Objectives:
The Homeless Prevention and Food Pantry Program have four primary goals, each of which support the program’s overarching goal of achieving family self-sufficiency. Goals for the program include:
1. Families/individuals will achieve stable housing
2. Families/individuals will learn the skills needed to maintain self-sufficiency
3. Families/individuals will increase their income to co
ver all financial obligations
4. We Care case manger will work to improve each families/individuals case plans as they grow closer to completion of the program. Strategy:
The Homeless Prevention and Food Pantry Program offer families comprehensive support, allowing them to stabilize their crisis and avoid losing their home. Through a case management approach, counselors help to identify client needs and match them to the resources that meet those needs. Families may receive rent assistance, case management/case-plans, food-assistance, childcare expenses, and medical referrals throughout their duration of the program. By the end of the program, families/individuals are no longer at-risk and are capable of adapting and dealing with the circumstances that may put them in a vulnerable state and at-risk again. Outcomes:
We Care will look to the following outcomes to measure program effectiveness:
• 93% of families/individuals served remain stably housed for the duration of the program
• 88% of families achieve self-sufficiency upon completion of the program
• 73% of families maintain self-sufficiency for at least six-months after completion of the program
• 100% of families served are linked to community resources and mainstream benefits, helping them to develop a plan to prevent future housing instability
Outcome Evaluation:
We Cares achievement is directly related to the success of our clients in taking the right steps towards independence and self-sufficiency. Data on each family will be collected and entered into an HMIS/CMIS-compliant client database throughout their progression in the program. This comprehensive database features a standardized HUD self-sufficiency format that allows ease in tracking and measuring client progress. Additionally, progress will be monitored through client self-reports, counselor reports, and monitoring the progress through individualized client case plans. One-month after completion of our program, case manager conducts a follow-up interview to gauge the ongoing progress of the family. The Homeless Prevention Program consistently has had a 73% success rate (as in, 73% of participants DO NOT lose their present homes), which is much higher than the average homeless prevention program.
