Member of the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness steering committee and the Continuum of Care Allocation Committee.
Homelessness isn’t always visible. But for more than 40,000 in Michigan on any given day - children, youth, and adults in our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods and in every city, town, and village - it's painfully real.
According to local human service providers, in Branch County "couch-hopping" is a serious problem for many families, putting children in jeopardy of increased risk of abuse due to unsafe living partners and situations, disrupted schooling, constant feelings of insecurity, and overcrowded conditions. This type of living situation creates a very tenuous existence for our children and their families who survive through the generosity (or whim) of the person they are living with, sometimes even strangers. Universal needs of homeless families, including mental health supports, availability of safe, quality affordable housing, and availability of housing for families of six or more people have also been identified in Branch County.
Over 50% of the homeless in Branch County are children and approximately 27% of the homeless are pregnant women. With the increasing number of home foreclosures in our area, homelessness is an issue which is becoming more common.
Branch County service providers recently adopted a Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. In the past, homelessness prevention focused primarily on stopping eviction or planning for discharge from institutions like jail or mental hospitals. These are important, but we must take a more comprehensive view. If we are going to end homelessness we must prevent people from becoming homeless. The Plan’s ultimate intent is to end chronic homelessness and reduce all types of homelessness over the next decade by investing our resources in a coordinated, sustained effort that addresses the underlying causes of homelessness and working toward
- reducing the number of people who become homeless
- increasing the number of homeless people placed into permanent housing
- decreasing the length and disruption of homeless episodes
- providing community-based service and supports that prevent homelessness before it happens and diminish opportunities for homelessness to recur.
These are ambitious goals, but can be achieved with community support. If you would like to volunteer your time, talent, or treasure please contact us!
