Elk Grove HART

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We are a 501c(3) non-profit organization; 100% of donations go directly toward providing services. Tax ID# 46-4162394

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We are a 501c(3) non-profit organization; 100% of donations go directly toward providing services. Tax ID# 46-4162394

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HART welcomes new efforts to help address the cycles of poverty that keep individuals rooted in chronic homelessness.

Uplift People of Elk Grove is a comprehensive, holistic program designed to break the cycle of poverty by building well-being together: rethinking poverty, re-framing solutions, and reshaping our community. Through education and intentional relationships, we can restore abundance for families and individuals and bridge the cultural and socioeconomic class lines that often divide us. One of our primary goals is to provide a framework in which people can move off public assistance and build abundant lives.

Weekly Meetings are the core of Uplift People of Elk Grove. They include shared meals, time for relationship-building, mutual accountability, goal setting, tutoring and child care and celebration of success. The series of classes cover topics such as self-awareness, assessment of resources, budgeting, resolving conflict, the role of trauma in one’s life and community change. At the end of the series, graduates are matched with allies (trained volunteers) for support to continue the journey of moving towards mutual well-being. We recognize that transition from surviving to thriving takes time; participants are asked to dedicate 18-36 months to training and relationship building.

If this sounds interesting to you, follow our Facebook Page to keep in touch as we start our first classes in the Fall of 2017. We’ll be looking for volunteers to be allies, serve food at weekly meetings, help children with homework, provide childcare, help with fundraising, provide employment or internship opportunities and any number of other supportive activities.

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TrajectoryTrajectory is a trendy word defined as the path that is followed by a projected object under the action of a given force.

Last summer, we met Lisa living in desperation out of her car with her two little ones. It was hot and they were beyond exhausted. Exhausted from lack of sleep, fear, and the bleak prospects for the future. Mom's words said it all. What if I lose my job because I haven't showered? What if we are attacked when I finally drift off to sleep? What if my bad credit prevents me from ever finding my own place?

And the worst: What if CPS takes my little ones from me?

The odds against her seemed insurmountable. But with great relief, that proved to be false. Recently, Lisa and her two little girls moved into a precious one bedroom apartment with a pool and a grassy area right in front of their apartment. They even have a fireplace!

Last August, Lisa and her girls entered HART's Meadow House for homeless families. During their time there, Lisa worked hard to stabilize her family. With determination, she accomplished all the goals her mentor and she set up. She got a better job with benefits, saved money, worked to better her credit, found stable childcare for her girls, and went to counseling for her own peace of mind. Ten months of hard work paid off.

Yes, HART helped to stabilize Mom, but more importantly, the trajectory of those two precious girls' lives have been changed forever. They have lived through watching Mom work hard to succeed and it paid off. They will be compassionate, caring women because of the hardship they have been through. You can see it in their hearts. They will help to make our world a better place because of what they have been through.

We are so proud of Lisa, and happy for her family. The future looks so bright for them.

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HART Announces New Board Members

HART is thrilled to announce the addition of two new Board Members. Brian Franks and Debbie Pettenger are quality people that will nicely compliment our current stellar Board.

Brian is the successful co-owner of wholesale retail outlet, Shop Heroic in Elk Grove, one of three in Northern California. Brian and his wife, Natalie, are not new comers to the nonprofit world. They have been heavily involved with nonprofit organizations for the past nine years. Brian has had a heart for the homeless dating back to his high school days when he spent time experiencing life with the homeless in San Francisco. We look forward to Brian bringing his talents and business acumen to HART Board.

Debbie is not only familiar with the Elk Grove area in her professional endeavors as a successful realtor, but has also worked for many years as a parent leader in the Elk Grove school system and currently serves on the Elk Grove Food Bank Board. She has a passion for the homeless, especially homeless veterans. Debbie has dedicated her life to being a strong community leader. We look forward to Debbie bringing her dedication and passion to our HART Board.

We are so deeply appreciative of Debbie and Brian's willingness to join us in our fight to help the homeless in Elk Grove achieve their highest potential. We welcome them to our HART family.

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Naturally, our hearts are moved by the thought of helping the homeless during the winter season. None of us want to think about people suffering in the cold, with no access to even basic necessities like food and shelter.

But did you know that homelessness doesn't have a favorite season? In fact, the summer months can exacerbate the struggle with homelessness because it is during this season that children are usually not in school, and reasonably-priced childcare is difficult to find. Parents can find it more challenging to keep regular hours at a job, and work to return to self-sufficiency when concerned about where children can stay during the day.

Then, there's the issue that the heat can bring. We all read about the dangers of excessive sun exposure, dehydration, and poor air quality on the hotter days. These issues can adversely affect those without shelter, because there is "no break" from them.

While our region comes together to provide cooling centers and other resources, there are ways that you as an individual can help the homeless during the summer:

  • Keep bottled water on hand. On the hottest days, water not only hydrates but can also aid someone in clean-up. You may also consider water supplemented with electrolytes and/or Gatorade to replace minerals lost in sweating. While these items don't need to be kept on ice, please take care to keep these items cooled.
     
  • Light clothing – perhaps you have children who've outgrown last summer's shorts. Consider keeping a bag in your trunk that includes light-weight tee shirts, shorts, and even flip-flops. Please remember that giveaway clothing should be in good condition and clean as homeless people often don't have access to laundry facilities and/or places to repair clothing.
     
  • Foot care & sunscreen items – the heat can introduce problems like Athlete's Foot. Consider keeping inexpensive foot powder, socks, etc. on hand to hand out when you see someone on the streets. Skin damage is also a concern. Personal care items can be found at your local dollar and discount stores.
     
  • Conversation – one of the best ways you can help encourage a homeless person is simply by greeting them respectfully, and smiling. Smiles are free, and everyone smiles in the same language!

These are just a few ways to make the summer months more bearable for those on the streets. Author Charles Bowden said, "Summertime is always the best of what might be." Let's help make summertime the best of what might be for those less fortunate!

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What Will You Learn

HART hosts a public meeting known as our HART Solutions Meeting every other month. You may wonder, "What Can I Learn at a HART Solutions Meeting?"

In addition to learning about our programs, several partnering agencies are also at the meeting to provide resources on how to best address the issue of homelessness in our city. Representatives include Elk Grove Food Bank, Elk Grove Police Department, Sacramento Self-Help Housing, and more.

Our HART Solutions Meeting was designed to inform the public of how we can all work together to provide resolutions and assist homeless individuals to become self-sustaining once again. Our Solutions Meeting is the best place to start when you are considering how to donate your time, resources, and service. The next HART Solutions Meeting is set for Thursday, June 8, 2017 at Elk Grove City Council Chambers located at 8400 Laguna Palms Way in Elk Grove.

Please phone our office at (916) 623-5858 if you have questions about our upcoming meeting or would like to know more.

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Sacramento Self-Help Housing

by Fred Bremerman & Ken Bennett

Who knew that 2010 would mark the beginning of a new vision to help homeless individuals in Elk Grove? That year a handful of volunteers, led by Frank Lucia and Debbie Schoeneshoefer, came together to create what eventually grew in the Elk Grove Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART).

HART has symbiotic relationships with many agencies, ensuring each group can focus on their area of expertise. One such agency is Sacramento Self Help Housing.

As their name implies, Sacramento Self Help Housing (SSHH) specializes in housing. In Elk Grove, this includes:

1) Housing Counseling – Every Tuesday from 9:00 to 11:30 AM, SSHH staff explore housing options with the homeless at Elk Grove United Methodist Church. SSHH staff attend the 12-week Elk Grove Winter Sanctuary program to offer more counseling.

2) Housing Oversight – Each year 30 to 35 homeless individuals are clients in Elk Grove’s two transitional homes, Grace House and Meadow House. These homes are possible because SSHH provides an on-site house leader, as well as a Case Manager who meets regularly with the clients.

3) In-Field “Navigator” – In April 2017, SSHH hired Lee Kubiak as a Homeless Navigator to look high and low in Elk Grove for homeless individuals. Lee is experienced in helping connect individuals to resources such as ID cards and applying for benefits.

This summer SSHH will open a permanent shared housing location for very low income individuals in Elk Grove, for Elk Grove residents. The six-bedroom home will provide a room at an affordable cost for fixed-income individuals. This home would not have happened without the partnership and advocacy between SSHH and HART.

SSHH found the HART model to be so successful that it duplicated it in other local communities including Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, and most recently Carmichael. These communities now have Winter Sanctuary programs patterned after the Elk Grove HART model.

Want to learn more about programs and volunteer opportunities? Attend an upcoming HART Solutions meeting (next meeting is June 8, 2017). Visit www.SacSelfHelp.org to learn more about SSHH programs to help the homeless and people needed housing.

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Housing First

City Employee Thong Phan-Quang Shares
His Perspective on Homelessness in Elk Grove

This past winter, as part of my graduate research project, I had the honor and privilege of meeting and getting to know a few of Elk Grove’s residents as they were having dinner and enjoying each other’s company. All told, I met and interviewed over a dozen local residents to gain a unique perspective on life that could only be viewed through their lens. At the end of each conversation with John, Linda, and Ed, I had a greater understanding and appreciation for their shortcomings. I also discovered that for Joe, Phyllis, and Brian, there was no such thing as a small victory. Success was measured day by day, hour by hour, and self preservation literally meant just that. It is difficult for many of us to truly know and grasp what it feels like to live on the fringe of our society. We see what’s on the surface, nothing more, because it is easier that way, and being self absorbed takes up much of our time. These individuals I have mentioned, and many others, all share the common experience of living without a place to call home as we know it, without shelter from the elements, without safety and security because they are homeless and suffer all the ailments that are associated with it.

I see both sides of the coin. I work for the City as a senior code enforcement officer, and respond to resident complaints of homelessness and its related issues. Most reports involve trash, encampments, shopping carts, graffiti; quality of life factors that affect property values. There is no shortage of literature and research by scholars on homelessness. It remains an unsolved problem for many cities and counties exacerbated by the lack of funding and affordable housing. More importantly, a political will is missing from the equation. If asked, people will say it is a dilemma that needs to be fixed, but few are willing to make the hard choices and sacrifices to do so. NIMBY remains pervasive.

Government has recognized homelessness as a problem and has committed resources via HUD, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and other continuums of care by local agencies and providers. (The current administration is slated to drastically reduce, if not eliminate much of this funding.) Evidence based models such as Housing First, which includes components of transitional, permanent, supportive, and shared housing programs have been implemented across the country with great success. The degree of success is tempered by the level of community support and buy in from local leaders.

For its part, the City’s efforts towards combating homelessness is increasing. It has already purchased two transitional homes operated by Sacramento Self Help Housing, plans to open two more, and hired a Navigator to do outreach with the homeless population. But much more work needs to be done and non profit groups like HART, which rely on volunteers and donations, fill a crucial void by providing important services such as the Winter Sanctuary. Also known as EG WINS, it’s a program that depends on local churches and volunteers to provide food, shelter, transportation, and safety during the cold winter months.

I won’t recite old rhetoric that everyone can make a difference if only they tried; in the age of social media, instant gratification, and opaque politicians, I will say it is long overdue for residents to ante up and kick in, to put some skin in the game. For those that don’t have the time, money, nor inclination, these folks can still perform their civic duty by voting for worthwhile, benevolent initiatives and supporting philanthropic organizations. You don’t have to be a member of HART to show that you have a heart.

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." - Maya Angelou

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Sometimes those who spend time in our transitional housing program are so impacted by what they’ve experienced that they pay it forward. Kaleb is one of these individuals.

Kaleb is highly educated and earned a college degree in Museum Studies and various certificates in computer programming and networking. He has worked in various jobs ranging from managing a family owned business to working with US diplomats visiting his native country. The relationship he was in brought him to Sacramento where he cared for a number of children. At the end of that relationship he found himself homeless without many connections or family here in California. Being resourceful and self-motivated, he reached out to us at HART looking for temporary housing while he got back on his feet.

Almost immediately, Kaleb became committed to becoming self-sustaining, our ultimate goal at HART. He earnestly sought job opportunities, and was able to secure employment with a large organization that was united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers. With a caregiving history, Kaleb found this position to be one that resonated with his own concern regarding the important social issues facing the average working family.

At the end of his residency in Grace House, Kaleb moved on to actually give back by accepting the opportunity to manage/monitor another transitional home that would give him permanent residency, and began the journey to obtain a license to sell insurance. Those who have walked this transitional housing journey with him have nothing but praise for his efforts. Kaleb has learned the benefits of sound budgeting, continues to work with those that need caregiving, and has sought numerous resources to continue his own professional development.

Kaleb is an outstanding example of HART’s mission fulfilled. He has become independent and self-sustaining, and in the process has become committed to paying it forward for those still looking to achieve these goals.

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PTSD is a curse. It shows up at the least opportune times—scary and out of control. A flashback to a hard, desperate, and uncertain time.

Many of our homeless have it, but his was particularly bad and he hated it. Those that knew him well could see it growing during times of stress, almost always impossible to reverse once it started.

How he hated it. He would try so hard to stay out of stressful situations that would trigger it—but that is difficult when you’re homeless and often preyed upon.

He would 5150 in the emergency room as a potential risk to himself when he recognized that he needed help to come out of it. Easily more than 20 times a year he landed there. He would spend a couple of weeks in a mental facility and then be back out on the streets again. The cycle repeated itself over and over again.

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Why We Do What We Do

As tears welled up in her eyes, her words told a different story. "I am not going to let you or God see me cry."

Too late, the tears were already coming. "I can't believe I have my own room. I don't have to be scared anymore. I am safe." She had just moved into the Grace House.

I hugged her and quickly got in my car before she could see my tears. I quickly rolled down the window and choked out, "You are why we do this!" Her hands beat at her chest over her heart.

That night she texted pictures (below) of how she had arranged her room, the view from her window, and images of hugs and kisses. I won't lie, it felt good. Good to help this sweet, funny woman finally get off the streets after she had lost her home six months prior.


We are a 501c(3) non-profit organization;
100% of donations go directly toward providing services.
Tax ID# 46-4162394