A Practical Solution...

 

Homlessness can be devastating for a child....
 

 A coalition of concerned individuals, faith groups, businesses and agencies committed to solving Charlotte’s homeless crisis developed a practical solution called W.I.S.H. - Workforce Initiative for Supportive Housing. W.I.S.H. is  a collaborative project of Crisis Assistance Ministry, Project HOPE, Goodwill Industries, Lutheran Family Services, Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services  and referring homeless shelters. W.I.S.H. partners with working-poor families who are homeless to empower them to step up and out of the vicious cycle of poverty.  This goal is accomplished through a phased, incentive-based program to provide a second chance to those families committed to living independent, responsible, and productive lives. 

Each “step” in the W.I.S.H. process involves client responsibility and action.  By taking such a step, the family is provided a key incentive to empower them toward self-sufficiency.  Supportive incentives are earned by maintaining full-time employment, attending "Getting Ahead" workshops, eliminating non-essential spending and increasing savings.  Earned supportive services include housing placement with a moderate rental subsidy, an assigned Family Support Social Worker, volunteer Hope Team, transportation assistance, computer connectivity as well as referrals to food co-operatives, educational and job training programs.   The cornerstone of W.I.S.H.’s stepped empowerment program is the holistic and intensive social work  coupled with trained volunteer Hope Team participation.  Most experts agree that what drives fragile families to self-sufficiency are empowerment steps, supportive services and intensive social work.  Our rental, transportation, and connectivity subsidies are selected supportive incentives which motivate and reward patterns of behavior that lead to fiscal responsibility, healthy relationships, and spiritual growth.

The strength and innovation of W.I.S.H. lies in collaboration. No new agencies have been created. Instead, skills of existing agencies are combined with funding from public/private partnerships and relationships with local landlords who have vacant apartments to offer. The result is a web of sustained support wrapped around each W.I.S.H. family to empower them to achieve long-term self-sufficiency.

Investing in W.I.S.H. gives people a way home.  Homelessness costs us all – in lost productivity, health care, law enforcement and social services expenses. Potentially homeless people need intensive, sustained services to avoid falling prey to future cycles of need. Investing in W.I.S.H. gives working-poor people a chance to succeed. The cost of W.I.S.H. is $8,900 per family per year – a small price to pay for hope and self-sufficiency.
 

 

W.I.S.H. is...

Collaborative – A partnership among Crisis Assistance Ministry, Project HOPE, Goodwill Industries, Lutheran Family Services, Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and referring homeless shelters.

Asset Based – Combines the competencies of existing social services agencies, the charitable intent of faith groups, and the willingness of landlords to offer vacant properties at below-market rates. Working in concert with a coordinated system of individually-designed supports, participants are encouraged to build upon strengths that help them become financially stable and independent.

Faith Based – Charlotte-area faith groups are directly involved though Hope Teams, volunteers who provide an array of emotional, physical and spiritual supports for participants.

Cost Efficient – $8,900 supports one W.I.S.H. family for one year with life skills support and advocacy, Hope Team participation and apartment rent and transportation subsidy. This cost is less than half of the annual cost to warehouse a family in a homeless shelter. With the intensive supportive services offered by W.I.S.H., our families are empowered to reach self-sufficiency in approximately three years.  However, each family will “step” through this program at a different pace.  

Results Driven – Ongoing research by UNCC's Institute for Social Capital will capture and replicate best practices designed by W.I.S.H. to make the project sustainable and replicable for more people and communities.


 

 More than 3,000 children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools are homeless