FHCHI - youth house - brochure, final.pdfThe Problem
Youth is a challenging time. Adding homelessness
and the absence of family to the mix creates a very
high-risk group: unaccompanied homeless youth.
Studies have shown that 25% of youth aging out
of state residential or foster care will be homeless
within 12 months; over 50% with 30 months.
Worse, many become “stuck” in cyclical, long-term
homelessness.
Local shelter data for 2014 shows:
• 61 youth in shelter.
• 38% were aged 17-21, and 62% were 22-24
years.
• 66% stayed in shelter for 1 to 12 months,
indicating this was not a short term need.
“I never really had housing stability, my dad split
and we were constantly moving around. My mom
would kick me out for the simplest things and
eventually one day she said, “Oh, we’re getting
evicted, time to pack up.” So, at that point I knew
that I had to leave and figure my own stuff out for
survival’s sake. I couldn’t really rely on anyone.”
A Solution
The Friends are planning to purchase a house to
offer local homeless young people a safe home base,
with support services for building a healthy,
independent life.
The purchased property will be furnished and made
ready for occupation, and then the Friends will
deed the property to our partners, DIAL/SELF, for
maintenance and provision of services.
We are excited about this new initiative that will
provide Northampton with the additional services
needed for this population, currently underserved
locally.
DIAL/SELF is a nonprofit agency that has offered
youth services throughout the Pioneer Valley since
1977. It has a proven track record in helping
homeless youth with housing and support services.
The agency is skilled at developing individualized
plans for each person served. DIAL/SELF also has
staff working on street outreach, to locate and
engage this often hard-to-reach population.
“I have been with the DIAL/SELF Housing First
Program for the past year. For the first time in my life
I’ve felt like the ground isn’t going to be moving out
from underneath my feet.”
The Need for Action
The Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education estimates that nearly 6,000 high school
students are experiencing homelessness and out on
their own. Thousands more unaccompanied youth
and young adults experiencing homelessness are
not reflected in these numbers because they have
already dropped out of school or are older and have
finished school. There is a desperate need for
increased shelter and housing options for youth
living withhout their parents.
We have an opportunity to shift the future for
young people in our community. Data and
experience shows that when youth are given stable
opportunities for housing and ongoing support in
the critical age between 18 and 24, it can change the
trajectory and create a pathway to housing, financial
stability, and well-being.
Rather than entering the pipeline to chronic
homelessness, youth will have a platform for success.
Our Goal
Our goal is to raise $700,000 ($150,000 is already
raised).
See the back of this brochure for how you can join us in this initiative!
The Friends purchased
Yvonne’s House to serve
the chronically homeless.
1-2016
P.O. Box 60398
Florence, MA 01062
www.hamphomeless.org
Homeless Youth:
A Platform for Success
Working to change our community’s
response to homelessness.
How You Can Help
There are many ways you can help The Friends
continue our mission:
Donate: Donations may be made online or mailed:
Friends of Hampshire County Homeless
P.O. Box 60398
Florence, MA 01062
www.hamphomeless.org
Volunteer: We need volunteers to:
• Serve as solicitation captains
• Suggest potential donors
• Assist in cosmetic repairs
• Organize donations of household furnishings
and supplies
Facebook: Like us on Facebook at
http://facebook.com/FriendsOfHampshireCounty-
Homeless
The Friends
The Friends of Hampshire County Homeless
Individuals is a non-profit, all volunteer
organization that was formed some twenty years ago
and which in partnership with ServiceNet operates
the Interfaith Emergency Homeless shelter in the six
winter months on Center Street in Northampton.
Our mission is to provide financial and volunteer
support for the shelter and its associated programs.
This includes support for many different programs,
all of which contribute to the core goal of helping
homeless people find a better life.
The Friends has been inspired by the Housing First
movement to create permanent housing for
homeless individuals. Housing First shows that
homeless people are more able to rebuild their lives
when provided with permanent housing first, and
then receiving support services, rather than the
other way around as in the traditional shelter model.
The Friends purchased the Gandara-Friends House
to serve previously homeless individuals committed
to sober living.
now the second back panel can flesh out how people can
help us reach our goal. (money, suggestions, spreading the
word etc.)
For More Information
1. Visit our website at www.hamphomeless.org
2. Call Rick Hart, President, at 413.320.1886, or
Yvonne Freccero 413.586.2354.
3. Email Rick at info@hamphomeless.org.