picture’ of student homelessness in Massachusetts.

Data collected: In Massachusetts there have been 27 districts that have received sub-grant funding through the McKinney Vento Homeless Education Grant in the past two school years; their data-reporting is included in the following charts. In addition, roughly 97% of school districts without sub-grants reported for the 2016-2017 data, compared to roughly 93% reporting for the 2015-2016 data.

The following data includes students from Pre-K to 12th grade:

(Check the ‘Sources’ links at the end of this post for the full DESE data set tables.)

Of the 21,112 homeless children and youth reported for the 2016-2017 school year, their primary nighttime residence at the time of their initial identification varied:

For the 2016-2017 school year in Massachusetts public schools:

• The statewide total of homeless children and youth has leveled off since the previous school year, but still is over 8,000 students higher than in 2009-2010
• More students are doubling-up than are in shelters
• While less students are in hotels / motels, the numbers of those who are in shelters, doubled-up, and unaccompanied have increased

• Some districts are experiencing very large increases
• By grade level, counts of homeless students are…
  • down to 1,694 among Kindergarteners (from 1,917 in 2015-2016)
  • down to 1,809 among 1st-graders (from 2,020 in 2015-2016)
  • up to 1,417 among 8th-graders (from 1,320 in 2015-2016)
  • down to 1,873 among 9th-graders (from 1,962 in 2015-2016)
  • up to 1,329 among 11th-graders (from 1,127 in 2015-2016)

The increases in students experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts must be met with actions for more funding and for further collaborative interagency efforts, both for reconciling socioeconomic inequities and to collect and share better data on current challenges around and solutions to student and family homelessness.

-McMillan Ilderton Gaither

MSW Public Policy Intern, Homes for Families / Salem State University

 

Sources / More Information:

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/2015-16DistrictData.html

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/2010-15DistrictData.html

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2016). Ending Family Homelessness, Improving Outcomes for Children.

#BackToSchool Homework Assignment: Think about the 19,515 students that were identified as homeless last school year

Despite the summer weather, we can feel the buzz of the Commonwealth gearing up for another year – parents buying school supplies; teachers setting up classrooms; first day of school pictures being posted on facebook; figuring out bus schedules and stops, carpools, riding the T, and safest walking routes; uniforms, clothes and shoes; fresh haircuts; first day jitters; and new friends, new routines, new teachers.

But as this headline recently pointed out, thousands of children are “shouldering more than backpacks.”  Last academic year the Massachusetts Department of Education identified 19,515 children who were shouldering homelessness along with the homework in their backpacks. Here is the breakdown by grade:

 

This trend, unfortunately, is not getting better.  As the graph below shows, we have seen a steady increase of students identified as homeless in recent years.

Source: MA DOE

Digression

This data does not include college students, which in MA, is something we must also consider.  Not only because of the number of colleges, but also the job market and competition that results from both. The National Alliance to End Homelessness recently put out a brief and the Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted one mom shouldering college and homelessness.

 

Back to the subject at hand: the 19,515 school aged students who were homeless last year and the potential 20,000 that may face homelessness this year.  Here is a list of links, information and thoughts:

1. Children who are homeless have special right per the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Act of 1987 
2. The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty put together this FAQ on the act. It is an oldie and wonky, but the facts remain the same.
3. Here is a link to the Massachusetts Department of Education’s page regarding McKinney-Vento,   complete with contact lists, regulations, data, power points and more
4. Of note, there has been one significant clarification made this school year: the US Department of Education only considers a student’s school of origin rather than their district of origin relative to the enforcement of the McKinney-Vento law. Massachusetts officials previously interpreted the law to mean the district (IE town or school system) of origin but the Feds have issued guidance that MA officials can only enforce that children can remain in their physical school of origin if they are forced to move out of their community by homelessness.  In other words, if a child has been promoted from elementary school to middle school, s/he does not have a school of origin and must begin the new school year in the town where the student resides, not where they lived prior to becoming homeless. Same goes for students graduating from middle school to high school who may be in a shelter or motel in a new community.  All other protections regarding enrollment remain.  A school can allow the student to attend school in the district of origin, but cannot be reimbursed for transportation per the US Dept of Education under the McKinney-Vento Law. 
5. This series and video, Trying to Live, Trying to Learn is from last year and from Denver, but it is a great piece of journalism and is about the same challenges we face in Massachusetts.
6. Homes for Families (on our own and in partnership with Project Hope) has done trainings for teachers, corps members, teaching students and visited with students in elementary and high school classrooms. We are always up for talking about homeless, awareness and solutions. Contact us if you are interested in learning more.
7. Massachusetts ranks as the best state in America for our education system. We have an obligation to educate children who are facing homelessness, to provide supports and to track outcomes.
8. We also have an obligation to advocate for solutions; 19,515 is a number that is unacceptable. Not because of the cost of transporting children. It is simply unjust and wrong.  In a state as wealthy as ours, as compassionate as ours, and as smart as ours – we must work together to #BendTheTrend.  We can not watch the number continue to increase.
9. If we are serious about ending homelessness, as a society, we must start with the children. 

Most lists end at number 10, not 9  But final thoughts are being left to you.  What should be added?

 

LH

Happy New (Fiscal) Year!

We usually ask you to look at the numbers- the number of families in the system, the number that marks MRVP funding…the numbers that make up the Massachusetts family shelter system.

But today- we are going to ask you to look at the pattern of these numbers. And then we are going to ask for your help.

Data from DHCD

Non-profit organizations like Homes for Families see an increase in donations at the end of the year. Logically, people donate because the weather reminds us how tragic it is for families to sleep in places other than a home, it is the season for giving, and for other reasons that make sense to those donating. And that support is always appreciated. 

However, while organizations see a spike in donations- and even a spike in concern for the issue- during these winter months, the family shelter system sees a spike in families utilizing the EA system during the summer months. We have theories about why this is, of course: Landlords are more flexible during those unbearably cold winter months, relatives or friends that let families sleep in their house don’t want to interrupt the child’s school year, and funding for prevention programs is often depleted by the end of the fiscal year.

So instead of looking at the numbers, this time we ask you to look at the patterns. The graph above highlights families accepted in to EA during Fiscal Year 2014 and the majority of Fiscal Year 2015. The graph below shows that this spike is consistent over time.

Data from DTA

So as school ends and summer begins, we ask you to consider supporting Homes for Families at this critical time.

But this donation is not just a regular donation; all proceeds will go directly towards our biggest event of the year- Visioning Day.

Visioning Day is a one of a kind event that convenes families overcoming homelessness, shelter providers, and community members to reflect on the previous fiscal year and strategize for the new fiscal year.  And with more families utilizing the system when Visioning Day is held, it is incredibly important that we provide the opportunity to raise their voice to end family homelessness.

Visioning Day is a free event, it has to be. In fact, we give transportation stipends and free childcare to families and others in need of financial assistance to make sure there are no barriers to keep anyone from coming.

This year, we are providing the community with the opportunity to support this event. As you know, HFF relies on the voices of families to guide our advocacy agenda- and Visioning Day is where it all begins. Without that voice, we cannot stay true to our mission to ensure that families have a seat at the policy making table.

You have the chance to catalyze a unique event that ensures that HFF hears from our community- an event that ensures that all families have a say in ending homelessness. With your help, we can make that true. We ask that you make a donation to HFF, with 100% of the money raised going to Visioning Day costs.

Click here to make a donation through our Go Fund Me account.

Checks can be mailed to:

Homes for Families

14 Beacon St, Suite 615

Boston, MA 02130

Thank you in advance for supporting HFF and the mission to end family homelessness.