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SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 1
SouthernmostHomelessAssistanceLeague,Inc.P.O.Box2990,KeyWest,FL33045-2990•www.shalkw.org JohnMiller,ExecutiveDirector PatricePelletier-Sanders,Chair502-876-5092•[email protected] ChristineTrovato,ViceChair TiffanyCurry,SecretaryEliciaPintabona,OutreachDirector RichardCasey,Jr.TreasurerMikeTolbert,ShelterDirector AlanTeitelbaum,PastChair
SHALMonthlyReport
November2016SHALNews
SHALSeekingDonations
ForBusTicketsSHALisaskingforcommunitysupportforitspopularreunificationprogramthisholidayseason.SHALworksdirectlywitheachpersonexperiencinghomelessnessindividuallytoaddresseachperson’sparticularissues.Mosthomelesspersonshavebeenaffectedbyexternalissuesincludinghealth&mentalhealth,employment,domesticviolence,familybreakupandsubstanceabuseandneedahanduptoresumeapermanentlyhoused,self-sufficientlife.ButtheKeyscanbeatoughplacetomakeendsmeetduetothehighcostsofhousing&livingandlowwagesforunskilledworkers.Sometimesaperson’sbestoptionistorelocate“backhome”wherefamily,friends,housingandemploymentcanmoreeasily
adduptoself-sufficiency.Untilveryrecently,SHALhadavoluntary“busticket”programthathadsuccessfullypurchasedover350ticketsforhomelesspersonstogetthemtoalocationonthemainlandwheretheycanagainaffordhousingandlife’sessentials.(ClientsvoluntarilyagreenottoreturntoMonroeCounty.)Thisholidayseason,weareaskingfordonationstoreinstitutethisprogram.Pleasevisitwww.shalkw.orgtomakeanonlinedonationorsendachecktoSHALatPOBox2990,KeyWestFL33045.Includeonyourcheckmemolineortheonlineform“busticket”andwewilluseyourgiftexclusivelyforreunitinghomelesspersons,hopefullybeforetheendoftheyear.PleasecontactExecutiveDirectorJohnMilleratExDir.SHAL@gmail.comifyouneedmoreinformation.
SHALServesThanksgivingDinneratthe
ShelterTheSHALstaffgavethehard
workingvolunteersattheSoupKitchenararedayoffonThanksgivingandpreparedafullspreadofturkey,sidedishesandallthetrimmingstoourhomelessclients.10turkeysweredonatedthroughSt.Mary’s,whileseveralotherscamefromlocalrestaurantsalongwithsidedishes.SHALShelterDirectorMikeTolbertandReliefManagerJinneFigueroaworkedseveralverylongdaystomakeitaveryspecialeveningattheShelter.(seepicturesbelow)
Itisdifficultforapersontoescapehomelessnessiftheyaretired,hungry,sickorhavenoincome
SOUTHERNMOSTHOMELESSASSISTANCELEAGUERELOCATIONPROGRAM
TheKeyscanbeatoughplacetomakeendsmeet.Housingcostsarelegendaryandoftenwages
forunskilledworkers,combinedwithotherlivingexpenses,justdon’taddup.Maintaininga
placetolivewhileworkingintheserviceorotherlocalindustriescanrequiremultiplejobsand
verylonghoursandoftenhousingisthefirstcasualtyofanunbalancedbudget.Otherproblems
likesubstanceabuse,healthissuesandbusiness&legalissuesfrequentlycomeintoplay.
ManytimesSHALCaseManagersfind,asweworkthroughthechallengesofeachhomeless
personthatsometimesthebestoptionistorelocate“backhome”wherefamily,friends,housing,
supportandemploymentcanmoreeasilyadduptoself-sufficiency.
Untilveryrecently,SHALhadavoluntary“busticket”programthathadsuccessfullypurchased
over350ticketsforhomelesspeopletogetthemtoalocationonthemainlandwheretheycan
againaffordhousingandlife’sessentials.(ClientsvoluntarilyagreenottoreturntoMonroe
County.)ForseveralyearsnowSHAListheonlyagencyprovidingthisservicetoourclients,
withmanyreferralsfromotherhomelessservicesprovidersinourcommunity.Becauseofa
fundingcut,wewererecentlyforcedtosuspendthishighlysuccessfulandcosteffectiveprogram.
Weareaskingourcommunitytosupporttheresumptionofourrelocationprogram.Wehopeto
raise$20,000tohelp100to150homelesspeoplefindabettersettingandimprovetheirlives.
Yourdonationisagoodinvestmentintheirwell-beingandinourcommunity.
Pleaseconsidersupportingthisprojectandhelpingtoreunifyahomelesspersonwiththe
supportoftheirfamily,friendsandopportunitiesonthemainland,whileimprovingthequalityof
lifeforallourresidents.PleasesendachecktoSHALatPOBox2990,KeyWestFL33045
orvisitwww.shalkw.orgtomakeyourgiftonline.Besuretoindicateifyouwouldlikeyour
donationtobeanonymous.SHALisa501(c)(3)charitableorganizationandyourcontribution
maybetaxdeductible.
100%ofyourdonationwillgotowardbustickets.
Thankyouinadvanceforyoursupport,&bestwishestoyouandyourfamilythisholidayseason.
JohnMillerSHALExecutiveDirector
SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 2
SheriffDataShowsDramaticDropinHomeless
CostsRecentdataon
homelessincarcerationprovidedbytheMonroeCountySheriff’sOfficeindicatesthat2016willbeacost-savingyearwithregardtohomelesspersonsinjail.SHALworkscloselywiththeKeyWestPoliceDepartmentandtheSheriff’sOfficetohelpavoidarrestingappropriatehomelesspersonsandinsteadbringingthemtotheSHALShelter.
SockDonationtoSHALfrommanufacturer
OutreachDirectorEliciaPintabonahandledthearrangementsforanationalmanufacturertodonate480pairsofsocksforSHALclients.Becauseoftheordealoflongdaysbeingonyourfeetinourtropicalclimatetakesahugetoll,qualitysocksareessentialandarequicklyspokenforwhentheyaredonated.Weareverygratefulforthislargedonation,whichallowstheclientstoavoidunnecessarysufferingduetotheirexposuretotheelementsduringtheday.
HomelessMyth#6(of7)“They don’t have the daily living skills to have an apartment.”
Even chronic homeless individuals have the living skills and experiences to quickly resume a regular lifestyle in permanent housing. Some skills, habits and coping mechanisms learned during longer periods of homelessness may take a short time to fall away, but the advantages of permanent housing vastly outweigh the difficulty of life on the street.
It is important to remember that nearly all homeless persons were permanently housed in the very recent past.
MonroeCountySheriff'sOfficeData2016 2015 2014 2013
HomelessDaysinJailEstEOY*
28,809 49,253 45,554 51,529
down44%since2013 -42% 8% -12%
cost@$113 3,255,399$ 5,565,589$ 5,147,602$ 5,822,777$savings(over$2.5millionvs.2013)** (2,310,190)$ 417,987$ (675,175)$
Homelessarrests 700 972 1,047 1,123down38%since2013 -28% -7% -7%
*Actualhomelessdaysinjail22,807ytd(down54%),arrests554(down43%)**Doesnotincludesavingsfrommedical,legalandothercosts.
SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 3
NavyGroupDonatesCarePackages
APettyOfficer’sclubatthebasearrivedattheSHALSheltertheotherdaywithahundredormorecarepackagesfortheclients.Includedwerefood,hygieneandotherbasicnecessitiestohelpourhomelessguysgetthroughthelongdays.
BigMealonThanksgiving
SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 4
SHALSHELTEROPERATIONSShelterUsage
TheClientTrackdatabaseshowsthattherewereabout108clientssleepingintheShelteronanaveragenightinNovember,andtherewere267different(non-duplicated)individualsstayingattheShelterduringthemonth.AlongwithSHALOutreach,SHALservedatotalof328unduplicatedhomelesspersonsduringthemonthofNovember.SHALwasheseverysheet,towelandblanketusedeveryday,sothewearandtearonourlaundryequipmentisextensive.AtthecurrentShelterwehavetouseresidentialqualitywashersanddryers,andsotheydowearoutfrequently.Thisweekwehavelostadryer,soanyonewhomighthaveausedonetodonate,pleasecontactJohnMilleratexdir.shal@gmail.comor502.876.5092.Nutritionissoimportanttoescapinghomelessness,anditwasabigmonthattheSHALShelterforfoodservice.Inadditiontothebreakfast(avariedmenuthatincludesbiscuits&gravy,sausages,bacon,eggsandEnglishmuffins),thewonderfulvolunteersatSt.Mary’sSoupKitchenpreparingmealsthatwebringoutinbulkandservetoShelterresidents.Volunteersarealwaysneededasfood“schleppers”tobringthewonderfulmealsfromSt.Mary’stotheShelter.Thetripiseasyandtakesnotimeatall,butithelpsimmensely.ContactJohnMilleratexdir.shal@gmail.comor502.876.5092forinformation.MikealsoreportedthattherecontinuetobedonationsoffoodfromlocalrestaurantsandcaterersweaddtotheeveningmealsfromtheSoupKitchen.ThesetypesofdonationsarewonderfulandhelpusserveanevenmoredeliciousofferingtoShelterresidents.SHALworkstomakeimprovementslikefood,aswellasenhancementsinsafety,cleanlinessandotheroperationalchangessothatmorehomelesspersonswillutilizetheshelter,helpingtointegratethemintoSHALprogramsandCaseManagement,andmovethemmorequicklytowardself-sufficiency.Webelievethatapersoncannotovercomehomelessnessiftheyaretiredorhungryorsickorhavenoincome.
TherewerenoEMTcallsmadeforShelterclientsinNovember.Clientswithnon-urgentmedicalneedsaretransportedviaautomobile,savingtheCitythecostofanambulancerun.
SHALMonthlyReportNovember2016 5
SHALOUTREACHServiceSummaryReport•November2016
SHALOutreachprovided759servicesto131differentclientsinNovember.Thisincludedservicesto61Shelteredand70unshelteredhomelesspersonsinKeyWest&Marathon.Becauseofadomesticviolencesituation,oneOutreachfamilywasrelocatedbacktothemainlandinNovember.TheMonroeCountyHSABBoardclaimedthattheSHALbusticketprogramwassomehow“duplicatingservices,”sowehavebeenforcedtosuspendtheSHALreunificationprogramasoftheendofSeptemberuntilwecanreplacethatfunding.SHALcontinuestogetclientrequestsandevencallsfromotheragenciesforrelocationmoney,whichmakesthe“duplication”argumentevenmoreridiculous.Ingeneral,nootheragencyrelocatesshelteredorunshelteredhomelessbacktothemainland.SHALhasarranged,providedandpaidforover350busticketsforhomelesspersonssince2014.
TotalServices:759HealthCareServicesReferred:23MentalHealth:3CoordinatedAssessments:8.
OtherServices
CaseManagement:176InformationServices:185CellPhones:26Food/Clothing:5BirthCertificates:20
FoodStamps:30 MailingAddress:132LongDist.Relocation:2*ID/ResidencyServices:58SSIssues:11
*SHALpaidfortherelocationofamotheranddaughtertothemainlandwhentherewasadomesticviolencesituation.Alocalbusinesswomanpaidforanotherrelocationforaclientwithamedicalcondition.
SHALNovemberSuccessStoriesSHALOutreachsuccessstoriesforNovember:TwomaleclientswereassistedtoenterPattersonHouseandbotharestillthere.SHALpaidthefirstweek’srentforone.SHALworkedalongsidestaffatGuidanceCareCenterinMarathontogetaclienthisIDsothathecouldenteranaddictionresidencyprograminHomestead.SHALOutreachprovidedtransporttoandfromdentalclinicinMarathonforatoothextractionwhenhismedicalcoveragewouldn'tcovertransportationandnodentistwasavailableinKeyWest.ASHALCasemanagerhelpedwiththecoordinationofrelocationforaclient,fundedbyalocalbusinesswoman.TheclienthadextensivemedicalissuesthatheneededtohaveaddressedbackhomeinGeorgia,stayingwithachildhoodfriendwhilehegetshishealthinorder.OutreachDirectorEliciaPintabona,andcasemanagersAmyYancichandChanningLamararereachingnewheightseachmonthtohelphomelesspersonsreachself-sufficiency.