Vincent Village Inc

VINCENT VILLAGE SEEKS TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS OF THE HOMELESS BY PROVIDING SHELTER, CARE, ADVOCACY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES AS THEY BUILD STRENGTH AND STRIVE TO BECOME INDEPENDENT, PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

VINCENT VILLAGE'S 2021 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS JULY 1, 2020 TO JUNE 20, 2021, HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING ONE. AS SUCH, THE FULL YEAR WAS SPENT RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. ADAPTING SERVICE DELIVERY AROUND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CAUSED VINCENT HOUSE NUMBERS TO BE MUCH LOWER THAN AN AVERAGE YEAR. THE SHELTER SERVED 18 FAMILIES IN FY21, REPRESENTING 50 PARTICIPANTS, WHEN 50 FAMILIES A YEAR HAS BEEN TYPICAL. ALONG WITH THE LIMITED SHELTER STAYS, THE YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAMMING WAS DRASTICALLY CUT BACK TO LIMIT CONTACT BETWEEN HOUSEHOLDS. THIS HAS INDICATED A NEED TO GET CREATIVE IN HOW TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH SAFELY WHILE THE PARENTS CAN MAINTAIN OBLIGATIONS LIKE WORK AND HEALTHCARE APPOINTMENTS. TO ENHANCE QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY, VINCENT VILLAGE IS INCREASING OUR REQUIREMENT FOR DIRECT CLIENT TIME. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE FAMILIES RECEIVE THE ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE(S) OF THEIR HOMELESSNESS AND TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS SELF-SUFFICIENCY DURING THEIR TIME IN OUR PROGRAMS. VINCENT VILLAGE SERVICES CAN ALSO WORK TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT BY OFFERING SAFE HOUSING. THE ABILITY TO ADAPT TO VIRTUAL SERVICES WHEN NEEDED TO PROTECT EVERYONE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC HAS MEANT THAT RESIDENTS AND CHILDREN STILL RECEIVED SUPPORT AND TUTORING. THIS ALLOWED PARENTS TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH OUTSIDE SUPPORTS WHILE ISOLATED.THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEFT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. TO KEEP EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE DURING THIS TRANSITION, ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE TO TRACK OUTCOMES IN A STREAMLINED MANNER. INFORMATION IS ALSO BEING SHARED BETWEEN LEADERS SO THERE IS BACK UP FOR ANY UNPLANNED ABSENCES. THE AGENCY HAS DONE WELL CONTINUING SERVICE DELIVERY TO FAMILIES AND SINCE THE INITIAL LEARNING CURVE OF RESPONDING TO COVID-19, WE HAVE HIRED UP STAFF TO CONTINUE THESE INTENSIVE SERVICES TO FAMILIES. PPP LOANS AND CARES FUNDING HAVE ALSO BEEN CRITICAL TO SUSTAINING OUR MISSION. DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, VINCENT VILLAGE HAD TO BE NIMBLE IN RESPONDING TO COVID. WORK FROM HOME, DECREASED NUMBERS OF FAMILIES ALLOWED IN THE SHELTER, RESIDENTS AFRAID OF GETTING COVID, MOVING TO VIRTUAL YOUTH SERVICES AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES CAUSED SHIFTING IN OUR SPENDING. STAFF LEFT, FAMILIES DECREASED. THE VARIANCES BELOW ARE ALL A REFLECTION OF THE COVID YEAR. WHEREAS WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH. WE HAVE HIRED UP STAFF, WE ARE ADMITTING RESIDENTS TO THE SHELTER AND WE ARE INITIATING YOUTH SERVICES AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN PERSON. WE ARE MASKING AND CLEANING AND PROVIDING A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GET VACCINATED WITH A GIFT CARD. THIS SHOULD STABILIZE THE OPERATIONS AND BRING THEM BACK TO A MORE PREDICTABLE BUDGET / EXPENSE RELATIONSHIP. THE DELTA VARIANT LOOMS LARGE BUT WE BELIEVE WE HAVE PUT SYSTEMS IN PLACE. WE DID SUPPORT THE MURAL PROJECT BY BEING THE FISCAL AGENT. THIS PROJECT IS ALMOST COMPLETED.WE ARE GOING ALL IN EXPLORING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN OUR CONNECTIONS AND COMMUNICATION AS WE COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE CONTINUUM OF CARE. THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE NOT NEW BUT THEY HAVE LAPSED A BIT SINCE COVID. KEY PARTNERS INCLUDE THE RESCUE MISSION, JUST NEIGHBORS, THE CITY AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WHO IS BUILDING A HOUSE ON ONE OF OUR EMPTY LOTS THIS FALL. INTERNALLY, WE HAVE ALSO ALIGNED OUR BOARD COMMITTEES IN STEP WITH OUR STAFF DIRECTORS TO BETTER FACILITATE COOPERATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BOARD AND STAFF ON KEY INITIATIVES. PRIOR TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, INDIANA HAD AN EVICTION RATE THAT WAS THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. IN 2016, FORT WAYNE WAS NUMBER 13 IN THE NATION. THE NATIONWIDE EVICTION MORATORIUM HAS SLOWED EVICTIONS AND LIKELY HOMELESSNESS OVER THE LAST YEAR. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT LEAD BY HUD DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ON A GIVEN NIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE 2021 NUMBERS SHOW CUTS IN HOMELESS NUMBERS BY AS MUCH AS 50% FROM 2020. SIMILAR NUMBERS WERE SEEN AT VINCENT HOUSE, BETWEEN NEEDING TO LIMIT FAMILIES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS AND FAMILIES HESITANT TO ENTER A COMMUNAL LIVING ENVIRONMENT. VINCENT VILLAGE HAS BEEN ON THE LANDLORD SIDE OF THE EVICTION EQUATION AS WELL. LATE FEES HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN. FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH RENT PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY OR BEEN PUT ON PAYMENT PLANS. VINCENT VILLAGE HAS REMAINED DEDICATED TO SERVING FAMILIES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT WHILE EVERYONE RESPONDS TO THE CURRENT CRISIS. WHILE SOME PROGRAMS HAD TO BE ADJUSTED IN THE LAST YEAR, STAFF WERE AVAILABLE FOR SUPPORT BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY AS APPROPRIATE. WHEN THE AGENCY COULDN'T PROVIDE COMMUNAL MEALS, FOOD WAS BROUGHT IN. WITH SOME EASING OF RESTRICTIONS, VINCENT VILLAGE IS WORKING TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY SUPPORTING THE MURAL EFFORTS ON PONTIAC ST, MAINTAINING A COMMUNITY GARDEN, AND LOOKING TO PROVIDE A VACCINE EVENT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS. DESPITE TURNOVER IN THE LAST YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION IS FULLY STAFFED FOR DIRECT SERVICE POSITIONS TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAP AROUND SUPPORTS FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER TRAUMAS. WE ANTICIPATE THE END OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS AND THE NEED TO BE READY TO SERVE FAMILIES QUICKLY. WE PARTNER WITH OTHER SHELTERS IN THE AREA TO TRANSITION FAMILIES FROM THEIR EMERGENCY SHELTERS TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN RE-GROUP AND PREPARE TO MOVE FORWARD. VINCENT VILLAGE IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO SERVE FAMILY UNITS FOR THE LONG TERM AND SUPPORT THEM TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND HOPE TO BE THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR FAMILIES CONTINUING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC.

VINCENT VILLAGE'S AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING PROVIDES INCOME-BASED RENTS TO FAMILIES EXITING FROM THE VINCENT HOUSE. THESE FAMILIES CONTINUE TO RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS FROM RECURRING AS THEY CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR HIGHER LEVELS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE AGENCY OWNS 32 HOMES THAT COMPRISE 34 HOUSING UNITS. THE VILLAGE PROGRAM FAMILIES ALSO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAP-AROUND SERVICES TO PREVENT FAMILIES FROM BECOMING HOMELESS AGAIN.

YOUTH SERVICES FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN SERVES CHILDREN FROM 0 - 18 IN VINCENT HOUSE AND VINCENT VILLAGE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMS. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THEIR PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING, EDUCATIONAL AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, AND ADDITIONAL REFERRALS AND COORDINATION OF SERVICES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.

OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SERVES FAMILIES IN THE SHELTER BY USING AN EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM TO TEACH PARENTING STRATEGIES AND FAMILY RESILIENCY. VINCENT HOUSE FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN CURRICULUM THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE "YOUR JOURNEY TOGETHER", "AGES AND STAGES", "ENOUGH AND "BOOKSTART". CHILDCARE IS PROVIDED EITHER THROUGH A CHILDCARE VOUCHER OR THE AGENCY WILL PAY FOR CHILDCARE SO THAT PARENTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMMING OR SEARCH FOR EMPLOYMENT. DUE TO THE CONSTRAINTS OF COVID-19, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE "FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT." THE VINCENT HOUSE COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT FOSTERS NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT AND BUILDS COMMUNITY.