At Rosie’s Place, we go beyond helping a homeless guest attain housing by assisting her once she’s found it. Through our Homelessness Prevention Outreach program, we focus on building long-term support and solutions for our guests who struggle with maintaining housing. We do this by providing resources and in-home services for more than 70 women who, left on their own, would be at risk of becoming homeless again. With this exceptional program, Rosie’s Place is working to break the cycle of chronic homelessness.
For many of the women this program serves, mental health problems or other issues may interfere with a successful tenancy. Our outreach advocate visits each woman in her home and develops a support system that might include referrals for mental health treatment, medications, substance abuse treatment, job placement, housing supports, social support and primary health care. Additionally, Rosie's Place may provide direct financial assistance to prevent eviction, cover unpaid utility bills, assist with transportation and purchase household items. By linking our guests with external services and providing financial and emotional assistance—we aim to build a support system for some of our community’s most vulnerable.
Our new Outreach Van is part of Rosies’ Place’s broader outreach initiative which seeks to serve women who are eligible for Rosie’s Place services, but cannot or do not physically come to our facility. These include institution- or home-bound women who need friendship and support; newly housed women who are at-risk for homelessness as a result of their physical or mental health disabilities; and women who are living on the street as a result of addiction, severe mental illness, partner abuse, or involvement in the sex industry. The establishment of a street outreach van will also address and alleviate immediate needs as well as promote Rosie’s Place’s services and to opportunities to for more long term solutions—to even more women.
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