Catholic Charities has navigated stable housing for over 2,000 individuals in the last three years.
How do you operate a multi-site shelter program during a pandemic? How do you house families in a climate of limited employment, shuttered schools, childcare, and government offices, and a cutthroat rental market?
There is no playbook, but after over a year of navigating this crisis with our community, the Catholic Charities Team is ready to write one. Years of proven housing leadership set us up to rise to the occasion once again to be a leader our community could count on.
Catholic Charities’ housing-focused services touch the lives of thousands of children, veterans, and other vulnerable adults facing homelessness each year. As the largest homeless services provider in Northern California, we run the full spectrum of programs from street outreach to emergency shelter to permanent supportive housing.
Despite the challenges, staff continues building relationships with members of our community seeking home. Just a few of our pandemic adaptations included the new Academic Hub which serves as a tool for parents and children managing distance learning. Multiple vaccine events were held to ensure easy access for unhoused individuals. Innovative alternative shelter sites provided safety and security for unsheltered individuals on their housing journey.
Since implementing the Housing First model in 2016, we have doubled housing placements and seen a 13% decrease in homelessness despite double-digit increases in surrounding Bay Area counties. Once Caritas Village opens in Summer 2022, we anticipate even more housing successes.
Thanks to you, formerly homeless children, parents, and adult individuals can thrive in a new home to call their own… |