Success breeds success.
A year after one of Baltimore?s oldest charities, St. Vincent de Paul, launched its innovative Home Connections I effort, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded it $1.2 million to expand the program?s permanent-housing outreach to the city?s chronically homeless.
“It?s a substantial portion of the funding needed to expand programs … a majority of which will cover the leasing that is needed for the program,” said Kathleen Spain, St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore?s director of Home Connections I and II. “Essentially, the HUD grant will enable us to lease 32 apartments scattered throughout Baltimore City.”
The 142-year-old “Catholic in character” but stand-alone nonprofit already supports 28 formerly chronically homeless clients in leased apartments under Home Connections I, and it hopes to secure additional funding to have Home Connections II up and running by July, Spain said.
The program is unique in that its “Housing First” philosophy reversed traditional social service thinking by insisting that housing stability is the basis for all other anti-poverty and mainstreaming efforts, which then are conducted mostly at the client?s new residence.
Spain runs three ? Home Connections, a South Point day resources center and the Frederick Ozanam transitional housing service ? of St. Vincent de Paul?s 15 programs, supervising a staff of 18 and managing a budget of $1 million.
The 150-staff, $10 million-a-year nonprofit?s other programs include Head Start classes, a mobile clothing bank, a summer children?s camp, a family shelter in Baltimore County and an employment center in Park Heights. It interacts with about 265,000 needy each year, serving 220,000 meals and registering 54,000 emergency bed nights at its shelter, according to Teresa Ernst, communications director.
“They saved my life,” said Susan Smith, a Home Connections client of one year. “I was on the streets for seven years on and off.”
“The service is wonderful,” said Clark Crane, another permanent-housing recipient. “Without it, I wouldn?t have what I have today. … The counselors are always there for you. They taught me to love myself.”
There are an estimated 3,000 homeless in Baltimore City at any one time, according to the Baltimore City Office of Homeless Services.
“I?ve seen not only an increase in homelessness but also an increase in folks who are on the verge of becoming homeless ? literally living paycheck to paycheck,” Spain said of the problem Home Connections addresses. “People don?t realize how close some are to suddenly being evicted.”
To donate
St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore
320 Cathedral St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-547-5548;
vincentbaltimore.org
