Hopes, Dreams, Dedication, Inspiring Change

Nassau County, New York Phone: 917.913.4147 E-Mail: russbram@gmail.com

Business Proposal

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Executive Summary
Hopes, Dreams, Dedication, Inspiring Change (HDDIC, Inc) is comprised of a group of professionals with a deeply rooted interest in the Nassau County community. Many of the men and women were born, raised, and currently reside in the very neighborhoods that they now wish to help. Together, these community members have a collective vision: to provide temporary housing and life skill development to Nassau County citizens that are experiencing homeless and/or disabilities. The short-term goal is to partner with Nassau Countys 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The long-term goal is to provide the necessary life skills that all individuals need to lead successful lives long after their assistance has ended.

Business Description & Vision

Hopes, Dreams, Dedication, Inspiring Change (HDDIC, Inc) has a mission to provide a 22-bed temporary housing facility that acts as a transitional program for those in need. The organization understands that this is no small feat, and is prepared to utilize their vast knowledge in fields such as: clinical psychology, nutrition, real estate, and more to provide the safest and most productive environment possible. HDDIC, Inc. also intends to partner with local agencies that provide supplemental activities and vocational skills for residents. This includes (but is not limited to): GED courses, computer literacy, resume writing, and parenting techniques. The goal is to act as liaisons between outside resources and the residents in order to establish long-term relationships for them after they leave the facility. HDDIC, Inc believes in a people-first approach to its residents. The employees approach every guest on a personal level, allowing their humanity-and not their disadvantage-to define them. This is a crucial aspect of our mission, as we believe

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that in order to provide the self-esteem required to have a successful life, people have to feel value and worth. Our company principles are as follows:

Integrity Safety Commitment We are well aware of the fragility of a persons state of mind when they are dealing with the horrors of homelessness, so we promise to act with integrity when helping our residents to transition into our facility. Also, we understand that in a mixed-gender facility where there may be residents dealing with disabilities or other issues, that safety is our top priority. We are prepared to provide on-site security for our facility. HDDIC, Inc. has a commitment to the growth and development of our residents. We encourage all guests to complete their transition within 90 days and we plan to follow through with them every step of the way. At the beginning of each 90-day cycle, residents will sit down and come up with House Rules for their stay. We want the guests to foster a mutual sense of community by being given the chance to state the qualities of a safe environment such as: quiet hours, observation of personal space, kindness/consideration, and more.

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Partnership with Nassau Countys 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness

Nassau County has recently implemented a strategic plan to end homelessness in the community within the next ten years, while striving to achieve that goal in half the time. Therefore, the council needs organizations such as HDDIC, Inc. to step forward and assume some of that responsibility as none of us could achieve that goal alone. As members of the community, we have seen the great work that Nassau County has done in assisting residents with emergency shelter and medical needs. However, in the Impediments section of the 10-Year Plan, the county listed a few areas of need where we can bridge the gap1:

Lack of Knowledge About and Access to Services and Resources Homeless and formerly homeless persons stated during focus groups that DSS is seen as a last resort. This view of DSS creates a barrier to receipt of timely and appropriate services that could prevent homelessness or reduce the time that a person is homeless. Positive changes have been implemented at DSS in recent years, but there remain areas in need of improvement, which if left as is, create obstacles, barriers and gaps. Service providers identified a need to improve information networks, and focus group participants identified lack of information about community resources as a barrier to exiting homelessness. Focus group participants also identified a need for additional information on the following topics: nutrition parenting money management community resources
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Nassau Countys 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, page VI-74

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tools to remain housed Transitional Programs Focus group participants identified the lack of transitional housing programs between emergency housing and permanent housing as a barrier to success. They often lose benefits (child care, food stamps and/or cash) and may not be accustomed to paying bills on their own. The changes and stress they undergo can keep them in a vulnerable state and result in a return to homelessness.

About The Facility

HDDIC, Inc. is able to provide a facility for 22 single men and women, some with low-level physical, intellectual or mental disabilities in order to tackle chronic homelessness. The beautifully decorated home will feature motivational wall hangings, bright interior design, and soft inspirational music playing at all times. We believe in creating a serene and well-kept environment. The HDDIC house will have multiple beds per room, common living spaces, over (4) bathrooms, a kitchen, a garden and much more. Our facility will have features that some county shelters can not provide, namely our Individualized Assessment Programs (IAP) provided at intake by our case workers and our Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Plans (IADL), in which which all residents are required to participate. Our IAPs provides each incoming guest with (4) assessments through the duration of their stay. There will be an initial gathering of information where our caseworker will screen for all pertinent information from medical and criminal history to personal goals, strengths and weaknesses. Thereafter, the caseworker will follow up with a 30/60/90-day evaluations of the guest. We encourage all guests to transition out of the facility by 90-days, and while extensions are available they are not encouraged. Our IADL plans provide all residents with a daily itinerary. Whereas some shelters are unavailable to host people during the day, our facility will require that all residents

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participate in daily meetings, chores, and activities that will build life skills after their assistance has ended. Here is an example of our routine IADL that we plan to utilize: Good morning, HDDIC residents! Today is (insert day of the week and date here). Please utilize the following HDDIC schedule for today. All necessary materials (MTA schedules, maps, pens, paper, etc) are available downstairs in the Common Room. If you have any questions, please contact todays House Manager at (insert phone number here). 6:30-8:30am: Morning Hygiene Routine *There are (4) bathroom facilities. Please utilize the one in which you have been assigned, and do not extend your 15-minute timeframe. 8:30am-9:30am: Breakfast *Please remember to view the Chore Calendar posted in the kitchen for this weeks responsibilities. We ask that the dishes are cleaned, the trash in taken out, and the dining facility is sanitized before 10:00am 9:30am-10:00am: Exercise/Nutrition *We ask that our residents take at least 30-minutes per day to get some form of exercise. There are yoga dvds/mats, weights, and more in the Common Room. Also, during this time you may meet with the Nutritionist or attend Dr. visits during this time. 10:00am-11:00: Employment Search *In the Computer Room, we have provided employment websites, paperwork, and phones for residents to conduct job searches or attend a job interview. We also ask that you fill out a daily sheet of which companies you called and applied to each day. 11:00am-12:00pm: House Maintenance (Interior/Exterior) *Please check the House Calendar near the front door to find out which house activity you have been assigned for this week. Activities range from sweeping, window cleaning, vacuuming, yard work, gardening, and much more. 12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch

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1:00pm-3:00pm: Free Time *Please use your free time wisely! We advise you to utilize this time to meet with our Realtor regarding permanent housing, to do laundry, or to address any other personal matter (such as meeting with the Case Worker about your IAP). 3:00pm-5:00pm: Workshops *Our workshops will vary from financial planning, literacy, interview skills, parenting, and much more. These daily workshops are mandatory as they are a part of the life skills you will need to possess after you leave our facility. 5:00pm-7:00pm: Clean-up/Evening Hygiene Routine/Dinner Prep *During this time, all residents must wrap up their daily household duties and utilize their 15-minute evening hygiene time. Also, during this time we will begin dinner preparation and you must eat during your assigned shift. 7:00pm-9:00pm: House Reflection/Reading Time *This is the part of our day where we wrap up the days activities with a house-wide meeting in the Common Room. Residents converse with each other about their experiences and offer any helpful advice about life planning. 9:00pm: Curfew *No residents are allowed to leave or enter the facility after 9:00pm. We do this to ensure the safety of our residents. If you are out of the house and plan to be late returning, you must contact the House Manager before 5:00pm that day for approval. All attempts to enter the facility after curfew will be added to the residents IAP.

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Organization & Management

HDDIC, Inc. is comprised of a number of professionals with varied backgrounds, all of which are applicable to the features of this facility. Here is a chart of our hierarchical structure with some brief responsibilities:

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Our Company Director is the visionary behind the HDDIC, Inc. organization and ensures that the employees are aligned with our people-first policy and company principles. All executive and site concerns will be addressed through him. Our Case Workers are highly trained professionals that have experience in social work, clinical psychology or other relevant fields. They will decide which applicants are accepted into the facility and also follow up with each resident for progress reports and exit exams. Our House Managers are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facility. They are the contact person for residents and ensure that supplies are stocked. We plan to recruit college interns that are interested in such a position to serve in this capacity. Our Peer Appointed Council will consist of 2 residents that are nominated by and voted for by the residents of the house. This pair will act as peer mediators and report to the House Manager in the event that situations escalate beyond the residents control. HDDIC, Inc. residents play a very large role in the success of this venture. Their responsibilities are vast; everyone has a job to do that helps to maintain the house on a daily basis while also planning their next life steps.

Conclusion
Hopes, Dreams, Dedication, Inspiring Change is a group of professionals who are no stranger to the experience that a financial setback or disability may add to a persons life. However, they have been successful in overcoming a number of obstacles and would like to utilize their success by helping others to achieve, as well. With the brand new 22-bed facility that is currently being designed, the HDDIC can partner with Nassau Countys 10Year Plan to End Homelessness and eradicate this societal ill. With unique features that cater to every residents individual needs and the collective goal, there is no doubt that HDDIC will make a change in peoples lives that will last a lifetime.

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