A Proven, Permanent Solution To Homelessness

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Thank you for your interest in

group volunteer opportunities with
Virginia Supportive Housing!

Please sign in and provide your e-mail

address to receive our newsletter!
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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Alison Jones-Nassar
VSH Volunteer Program Coordinator
Phone: 804-836-1061
Fax: 804-788-6827
E-mail: ajonesnassar@virginiasupportivehousing.org
Web site: www.virginiasupportivehousing.org

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Part I
The Issue

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

What Do You
Know About
Homelessness?

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Some Myths About Homelessness

They are not like me.
They choose to be homeless.
They are just lazy.
Taxpayers shouldn’t have to
pay for services that benefit
the homeless.

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Some Facts About Homelessness

On any given day in the United States,
almost 700,000 sheltered and
unsheltered men, women, and children
experience homelessness.
In the Richmond region, there are
approximately 1100 homeless
individuals each night, with many more
on the verge of homelessness due to job
loss, foreclosure, and other factors.

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Some Facts About Homelessness

The average age for adults is 43.9 years.
25.8 % of homeless persons are employed.
31.9% of homeless persons have
experienced domestic violence in their
lifetime.
35% report having a mental health problem
sometime in their lifetime.

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Some Facts About Homelessness

About 10% of the homeless population
is chronically homeless.
Approximately one-third of all homeless
individuals is female.
72.5% of homeless persons served some
time in jail and/or prison.
18.5% of homeless persons are veterans.

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

The Time Has Come…

…To stop managing

the problem and start
ending it!

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Part II
Who We Are
What We Do

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 What Is Virginia Supportive Housing?

The mission of Virginia Supportive Housing is

to provide housing and comprehensive support
services to individuals and families who are
homeless or have special needs in order to
initiate and promote their transition from
homelessness to greater personal independence.

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 What Is Virginia Supportive Housing?

Founded in 1988, VSH is the only non-profit organization

in Central Virginia that takes an integrated approach to
ending homelessness by providing both permanent
housing and support services to the most underserved
segments of our population.

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 What Is Virginia Supportive Housing?

The homeless individuals and families we serve represent

the very lowest levels of income in our region (generally
30% or less than our area's median income). This financial
situation is often compounded by other challenges,
including substance abuse, mental illness and physical
disabilities.

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 What Is Virginia Supportive Housing?

90% of our residents do not return

to homelessness!

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Meet The Faces Of Homelessness

Anthony Thompson* became homeless along
with his brother after their mother passed
away & the siblings relocated from
Tappahannock to Richmond. After becoming
involved with using and selling drugs, he was
incarcerated for 10 years. Upon his release,
Anthony began a new life, thanks to VSH. He
is now back on his feet, supporting himself
and living independently at New Clay House,
a supported studio apartment building in
Richmond.
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 VSH At A Glance

Housing Programs
Permanent Housing Residences
Support Services

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 Housing Programs
A Place To Start (APTS)
Housing First program that places chronically homeless individuals
with serious mental illness in permanent housing and provides them
with intensive support services

Shelter Plus Care

Provides rental subsidies and support services
(serves over 130 adults and families)

Financial Foundations
Asset Development Program for individuals and families, providing
financial literacy, homebuyer education, business development and
career counseling

Housing Resource Center

Provides a database of affordable housing and assistance in
overcoming housing barriers
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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Meet The Faces Of Homelessness

Eva Mitchell* has never experienced a
stable home life. Raised in an abusive
household, she tried to make her own
way and lived from paycheck to
paycheck. Losing her job pushed her into
the streets and shelters, where she
suffered from the cold and an extreme
sense of personal insecurity. Without
VSH, Eva’s cognitive disabilities could
easily have led her into a life of chronic
homelessness & abuse.
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 Permanent Housing Residences

Supportive Studio Apartments

New Clay House (serves 47 adults)
South Richmond (serves 39 adults with 21
additional units planned for 2010)
Gosnold Apartments in Norfolk (serves 60
adults)
Cloverleaf Apartments in Virginia Beach
(serves 60 adults)
Coming Soon: South Bay in Portsmouth! 20
 Permanent Housing Residences

Adults with Disabilities

Stratford House (serves 8 adults)
Veterans Apartments (serves 8 adults)
James River Apartments (serves 14 adults)
Independence House* (serves 6 adults)
Bliley Manor* (serves 8 adults)
Families
Southern Barton Heights (serves 4 families)
Highland Park (serves 8 families)
Cary Street (serves 4 families)
*TBI housing is supported in part by state general funds administered by the Department of Rehabilitative Services.

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Meet The Faces Of Homelessness

A series of health complications and
medical crises, including a stroke, chronic
high blood pressure, and seizures, are what
landed Billy Simms* on the street, where
he remained for ten years. Through VSH,
he was able to obtain medications, a stable
place to live, and even a new hobby –
fixing computers.

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 Support Services

Our Person Centered Approach

Person centered means focusing on the
needs and preferences of the individual,
empowering and supporting the individual
in defining the direction for his/her life,
and promoting self-determination,
community involvement, and recovery.

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Meet The Faces Of Homelessness

Lisa Spencer*, a mother of four, ended
up on the streets following the death of
her mother. Then at age 26, she was
diagnosed with stage 2 cervical cancer.
VSH was able to assist Spencer with
housing, utilities, and medical support
using HPRP (Homeless Prevention &
Rapid Re-Housing) funding. Lisa
completed her cancer treatments two
weeks before Christmas 2009.

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 Support Services
Support Services are key to ensuring that residents remain
in permanent housing.

The three major components of Virginia Supportive Housing’s

Support Services are:

•CASE MANAGEMENT

•COUNSELING & SKILLS TRAINING

•COMMUNITY BUILDING

•VSH is also licensed to provide MENTAL HEALTH Support

Services to residents who have long-term, severe psychiatric
disabilities. 25
 Virginia Supportive Housing

Meet The Faces Of Homelessness

David Baker* suffers from a cognitive
disability that interferes with his ability
to form relationships and severely
impacts his ability to function
independently. For 15 years, he lived
on the streets and relied on soup
kitchens for his meals. Thanks to VSH,
David collects disability, shops for
himself, has a bank account, and
manages his symptoms with
medication.
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 VSH Is A Smart Investment!

The cost to the Greater Richmond

community of providing temporary
housing is approximately $9,500 to $13,500
per person. VSH spends approximately
$4,500 per person, per year to provide
permanent, supportive housing to
individuals and families. Our approach
saves the public up to $9,000 per individual
served.
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 Virginia Supportive Housing

Part III
The Volunteer
Activity

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 VSH Volunteer Program

We all need to be a part of

the solution to the
problem of homelessness
in our society. Volunteers
are critical to achieving
Virginia Supportive
Housing’s goal to
TRANSFORM lives &
communities by providing
permanent solutions to
homelessness!
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So How Can Volunteer Groups
Serve VSH?

WHO

35 VCU students in the

School of Mass
Communications

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So How Can Volunteer Groups
Serve VSH?

WHO
New Clay House is a
supportive studio
apartment building serving
47 formerly homeless low-
income individuals with
disabilities.

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 Property Opportunities

WHAT
Basic
Computer & Social
Media Skills

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 Client Service Opportunities

WHERE
VCU Office of
Community
Engagement
Computer Lab

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Collection Opportunities

WHEN
Five one-hour sessions

July 12, 5 – 6 p.m.

July 13, 2 – 3 p.m.
July 15, 2 – 3 p.m.
July 19, 5 – 6 p.m.
July 20, 2 – 3 p.m.

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Collection Opportunities

HOW

½ hour of group
instruction followed by
½ hour of one-on-one
tutoring

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The Application Process

BEFORE you volunteer:

•Please sign and submit three forms
•Please read the sensitivity manual
•Please sign and submit the
sensitivity training agreement
•Know the parameters of your
service

Procedure for each session:

•Please document your service by
signing in and out
•Please ask questions!

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 Next Steps

•Visit our web site

•Watch our video
•Follow our blog
•Become a VSH
Facebook Fan
•Make a commitment!

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Virginia Supportive Housing

QUESTIONS?

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 Virginia Supportive Housing

We all need to be a part of the solution

to the problem of homelessness in our
community. Thank YOU for
volunteering with Virginia Supportive
Housing – a proven, permanent
solution to homelessness!

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