Dawning Family Services Inc

THE ORGANIZATION CREATES SUSTAINABLE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES THROUGH THE PROVISION OF SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY SHELTER, RAPID REHOUSING AND POST-SHELTER CASE MANAGEMENT.

EMERGENCY SHELTER: THROUGH THE EMERGENCY SHELTER COMPONENT, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER TO PARENTS WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS SHORT-TERM (UP TO 90- DAY) SUPPORT OFFERS SAFETY AND SERVICES TO FAMILIES SEEKING EMERGENCY SHELTER, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY FROM OTHER SHELTERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. FAMILIES IN EMERGENCY SHELTER ARE PROVIDED ESSENTIAL SERVICES INCLUDING: CASE MANAGEMENT INCORPORATING THE PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, HOUSING SEARCH AND PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (IN THE FORM OF CASH BENEFITS AND RENT AND UTILITIES) TO HELP THEM MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, AND POST- SHELTER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ENSURE STABILITY ONCE PERMANENTLY HOUSED. THIS HOUSING FIRST APPROACH MOVES FAMILIES MORE QUICKLY INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. A MAJOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH EFFORT OFFERS COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT HOUSING FIRST STRATEGIES ARE SUPERIOR FOR REDUCING HOMELESSNESS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN COMPARED TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMS AND EXCLUSIVE EMERGENCY SHELTER INTERVENTIONS. IN 2021, 92 FAMILIES WERE PROVIDED SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY SHELTER (114 ADULTS AND 178 CHILDREN). 55 CHILDREN RECEIVED AGES AND STAGES QUESTIONNAIRE DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS.

HOUSING SERVICES, INCLUDING RAPID RE-HOUSING SERVICES: HOUSING AND SUPPORT SPECIALISTS ASSIST CLIENTS WITH HOUSING SEARCHES AND PLACEMENT, AS WELL AS DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROSPECTIVE AND CURRENT PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LANDLORDS, INCLUDING ACTING AS LIAISONS BETWEEN PROPERTY MANAGERS/LANDLORDS AND CLIENTS. HOUSING AND SUPPORT SPECIALISTS MAINTAIN FIDELITY TO THE HOUSING FIRST DELIVERY MODEL, AN APPROACH THAT PRIORITIZES PROVIDING PERMANENT HOUSING QUICKLY ENDING A FAMILY'S HOMELESSNESS. RAPID RE- HOUSING (RRH) SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR CLIENTS WHO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS AND STIPULATIONS OF THE PROGRAM AND WANT TO ENROLL. RRH INTERVENTIONS (FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT SERVICES) ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THOSE WHO DO NOT NEED INTENSIVE SUPPORTS TO QUICKLY EXIT HOMELESSNESS FOR PERMANENT HOUSING. IN 2021, 125 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AND 73 FAMILIES EXITED THE PROGRAM.

PATH TO PREVENTION: HOMELESS PREVENTION SPECIALISTS PROVIDE SOLUTION-FOCUSED STRENGTH-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO FAMILIES IN CRISIS AND PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING THE HOMELESS SYSTEM. SERVICES INCLUDE MEDIATION WITH LANDLORDS AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS/FRIENDS; EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE; REFERRALS TO LEGAL, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES; AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM IS FLEXIBLE FUNDING. THESE FUNDS ARE UTILIZED TO HELP FAMILIES ACHIEVE HOUSING STABILITY BY PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO GET THEM BACK HOME, WHICH COULD BE ANOTHER COUNTY OR OUT OF STATE WHERE THEY HAVE SAFE HOUSING AND STRONGER SUPPORT NETWORKS, BUS PASSES, MINOR CAR REPAIRS, CHILD CARE EXPENSES, BIRTH CERTIFICATES, AND/OR OTHER ALLOWABLE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO SECURE HOUSING STABILITY. IN 2021, 45 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.

WORK FOR SUCCESS: EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS WORK ONE ON ONE WITH ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVE HIGH-EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS. PROVIDING SAFE,STABLE HOUSING IS A PRIORITY IN ADDRESSING EMPLOYMENT FOR THE ADULT HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS. ADDITIONALLY, EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS ASSESS HARD-TO-EMPLOY ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS FOR EDUCATION,JOB EXPERIENCE AND NEED FOR ADDITIONAL CAREER SKILLS/JOB TRAINING, PREPARE THEM FOR JOB SEARCH, AND HELP THEM FIND GOOD JOBS. IN 2021,60 CLIENTS WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.